Chapter 44: Conflict Everywhere

Although the strength of Jiang Yu’s group was not considered power ful, under Jiang Yu’s leadership, they were fairly united and obeyed orders. Without complaints or chaos, they unloaded the goods from the pack horses one after another, picked up swords and spears, and mounted their horses. The combat style of fighting on horseback and on foot were completely different.

The four archers also held their bows and arrows and entered an ambush state using the horse carriages as cover.

Lei Qing made a hand signal toward Zuo Qianqian. Zuo Qianqian understood, took down the hunting bow hanging on her back, and calmly nocked an arrow. Her gaze was cold, as if she was not afraid at all. Indeed, since meeting Lei Qing, Zuo Qianqian had experienced many battles, big and small, along the way. There were quite a few people and Demonic Beasts that died by her hand. Her Nether Fighting Qi had also reached the level of Mid-stage Black Iron through desperate cultivation and repeated breakthroughs. This was also thanks to the Nether System Demonic Beast Crystal Cores her grandfather left her.

“Big Brother Jiang, are they bandits?” Lei Qing also drew his Qingfeng Sword with a clang, his gaze indifferent. “Do we need to strike first?”

Jiang Yu glanced at Zuo Qianqian in slight surprise. Although he had long seen her carrying a bow and there seemed to be traces of Fighting Qi flowing from her body, he did not expect that this little girl could participate in the battle. Seeing Lei Qing looking completely unconcerned about the group of cavalry, he felt slightly relieved and his expression relaxed. “No need. Although the bandits active within a radius of several hundred li here have complex backgrounds, most of them are subordinates of the Three Great Bandits. I do business here, and I have paid my respects to the leaders and offered my tribute. You know, even in the trade of being bandits, one must follow the rules. If one bites everyone like a madman, one certainly won’t last long. I am just being cautious.”

However, Jiang Yu was also extremely nervous in his heart. After all, no one could accurately guess the minds of bandits. Moreover, this trip, braving the severe cold for a winter harvest, had resulted in the mountain people accumulating a lot of goods, so it could be considered a full load on their return. With so many goods, it was inevitable that it would make people greedy.

“The guest follows the host’s convenience. If there is a need, please instruct us, Big Brother Jiang.” Lei Qing nodded indifferently.

In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the group of bandits galloped over and reined in their horses to a stop in front of Jiang Yu’s horse team. There were about twenty or so riders, dressed in motley and dirty clothes, with random weapons. Their faces were full of unruly hostility. Clearly, they were not any regular army; one look and one could tell they were a ragtag group of bandits.

The leading bandit wore a suit of dirty hard leather armor and held a single-handed axe with some nicks in it. A knife scar ran across the bridge of his nose. He had a stout build and a face full of flesh. He said aggressively, “Kid, not a bad harvest this time? Don’t blame Scar Lord for not giving you a way to live. The old rules, leave fifty percent of the goods as a security fee.”

Jiang Yu’s sallow face became somewhat awkward, but he still forced a smile, cupped his hands, and said, “This is probably a misunderstanding, right? Under which leader does Scar Lord serve? Is it Backing Tiger Chief Zhao? Or Crippled Wolf King Chief An? Or perhaps Old Man Qian’s men?”

“What Backing Tiger, Crippled Wolf, Old Man Qian. I, Scar Lord, don’t know any of them.” The Scar Bandit with the vicious face rolled his eyes and roared in a bullying tone, “Kid, stop spouting nonsense to your Scar Lord here. I only know that this place belongs to Scar Lord now. If you know what’s good for you, hand over the security fee. If not, don’t blame Scar Lord for not leaving you a way to live.”

Jiang Yu’s expression became stiff. This was clearly the territory of the three Big Chiefs. Was this Scar Bandit a newcomer? Or a roving bandit from elsewhere? No, no. Whether it was a new bandit or a roving bandit, as long as they came here, there was no reason they wouldn’t have heard the famous names of the three Big Chiefs. Even a strong dragon doesn’t suppress a local snake. Could it be…

Could it be that this group was originally under one of the Three Great Bandits, but after judging by the traces that there were many goods, they decided to play dumb and pretend to be roving bandits to make a score? Even if he investigated and cried foul afterwards, it would still be a messy account that couldn’t be cleared up. Because this person clearly stated that he didn’t know the three Big Chiefs.

