Silent Crown

Their heads collided, and at that moment, the crisp sound of the collision stunned everyone. It was like getting whacked with an iron bar!

As their foreheads cracked, the spread of the pain made Ye Qingxuan’s body spasm. He suddenly raised his feet, making every effort to step on Martin’s face.

Martin couldn’t finish his sentence. His mouth was sealed by Ye Qingxuan’s violent kicks. He staggered back from the heavy blow, and fell into a ditch.

Paul and Ray were stunned. In shock, they turned around and saw the young man with rage in his eyes. Blood dripped from his forehead, nearly tinting his black eyes red.

They felt him stomping hard like a hammer being banged on their toes. Due to the extreme pain, they released their grip, and Ye Qingxuan broke free.

“Come on, let’s see who the bastard really is!”

Ye Qingxuan and the two elder Thomas brothers wrestled. Ye Qingxuan picked up the vegetable basket from the ground, and struck their faces with all his might, ignoring the blows from their fists.

As Paul and Ray fought back, he heard a scream from behind.

Immediately, Ye Qingxuan turned around and saw Martin with a ravenous look on his face. He had gotten up from the ground, his face bloody, eyes angry harboring the thoughts of a madman. He thrust the dagger at the young man’s heart!

“Go to hell!”

Ye Qingxuan only remembered putting his arm around his chest. The dagger made a cold cut on the back of his hand, and finally went deep into the basket.

Snap!

The dishes were broken, and the vegetables and raw meat spilled all over the floor.

Paul and Ray were shocked–they did not think that Martin had any murderous intent.

Martin was also stunned.

–

Seeming to be awakened from his rage, Martin finally understood what he had just done. In silence, he looked down at the dagger in his hands, saw the blood pooling on the back of Ye Qingxuan’s hand, and his face became immensely pale.

“I…” He whispered and stumbled back, incoherent. “I did not…I just…” His hand could not grasp the dagger. It fell on the ground, clattered, and his courage shattered.

“You may leave now, bastard, but I will not let you get away with this!” He staggered back and fled. Paul and Ray hesitated, then got up from the ground and followed Martin. They were scared, and almost got knocked down by the people at the end of the alley.

Outside of the alley, Victor, who was dragged there by Old Phil, stared at the blood on the ground, expressionless. The two packs of sausage in his hands fell to the ground.

Ye Qingxuan silently got up from the ground and looked at the wound on his hand. After a long silence, he asked softly, “Do you have any bandages? I am afraid it will be hard to explain this to the priest.”

–

“Alright, it should be fine now.”

In the small alley, Victor helped Ye Qingxuan wrap the wound on the back of his hand. “You don’t know how to fight, why didn’t you just run? One person taking on three of people! Are you insane?”

“I wanted to run.” Ye Qingxuan smiled. “But I’m not sure what happened. I was suddenly fired with rage.”

“When we were kids, when did you not need my help to fight? At least pay more attention next time. If you hadn’t moved so quickly, you’d have been dead right here!” Victor made a gesture. “Just like removing a bathtub stopper, you would’ve bled out before reaching the church.”

“Sorry…”

“Don’t you have anything else to say?”

Victor threw two bags into the arms of Ye Qingxuan. “Got something good today. Take it and treat yourself.”

“You stole again?”

“It’s called ‘work’.”

Since Victor had left the church, he had been working at the pier. Most people over there had sticky fingers, and often stole from the passengers or cargo ships. If discovered, they would take a beating at the very least.

“No worries, it was a whole box of sausage and I only took two. No one will know.”

Victor took out a knife, cut a piece off, and fed Old Phil. He threw more than half of the sausage into Ye Qingxuan’s arms. “Rare goods from Wales. A box is worth two silver coins. Bring it back with you, and let the priest have a taste so that he will believe Victor will succeed in the future as well.”

“You are not going back with me?” Ye Qingxuan asked. “The priest has always wanted you to come back.”

“I…” Victor was silent, and soon he shook his head. “I’m not going. My life is so messed up, the priest would be angry with me if he knew. Besides, with such a ‘good boy’ like you, in time, he will not remember me.”

“What are you saying?” Ye Qingxuan said, agitated.

Victor got up, grinning and waving. “You know I’m not good at talking, do not be angry. I still have something to do tonight. Are you alright with going back to the church on your own?”

Victor helped Ye Qingxuan up from the ground and gave Old Phil a pat on the back, indicating that he should follow his master home.

In silence, he watched Ye Qingxuan drift further away, his smile fading little by little.

He stared down at the dagger on the ground, and his green eyes turned the color of blood–just like a beast.

