After confirming that Xu Ying had no ability to resist, Zhao Ya turned to deal with the other people in the room.

With Zhao Ya's current strength, dealing with these Jianghu thugs was hardly challenging.

In just a short moment, Zhao Ya efficiently took care of them all.

But it wasn't over; Zhao Ya took out a short knife and started slashing at the wounds on each corpse.

The reason Zhao Ya did this was to cover the traces of the Meteorite Iron Saber.

Although the possibility was low, if someone were to discern clues from these wounds, it would be a major hidden danger for him.

After finishing this, Zhao Ya got up and approached Xu Ying.

At this time, Xu Ying was extremely pale due to excessive blood loss, even his lips had lost color.

He could only watch the man in black in front of him with terrified eyes, without being able to utter a word of pleading.

Because Xu Ying knew very well that there was no way he could escape today, this man in black would definitely take his life.

After all, he was relentless enough to make sure the corpses were truly dead, which showed his calm and ruthless nature.

Xu Ying misunderstood Zhao Ya's actions, thinking that Zhao Ya was worried that someone might not be fully dead, and thus struck again.

Zhao Ya ignored Xu Ying's gaze, using the short knife to lift the sleeve of Xu Ying's severed hand, revealing a hand crossbow hidden inside.

Zhao Ya picked it up, examining it in his hand.

This hand crossbow was entirely made of metal, silver-white in color, small and exquisite in design, clearly not an ordinary object.

Zhao Ya was practically unwilling to part with it.

It's important to know that Zhao Ya currently lacked long-range attack methods the most.

Although this hand crossbow couldn't fully compensate, it was still a life-saving means.

Zhao Ya carefully placed it into the deer hide pouch, then, wearing gloves, pulled crossbow arrows out from the two unlucky fellows.

Sure enough.

The arrowheads of these two crossbow arrows were a dangerous blue-gray color, clearly poisoned.

Zhao Ya wrapped them in two layers of oilcloth before placing them in the pouch.

After dealing with this, Zhao Ya returned to Xu Ying, surprised to find he was still not dead, but was instead glaring at Zhao Ya with utmost malice, his lips trembling uncontrollably.

Zhao Ya said nothing, instead, directly using the short knife to open Xu Ying's clothes.

Zhao Ya knew that for people like Xu Ying, precious items would surely be carried with them.

Because he trusted no one.

Sure enough.

A small packet was hidden within Xu Ying's chest, and Zhao Ya, wearing gloves, opened it, and his eyes lit up.

Inside was a thick stack of silver notes, each with a denomination of fifty taels.

Altogether, there were seven to eight hundred taels.

And beneath these silver notes was a ledger.

Zhao Ya casually opened it, and inside were records of transactions of Shuangsheng Gang's usurious money lending.

March 18th, Tong Family Pharmacy on Three Miles Street in the east of the city borrowed eighteen taels, has repaid thirty-five taels, still owes twenty-eight taels, Tong Family unable to repay further, pharmacy sold off cheaply, wife and daughter sent to a brothel to sell their bodies to repay the debt, both wife and daughter died a month later.

April 23rd, Li Family at the northern city oil mill...

It contained not only the IOUs but also detailed causes and outcomes, on how they were finally handled.

Zhao Ya didn't know why Xu Ying had recorded these matters in such detail.

But any one of these records was enough for Xu Ying to die twice.

And there was an entire thick book of similar records.

Zhao Ya squatted and looked at the struggling Xu Ying.

"Did you do all this?"

"That's right!" By now, Xu Ying knew he had no chance of survival, so he spoke straightforwardly.

"I noted these down to show those who refuse to repay their debts what happens when you offend my Shuangsheng Gang."

As he spoke, Xu Ying's face actually became flushed, glaring viciously at Zhao Ya.

"The same goes for you. Don't think killing me will settle this; someone will eventually come to deal with you on my behalf. You just wait."

"Are you talking about that backer you've been supporting with heavy investment?" Zhao Ya said flatly.

Xu Ying's eyes instantly widened, seemingly not expecting Zhao Ya to say such a thing.

"Actually, it's not hard to guess. Judging by the profits from your casino and the dirty money from usurious lending, your savings should be much more than this, so most of your Shuangsheng Gang's income must be handed over to your backer."

"Heh, as long as you know, let me tell you, the backer of my Shuangsheng Gang is someone you can't afford to provoke."

Zhao Ya nodded, "That I believe, but the problem is... why would I provoke him?"

"Now that you and your henchmen are all dead, there are no traces to be found, and no matter how powerful your backer is, they can't trace it back to me."

"And do you really believe that your backer would cause a big uproar for you?"

At this, Zhao Ya let out a cold laugh.

"After all... in the eyes of your backer, you might just be a dog."

Xu Ying's gaze gradually dimmed, the remaining traces of redness on his face quickly disappearing, just like his life.

Yet even so, he continued to stubbornly stare at Zhao Ya, as if trying to see through the face beneath the black scarf.

Naturally, Zhao Ya wouldn't leave any potential problems, and slashed horizontally with his knife.

Xu Ying's throat was instantly cut, but due to excessive blood loss, even then, not much blood flowed out.

Xu Ying died breathless.

Zhao Ya carefully checked once more, confirming no omissions before leaving through the back window, returning home the way he came.

When he got home, it was almost dawn, so Zhao Ya decided not to sleep and instead took stock of his gains from this trip.

The biggest gain was, of course, the thick stack of silver notes, enough to support Zhao Ya's cultivation for a while.

Zhao Ya carefully stored away the silver notes, and set the book containing the IOUs on fire.

After doing that, Zhao Ya put on gloves, carefully took out the hand crossbow, then fitted the two crossbow arrows, aimed at an old door panel, and pulled the trigger.

With two crisp sounds, the crossbow arrows shot directly through the door panel, the arrowheads protruding more than an inch deep.

This power left Zhao Ya quite satisfied.

Even without the poison on the arrowheads, the power alone was enough to be lethal.

The only unfortunate thing was that reloading the hand crossbow was quite cumbersome, but in critical situations, it was a decent lifesaver.

Zhao Ya stored the hand crossbow properly.

By then, it had become daylight, and Tang Zui'Er, upon waking and seeing the spirited Zhao Ya, couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

"Ya, why are you up so early today?"

"Hmm, there's something at the Escort Agency today, so I need to go early." Zhao Ya casually made an excuse.

Tang Zui'Er wouldn't suspect anything, and immediately began preparing breakfast.

After breakfast, Zhao Ya went to the Escort Agency.

"Morning, Zhao!"

"Good morning, Zhao!"

From the moment he entered the Escort Agency's gate, the greetings kept coming.

Whoever saw Zhao Ya would greet him.

Zhao Ya responded with smiles to all, feeling a bit sentimental in his heart.

He never had such popularity before.

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