The Karma, undetectable by others, emanated from Liang Yi and was swallowed by the Red Lotus.
A hint of imperceptible joy flickered in Fang Ye's eyes.
Liang Yi truly lived up to his reputation as the villain responsible for the massacre of entire families; he was worth ten men!
He definitely had more than just the hundred-plus lives of the Zhou family on his hands—according to the Karma feedback, he had killed nearly three hundred people!
Three hundred lives' worth of Karma was equivalent to 30 strands of Red Lotus Qi!
How could such a massive experience package be abandoned just because the opponent was holding a hostage?
Ahem, I misspoke, let me try again.
"How can such a heinous person, who knows what monstrous crimes he will commit next, be let go just because he's holding a hostage?" Fang Ye silently applauded his own conscientiousness.
He was actually a little grateful that Liang Yi had resorted to the hostage tactic.
Otherwise, even if Fang Ye ran himself ragged, he wouldn't have been able to keep up with Liang Yi's excellent light footwork, let alone take his head!
Furthermore, if the opponent hadn't foolishly used a hostage as a shield, but had drawn his blade to fight, he wouldn't have been taken down so easily by Fang Ye.
He slowly sheathed his blade, shaking off the blood clinging to it.
It was then that everyone finally recovered their senses.
"How dare you! How dare you!!" The official's Young Miss's eyes widened, her voice incredibly sharp: "How dare you kill my cousin?!"
"You have such gall!"
"What crime did my cousin commit? You Jin Yiwei are useless, you couldn't catch the criminal, yet you killed my cousin along with him!"
"This is simply a disregard for human life!"
"I will definitely have my father impeach you! I will have him impeach you severely!"
On her pretty face, her eyes were wide with rage, filled with hatred.
Her fingers, like green onions, pointed fiercely at Fang Ye: "I want you to pay for my cousin's life!"
Fang Ye frowned: "You are openly insulting an official; do you want a trip to the big prison?"
Blood still stained his body, and his Killing Intent was palpable.
But the official's Young Miss continued to clamor.
"So what if I cursed you scoundrels who prey on the common people!" On her pretty face, she glared viciously at Fang Ye: "My name is Meng Lingyan, my father is Meng Cheng, the Taipu Si Cheng..."
"You Jin Yiwei can bully ordinary commoners, but can you bully me?"
If it were ordinary commoners, the Jin Yiwei could indeed use 'insulting an official' as an excuse to arrest a few and throw them in jail for a few days.
But when facing children of officials, this method wouldn't work.
Then there was only...
"Meng Lingyan, right, why are you all here?" Fang Ye suddenly asked.
Meng Lingyan was startled by the question: "What do you mean, why are we here?"
"It's too much of a coincidence." Fang Ye narrowed his eyes: "This is Xuanwu Fourteenth Ward, one of the poorest areas in the entire Divine Capital. Even the bustling market here is far inferior to the markets in other wards, and it shouldn't be an area where Young Masters and Young Misses from official families travel."
"Of course, you could say you just happened to have a whim to come here for a stroll."
"But it just so happened that when you came out, it was precisely the time our Jin Yiwei were besieging Liang Yi."
"When you arrived here, Liang Yi just happened to escape from our hands."
"Then, you, who just happened to be passing by, became the hostages taken by Liang Yi, attempting to escape the Divine Capital with their help..."
He narrowed his eyes, his hand slowly resting on the hilt of his blade.
"Tell me, what dealings do you have with the Zhou family, whom Liang Yi massacred? Do you have any new grudges or old animosities?"
Meng Lingyan was first startled, then immediately became furious.
Her chest rose and fell, visibly expanding a size due to her anger, making her figure appear even more delicate.
"You! You! You!"
"You actually slandered me?"
She had simply had a whim to go for a stroll with her companions in the commoners' market.
As a result, not only was her cousin taken hostage, but she herself was slandered by the notorious Jin Yiwei?
This was simply...
"Who knows if it's slander or not." Fang Ye shrugged, his eyes slightly narrowed: "Without a proper investigation, who knows what the real situation is. In my opinion, I'd like to invite a few of you to our Jin Yiwei Guard Station—"
"Enough! Enough!" Lin Chengze couldn't help but step out: "Fang Ye, stop talking, let's end this here!"
Then he turned to Meng Lingyan and said: "You shut up too, quickly take your cousin for medical treatment. If you don't go soon, she might really not be saved."
"Ah? My cousin isn't dead yet?" Meng Lingyan's pretty face froze.
Of course, she wasn't dead!
Fang Ye's primary target was Liang Yi. Although killing her cousin could also yield some Karma, how could a mere ordinary Young Miss compare to a murderer who wiped out entire families?
Perhaps if he had first cut down the cousin, then Liang Yi, he could have gained an extra portion of Karma.
But a Liang Yi without a hostage would inevitably be besieged by Lin Chengze, who would no longer have any scruples and would personally lead the attack.
Whether Fang Ye would still have a chance to claim Liang Yi's head then would be another matter.
Since that was the case, he naturally aimed his blade straight for Liang Yi's heart. The cousin was only incidentally injured in her internal organs, but it wasn't fatal.
Although dangerous, with the medical means of the Martial Dao world, it was not impossible to save her.
Seeing this, Meng Lingyan glared fiercely at Fang Ye.
Then she called for her servants to carry the person to find a doctor.
The other young men and women also left, grumbling.
Only Fang Ye felt a slight regret—if they had argued a few more sentences and delayed, she might have truly died...
