Chapter 39 - 35: Ruthless
Initially, Qin Ziwen had planned to have the Beaked Eagle guard the Earth Cage, but after his earlier conversation with Wang Yun, he was forced to abandon the idea.
Leaving the Beaked Eagle—which wasn’t skilled at fighting in the dark—outside at night was too risky.
But now that he had it, he couldn’t just let it eat for free.
He decided to take it with him tomorrow to map the surrounding area.
With a radar-like lookout in the sky, his security would be significantly enhanced.
As for the Earth Cage, he would retrieve it tonight and hide it in a different spot tomorrow night.
’I refuse to believe someone is actually bold enough to feel their way along the riverbank in the dead of night, searching for the Earth Cage inch by inch.’
He pulled on the rope, hoisting the Earth Cage out of the river.
SPLASH~
Something was thrashing around inside the Earth Cage.
The splashing sound caught the Beaked Eagle’s attention. It let out two cries, spread its wings, and clumsily tiptoed toward the riverbank.
It craned its long neck, its large eyes staring intently into the cage.
"You greedy thing. You haven’t done a damn bit of good, just staring at the food."
Seeing this, Qin Ziwen laughed and swore under his breath, giving its rear a gentle kick.
The Beaked Eagle didn’t get angry. Once it got a clear look at what was inside the cage, its cries grew even more excited.
Qin Ziwen put his strength into it, yanking the Earth Cage completely out of the water with a final heave.
Clear river water streamed from the mesh.
A large fish that looked to be at least two or three pounds was frantically thrashing its tail.
"Looks like another tigerfish."
’For a tigerfish, this one must still be a juvenile.’
Besides the tigerfish, the Earth Cage was empty. Any smaller fish had likely already ended up in its belly.
Once he was away from the riverbank, he lifted the Earth Cage and shook it vigorously, tumbling the tigerfish out onto the ground.
"Go on, eat."
At the command, the Beaked Eagle eagerly drove its beak into the tigerfish’s head.
The tigerfish, which had been flopping wildly just a moment ago, instantly went still.
Its massive talons clamped down on the tigerfish’s head. As its four claws clenched, the fish’s head was crushed flat.
Its beak descended, tearing off a large chunk of flesh which it wolfed down.
With every bite, the Beaked Eagle raised its head and glanced to the side.
"What are you looking at?"
He followed the Beaked Eagle’s gaze.
"RUSTLE..."
The sound of rustling leaves suddenly came from the bushes, and a figure immediately scrambled away in a panic.
"Beaked Eagle, get him!"
At the command, the Beaked Eagle instantly released its prey, shot into the air with a beat of its wings, and dove for the figure’s back.
The man’s shoulders were seized by the diving Beaked Eagle, and he staggered forward before crashing to the ground.
"AHHH!!!"
After a bloodcurdling scream, the man started yelling, "Help! Murder! Ah!"
"Make him shut up," Qin Ziwen said coldly.
From the man’s familiar voice and his presence here at this hour, Qin Ziwen had already recognized him and deduced his intentions.
Qin Ziwu pulled a hatchet from his belt and strode over.
He struck Liu Changgen across the mouth with the back of the blade. "My brother told you to shut up!"
Liu Changgen reeled from the heavy blow, blood gushing from his nose and mouth.
He fumbled frantically on the ground, his hands closing around a rock. But before he could get a firm grip, Qin Ziwu kicked him in the face.
Liu Changgen nearly passed out.
Qin Ziwen walked over, his gaze lowered. "You came here to steal my Earth Cage, didn’t you?"
"Yes... No! Ah, it hurts! Tell it to let go." The kick had nearly knocked Liu Changgen senseless, but the excruciating pain in his shoulders jolted him back to reality.
The Beaked Eagle’s talons were like hydraulic clamps, digging deep into his shoulders.
"Didn’t I say you could buy one? Why did you have to steal?"
"I wasn’t stealing! I wasn’t!"
"Keep your voice down. Dumb bird, let go."
Obeying the command, the Beaked Eagle released its talons, took a couple of clumsy hops to the side, and stared intently at Liu Changgen.
Its favorite food was tree-dwelling mammals, like monkeys and sloths.
This thing in front of it looked a bit like a monkey.
It stirred the eagle’s appetite.
"I’ll ask you one more time. Why were you stealing?"
Liu Changgen’s face was a mask of misery. "I can’t afford it. Your price is too high."
The sharp pain in his face and shoulders had faded to a dull, throbbing numbness.
He felt an indescribable, swollen discomfort, and his head was still spinning.
Qin Ziwen nodded. "That’s a good reason. You see, I don’t actually like killing. I’m a pretty kind person, really. But now that we’ve had such a... serious conflict, I’m worried you’ll hold a grudge. That one day, you’ll try to get revenge, stab me in the back. You understand what I’m saying, right?"
"I won’t! I swear I won’t! I’m not the type to hold a grudge," Liu Changgen said, shaking his head frantically.
"Really? Then swear an oath."
"I swear! I will never, ever cause you trouble again! If I do, may my entire family die!"
Qin Ziwen nodded, seemingly convinced.
He got up and motioned for his brother and the Beaked Eagle to leave.
Liu Changgen kept his head down. He reached up to touch his nose, then spread his fingers. They were coated in blood.
A venomous hatred flashed in his eyes.
’That kid’s just soft-hearted. Not get revenge? He’d be damned if he didn’t! He’d never been humiliated like this before.’
’And what’s the deal with that giant bird? How could a bird that big obey his commands?’
’He’d never heard of anyone in the Gated Community keeping a bird that huge. Why did this guy get to have not only an Earth Cage, but a giant bird, too?’
He turned his head, his hateful gaze secretly tracking the direction Qin Ziwen was leaving.
The next second, his expression froze.
Because the kid was walking backward, and their eyes met.
Seeing the hatred in Liu Changgen’s eyes, the corner of Qin Ziwen’s mouth curled up. "Looks like your eyes were telling a different story."
...
By the river, Qin Ziwen and Qin Ziwu heaved a 140-pound corpse into the water.
SPLOOSH~
A huge splash erupted from the surface of the river.
This river was full of tigerfish. Before long, the body would be eaten clean.
The Beaked Eagle didn’t understand why its master was throwing food away, but it didn’t really care. ’If Master says not to eat it, I won’t. Fish is tasty, too~’
The Beaked Eagle tore off another piece of fish and gulped it down.
Qin Ziwen issued a command to the Beaked Eagle. "Listen, Eagle. When you’re done eating, head back the way we came. Do a wide circle, then return through the window. No random flying around, got it?"
The Beaked Eagle’s eyes darted back and forth as it received the command, its little bird brain working at full capacity to process the instructions.
Finally, the Beaked Eagle seemed to understand and let out two cries.
After Qin Ziwen left, the eagle finished its fish, then flew to a nearby branch with a flap of its wings.
SPLASH~
It looked toward the river, certain it had understood its master’s intentions.
’Food... circle around... return.’
’Master wants me to take the food, circle around, and then return!’
The moonlight stretched across the river like a bolt of silk. Occasionally, a fish would leap from the water, sending up a spray.
The Beaked Eagle tilted its head. Its huge pupils, like high-speed camera lenses, precisely locked onto a leaping fish. Its talons scraped together in anticipation.
The next second, it shot toward the river like an arrow.
It expertly snatched a large fish from the water and soared into the sky.
Qin Ziwen got home and opened the window.
The Beaked Eagle flew into the room with a flurry of wings.
It dropped the large fish from its talons onto the floor, stretched its neck, and proudly awaited praise.
𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮
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