Chapter 246

Chapter 246

Basking in the morning sun, I greet the new day with a smile, ready to search for treasure. Im feeling good about my chances with how things turned out. In the interest of fairness, Zian and the others wanted to pick their zones, claiming it was only fair since I had the advantage of Jester Wangs guidance. I reluctantly obliged but things worked out after BoShui ended up with the North-west quadrant. This is where the top brass lived, meaning Yo Lings manor is mine to plunder.

Finally lucky. Its about damn time.

Though theres only one-fourth of the island to cover, its not a small area by any measure. It took five hours of marching to cross the island and reach the outer edge of our quadrant, and since the sun had already set by the time we arrived, this is the first real look Ive taken of our hunting grounds. Rugged and uneven, the island seems incapable of supporting much natural life. A few grasses, weeds, and mosses add minimal colour to the landscape, with the odd, scraggly tree growing in the rocky, loose soil, a light dusting sitting atop solid bedrock. The stone-brick buildings are well-built but exceedingly filthy, unsurprising since bandits arent known for their cleanliness. Reeking of mildew, rotten food, and worse, we left the buildings unoccupied, sleeping atop the jagged stones beneath the stars instead of subjecting ourselves to its foul stench.

Before going to sleep last night, we searched through the buildings around our campsite, but a quick once over uncovered nothing of value. Unsurprising since these were the barracks for common bandits and warriors, unlikely to contain much hidden wealth. Im more interested in the officers' quarters and the forges sitting on the islands coast. If what Jester Wang says is accurate, there probably wont be much of value in the other quadrants, which is fine by me. I dont mind splitting the loot, Im here for the thrill of finding it.

After bringing a hot breakfast to the Guard Leader and her cronies, I leave a basket of meat and fruits on the ground for my fur babies before ducking into Lins tent. Waking the sweet girl with a kiss on the cheek, my little wifey pouts and groans in protest even as her nose twitches at the fragrant smell of breakfast. After struggling to decide between food and sleep, gluttony triumphs over sloth as she sits up, her eyes bright and hair in disarray. Morning hubby, she says, accepting her bowl with a toothy smile.

Too cute.

Devouring her breakfast while I brush her hair, Lin leans back to nestle against my chest, sighing in contentment. Yummy! Hubby, youre the best. Affecting a pout, she continues, Poor Mi-Mi and Li-Li, theyre probably eating a cold breakfast all by their lonesome. Whyd you send them away with that stinky Zian?

Stinky? Youre too biased, he wears more perfume than anyone I know, plus he's the prettiest man Ive ever met. I was even worried Mila would fall for his charms and abandon us. Kissing Lin on the temple, I resume brushing her hair. Its not like I wanted to separate from her, but I had no choice. While hes all cordial and polite on the surface, Im certain hed decapitate me given the chance, so partnering with him would have been too stressful. Even though she doesnt have a rank, Milas the best choice to handle him. His enmity ends at me and shes smart enough not to start a new blood feud, so itll be fine. Plus, if things go south, then she has Tursinai there to back her up. Milas a tough girl, shell survive without us for a day or two.

My words earn me a double poke, one finger to each cheek. Silly Rainy, Mi-Mis still a girl. Its not a nice feeling when your hubby sends you away with another man. You need to make it up to her after this, ya? Maybe you should finally get her a betrothal gift. You gave Yan hers months ago and Mi-Mis been waiting all this time. Unlike your sweet Lin-Lin, Mi-Mi gets jealous easily, so you have to work a little harder to please her.

Wait what? It wasnt a betrothal gift, it was a going away present for a friend. Anyways, I gave you both your betrothal gifts. Youre wearing parts of it right now.

This? Thrusting her hand in front of my face, Lin wiggles her new ring, a golden, diamond-encrusted band boasting a heart-shaped sapphire the size of my thumbnail. Oh, hubby... Its so shiny and I love it, but its not a betrothal gift.Updated from novelbIn.(c)om

Oh no... How much do they expect me to spend on a betrothal gift? So... what's a betrothal gift? In hindsight, I probably should have asked this earlier.

Braiding one side of her hair while I do the other, Lin giggles and answers, A betrothal gift is supposed to be practical, something we can use to contribute to the household. We cant do anything with rings and jewellery other than sell it, and then what? See, you gave Zabu and Shana to Yan, which means she has two quins to help her hunt and bring food and pelts home. So you need to think of something for Mi-Mi that matches her personality. Easy, ya?

Huh, thats rather down-to-earth of the People. I like it. Then again, it probably became a tradition because so many people died young. With these parameters for a betrothal gift, its pretty much ensuring your spouse has some means to earn a living after youve croaked. Ah whatever, Ill treat the jewellery as a regular gift, their smiles were worth it. Plus, its not like I worked hard for the money and gemstones, Jorani and co. stole it all. Hmm... so does that mean I should build Mila a forge? I wouldnt even know where to start... And what do I get Lin? Taduk provides her with everything she needs to be an herbalist.

You can ask her daddy, but I think itd be better if you got her armour. Something like Li-Lis, ya? Mi-Mis not as durable as you are.

Runic armour? How rich does Lin think I am? Praying I find something expensive on the island, Im struck by a chilling thought. You dont think Im trying to marry Li Song do you? Is that why you were so upset when I didnt give her any jewellery?

Silly Rainy. We were upset because you gave us gifts right in front of her. If you had nothing to gift Li-Li, then you should have waited until we were alone. Its rude ya?

Were playing a dangerous game. While Baledagh and Blobby can cleanse BoShui at any time, I'd prefer to keep Gerel in the dark regarding the full extent of my gifts. He cant keep secrets from Yuzhen and Ive seen her twist minor, seemingly insignificant details to her advantage. She already has more dirt on me than Im comfortable with, so Id rather not give her more.

