Translator: CinderTL
The vast northwest was shrouded in swirling yellow sand.
A merchant caravan trudged forward with great difficulty against the sandstorm.
"Xiao Wu, are you damn sure you're not leading us the wrong way?" the caravan leader shouted.
A young man, his face wrapped in gauze, ran up from behind, "Second Uncle, don't worry. I've traveled this road before with the shopkeeper. It's definitely the right path. It's a bit longer, but there are no bandits."
As soon as he finished speaking, a dozen horses emerged from the yellow sand, their riders clad in sheepskin coats. From afar, their excited cries could be heard.
"Charge! Oho, boys, we've got business!"
The caravan leader turned sharply, glaring at Xiao Wu, "What the hell do you call this? No bandits?"
Xiao Wu's face turned pale, "I... there weren't any last time I came."
The dozen bandits quickly surrounded the caravan. One of them rode forward slowly, a leather hat on his head and a black scarf covering his mouth, revealing only a pair of narrow, squinting eyes. His face was obscured.
"Leave the goods, and you can go," he said in a clear, youthful voice.
The caravan leader pleaded with a sorrowful face, "Sir, please leave us something. Otherwise, we won't be able to report back."
"Leave now, or you won't leave at all," the bandit's tone was icy, leaving no room for negotiation.
Seeing that the bandits numbered only a dozen, the caravan leader glanced back at his fifty-strong group, gaining a bit of confidence. "We're all just trying to make a living out here. Let's not be too harsh. Take this as a token of our respect. Could you let us pass?" He handed over a cloth bag.
The young bandit waved his hand dismissively, "Leave none alive."
"Haa, kill them!"
The surrounding bandits surged forward with their blades raised.
The caravan leader's expression changed, and he roared, "Damn it, brothers, fight them with everything you've got!"
In an instant,
The yellow sand blotted out the sun, and the air was filled with the clashing of weapons and the piercing screams of the dying.
Half an hour later,
The young bandit casually wiped the blood off his long blade on a nearby corpse and sheathed it with a metallic clang.
"Let's go home."
Another bandit, busy looting the bodies, grinned with a mouth full of yellow teeth, "Hehe, every time we go out with Fourth Master, we hit the jackpot."
"Enough chatter. You know the rules, right?" Xu Sanyan pulled off his blood-stained scarf and threw it away, the stench of blood lingering in the air.
"Of course, Fourth Master, we wouldn't dare trouble you with that," the yellow-toothed bandit replied with a flattering smile.
Despite his ruthless killing, he dared not act out of line in front of this young man, speaking with utmost caution.
"Let's go."
Burdened with their loot, their return journey was much slower.
Xu Sanyan rode leisurely, gazing at the vast Gobi Desert, his heart stirred.
Since arriving in this world half a year ago, he had lived a life of constant bloodshed. From initially barely being able to hold a blade, he had risen to become the fourth-in-command.
His current achievements were largely thanks to the panel that had accompanied him through the cross-world journey. With a thought, a transparent screen appeared before his eyes.
This "Vitality" slowly accumulated over time, and when it reached a certain amount, it could be used to enhance his cultivation.
As for actively replenishing "Vitality," he had yet to find a method.
The stance techniques and blade skills were taught to him by his adoptive father, the bandit leader, known as "Three Blades, No Life" Wu Jue.
Of course, Wu Jue had more than one adopted son, but Xu Sanyan, with his cheat, had stood out among the competitors to become the fourth-in-command.
As he pondered, the group crossed a dirt slope and arrived at a cluster of adobe huts, their usual hideout.
The chaotic, tightly packed huts numbered over a hundred, surrounded by a high wall of yellow earth, serving both to prevent escapes and to shield against the sandstorm.
The wooden gate, weathered by years of sandstorms, looked rough. The guards, spotting them from afar, quickly came forward.
"Fourth Master is back. This trip must have been profitable," one of them said enviously.
The yellow-toothed bandit fished out a small piece of silver and tossed it to him, grinning, "Master's in a good mood today. This is for you."
The man caught it, "Heh, you old scoundrel, always trailing behind Fourth Master for scraps."
Xu Sanyan looked up at the dried corpse hanging from the flagpole and frowned, "Get rid of it. It's an eyesore."
The corpse was that of a swordsman, somewhat renowned in the northwest, who had come to challenge Wu Jue and died before he could even land a second blow.
It had been hanging there for over a month, swaying in the wind like a ghost.
"Right away," the yellow-toothed bandit immediately set to work.
Xu Sanyan ignored them and rode into the compound.
He had inspected the loot—mostly silk, porcelain, and some medicinal herbs and goods—worth several hundred taels, a considerable haul.
Passing through an open square, he arrived at the main hall of the compound.
The hall, a large adobe room with a few scattered tables and chairs, was where they usually held meetings.
Xu Sanyan dismounted, handed the reins to a nearby man, and walked inside. Wu Jue and the second-in-command, Liu Hong, were chatting, while the third-in-command was nowhere to be seen.
Seeing Xu Sanyan return, Wu Jue nodded, "How was the trip?"
"Not bad," Xu Sanyan picked up a cup of tea and drained it in one gulp.
"Good. When the third brother returns, we'll pull off a big one," Wu Jue said.
"Where to?" Xu Sanyan asked, turning his head.
"Dafeng Town!"
"Attack Dafeng Town?"
Xu Sanyan was stunned, almost thinking he had misheard.
Dafeng Town was about thirty miles south of their mountain stronghold—not too far, but it was guarded by over a thousand soldiers. With only a hundred men in their band, wasn't this just asking for trouble?
"With just us?" Xu Sanyan couldn't help but ask.
Wu Jue shook his head, "Of course not. You'll see when the time comes."
Seeing that he wouldn't get any more answers, Xu Sanyan shook his head and said no more, turning to head to his quarters.
As the fourth-in-command, he had his own small courtyard. As soon as he entered, a young, beautiful girl came forward, helping him remove his bloodstained clothes while asking with concern,
"Master, are you hurt anywhere?"
Xu Sanyan waved his hand, "I'm fine. Get me something to eat."
"Right away," the girl said, heading to the kitchen.
Xu Sanyan watched her ample hips swaying, feeling a surge of desire.
The girl, named Xiu He, had been snatched by him not long ago, and he was still enjoying the novelty.
Xu Sanyan had grown accustomed to this life—taking whatever he needed, be it women, money, or goods. If he wanted something, he took it.
No one would give it to him willingly, not even with his position as the fourth-in-command, which he had fought for, wresting it from many competitors.
His half-year in the bandit stronghold had stripped away any trace of cowardice. To survive here, one had to be ruthless!
More ruthless than the others!
Make them fear you, respect you, dare not look you in the eye!
Xu Sanyan raised an eyebrow and followed Xiu He into the kitchen. Before long, the sound of muffled gasps could be heard.
(End of the Chapter)
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