Fifty percent. That’s fifty percent of the goods. Jiang Yu’s heart trembled with anger. He originally thought that this time he could make a big profit and let these bitter brothers live a better life. But he didn’t expect the bandits to forget justice for profit. After accepting the tribute, they still wanted to rob half of the goods.

If they deducted the large naming fee for the Li Chamber of Commerce branch, this trip would not only make no money but also lose some. How could Jiang Yu explain this to his brothers and their families? But if they fought, the other side seemed to have strong soldiers and horses, outnumbering them.

For a moment, Jiang Yu was truly in a dilemma. Handing over the goods might bring temporary safety, but who knew if there would be another group after this one? The brothers left their families and risked their lives to follow him out to make a living. They had been busy for months for this deal. Was it all for nothing for the bandits? How were the brothers supposed to live in the future? Drink the northwest wind?

But if they fought, the chance of their side being wiped out was high. Because that group of bandits didn’t look weak. The aura revealed by several of them faintly indicated they were Black Iron-rank elites, and the leader’s aura seemed to be even above his own.

Suddenly, Jiang Yu thought of Lei Qing and looked at him with a pleading gaze. “Brother Zuo, what do you think about this…” He prayed secretly in his heart, hoping that this Brother Zuo was really a strong person who had crossed the Heavenly Ridge Mountain Range. As long as he could display some Bronze-rank strength, those bandits would probably back off.

Lei Qing glanced at the horse Zuo Qianqian was riding and smiled faintly. “The kindness of gifting the horse and guiding the way, I, Zuo, must repay.” As he spoke, he pulled down a knight from his own side and flipped onto the horse. Controlling that motley pack horse, he slowly moved forward until he was two or three zhang away from the Scar Bandit, then smiled indifferently. “So it’s a group of roving bandits unrelated to the three Big Chiefs. No wonder you don’t know the rules. Either get lost immediately, or you all die here.”

Due to Lei Qing habitually restraining his Qi, a master with strong eyesight and keen perception would certainly be able to see through Lei Qing. But how could these miscellaneous bandits see Lei Qing’s depth? The Scar Bandit, stunned for a moment, immediately laughed wildly. “Where did this pretty boy come from, being so rampant? We aren’t whores in a brothel who get love-struck just because you look handsome. Kid, seeing that you are white and tender, why don’t you join your Scar Lord…”

The smile on Lei Qing’s face had already been withdrawn, and a layer of indifference covered his eyes. He clamped his legs against the horse’s belly and executed the horsemanship of unity between man and horse. A pack horse with great endurance but not much explosive power seemed to have been injected with chicken blood, rushing forward madly.

The distance of two or three zhang was covered in just two or three breaths, a speed that even some ordinary fine horses couldn’t achieve. The Scar Bandit was stunned, but he was not afraid at all. He refused to believe that a pretty boy like Lei Qing could take on himself and over twenty brothers single-handedly. Even if he was a Bronze-rank Fighter, he couldn’t do it. Besides, the Scar Bandit didn’t think that horse team could afford a Bronze-rank Fighter.

“Pretty boy, come on, let you see Scar Lord’s might.” The Scar Bandit laughed viciously. Instead of retreating, he advanced, also displaying exquisite horsemanship. Waving his single-handed axe, when he crossed paths with Lei Qing, with a ferocious look, he chopped his axe towards Lei Qing’s head. On the axe, a thin layer of golden light faintly flickered. Carrying the momentum of the horse, the axe scraped up a gust of wind. It was visible that this was a guy who cultivated Metal-attribute Fighting Qi. Seeing his aura condensed and full of explosive power, he should be a small expert at the peak of Black Iron-rank. He thought his strength was powerful. With this axe strike, even if the opponent was an Entry-rank Bronze, they would suffer a loss.

Unfortunately, the Scar Bandit could not estimate Lei Qing’s true strength.

A disdainful smile hung on the corner of Lei Qing’s mouth. He raised his Qingfeng Sword and flicked his wrist. The Qingfeng Sword immediately turned into several rays of light. Dang, dang, dang. In a short time, it struck the blade of the axe continuously. The consecutive hits knocked the heavy axe away. After leaving his vital points wide open, Lei Qing leaned his body forward. A green and white light swept past. With a hiss, it cut open his throat.

The two horses passed each other.

Blood sprayed out magnificently. The Scar Bandit stared with eyes as big as copper bells. Until his death, he didn’t dare believe that he was killed in one move.

…