I still dont know how were gonna deal with BoShui in the long run. Even if we ignore the sudden perception of old injuries, hes going to notice somethings off when we cleanse him, which will lead to a whole mess of uncomfortable questions. The best plan we came up with was letting him get nice and drunk before Baledagh does his thing, then claim BoShui fell down the stairs or something. Its not the best plan, but its something.

A shame we cant siphon away half of the Spectres and leave the rest for later. We tried it out on Ulfsaar and he went apeshit as the remaining Spectres struggled to take control. He settled down after Baledagh finished the job, but not before smacking Gerel halfway across the room. It's a good thing he was easy to trick, I'd hate to kill him. With his prodigious strength and robust Aura, the brutish half-bear bandit is a fearsome opponent despite his utterly non-existent martial skills. With a few months training, I fully expect him to become a pillar of my retinue.

Im not thrilled about having an angry rage-bandit nicknamed the Voracious as my most promising rookie, but Im training soldiers, not nursemaids. I cant expect them all to be paragons of virtue, now can I? So long as they dont cross my bottom line, these former bandits will do nicely. Ive so many new ideas for training and I cant wait to try them out.

Devious thoughts aside, I take a few minutes to explain my search plan to BoShui, who readily agrees with all my suggestions. After sending our people out in groups to search the surrounding areas, I follow Jester Wang to Yo Lings manor, caring nothing for the various storehouses and barracks in between. I mean, sure, therell be things of value to plunder, but I doubt they leave all their coin sitting around behind a locked door. There has to be a treasury, a hidden room hiding all of Yo Lings personal goods, and where better to hide it than in his own house?

Sitting atop the highest hill, Yo Lings manor is a sight to behold, a curious mixture of elegance and function. At twice my height and complete with moat and drawbridge, the spotless white-stone walls wouldnt look out of place on a fortress, a necessity for any Bandit King. After Gerel leaps over the wall and lowers the bridge, the double gates open to reveal a massive white-jade statue chiseled in the likeness of a young Yo Ling. With two eyes and a well-groomed beard, dressed in full armour and mace in hand, the dastardly bandit almost looks heroic.

Once you get past the outer defences and garish choice in welcoming decor, Yo Lings manor shows its charm. For a murderous bandit, the man had good taste. Lining the paved walkway are smooth, rounded rocks of similar size, fit together in an uneven and oddly satisfying manner when compared to the straight, undeviating pathway. The overall effect turns his entire courtyard into a massive rock garden, and I can only imagine how beautiful itd look if all the grass were trimmed. The outside of the buildings are all red-lacquered wood, with gracefully arched roofs and sturdy, stone-carved foundations. Peering through the open doors and windows uncovers a myriad of artworks and extravagances. Vibrant porcelain vases, decorative jade vessels, masterwork calligraphy scrolls, vivid, breathtaking paintings, and more.

Okay... I now officially regret inviting Zian and the others along.

Maybe I can convince them to donate everything to a museum, then rob it blind in a year or two.

The rest of the day is spent in a frenzy of activity, packing everything onto the wagons and sending it back to the barges. Im not sure well even have enough room on the ships, we might need more than one trip to bring everything away. Walking hand in hand with Lin, we take our time appreciating the sights and secretly pocketing a few small items for ourselves before clearing everything out room by room, leaving only destruction in our wake. Stones and couches overturned, walls and bookshelves torn apart, every pillar and floorboard is checked and rechecked for hidden compartments as our appetite for treasure continues to grow. Even the drapes and cushions are taken away, repurposed into padding for the more fragile treasures.

As night falls, I gaze upon our work from Yo Lings balcony, unable to come to terms with my newfound wealth. Though Ive yet to find anything hidden away, the treasures on display are enough to make a hundred men wealthy, much less eight. The Guard Leader is surprisingly adept at appraising works of art, often able to name the craftsman before seeing a signature or stamp. I suppose I should gift her something after all this, though I should ask Lin if its appropriate before I do. The last thing I need right now are more wife candidates, and even if I did, the Guard Leader is nowhere near the top of the list.

Breathing a sigh of contentment, I glance around Yo Lings room before we go, left untouched for now. I thought about sleeping here, but who knows what sort of nasty business went down on those sheets. No thank you. Spying a bookshelf, I head over to peruse the collection, curious what a bandit king reads. Histories and poetry make up the bulk of the books, along with a solid selection of military and weapon manuals. Running my fingers over the spine of each book, I ignore Gerels growing impatience because why not, while BoShui looks on the verge of falling asleep on his feet.

Whatever. Ill come back tomorrow. Still a full day of looting ahead of me, so might as well get a good nights sleep. As I turn away, my elbow bumps a bookend and I react instinctively, darting to catch it before it falls. Freezing in place, I turn my gaze back to the bookend, still sitting on the shelf, unmoved by the impact. The bookend couldnt be more ordinary, an L shaped block of wood stuck to the bookshelf, incredibly out of place amongst the riches and splendour of Yo Lings manor. All the other bookends are the same, and even the shelf is stuck against the wall.

Interesting, Gerel says, studying the shelf thoughtfully. A hidden door?

Perhaps you twist or turn the bookends in a certain order? BoShui adds his two cents, finally showing an interest in the proceedings. My uncle has something like that.

Fuck puzzles. Grabbing an armload of books, I toss them onto the bed. Quickly catching on, everyone pitches in to help empty the shelf, with all thoughts of sleep fleeing at the prospect of riches. After chopping the bookshelf into kindling, we carve into the stone wall behind it to reveal a hewn stone stairway leading down into the depths of the island. Grinning from ear to ear, I glance at everyone and ask, So, whos up for a little cave exploration?

This is going to be so much fun...

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