As it was now...
She could indeed be saved, causing Fang Ye to lose a portion of Karma!
Hmm, Fang Ye had never felt any pity for the people of this world.
After all, they weren't people from the same world to begin with. Viewing them as NPCs was not an exaggeration, so where would he find so much sympathy?
So when he killed people in this world, his heart was always calm.
If it were a game world, Fang Ye would probably have an attribute like this:
【Does Not Treat NPCs as People: Brutality +10, Deterrence +5.】
Hundred-household Lin Chengze sighed, knelt down to examine Liang Yi's corpse, and according to regulations, after reconfirming his identity, he had his subordinates take the body back to the Guard Station to hand in.
Then he turned to Fang Ye, his face complex, and said: "Fang Ye, it looks like that Young Miss has taken a grudge against you."
"Although we Jin Yiwei are a self-contained system and are not afraid of some Taipu Si Cheng, you really..."
"And that innocent Young Miss..."
However, Fang Ye merely looked up and said: "Then, Lord Hundred-household, can we let Liang Yi go?"
"Of course not!" Lin Chengze shook his head without hesitation.
How could such a villain be let go?
Neither the pressure from his superiors nor Lin Chengze's own character would allow him to release the person!
"So the result is very obvious." Fang Ye's face was calm, his words filled with determination: "My method is the best method. How can one family crying compare to many families crying? That Young Miss can only be considered unlucky."
"For the sake of protecting Great Qian, some sacrifices are necessary!"
"And isn't bearing this darkness the responsibility of us Jin Yiwei?"
"But if you do this, the Taipu Si Cheng will likely resent you, and Prince Zhao might also think you don't respect him." Lin Chengze sighed softly: "You are just a small Jin Yiwei, well, although you've been promoted to eighth-rank, how can you withstand their hostility!"
Fang Ye heard this, but he smiled and said frankly.
"I will dedicate my life to the country, how can I avoid it because of fortune or misfortune!"
"Everything I do is for Great Qian, how can I fear the hostility of mere powerful officials?"
Lin Chengze heard this, but he was stunned.
I will dedicate my life to the country, how can I avoid it because of fortune or misfortune...
Such heroic words actually came from the mouth of this small Jin Yiwei.
"I recently heard reports from my subordinates saying that Fang Ye's Killing Intent is too heavy, that he might be a madman who loves to kill... What a joke, how is this man a madman!"
"He is clearly a patriot!"
For the sake of the country, bearing the hostility of the powerful, bearing the hatred of the common people, bearing the darkness of the world, stained with defiled blood...
All for the future of Great Qian!
What kind of spirit is this!
What kind of patriotism!
"Lin Chengze, Lin Chengze, didn't you, back then, go against your father's wishes to join the Jin Yiwei precisely because you wanted to become a guardian who would protect Great Qian even at the cost of your reputation?"
"Why are you hesitating now on this matter?!"
The young Hundred-household took a deep breath, his gaze firm, and shouted loudly at Fang Ye: "Fang Ye, don't worry, our Jin Yiwei yamen, from top to bottom, is not to be trifled with! I, Lin Chengze, am also not to be trifled with!"
"What is a mere Taipu Si Cheng!"
"I will take responsibility for this matter! You have no worries!"
With that, he turned and left, heading straight for the Thousand-household's office.
How could a patriot like Fang Ye be allowed to remain a mere ordinary Jin Yiwei?
It just so happened that he had killed Liang Yi, his merits were sufficient, and he himself was at the eighth-rank Body Refinement stage, so he could be appointed as a Chief!
As for the Taipu Si Cheng's resentment...
I, Lin Chengze, son of the Marquis of Jingbian!
Do you understand the value of being the son of a meritorious noble!
Fang Ye: "..."
Although he understood that his Hundred-household had a good character, was inexperienced in worldly affairs, and was kind-hearted and easy to fool.
But he didn't expect him to actually believe him just by saying a few words, did he?
How was Fang Ye a patriot?
He simply didn't take any 'Taipu Si Cheng' seriously!
The Jin Yiwei were a self-contained system. Their direct superior was the Jin Yiwei Commander, a Great Grandmaster on the Heavenly Ranking, whose status was even above that of a prince!
How could Prince Zhao possibly bother a Great Grandmaster on the Heavenly Ranking over the problem of a mere subordinate's niece?
It was Meng Cheng who had a closer relationship and might actually take action—he was a fifth-rank Martial Artist, held a high position of power, was a sixth-rank high official, and his strength and status were far above his own as a small Jin Yiwei.
But...
"As long as I level up quickly, trouble won't catch up to me!"
Fang Ye understood a principle very well.
Not to mention that the niece wasn't dead; even if she were, she was still just a niece.
The Jin Yiwei were a self-contained system. Meng Cheng had been promoted from out of town and had only been in the capital for a few months. Even if he really came to cause trouble for Fang Ye, it would take time to operate.
At least a year and a half, or even three to five years if he had more things to do or wasn't so dedicated, was not impossible.
If Fang Ye, currently an eighth-rank, caused trouble, by the time three to five years passed and this fifth-rank Martial Artist's enemy came knocking, Fang Ye would already have advanced to Grandmaster!
Then the question arises.
A small fifth-rank Martial Artist actually kicked open the door of a dignified Grandmaster's home. Who, pray tell, was causing trouble?
Who was stirring up trouble?
"Any passerby would know—it must be the fifth-rank Martial Artist's fault!"
...