The Martial Saint of Humanity, I Have Transformed Low-Level Martial Arts Into Immortal Martial Arts - Chapter 45

Chapter 45: Thunderous Explosion! Blood Rain Falls!

Su Hao was naturally unaware of Xu Huanzhen’s thoughts.

Upon returning home, he completed his daily practice as usual and went to bed early, as he needed to serve as a guard at the execution ground the next day.

As morning arrived the following day, Su Hao changed his appearance before heading to meet Gongsun Xiu.

“Brother Wen, put on this uniform,” Gongsun Xiu said, taking out a prepared guard uniform.

It was just an ordinary gray-silver guard outfit, complete with metal armor plates and a sword, designed to be unremarkable.

“Okay.”

Su Hao agreed and changed into the guard uniform. Now, his height was neither too short nor too tall, and when wearing this uniform, he looked no different from an ordinary guard, keeping a low profile.

Early in the morning, under Gongsun Xiu’s arrangement, Su Hao made his way to the execution ground located at the intersection outside the market of Evergreen City.

Around thirty to forty soldiers, clad in armor and armed with weapons, were stationed outside the execution ground, attracting many curious onlookers among the passing townsfolk.

“Another death row prisoner is going to be publicly executed?”

“Good! Hurry and buy some steamed buns; I’ve heard that blood-soaked buns can cure all ailments!”

It is human nature to be drawn to spectacle, and soon a large crowd gathered outside the execution ground. Everyone was buzzing with excitement, eagerly awaiting the sight of a severed head.

Su Hao, dressed in the soldiers’ uniform, stood quietly among the group of soldiers, hardly noticeable.

Just then, a stir ran through the crowd as a middle-aged man in official robes, bearing a dignified appearance, arrived at the execution ground surrounded by several guards, making his way toward the execution platform.

This middle-aged man was none other than Li Shou, the County Magistrate of Evergreen City.

Evergreen City, being a county seat, had the highest authority held by the County Magistrate. Under the County Magistrate, there were two County Assistants, while the County Magistrate was responsible for law and order, as well as interrogations, making him a notable official in the county.

Li Shou sat majestically on the execution platform.

“Lord Li, the time is almost here,” said a scholar-dressed man beside County Magistrate Li Shou, leaning in to speak quietly.

Li Shou glanced at the sky and nodded slightly, “Let’s begin.”

“Bring all the death row prisoners to the execution ground, verify their identities, and execute them publicly to serve as a warning to others!”

The scholar-dressed man immediately issued the command loudly.

“Move!”

One by one, prisoner carts rolled in, and death row prisoners, their heads covered with black hoods and shackles on their limbs, were escorted to the execution ground by the soldiers.

“Have mercy! Have mercy! I’m innocent! I’m innocent!”

Some of these death row prisoners cried out in fear, hoping for a miracle.

Many others, however, had already become numb, like puppets, walking stiffly to the execution ground and kneeling down.

Amidst them, Su Hao noticed one prisoner who stood out the most.

This death row prisoner was exceptionally tall, and unlike the others, he wore heavy shackles made of solid steel on his hands and feet, creating a clanging sound with every step. Needles were driven into his back and acupoints, sealing his abilities to circulate energy and exert strength.

All of this indicated that this prisoner was a highly dangerous individual, more so than a beast, requiring such heavy restraints to prevent any unexpected occurrences.

The tall prisoner did not resist, kneeling on the ground, and compared to the other kneeling prisoners, he appeared to stand out like a crane among chickens.

“He is the death row prisoner that County Magistrate Li Shou is worried might be targeted by robbers,” Su Hao understood this person’s identity in his heart.

The masked executioner approached from the left and removed the hood from the first death row prisoner, revealing a ordinary, haggard face. His eyes were vacant, his teeth chattered, yet he remained silent, having accepted his fate.

“Chop.”

County Magistrate Li Shou flipped through the roster in his hands, carefully examining the prisoner’s appearance to confirm his identity before nodding and giving the order.

“Thud!”

