Steel clashed. Hao Lan dodged clumsily at first, still trying to maintain elegance, but when his sleeve was sliced open, his composure cracked.
"You forced my hand! Now taste my sword!"
Despite his lack of discipline, Hao Lan was still trained enough to outmatch ordinary brigands. His blade flashed, and the sisters cried out, "Be careful, young master!" Their voices filled him with sudden pride—and distraction. He fought more for flair than efficiency, and in the chaos, a bandit slashed his rear, drawing blood.
Hao Lan yelped in pain and fury, finally abandoning pretense. He lunged with real aggression, and within moments, skewered one attacker through the chest.
The other bandits faltered—but their leader barked a command, and five more charged in. Hao Lan staggered under the press. Their wild, sloppy swings made his trained responses stumble; he was used to duels, not chaotic mob fights.
"Uncle!" Jien couldn't hold back. Roaring, he dove in with his kitchen knife and spatula, flailing like a mad dog.
The bandits recoiled—who wasn't afraid of a lunatic with a blade?
"You shouldn't be here!" Hao Lan snapped, breath ragged.
"Uncle! You've already weakened them. Leave the rest to me!" Jien shouted, giving him face while forcing his way into the fight.
Together, they fought back-to-back. Hao Lan dueled with rigid dignity, while Jien hacked like a butcher possessed. Pots clanged, blades flashed, and his crazed momentum terrified the bandits. When he hacked one down, the others wavered.
And then he seized a fallen long knife, tossing the spatula aside. With both hands gripping steel, he chased them mercilessly, blood flying.
"Fall back!" the leader bellowed—but Jien was relentless, like a demon splashed in gore. The sisters stared wide-eyed, trembling—not at the bandits, but at their savior's terrifying fury.
At last, the bandits broke. The leader fled into the woods, abandoning his spoils. Jien pursued, caught one straggler, and left him bleeding and screaming on the ground as a warning to the others.
When he returned, soaked in blood, Hao Lan was already bowing gracefully to the sisters, saying solemnly: "Take heart, ladies. Justice has prevailed. If you've nowhere to go, I shall see you safely to Yunyang City."