The Life of a Necromancer as a Swashbuckler

Chapter 42: Fierce Battle by the Lake

Nameless’s expression shifted slightly as he glanced around to confirm no one else was nearby. Realizing the so-called “female hero” must be referring to himself, he flew into a rage and cursed, “You’re the female hero! Your whole family are female heroes! Can’t you tell that Grandpa here is a man?” As Nameless’s coarse words rang out and he drew closer, the scholar finally saw clearly that Nameless was a man. He quickly corrected himself, “Great Hero, forgive my poor eyesight! Hero, save my life!” His voice was so sincere and pitiful that Nameless found it even harder to turn a blind eye. The fiery-haired girl had also nearly misidentified Nameless when Nameless leaped down; it wasn’t until Nameless approached while speaking that she got a clear look. She snorted coldly, “What a handsome pretty boy—are you tired of living? Daring to come out here to die! Are you an accomplice of this lecher too?” As she spoke, she seemed to grow even more furious; she tossed the scholar aside and pointed her steel blade at Nameless, seemingly ready to fight to the death at any moment. Seeing the girl’s reaction, Nameless felt a wave of exasperation wash over him. What a fiery temper—she looked like a violent maniac. No wonder she killed without batting an eye; compared to the Yechacha, this woman was even more like a female demon, so he immediately grew even more wary. “I am Nameless, Xiao Ming.” Nameless had originally intended to say his name was Nameless, but remembering his master’s instructions, he changed his mind at the last moment. ““I was originally strolling by the lake when I happened upon this incident. Seeing how ruthlessly you attacked, I was moved by indignation and came to advise you: where there is room for mercy, show mercy—why take more lives than necessary? As for this young gentleman, I—Nameless, no, I mean Xiāo—do not know him.” Nameless was still getting used to his new name, explaining as he corrected himself. The fiery-red-clad young woman had a temper as fiery as her clothes; upon hearing Nameless’s explanation, she seemed to grow even angrier and launched into a tirade: “You pretty-boy, you don’t know a thing—stop spouting nonsense over there! Do you know what this beast has done? He’s got to die today. I advise you to get the hell out of here. This lady’s blade doesn’t discriminate—watch out or I’ll slash your face to pieces and break your lover’s heart!” These two sentences, however, struck a nerve with Nameless. His greatest concern right now was the issue of his feminization. Being mistaken for a woman was one thing, but knowing it was a mistake and still shouting it out loud was unbearable. What was even more infuriating was—which “lover” was she referring to? Was she talking about Yechacha? Nameless was already heartbroken over Yechacha; this hit him right where it hurt. He couldn’t help but feel his blood boil, his eyes darken, and an ominous aura spread once more around him. The young woman clearly noticed the change in Nameless, but caught up in her own fury, she failed to recognize the danger and continued her tirade, “Oh, so the pretty boy’s transforming now? This lady has a merciful heart—get lost! Don’t hold me up while I avenge Ali!” No sooner had she uttered the word “revenge” than her vision blurred. Nameless, who had been standing across from her just a moment ago, had closed the distance and was now right in front of her. He suddenly lunged with a claw straight for her throat at a speed she’d never seen before. Terrified, the young woman hurriedly swung her knife at Nameless’s claw—but something even more bizarre happened. Nameless didn’t even try to dodge; he simply extended two fingers and—with a *pop*—pincered the girl’s blade between them—it was the *Spirit-Synchronized Finger* technique. Immediately afterward, he swung another claw, still aiming for her throat. The girl had never seen such a desperate fighting style before, and his speed was too great—his attack, though launched later, arrived first. With her steel blade still pinned by her opponent, she had no choice but to abandon it and leap backward, narrowly evading Nameless’s attack. After just a single exchange, the young woman had already dropped her steel blade and nearly lost her life. Terrified, she instantly regained her composure and, staring at Nameless across from her, dared not make a single move. At that moment, however, the nameless man seemed to snap out of a trance and return to his normal state. He looked down at the steel blade in his hand, then glanced at the terrified girl, as if only now realizing what had happened. He flipped the blade over and gripped it firmly. In truth, the reason Nameless was able to subdue his opponent in a single move lay primarily in the element of surprise and his ferocity. As his qi and blood surged, Nameless instantly felt his eyes turn red,The girl stood before him like prey, and without a moment’s hesitation, Nameless launched his attack. His speed was so blindingly fast thanks to the Nine Heavens Mystic Separation Art and the Spirit-Synchronized Finger Technique. In truth, the little inner energy Nameless had left was only enough to activate the Mystic Separation Art—it couldn’t actually be used to harm anyone. His earlier grab at her throat had been a feint; if the girl had truly been seized, she would have realized she was unharmed. Yet, to his surprise, she suddenly began to weep. Nameless watched coldly from the sidelines. Although the scholar appeared to be weeping bitterly, his tears were insincere—it seemed he was deliberately putting on a show for Nameless. This only served to deepen Nameless’s suspicions. “My lord, there’s no need to grieve. The bandits have already left, and at least the young master is safe. Please take comfort in that,” Nameless said, going along with the situation to offer his consolation. “Let’s bury these palanquin bearers first,” Nameless suggested thoughtfully. It was only right to lay them to rest; leaving their bodies here was simply unacceptable. So Nameless and the scholar began digging graves to bury the palanquin bearers. After coming into contact with them, Nameless felt even more that something was amiss. These so-called palanquin bearers were all muscular and fierce-looking, with terrifying tattoos covering their bodies; they certainly didn’t look like good people. What puzzled Nameless even more was that every time he first touched one of them, a strange force seemed to flow into his body, making him feel stronger, more alert, and as if he’d regained his vitality. Once the burial was finally complete, the two took a brief rest. “Now that the bandits are gone, what are your next plans, Young Master?” Nameless asked, seizing the opportunity. “My ancestral home is Zheng Family Village. I’ve returned this time to visit my family, and my next stop will be Zheng Family Village,” the scholar replied truthfully, unaware that Nameless had already grown suspicious. “His ancestral home is Zheng Family Village.” Nameless felt more certain now; as long as they remained in Zheng Family Village, if the scholar truly was a villain, he wouldn’t be able to escape even if he had wings. “There’s one thing I don’t understand, Young Master. Could you please explain? That young lady didn’t seem like a bad person—why was she trying to kill you?” Nameless asked probingly. Upon hearing the question, the scholar’s expression began to shift between light and dark.