The executioner, wielding a large ghostly-headed knife, raised his hand and swung it down; flesh was torn apart as the prisoner’s head fell from his body, rolling across the ground with a dull thud. The headless corpse slumped to the ground, blood streaming out and pooling into a small creek.

“Quick… quick! Human blood steamed buns can cure all ailments!”

Many citizens rushed forward with buns to soak up the blood, some motivated by sick family members, while others sought to sell the human blood buns.

It was said that human blood steamed buns could cure a variety of diseases, but it was clear that this was a falsehood.

This scene left many shaking their heads; although most understood this was useless, ignorance was never in short supply in this era.

“Please… don’t kill me…”

Some death row prisoners, terrified, screamed in despair, their lower regions damp with urine, completely losing control. The terror of life and death gripped them!

“Chop!” “Chop!”

But those on the execution ground were all deeply guilty individuals; the executioner was merciless, and the sound of heads falling filled the air.

Among the onlookers, some cheered while others turned pale, with some even feeling so nauseous at the bloody scene that they vomited on the spot.

The public execution served to deter others.

Before long, it was the turn of the tall death row prisoner. The executioner pulled off the hood, revealing an incredibly ordinary, even slightly simple-minded face; after all, not all bad people have “bad person” written all over their faces.

“Shi Ying, you slaughtered over twenty members of the Zhao family in Qingshui Town, leaving no survivors among the old, weak, sick, or disabled. Your crimes are heinous; do you understand your guilt?” County Magistrate Li Shou inquired sternly from his elevated position on the execution platform, looking down at the tall death row prisoner, Shi Ying, who was shackled all over.

“What if I don’t understand my guilt? What if I do? Do you think knowing my guilt will stop you, your dogs of war, from killing me? I only killed those landlords who exploited the common people; I was helping the poor by robbing the rich! I’m a侠客, a hero!” Shi Ying’s mouth curled into a slight smirk as he coldly scoffed, rebellious in demeanor.

Li Shou’s expression darkened, anger flashing across his face. Shi Ying was responsible for more than just a handful of deaths; he had indiscriminately killed countless innocent civilians yet stood there arguing defiantly, as if he were in the right.

“Do you still dare to turn black into white? Execute him!” Li Shou threw out a command tablet, shouting.

“Execute!” The executioner received the order and raised his knife, bringing it down angrily toward Shi Ying’s neck.

However, just as Shi Ying, who was kneeling on the ground, suddenly struggled fiercely, the sound of clanking iron chains echoed as two hefty men trying to hold him down were unexpectedly pushed away. The knife did not strike Shi Ying’s neck but instead met the harder surface of his head. Although the blade sliced through the muscle on his head, it couldn’t sever the hardened skull that had been tempered.

“Do you still dare to resist?” Several executioners quickly rushed forward, forcing the struggling Shi Ying back down to the ground as the executioner raised his knife for another strike.

Blood streamed down Shi Ying’s face as he struggled, letting out a hopeful roar, “Father, save me! You are my only son!”

At that moment, Su Hao narrowed his eyes slightly.

From the crowd, a number of dark, round spheres suddenly burst forth, falling toward the execution ground. The moment they hit the ground, they exploded, sending a powerful shockwave that shattered the bricks beneath.

“Ah! Ah!” In an instant, soldiers at the execution ground were thrown into chaos, rolling backward as their arms broke and flesh flew in all directions. Some nearby onlookers, having gotten too close, were also caught in the shockwave and were immediately hurled to the ground, crying out in agony.

A wave of force from the exploding gunpowder surged toward Su Hao, but he drew upon his Strength Force, dissipating the powerful shockwave into nothingness.

“Save my son!” A rough and resonant roar erupted. Among the crowd, several figures dressed in black forced their way through the chaotic masses. Their faces were concealed with black cloth, but their expressions were fierce and menacing.

“They’re here!” Su Hao’s eyes sparkled with intensity. Li Shou was concerned that someone would be bold enough to rob the execution ground, but it was just a worry. Yet now, that very scenario had unfolded, presenting Su Hao with an excellent opportunity to slay the robbers and earn the Bone Refining Elixir he desired!