Chapter 345: I Have a Flaw

Lin Xiao’s expression remained calm, devoid of any trace of killing intent. The leader of the bandits, despite his towering frame, was like a weightless scarecrow in Lin Xiao’s grasp.

“Let go of our boss!”

The other two bandits simultaneously raised their guns, but they hesitated, afraid of accidentally shooting their leader.

The leader refused to resign himself to fate. Enduring the searing pain in his neck, he twisted his gun-wielding hand backward, aiming at Lin Xiao behind him.

However, before he could pull the trigger, Lin Xiao had already seized his arm and, without hesitation, gave it a sharp twist.

A crisp bone-snapping crack echoed. Lin Xiao had broken the leader’s arm cleanly.

The leader let out a shrill scream, his eyes widening in agony, bloodshot veins crawling across them. His body convulsed uncontrollably, like a salted fish flailing on a line.

The other two bandits were livid. One of them dashed toward Lin Xiao’s back, while the other lunged at Ning Xi, attempting to seize her as a hostage.

Lin Xiao’s eyes flashed with a cold gleam. He swung his arm and flung the bandit leader’s massive body at the one running toward him, while his figure blurred into motion, closing in on the other bandit like a shadow, before violently slamming into him.

The bandit was sent flying a dozen meters, as if struck by a speeding car. His body spun wildly through the air before crashing into a massive tree. With a final thud, he dropped to the ground.

His eyes were wide open, blood gushing from his nose and mouth. His limbs were twisted at unnatural angles, and several ribs had been shattered. Though he hadn’t died immediately, his breathing was faint. He was on the verge of death.

On the other side, the bandit leader, flung away by Lin Xiao, crashed into his remaining subordinate, both tumbling across the ground in a tangled heap, dizzy and disoriented.

Lin Xiao moved like the wind, covering a distance of seven or eight meters in an instant. Without a word, he lifted his leg and drove a powerful kick into one of the bandits’ chests.

The force behind the kick sent the man skidding across the ground. His chest caved inward. Blood gushed from his mouth as he slammed into a boulder. With a sickening crack, his skull split open—dead on the spot.

In mere seconds, three burly bandits—two dead, one barely alive.

The last surviving bandit, the leader, was utterly terrified, his previous arrogance wiped clean. He stared at Lin Xiao with eyes filled with sheer horror.

Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that this seemingly ordinary young man, who looked harmless at first glance, would be a ruthless killing machine.

A deep, overwhelming regret surged through him. If time could be reversed, he would never have chosen to provoke Lin Xiao.

Unfortunately, time was irreversible, and no medicine could cure regret.

“You said yourself, you never regret anything.” Lin Xiao stood above him, looking down with a detached gaze. “I hope you still feel that way now.”

The bandit leader’s face was ashen, his teeth chattering. His voice trembled, “B-brother… p-please… I didn’t know who I was messing with… spare my life…!”

“I gave you a chance. You just didn’t treasure it.” Lin Xiao nudged the fallen handgun with the tip of his shoe, flipping it into the air and catching it. “I told you, you would die. Now, don’t blame me. You see, I have a flaw. Once I say something, I always follow through. If I say I’ll kill you, then you must die.”

“N-no… no… d-don’t kill me…!”

The bandit leader frantically shook his head, eyes brimming with desperation.

A gunshot rang out, silencing his pleas.

A bullet drilled into his forehead, exiting through the back of his skull. His body twitched once before going completely still.

After finishing the leader, Lin Xiao remained expressionless. He lowered his gaze, staring at the gun in his hand. Ever since leaving the military, he had seldom used firearms. Yet, the familiarity had never faded.

As for the corpses strewn across the ground, filled with unwillingness and regret, Lin Xiao paid them no mind.

“Heaven may forgive, but self-inflicted sins are unforgivable.”

They had chosen their fate. He had merely delivered it.

For enemies, Lin Xiao never showed mercy, especially scum like them. Only death could put an end to their kind.

“Lin Xiao, what are you spacing out for? Hurry up!”

From ten meters away, Ning Xi cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted at him.

“I’m coming.”

Lin Xiao responded, tightening his grip on the gun. His fingers clenched, crushing the firearm into a mangled hunk of metal. With a casual flick, he tossed it off the mountain cliff before striding toward Ning Xi.

As he approached, Ning Xi circled him a few times, making sure there were no bloodstains on his clothes. Once satisfied, she finally hooked her arm around his.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Lin Xiao found her reaction somewhat unexpected. “Sister Ning, you’re not afraid?”

“Afraid of what?” Ning Xi asked, puzzled.

“I just killed three people.”

“Oh, that?” Ning Xi waved it off. “They were nothing but beasts. Why should I be afraid?”

She smirked. “They dared have dirty thoughts about me. Serves them right!”

Lin Xiao’s mouth twitched slightly. He finally understood Ning Xi wasn’t like ordinary women. Had it been anyone else, they would have reacted with fear or shock at his actions.

But not just Ning Xi—even Wan Caixuan had shown little reaction to his killings.

People from powerful families, raised among schemes and intrigues, were conditioned differently. Their psychological endurance far surpassed that of ordinary people.

“Lin Xiao, what do we do now?”

They had been walking along the mountain road for about half an hour without seeing a single vehicle. Ning Xi, exhausted, half-slumped against Lin Xiao, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lin Xiao wrapped an arm around her slender waist, steadying her as he recalled the map. In a firm tone, he said, “Let’s keep walking. The resort is only ten or so kilometers away. We’ll be there soon.”

“What? Another ten kilometers?” Ning Xi’s body practically deflated. “That’s way too far. No, no, I can’t walk anymore. I need a break.”

“Only ten kilometers. That’s not far.” Lin Xiao was puzzled.

For him, walking ten kilometers was nothing. Even trekking dozens of kilometers was routine. In the past, during missions, he had traveled hundreds of kilometers overnight.

But he had forgotten Ning Xi was not an elite soldier. She was a delicate young woman.

“You think everyone is like you?” Ning Xi rolled her eyes, then abruptly stopped, hugging his arm. She pleaded, “Why don’t you just carry me? You’re not even tired anyway.”

“No. Walking is good for your health. Plus, it’s relaxing.”

“I’ve already been walking for half an hour! If I keep going, my feet will blister.”

Ning Xi pouted, taking off one of her high heels to show him her reddened heel. “See? It’s already sore.”

“That’s why I told you to walk barefoot. Who wears heels on a mountain trail?”

“Hmph! All that effort pampering you was wasted. You won’t even carry me.” Ning Xi huffed, puffing out her cheeks. “Fine! I’m not moving anymore. Either we rest, or you carry me. Your choice.”