When They Finally Realized, I Was Already the Strongest Villain - Chapter 24:

Chapter 24: I Don’t Want a Timid Coward

The cultivators who had charged at Gu Han from all directions suddenly froze in place.

Even their facial expressions and body movements were completely motionless, as if they had been turned into a still painting. The only thing still changing was the pinhole-sized pupils in their eyes. Perhaps it was an illusion, but Luo Baizhi could clearly sense it—right before death, it was as if they had seen the most terrifying sight in the world…

“How could it be…”

The middle-aged man, who had triggered his full potential through a special secret talisman, also stopped a short distance from Gu Han.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to keep charging forward—he couldn’t move at all.

From the thigh down, his entire lower body had lost all feeling!

As another cold breeze swept through the air, the cultivators who had completely stiffened in place began to collapse and dissolve.

Their bodies fell apart, disintegrating into countless tiny pieces of flesh. And before those chunks of meat could even hit the ground, they evaporated into a mist of blood and drifted away with the cold wind.

The metallic stench of blood filled the air, assaulting Luo Baizhi’s senses, causing her heart to skip several beats.

Senior Brother… had become terrifying.

As for the only survivor—the middle-aged man—he wasn’t much better off.

Though he hadn’t been directly cut into chunks, everything from his thighs downward had been completely severed. Agonizing pain surged through his body like a tidal wave, causing his muscles to convulse uncontrollably as he howled in anguish. He had clearly lost all ability to resist.

Gu Han said, “Since you want to follow me, you must prove your potential and value for the future.”

As he spoke, he drew his sword and handed it to Han Mengyao, his tone cold. “This man must’ve abused you many times, right? I’ll leave him to you. Kill him.”

Han Mengyao instinctively took the sword.

Due to years of malnutrition, her body was thin and small. As she gripped the sword, her figure looked even smaller under its shadow.

Maybe it was fear, or maybe the sword was too heavy for her. Her tiny frame trembled uncontrollably as countless memories surged through her mind.

“You useless trash! I picked you up from the wilderness just to have you eat for free? Damn it, eating so much every day!”

“What kind of attitude is that?! I showed you mercy! If it weren’t for me, you’d have been devoured by demonic beasts in the wild long ago! Don’t kneel? Then I’ll beat you until you do!”

“Boss! Stop hitting her! She’ll die!”

“I mean, teaching her a lesson is fine, but don’t ruin her face! She still needs to be delivered to the City Lord’s mansion!”

…

“Kill… kill him?”

Han Mengyao continued to tremble.

In the future, she would be the ruthless, bloodthirsty Blood Moon Demon Lord. But now, she was still just a twelve-year-old girl.

She hadn’t even killed a fish before—how could she kill a person?

Gu Han’s voice rang out coldly, “What’s wrong? You can’t do it?”

“In this cruel world, if you don’t learn to kill, you’ll be the one killed.”

“Besides, this man kidnapped children and sold them to rich merchants as experimental materials or slaves.”

“He abused you, treated you like a dog. Killing him now is more than justified.”

“I want someone strong and ruthless—not a timid coward.”

Those final words exploded like thunder in Han Mengyao’s mind.

Though her body still trembled, the sword gleaming with cold light was now raised high in her hands.

On the blade’s surface was the reflection of her crimson, full-moon-like eyes.

“No… Mengyao! You can’t kill me!”

“I was the one who saved you from the wilderness! If it weren’t for me, you’d be dead!”

“You can’t repay kindness with betrayal like this!”

Han Mengyao didn’t respond. Her small frame stepped steadily toward the now crippled man.

No matter how hard he struggled, it was useless. And then, as fear overwhelmed him, his anger erupted and he began screaming.

“You damned little bitch! Jinx!”

“Someone said you were born to bring disaster! I never should’ve saved you! You should’ve died in the wild with no grave!”

“You would even kill the man who saved you! If I die, I’ll haunt you forever…”

Puchi!

Before he could finish his cursing, Han Mengyao swung the sword.

Though slightly off-target, it sliced off one of his arms. Blood gushed out, the smell thick in the air.

The pain only made the man’s curses more frenzied.

But as his angry screams echoed…

Han Mengyao’s red eyes grew even redder. More memories flashed through her mind.

She had done nothing wrong.

Just because her eyes were red, people labeled her a bad omen?

Just because of that, they beat and cursed her?

Just because of her eyes, she didn’t deserve to live a normal life?

Even her own parents rejected her. The world despised her.

Why… why did they treat her like this?

She never wanted any of this…

All she ever wished for was to live a normal life.

Han Mengyao’s sword slashed faster and faster. Her expression grew twisted, her movements more violent, and more wounds began to appear on the man’s body.

The angry shouts gradually turned into cries for mercy… then into silence.

Crack crack crack!

Puchi! Puchi!

The nauseating sound of flesh and blood being torn apart filled the air.

“Enough. He’s dead.”

A warm yet powerful hand suddenly rested on her shoulder.

Han Mengyao, who had fallen into a state of madness, snapped out of it like waking from a nightmare.

Gu Han had expected her to cry after killing someone for the first time.

But to his surprise, Han Mengyao didn’t cry at all. Instead, she respectfully returned the sword to him and said calmly, “Mengyao obeys your command.”

Gu Han paused slightly, then smiled gently.

No wonder she’d become a terrifying Demon Lord who shook the world in the future.

Even at this young age, her sharp edge had already started to show.

Gu Han reached out and gently patted Han Mengyao’s head with affection.

“Very good.”

“From now on, as long as you follow me, no one will ever bully you again.”

But just as this rare warm moment settled in, the system’s voice suddenly broke the silence.

[Ding! Detected that the host refused to pay for goods and instructed an underage girl to kill the seller. Action matches villain character traits. Awarding 1,000 Villain Points as encouragement!]

[Ding! Congratulations, host. You have completed three random daily tasks by acting in line with villain traits or progressing villain plotlines. Awarding 1,500 Villain Points!]