Chapter 98: Old Yan Says

Separating the three bandits for interrogation was a minor trick, hardly worth mentioning.

“How many disaster victims are there on your mountain?” Yan Lao’er asked the first bandit.

The first bandit thought for a moment. This wasn’t exactly a secret, so he answered honestly, “Excluding the children, about three to four hundred people.”

“Four to five hundred in total, counting adults and children. Where are you keeping them?” Yan Lao’er asked the second bandit.

Hearing that number, the second bandit realized the first had told the truth, so he quickly responded, “Our bosses found them too noisy and locked them up in the back mountain, just waiting for a message from Cloud-Piercing Stronghold to take them away.”

When Yan Lao’er got to the third bandit, he remained silent for a long time.

He was thinking about how to extract more information from this man.

But the third bandit, seeing his silence and the flickering firelight casting shadows on his face, started filling in the blanks himself.

His mind struggled with hesitation, but in the end, he gritted his teeth and spat, “What do those two know? I’m from the same hometown as our chief. Not only do I know about Laosong Stronghold, but I’m also familiar with the surrounding mountains. I go down to the villages during festivals and to buy supplies.”

Yan Lao’er raised his eyebrows, scrutinizing him carefully before saying, “Xiao San, Xiao Yi and Xiao Er didn’t put it that way. From what I hear, they’re quite useful in your Laosong Stronghold.”

The newly renamed bandit was more concerned about the words “useful.”

“They’re talking nonsense! Forget the rest—just take this trip to the main road to capture refugees. Do they even know how much a single person is worth? Our chief only told us insiders the real price!”

He had a smug look, as if he was proud to know this secret.

Yan Lao’er immediately picked up on two key points.

The bandits were capturing refugees to sell them! Someone was paying for people!

And then there was the mention of Cloud-Piercing Stronghold…

This was a lead, and he was about to string everything together!

“You know too?” Yan Lao’er asked casually, pretending not to care.

“Xiao San, your chief probably doesn’t even know the real price.” He spoke slowly, dragging his words. “Who knows how many middlemen there are? Your Laosong Stronghold is probably the last in line, getting only a tiny share.” He pinched his pinky nail with disdain.

“But our Qiyun Stronghold is different. We traveled all this way to your crappy mountain for this very business. The people above us are offering us this much.”

He quickly flashed his hand—three? Four? Maybe five?

Bandit Xiao San looked dazed, mumbling, “We only get one qian of silver per person.”

Yan Lao’er suddenly acted like he was interested in their bottom-tier prices, asking excitedly, “How much for children?”

Xiao San looked up in shock. “They pay for children too?”

Yan Lao’er laughed even more cheerfully. “Are you stupid? If kids weren’t worth anything, why would we bother capturing them? Do you love their crying, or do you enjoy how fragile they are?”

Xiao San stared blankly. “I thought they took kids to control the adults, so they wouldn’t run away…”

Yan Lao’er gave him a mocking look, as if he were the biggest fool in the world. “Who told you that? Looks like someone hid the per-head price for children from you.”

Xiao San suddenly realized the truth and erupted in rage. “Those bastards from Cloud-Piercing Stronghold! They said we’d all make money together, that we’d all get rich! But just because they connected with the buyers, they not only took a cut—they cheated us out of a fortune!”

Yan Lao’er strolled over to Xiao Yi and Xiao Er and let slip a little of what Xiao San had told him.

Without hesitation, Xiao Yi and Xiao Er sold out Laosong Stronghold, revealing everything—the secret signals to enter the mountain, the hidden back trails, and the schedule of their bosses taking turns hunting people on the main road. They spent their days shuttling between the road and the mountains, tirelessly transporting goods and people, just like every other stronghold in the area.

Cloud-Piercing Stronghold, however, rarely showed up. Their manpower was limited, and their only job was to transport the captives every ten days.

Yan Lao’er reported everything to his brother.

“…These bandits are heartless. They don’t take the elderly. If anyone resists too much, they just kill them and toss the bodies aside. They’ve been capturing people for a while now, but they’ve only made one shipment so far. The men from Cloud-Piercing Stronghold are supposed to return in seven or eight days, so the buyers can’t be far from here.

“At their rate, they capture one to two hundred people a day. If they weren’t also looting supplies, the number would be even higher.”

“Transporting captives every ten days,” Yan Huaiwen frowned. “That many people moving at once—it’s conspicuous. How do they transport them?”

“They say Cloud-Piercing Stronghold built several carts just for carrying children. If the children go, their parents will follow. The refugees are forced to monitor each other—if one escapes, the rest suffer the consequences. And when the adults cause trouble, they take it out on the kids!”

At this point, Yan Lao’er was seething with rage.

These bandits were inhuman!

In these famine years, with refugees everywhere, their trafficking operation was well-hidden.

Yan Huaiwen lowered his eyes and asked softly, “What about the three bandits?”

Xiao Yi, Xiao Er, and Xiao San?

“Uncle An found them a quiet place to stay,” Yan Lao’er replied earnestly.

Yan Huaiwen looked at him. Tianyou had been forced to face this cruel, chaotic world.

“Tianyou, are you afraid?”

His tone was gentle, and his features seemed deliberately softened.

“Don’t be afraid.” His eyes sparkled like stars, impossible to look away from.

“I am determined to bring peace to this land.

“Today, there are bandits. Tomorrow, there will be political enemies. Open threats and hidden schemes—they will never stop.

“Whether we stand side by side, or you hide behind me in fear, I will always protect you.

“We walk with dignity. We fear no monsters or demons!

“Tianyou, as long as I am here, you need not fear anything.”

Yan Lao’er: …

Why did his nose suddenly sting?

His greatest shield—Old Yan.

Leading by example, embodying the role of a good elder brother at all times.

Why?! Why didn’t the original owner appreciate this Old Yan?!

At this moment, his heart was both sour and bitter.

A touch of jealousy for the original Yan Lao’er, and a deep sadness that Old Yan’s love had been misplaced.

With red-rimmed eyes, he choked out, “Brother, I used to be immature. Do you blame me?”

“I want the truth! The absolute truth!” he emphasized.

Old Yan looked at him with a faint smile. “I did blame you. I blamed myself for not teaching you well.”

“No! It was my fault. I was wrong. That’s why I’ve been changing—constantly changing. Brother, do you think I’m good enough now?” Yan Lao’er asked nervously.

Yan Huaiwen’s smile bloomed like a flower. “Tianyou, you finally meet my expectations.”

Yan Lao’er felt as if he had been injected with pure adrenaline.

Excitement!

Elation!

Uncontrollable shivers of joy!

He needed to run—run a few laps first…

In a flash, Yan Lao’er dashed off, with the Qi brothers unable to keep up.

From afar, his excited shouts echoed.

Yan Huaiwen, too, felt joy swelling in his chest.

All past pain seemed to dissipate like smoke.

May Heaven bless Tianyou, grant him divine protection!

Let today be good. Let tomorrow be good.

Let every single day be good…