46: feast

Amidst the deathly silence, the corners of Xing Zhan's mouth slowly curled into a playful arc.

Instead of getting angry, he began to clap his hands in a slow and deliberate manner.

"Clap... clap... clap..."

The crisp sound of clapping echoed exceptionally harshly across the empty plaza.

"Courage," Xing Zhan's voice carried a hint of admiration. "Impressive. On this land where even bones are nearly weathered into sand, I've actually seen a spark that hasn't been extinguished yet."

He crooked a finger at A Yong, as if beckoning a pet.

"Come, hero, come up and speak," he said into the PA system. "Don't be afraid; I have always respected people with backbone. I just want everyone to hear what gave you the courage to stand up and challenge my rules."

Chen Feng's pupils constricted imperceptibly. He immediately sent a vibration signal—two shorts and one long—to several core members around him via a miniature device hidden in his sleeve.

Endure, observe, learn.

He knew that Xing Zhan's psychological warfare had begun. Simple slaughter could not establish absolute terror; only by publicly crushing the person with the most backbone in the most cruel and artistic way could fear be implanted into everyone's marrow like a virus.

Two Scavenger members flanked A Yong and roughly shoved him onto the high platform.

A Yong stumbled a few steps before finding his footing. He looked up, staring directly into Xing Zhan's eyes; there was fear in his gaze, but no submission.

"Speak," Xing Zhan sized him up with great interest, as if examining an intriguing collectible. "Why? For that irrelevant Mine Slave? Or for that sniveling brat?"

"My duty," A Yong's voice was somewhat hoarse, but every word was clear, "is to protect everyone in the Mining Area, not to watch them be slaughtered like livestock."

Standing behind Xing Zhan, Reno's body trembled violently. He was forced to watch his best brother, his best lieutenant, walk step by step into the abyss of destruction, while he could do nothing. The pure, predator-like killing intent radiating from Xing Zhan was like an invisible mountain, pinning him firmly in place, making even breathing feel painful.

He wanted to draw his gun, to scream, to rush forward and perish together with this demon.

But his body was completely paralyzed by extreme anger and deep-seated helplessness.

"Duty?" Xing Zhan acted as if he had heard the funniest joke. He turned to face Reno but spoke to A Yong, "Well said. Captain Reno, did you hear that? Your subordinate is teaching me what duty is."

A Yong ignored his mockery. He stared at Xing Zhan and said, word by word, "You are a coward! A butcher who only dares to strike those without weapons!"

This provocation was exactly what Xing Zhan wanted.

He burst into loud laughter, which became distorted and frenzied through the PA system.

"Hahahaha! Well said! Wonderful!" He abruptly stopped laughing, his gaze turning cold and grim. "I like stubborn bones like yours the most, because gnawing on them... is more satisfying."

Xing Zhan did not use the Energy Whip again. He walked slowly toward the rack of torture implements and picked up that massive High-Frequency Battle-Axe that symbolized his status.

"You say I only dare to strike those without weapons." Xing Zhan weighed the battle-axe in his hand and walked up to A Yong. "I'll show you right now what weapons are for."

He did not swing the blade.

In the next second, with a flick of his wrist, he used a spike on the back of the axe—designed specifically for breaching heavy armor and capable of instantly releasing overloaded energy—to precisely and viciously stab into A Yong's left knee.

*Crack!*

A tooth-aching crunch of shattering bone echoed across the entire plaza through the PA system, so clear it felt as if it had exploded right in everyone's ears.

"Ugh—!"

A Yong let out a muffled groan of extreme agony. His left leg buckled, but through sheer willpower, he forced himself to stay upright, cold sweat instantly drenching the hair on his forehead.

He looked up and spat a mouthful of bloody saliva onto Xing Zhan's polished military boots.

"Ptu!"

The smile on Xing Zhan's face grew even wider.

"Not enough." He shook his head, seemingly unsatisfied with the result. "This kind of 'education' isn't profound enough; people won't remember it."

He turned to Reno and said, "See that, Captain? This is the consequence of poor management. But it's alright, I'll teach you how to do it. I'll carve the correct 'management style' into every one of your brains."

He snapped his fingers.

"Bring up the 'teaching aid'."

Two Scavenger members immediately pushed a cold Metal Restraint Rack to the center of the platform. It was a man-shaped cross, covered with buckles and shackles.

A Yong immediately understood the other's intention. He tried to resist, but his broken left leg caused him to lose his balance. He was instantly pinned down by two soldiers and dragged toward the restraint rack.

"Let me go! You bastards!"

His resistance and curses only resulted in even rougher treatment.

Soon, like a specimen waiting for dissection, he was firmly fixed to the restraint rack, limbs spread out, unable to move.

Xing Zhan surveyed his "work" with satisfaction. Carrying the battle-axe, he walked slowly to the front of the restraint rack.

He didn't look at A Yong, but instead cast his gaze over the thousands of terrified faces below the platform, finally landing on Reno's now bloodless face.

"Don't blink," Xing Zhan's voice was filled with a tone of enjoyment, like a performer about to reveal the final magic trick.

"The exciting part is only just beginning."

He raised the hideous battle-axe high, its blade reflecting the light of death under the pale lamps.

The target was A Yong's outstretched right arm.