Their eyes fell upon Lingyue, luminous in firelight despite her pallor. Greedy laughter broke out.
"Boss! Fortune smiles—look what prize awaits us!" one jeered to their leader, a man in blue robe with a longsword.
The leader feigned civility, smirking as he addressed Ji En. "Brother, what brings you here?"
Ji En said nothing, knife gripped white-knuckled.
The bandit chief turned to Lingyue, voice oily. "This maiden looks unwell. Perhaps an injury? I, Xue, know a little of medicine…"
He reached for her wrist.
But in that instant, Lingyue struck. Though weakened, her reflex was lightning—her fingers speared into his eyes!
"AHHH!" he howled, clutching his face.
In the same motion, she seized the sword from his waist and, with a single merciless slash, cut him down in a fountain of blood.
The others roared in shock, rushing forward.
Ji En bellowed and flung himself into the melee. He hacked at one man's shoulder, the blade wedging deep into bone. Wrenching it free, he was swallowed by the others' furious assault.
Their blades cut him again and again. Ji En had no skill, only a madman's ferocity. He swung with reckless abandon, heedless of his own flesh.
Lingyue, having felled the leader, collapsed unconscious.
"Fight to the death!" Ji En roared, abandoning all defense. He cleaved one bandit down in a frenzy. Another slashed his back open, hot blood spraying.
Ji En spun with a scream, chopping the man's skull with two savage blows.
One by one they fell, until the last crumpled at his feet.
The inn fell silent save for Ji En's ragged breaths.
He leaned upon his knife, the world spinning, and finally collapsed to the blood-soaked floor.