amaotonovel Chapter 740 Punishment
Chapter 740 Punishment
The rain poured down like the heavens were crying for the tragedy that was about to happen.
Dense rain covered the city of Chang'an, immersing this prosperous capital in a cold and dark atmosphere.
Lightning streaked across the sky like a silver snake, briefly illuminating the streets, followed by deafening thunder that boomed overhead, and the drums of death began to play the prelude to this bloody massacre.
The usual hustle and bustle of Chang'an City's streets and alleys had long since vanished, replaced by a dead silence and fear.
Every household had their doors and windows closed tightly, and faint candlelight shone through the cracks in the doors and window frames, flickering in the rain.
The screams everywhere made them even more frightened, but this careful hiding could not bring them peace.
In a remote alley, a tavern stands quietly.
The owner of a wine shop usually makes a living by brewing and selling wine.
That night, he and his wife and children went to bed early as usual.
A burst of hurried and heavy footsteps broke the silence of the night, coming from far away and becoming clearer and clearer.
The owner of the tavern suddenly woke up from his sleep, with an ominous premonition in his heart.
He walked cautiously to the door and looked out through the crack. He saw several figures looming in the rain. They were dressed in black, wearing bronze devil masks on their heads, and holding huge sickles in their hands. They shone with a cold light under the lightning.
Before the tavern owner could react, the door was violently slammed open.
Two shadow guards rushed in. They moved quickly and efficiently, grabbed the boss by the collar and dragged him out.
The boss screamed in fear and struggled desperately, but in front of the shadow guard, his resistance seemed so powerless.
"No! Let me go! What crime have I committed?"
"Who are you? Do you have any laws?"
The shopkeeper shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice filled with fear and despair.
The son of the tavern owner was frightened out of his wits by this sudden turn of events. He hid in the corner, trembling all over, tears streaming down his face.
He watched his father being dragged onto the street by the shadow guards, his heart filled with helplessness and fear.
The shopkeeper's wife also rushed out and wanted to save her husband, but was kicked to the ground by another shadow guard.
On the street, two shadow guards stepped on the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper's face was pressed against the wet floor tiles, and rain and blood mixed together and flowed along the cracks between the tiles.
The huge sickle was slowly raised and then pressed against the boss's neck. The boss closed his eyes in despair, still begging for mercy.
The shadow guards' faces were expressionless, their eyes icy cold without a trace of warmth. Without hesitation, they raised their sickles, and the sharp blades instantly slit his throat.
Blood gushed out like a fountain, and under the washing of the heavy rain, strange bloodstains were formed.
The boss's body twitched a few times and then became motionless. His body was separated and his head rolled to the side. His eyes were wide open, as if he died with his eyes open.
His son witnessed all this and let out a shrill scream, almost fainting.
His wife struggled to get up, threw herself on her husband's body, and burst into tears.
However, their grief did not earn them any mercy from the Shadow Guards.
After killing the man, the shadow guards left quickly.
They were agile and moved through the rain like a group of ghosts.
Just when the mother and son thought the nightmare was finally over and there was no movement outside, and they wanted to go out to see what was going on, a loud thunder once again illuminated the night sky of Chang'an.
At that moment, a shadow guard carrying a sickle appeared at the door.
His figure flickered against the backdrop of lightning. He slowly unhooked the musket from his waist. His movements were neither hurried nor slow, but they made people feel a suffocating fear.
"No! Don't!" she screamed in horror, holding her son tightly behind her.
Two musket shots pierced the silence of the rainy night, and the sound echoed in the empty streets.
She and her son's bodies trembled at the same time, then slowly fell to the ground. Blood flowed out of their bodies, mixing with the rainwater and blood on the ground, forming a pool of scarlet blood.
A family of three all died at home, closing their eyes forever on this rainy night.
That night, Chang'an City seemed to have turned into a hell on earth.
No matter whether you are a high-ranking official, a general with outstanding military achievements, or an ordinary citizen, as long as you are considered disrespectful to His Majesty, the Shadow Guards will come to your door like evil spirits seeking revenge.
In a luxurious mansion, a fifth-rank minister of the imperial court was sitting with his family, trying to find a sense of security in this terrifying night.
Suddenly there was a loud knock on the door, followed by the sound of slamming the door.
The official's face turned pale in an instant. He knew that he could not escape this disaster after all.
The shadow guards rushed into the mansion and killed everyone they saw.
His wife screamed and ran away, but was soon caught up by the shadow guards and fell in a pool of blood.
He himself was surrounded by several shadow guards. He looked at these cold-blooded shadow guards in despair, his heart filled with fear.
"Why? Why do you do this to me?"
He cried, his voice full of unwillingness.
The shadow guards didn't answer, but just swung their sickles, leaving wounds on his body.
He struggled in pain, and blood stained his official uniform.
Finally, a sickle hit his head hard, and his life ended.
The entire city of Chang'an was shrouded in a bloody storm, with corpses strewn across the streets and blood flowing through the gutters, forming red streams.
The air was filled with a strong smell of blood, which made people feel sick.
The shadow guards tirelessly shuttled between corners, carrying out their killing missions, as if there was no end.
The massacre continued until dawn, when the shadow guards slowly withdrew from Chang'an City.
When the people of Chang'an woke up from their sleep and opened their doors, they were stunned by the scene before them.
The streets were littered with corpses, some with their heads and bodies severed, some with their limbs mutilated. The scene was horrific.
Many people couldn't help but vomit on the spot. They couldn't believe that this was Chang'an?
Overnight, it turned into a hell on earth.
Li Ke rode a horse and walked slowly on Zhuque Street with a team of shadow guards.
He looked at the tragic scene in front of him, the corners of his mouth rose slightly, and he nodded with satisfaction.
The smell of blood on the street hit him in the face, but he seemed not to care at all, his eyes full of coldness.
"Well done. It's time to go to court. You all should withdraw. I will go to court alone today."
Li Ke said in a cold tone.
"Yes, handsome!"
The shadow guards responded in unison and then quickly left.
In the Taiji Hall, it was time for the court meeting.
The scene of the court filled with civil and military officials in the past is no longer there, and half of the officials in the hall are missing.
The surviving officials were all pale and nervous. On their way to the palace, they witnessed the tragic scenes on the streets and were filled with fear and anger.
"This is simply an atrocity! Since the founding of the country, even if the imperial court was in a terrible state, it would always use the banner of loving the people. Has it ever been like this?"
"The corpses of common people and officials were scattered all over the place, and they were treated equally."
"Who on earth is this person who has such courage?"
An official couldn't help but speak loudly, his voice filled with grief and indignation.
Other officials also echoed this, and there was a lot of discussion in the hall.
But their voices seemed so weak in the empty Tai Chi Hall.
As Li Ke slowly walked into the hall, his eyes swept over the officials present. That look was like a sharp sword, making everyone quiet down instantly.
"Anyone who disrespects the late emperor will be punished. This is what they deserve."
Li Ke said coldly, his voice echoing in the hall.