Chapter 118: Qiyun Stronghold Upholds Justice

Perhaps it was because they had been bandits in these mountains for too long that they had lost their vigilance.

Only when the First Chief led his men into the stronghold did he sense that something was wrong.

He hurriedly called for a retreat through a concealed path.

Unfortunately for them, the group they had encountered had prepared meticulously.

The villagers guarding the area weren’t foolishly waiting around. They had thoroughly scouted the surroundings of the stronghold.

With time to spare, they had even dug a few traps.

Several bandits fell in, and the rest were practically like fish on the chopping block, left at their mercy.

The First Chief, who had always prided himself on his skills, never expected to fall at the hands of what he had considered a ragtag group, dying with resentment on the spot.

This time, they didn’t just seize a pouch of silver; there were other gains as well.

Yan Lao’er patted the rough but sturdy wooden cage carts and then stepped closer to inspect the mules pulling them.

To be honest, he said, “These bandits actually have a good eye—they picked fine mules.”

There were six horse mules and eight donkey mules. The even numbers likely meant the wooden cages were designed to be large, so a pair of mules pulling together would make it easier, especially if they were transporting children.

Everyone stared intently.

At the sight of these rare and valuable animals, their gazes were so intense that the mules turned their heads away.

Oh? A bit skittish, huh?

Yan Huaiwen’s heart felt heavy. Thinking about the refugees they had rescued and then looking at the wooden cages meant to transport children, he could roughly estimate how many people the bandits had taken.

“Let’s go back,” Yan Huaiwen said in a deep voice.

On the way, he remained silent.

Everyone noticed this unusual state and unconsciously lightened their footsteps.

Yan Lao’er recalled what Old Yan had once said about his ambitions and somewhat understood the reason for his mood.

“Big Brother, are we still distributing the silver?” Only Yan Lao’er would be so blunt.

Yan Huaiwen responded with a simple “Mm.”

Yan Lao’er grinned, ignoring his brother’s cold expression, and rambled on, “Actually, killing bandits isn’t bad at all—not only do we rid the people of a menace, but we also get unexpected rewards.

These carts, with a bit of modification, will be really useful. The time we spent here will soon be made up.”

He turned to Qi Wu and asked, “Would it take much effort to convert these into single-mule carts?”

Qi Wu had been observing for a while and immediately answered, “Half a day should be enough.”

They had enough manpower and experience modifying carts—it wouldn’t be difficult.

“So, are we heading out tomorrow, Big Brother? If it’s urgent, we can start working on them as soon as we get back.”

They could finish it overnight, ensuring no delay in departure. Perfect.

“Yan Tianyou, I want to hear your thoughts on something,” Yan Huaiwen said softly.

Yan Lao’er: Here it comes! Old Yan has been mulling over this for ages, and he had a rough guess already.

“What is it?”

“It’s about the bandits…” Yan Huaiwen hesitated, then spoke with newfound resolve, his voice carrying weight: “If we were powerless to resist, I would choose to retreat swiftly rather than take risks. But if we have the strength to help others escape suffering and regain their freedom…”

Should they? Or shouldn’t they?

If Yan Lao’er wanted to play it cool, he should have said: “You already have the answer in your heart. Follow your true will, and you will attain the Dao.”

But he had his own persona to maintain, so his eyes gleamed as he excitedly asked, “Big Brother, are we going to keep killing bandits? That’s great! This is truly a path to wealth and prosperity!

No, wait—Big Brother, those refugees are too pitiful! If we can save them, why wouldn’t we?

As for them insisting on following us afterward, well… it’s a hassle, but we’ve handled this before. If other bandit strongholds also have pack animals, our journey ahead will be so much smoother!”

Yan Huaiwen: …

So easily accepted?

“This isn’t something ordinary civilians should be doing.”

Yan Lao’er pondered for a moment and then said, “I don’t know about that, but I do know that so far, we’ve been doing pretty well. Aside from the refugees rushing ahead and getting hurt, our worst injury has been a twisted ankle.

The bandits of Laosong Mountain tried to set up barriers, but before they could even finish, we charged in—proving that striking first was the right move. It was the same with Cloud-Piercing Stronghold. A prepared force against an unprepared one.

We’ll be traveling through these mountains for a while yet, and there’s no guarantee other bandits won’t try to ambush us. If that’s the case, why not take the fight to them first?”

“Eradicating bandits isn’t our duty… Wait, Big Brother, since we’re doing the government’s job, is that going to be a problem?”

“No, as long as we don’t publicize it.”

Yan Lao’er nodded. “Of course, we can’t go bragging about it—we’ve already split the silver. If the authorities demand it back, I sure don’t want to hand it over.”

They took it from the bandits with their own hands—why should they give it up?

“Haha!” He suddenly laughed and said quickly, “Big Brother, how about we disguise ourselves as bandits when we head into the mountains?”

Seeing his brother staring at him blankly, he grew anxious.

“Qiyun Stronghold! Don’t you remember? Look at us—we’ve got weapons, enough people, and now even mule carts for transporting captives. Heaven itself is helping us!

With this setup, we’ll blend right in with the bandits.”

Yan Huaiwen followed his gaze.

Mule carts for transporting captives, weapons, and men who now carried a faint air of fierceness…

Yan Lao’er decided to take action.

He gathered everyone together.

He knew that some things were better said by him than by Old Yan.

Old Yan gave ‘leadership speeches’; he sold ‘get-rich-quick schemes.’

Yan Lao’er climbed onto the wooden cage cart, standing just at the edge so everyone could see him.

“So! Here’s the deal. We’ve taken down the fiercest bandit stronghold in the mountains—Cloud-Piercing Stronghold. Big haul! Silver? Got it. Mule carts? Got them. Just like before, we’ll split everything fairly.”

As soon as he said this, smiles spread across the crowd.

No need for words—just two: Pure joy.

By now, bandits and money were practically synonymous.

“But, see, while the silver we’ve got now looks like a lot, when we reach Guanzhou, we’ll have plenty to spend on. Wouldn’t it be better to have even more?”

“There are still a few more bandit dens around. None are as fierce as Cloud-Piercing Stronghold, and none have as many men as Laosong Stronghold. Shouldn’t we consider taking care of them too?”

“Then let’s do it!” The villagers, who despised the bandits the most, were the first to agree.

After several operations, their courage had been tempered.

“Let’s do it!”

The most unexpected voice came from Qi Da.

As everyone looked at him, Qi Da’s face turned red.

Qi Si and Qi Wu also spoke in support.

They were closest to the Yan brothers and had heard everything. If the scholar and Yan Lao’er both wanted to exterminate bandits, then so be it.

Deer Kid squeezed forward and looked up at Yan Lao’er. “There’s a stronghold nearby, just a two-quarter-hour walk away.”

He pointed in a direction.

Yan Lao’er was even more excited. Close was good—it wouldn’t take long, and they wouldn’t even have to delay dinner.

“Great! It’s settled then! Our Qiyun Stronghold upholds justice—and, hehe, makes a little profit on the side.”