Chapter 6: The Tyrant of the Death Cell

“Grandfather, spare me! Please, grandfather, spare my life!”
“I was blind and foolish, never recognized a true master.”
“If you let me live, I’ll serve you like a beast of burden without complaint!”
“I beg you, just let me keep my miserable life!”
Zhao Erhu kowtowed repeatedly, pleading for mercy, with not a trace of yesterday’s ferocity left in him.
Fortunately, the death cell was shrouded in darkness; otherwise, if the other condemned prisoners had witnessed this scene, they would surely be shocked to question their very existence.
But Zhao Erhu had every reason to fear.
Though monsters and demons were rare, encountering one meant certain death for ordinary people!
Such eerie and terrifying methods filled him with dread; he could no longer tell if Lu Sha was human or specter.
In Zhao Erhu’s memory, the young master of the Lu family was a cowardly weakling, incapable of such feats.
Had he shown this ability earlier, how could he have lost his vast inheritance so easily?
Who knew what had happened to him—perhaps he was no longer the same Lu family scion at all!
The more Zhao Erhu thought, the more frightened he became, his head banging repeatedly against the floor.
...
“Do you still plan to feed me prison slop today?”
Lu Sha’s blood-red eyes cast a cold glance at him, his voice icy.
Zhao Erhu shuddered all over and hurriedly replied,
“Never again, I wouldn’t dare! Whatever you wish to eat, I’ll get it for you right away.”
It was clear this man had a bit of wit, quickly grasping the meaning behind Lu Sha’s words.
Lu Sha sprawled onto the ground, propping his head lazily and said,
“As you wish. Do as you see fit. But if one day I’m displeased with the meal, I might take a stroll at night, stretch my limbs a little.”
“As to where I might go, well…”
He stopped mid-sentence, closed his eyes, and acted as though he couldn’t be bothered to pay any further attention.
Seeing this, Zhao Erhu’s face turned bitter, his heart filled with anxiety.
Tasks without clear standards were always the most troublesome!
Who could say what level would satisfy this master’s demands?
But Zhao Erhu had no other option—he could only do his utmost to prepare.
Otherwise, he’d end up like Dong Dali!
“Thank you, Master Lu, for sparing my life. I will do everything in my power to serve you well.”
Zhao Erhu bowed respectfully once more, then finally stood to leave.
“Wait.”
Lu Sha seemed to recall something, suddenly opened his eyes, and called out.
“Master Lu, is there something else?”
Zhao Erhu’s heart trembled, worried he might have more demands.
“How do you plan to explain things to the County Constable?”
Lu Sha asked coolly.

He acted with three main purposes in mind.
First, to intimidate the head jailer and secure a more comfortable stay in prison.
Second, to improve his meals and gain enough nutrition to cultivate martial arts.
Third, to temporarily pacify Zhou Bo, the County Constable, letting him believe that the “last scion of the Lu family” was dead.
Only then would he have enough time to grow stronger.
...
“Huh?”
At these words, Zhao Erhu was taken aback—clearly, he hadn’t thought it through.
Lu Sha had anticipated this, so he stretched a hand through the cell door and pointed to Zhao Erhu’s waist, saying,
“Give me the knife.”
Zhao Erhu hesitated briefly, but soon obediently drew the steel blade from his belt and handed it over respectfully.
The steel knife felt somewhat heavy in Lu Sha’s grasp.
It seemed Zhao Erhu wasn’t entirely without skill to have become head jailer.
Lu Sha took the blade and approached the crazed prisoner’s corpse, then chopped off his head in one swift motion.
“Take this head and let the stray dogs gnaw on it for a while. Then bring it to Zhou Bo and tell him it’s mine—the lunatic chewed it beyond recognition.”
“And get these two corpses out of here. The stench is unbearable.”
“Yes, I understand. I’ll handle it shortly.”
Zhao Erhu nervously took the head and the knife.
He knew the plan would likely fool the County Constable, but if it didn’t, he was doomed!
Lu Sha was unconcerned.
If the deception succeeded, all the better; if not, he would simply leave and find another place to grow stronger.
At most, it wouldn’t be as suitable for his development as the death cell.
But in Zhou Bo’s eyes, Lu Sha was just a useless young master, posing no threat.
He probably wouldn’t pay much attention; otherwise, he wouldn’t have handed the task of killing Lu Sha to his subordinates.
There was at least an eighty percent chance the trick would work!
...
After Zhao Erhu left, a scruffy, aged face poked out from the neighboring cell, grinning with yellowed teeth at Lu Sha.
“Tsk! Not bad—you’ve got them kneeling and offering you fine food and wine.”
“A condemned prisoner riding roughshod over the jailers—what a wonder!”
“Soon there’ll be a new overlord in the death cell, one who bullies the guards instead of the prisoners.”
Lu Sha smiled casually and replied,
“Overlord or not, spare me the useless talk.”
“Soon the jailer will bring a feast, well beyond what one man could eat.”
“Old man, are you interested?”
Hearing this, the scruffy old man swallowed, his hunger immediately piqued.
But he hesitated, scratching his tangled beard in confusion.

“Old as I am, I have nothing left to teach you—don’t expect me to repay you for the meal with some secret.”
Lu Sha laughed heartily and said,
“What do you take me for—a man who never helps without gain?”
“You traded a martial arts manual for a dead rat from me; can’t I treat you to two meals for nothing?”
“Just tell me, will you eat or not?”
The scruffy old man’s eyes shone, and his look at Lu Sha changed subtly.
“With you saying so, it’d make me look stingy not to eat. Then I won’t hold back!”
With that, the two exchanged smiles, dispelling a bit of the darkness that lingered in the death cell.
...
At noon that day, Zhao Erhu returned to the death cell.
He carried a large food box, wafting irresistible aromas.
“How did you get those injuries on your face? Something happen with Zhou Bo?”
Lu Sha narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the bruises and scratches on Zhao Erhu’s face, uncertain what to make of it.
By rights, his presence here meant the County Constable Zhou Bo hadn’t noticed anything amiss.
But what was the story behind those wounds?
Zhao Erhu awkwardly covered his face, stammering,
“County Constable Zhou Bo didn’t suspect anything. He glanced at the head and told me to feed it to the dogs.”
“These injuries—they’re from my wife, nothing serious.”
Zhao Erhu was unlike Dong Dali.
He had a wife and two children.
His wife was diligent, frugal, and fairly good-looking, but a fierce woman, keeping Zhao Erhu tightly in check.
Most of his monthly earnings went to her, and if not for the perks he skimmed in prison, he couldn’t even afford to drink with Dong Dali!
This time, to prepare the best food and wine for Lu Sha, he had to dip into the family savings.
Unable to explain himself to his wife, he sparked a domestic war when discovered.
Faced with mortal peril, Zhao Erhu finally erupted in anger, asserting himself for the first time and doing as he pleased.
Yet he paid dearly—the wounds on his face were only part of the price, and he feared there would be consequences when he returned home that night.
...
After learning the situation, Lu Sha frowned.
“Your family affairs aren’t my concern.”
“But if word leaks out… you know what happens.”
Zhao Erhu turned pale, cursing his fierce wife inwardly.
“Master Lu, rest assured! Whether it’s buying supplies or anything else, I’m extremely careful. No outsiders will ever find out.”
“As for the guards here, they’re all my brothers—none will breathe a word.”
Lu Sha nodded without further comment, turning his gaze to the food box in Zhao Erhu’s hands.