Chapter 141

Chapter 141 - Beg Me

The scene was chaotic. When there were enough people to face ten opponents, this ragtag group was not entirely defenseless.

Several guards were also struck. Their previous advantage was that they didn't have weapons, so they could only passively take hits while the enemy was caught off guard.

Now that everyone was ready, their attacks became significantly more potent.

Especially the Bandit Leader's pair of sledgehammers, which he swung with immense force. If anyone was careless and got hit, even if they didn't die, they'd at least suffer broken ribs.

“Where do you people come from? If you have the guts, state your names...” The Bandit Leader stepped back and took a few deep breaths. Despite his natural strength, after fighting for so long, his arms were too sore to lift.

The guards of the Third Prince's Mansion all revealed disdainful smiles and replied with one word: “Shangguan.”

“This is impossible!” Their village had been established for more than a year or two. Initially, government forces tried to encircle and annihilate the village, but every time they failed because they couldn't locate it precisely.

This mountain range was vast, and finding a stronghold with only two hundred people wouldn't be easy.

Every time they returned, they would be blindfolded or, like this time, stuffed into a wagon to ensure they couldn't see the way up.

Moreover, Guo Yanshan was situated at the boundary between two palaces. Over time, it became safer for them as long as they didn't interfere with either side and didn't pay any tribute.

“Which mansion are you from? Is it Hui State or Su Province?” The Bandit Leader had seen many people before, and this group didn't seem like officials from the Prefectural Government or soldiers from the army.

“Enough talk! Surrender now!” A guard raised his sword and charged. With a flash of his blade, he instantly took the life of a small bandit.

The Bandit Leader swallowed hard, looking at his dwindling group and the strong killing power of his opponents, gritting his teeth and making a decision.

He kicked up a dead body from the ground and hurled it at his pursuers. Then, taking advantage of their momentary distraction, he turned and ran back to the house where he had locked them up.

Inside were two old men, a middle-aged man, and a pair of young attendants.

Hmph, he didn't believe that all of them were skilled fighters!

From the looks of it, the young man was definitely the leader of this group. As long as they could capture him, the others would surely hesitate. NewW novels updates at novelhall.com

With a crash, the Bandit Leader kicked the wooden door open, and the scene inside the house came into view.

This room was originally their storeroom, but now that everything edible had been sold, it was utterly empty.

In this spacious room, the youth he had targeted was calmly eating spoonfuls of food from a bowl.

Even as the Bandit Leader barged in, covered in blood, the youth merely raised his eyes and glanced at him indifferently.

For some reason, the Bandit Leader felt a surge of fear, his legs trembling. He didn't dare enter for a long time.

It took Yin Xu half a quarter of an hour to recognize the man. He stood up and approached the Bandit Leader with a dangerous smile.

“Hey, how did you end up like this? Weren't you supposed to be having a wedding night? This sight is too pathetic.”

The Bandit Leader took half a step back, pressing his body against the door frame, the veins on his hands bulging with rage.

Yin Xu snapped his fingers, and a strand of black Qi started to wreak havoc in the Bandit Leader's body, specifically targeting his veins.

The Bandit Leader had trained in internal energy before. Although his power wasn't deep, he was much stronger than the average guard and had great physical strength, allowing him to hold a position among the more than two hundred people.

At this moment, the Demonic Qi entered his veins, causing his internal breathing to become chaotic, twisting his meridians throughout his body.

“Ugh...” The Bandit Leader's hands trembled, unable to hold onto his hammer, which crashed to the ground with a loud noise. He looked at Yin Xu in shock and fear, “What's happening? What kind of sorcery is this? What's wrong with me?”

Yin Xu approached him step by step, kicking his knee. After he knelt down, Yin Xu smiled condescendingly, “I am the Descending Dragon Venerable Lord Buddha.”

“Pah!” Yin Xu slapped him across the face from a distance and laughed, “Still thinking about getting married? Daring to mess with my people, you must have some nerve.”

These people were emaciated and filthy, their bodies reeking and injured. Their very survival was a miracle.

“You all... are you from the government?” a middle-aged man asked cautiously.

The questioned guard glanced at the Third Prince, and only after receiving a nod, replied, “Yes.”

“Thank goodness... Finally, the officials have come to save us...” The middle-aged man spoke, tears streaming down his face. As he wiped them away, his hand, missing three fingers, was revealed.

Teng Yu rubbed his nose, looked up at the star-filled night sky, and noticed the crescent moon shining brightly.

Yin Xu nudged his shoulder and asked, raising his eyebrows, “What's troubling you?”

Teng Yu nodded honestly, “A little.”

It wasn't that Teng Yu had never killed before, or even killed unarmed people; he just couldn't bring himself to harm these people who had survived so many hardships.

Yin Xu kept nudging his shoulder, “Do you want me to help?”

Teng Yu turned and gave him a “you've got to be kidding” look.

Yin Xu laughed, blinked, and said, “Beg me!”

Teng Yu reached out and pinched his cheek, “Do we really need to ask for a favor between us?”

Yin Xu pondered seriously, then nodded, “What you said makes sense... So let's change the condition.”

“No!” Teng Yu immediately blocked his path, knowing exactly what kind of request Yin Xu would make.

Yin Xu squinted at him, the corners of his mouth twitching, and he spat out, “As you wish.”

“Hey... kid, why aren't you coming out yet?” After everyone was done with the registration, the guard noticed a little boy hiding in the corner of the cage.

Because of the dim light in the corner, the boy's small and thin frame had been overlooked.

The little boy heard the sound and buried his head in his knees, curling up into a ball, refusing to come out.

“Hey, are you used to living here? Hurry up, after we pass this village, there won't be any more opportunities like this. Once we're gone, you'll have to fend for yourself in the wilderness.”

Only after hearing those words did the little boy finally move. He raised his head, his overly large eyes staring at the guard with a perplexed look.

The boy's current appearance couldn't be considered cute; he was frighteningly thin. However, his fixed gaze tugged at one's heartstrings.

The guard unconsciously lowered his voice, “Come out quickly, you're the only one left.”

The boy shook his head, keeping his head between his legs.

The guard scratched his head, not understanding why the boy wouldn't come out.

Yin Xu, hearing the commotion, walked over and immediately saw the disheveled child. He mocked, “Which family raised this child? Interesting, if you want to die, why drag it out and suffer more?”

The boy shot up, leaning against the cage's railing, and stared at Yin Xu warily and fiercely.

Only then did Yin Xu clearly see his appearance and height. He looked around ten years old but might have been older than he seemed.

“I'm talking to you, kid. Are you sure you won't come out?” Yin Xu stood outside the cage with his arms crossed, looking at the boy arrogantly.

The boy lowered his head, neither nodding nor shaking it. He remained silent.

“It's fine if you don't want to come out, but who would beg you to do so?” Yin Xu finished speaking and then instructed the guard, “Go get some torches and burn these cages.”

“This...” The guard pointed at the little boy inside, implying if they should burn the boy as well.

“Yes, since some don't want to live, let's send them on their way. Your master is just wondering how to handle it; isn't it better if someone wants to die?”

The little boy raised his head again. There was no fear in his eyes, only emptiness.