–

The color of the sky continued to get darker as the night progressed, and the street was empty. Martin was wandering in the alley, depressed. He dared not to go home.

“Big Brother, what do we do now?” His lips trembled softly as he watched Paul, his eyes full of fear. “Father has ordered us not to cause him trouble. If he knew…”

“Do not be scared. Father won’t let anything happen to you.” Paul’s eyes were gloomy. He sneered, “No one will believe a beggar’s words.”

“No one saw! Even if he says you did it, we can say that he is lying.” Ray said, “Don’t worry, I will find him tomorrow. He won’t talk.”

Paul cracked his knuckles, remembering being pressed on the ground and beaten up by that little devil. His eyes grew ferocious. “He better know his place and say nothing. Otherwise, even if something happened, no one would be on his side.”

“But…”

“Didn’t father say that the mayor will be done with his term in two days? As soon as Father’s elected as the new mayor, no one will ever offend us because of some foreign bastard.” Paul continued with a cold voice, “You are leaving for the Sacred City in two days. When you come back as a musician, you can do anything you want to him, and no one will say a word. Not even the priest could protect him.”

With the mention of the Sacred City, the fear left Martin’s eyes, as if he had found protection. His expression became calm. He raised his hand and stroked his bruises. His eyes gradually lit up.

“I’ll repay him well,” he whispered. “How dare he do that to me…”

Ray and Paul exchanged glances, grinned, and patted Martin on the shoulder. “Do not worry. When you are not here, we will take care of him”

“Let’s go.” Paul put his arm around Martin’s shoulder. “The day after tomorrow, you will leave for the Sacred City. Mother has asked the kitchen staff to prepare your favorite dishes. She has a lot to say to you. Do not let a bastard from nowhere ruin our good time.”

Martin nodded and smiled.

–

“It’s good to have a family.” Behind them in the dark alley, someone slowly said, “Even if you destroy the world out there, you will have nothing to fear once you get home because you have a good father.”

“Who’s there?!” Paul suddenly turned around. “Come out!”

“Sorry, did I interrupt your good time?” In the alley, a thin shadow slowly emerged. His rusty voice croaked, “Think about it. With warm candlelight, a family enjoying a feast at the table, and the long legs under a maid’s skirt are pleasurable as well. With such a setting, even I believe anything can be forgiven. After all, what can be more important than family?”

“Die!”

Paul and Ray’s faces grew fierce. They rolled up their sleeves and moved toward the alley, but the shadow did not flinch–he was not intimidated by them.

Instead, he accelerated.

In an instant, like a spring stretched to its limits, he burst into Paul’s arms from the darkness. His fist with metal rings struck Paul’s abdomen with the impact of his body.

He fell slightly. This was a rare technique used in street fighting. At that instant, it was almost like the whole weight of his body had been pressed into the fist. Even a scrawny person could break two pieces of wood with this technique, not to mention those who did not appear so weak!

For a moment, Paul rolled his eyes and bent over.

“Hey!”

The shadow sneered and raised his hand, then mercilessly struck Paul’s back with the iron tiger, like a hammer hitting a bell. With a muffled sound, Paul fell to the ground.

Then, the shadow stepped on Paul to jump up towards the stunned Ray, and kicked him onto the ground. Followed by two more kicks, he kept going until Ray was immobilized.

In just a few seconds, two people had been incapacitated.

The shadow took a breath, kicked Ray one more time then spat on the ground. He wiped his mouth, and finally raised his head.

In the dim moonlight, his pale and cold face was illuminated, and his green eyes shone like a beast.

“V…Victor!” Martin was shocked. He immediately took a step back, and finally recognized who the shadow.

“I did not expect you to recognize me. I thought you had all forgotten my name since I went to the pier.” Victor laughed softly, but with no joy in his voice.

“Don’t come any closer!” Martin staggered back, searching himself for something.

“Are you looking for this?” Victor pulled out a dagger, still with dried blood on it. He looked at Martin’s stunned face and laughed. He threw the dagger at him.

“Here.”

The dagger rolled in the air, drew a curvature, and fell at Martin’s feet.

Martin instinctively reached out to pick up, but then a black shadow rushed up. Suddenly, a hand clasped around his throat, nearly breaking his Adam’s apple.

The severe force around Martin’s neck choking him forced him down on his knees, but someone started pulling his hair and dragged him back into the dark alley.

“What do you want?!” Martin was struggling on the ground and tried to speak. “Because of that bastard? I can give you money! However much you want!”

“No need,” the voice responded coldly. “I like to take it myself.”