Striking a Deal with Bandits

The bandits had been brought to the main security outpost of Luna Marche, where our men usually worked out of. There was a functional dungeon and torture chamber at the bottom for necessities.

Although we were an upright business that cared about societal well being, the same couldn't be said for the rest of the people in this era, where there was little legislation and repercussions. They were used to getting their hands dirty.

Where possible, we ensured we went through the proper channels, but we had no qualms dealing with criminals who fell into our path. Such as these bandits. The bandits had been kept in solitary confinement. Because we visited, they been brought to the interrogation room.

By interrogation room, I meant interrogation room. This was typically the first step of our questioning procedure. The torture chambers came next, and most people didn't want to go there.

When Hua Ling and I were brought to the room, the bandits were already sitting there behind the table, tied up and gagged. We had given ourselves a few hours so our men could go out and gather some intel about these bandits. However, we were disappointed. They indeed didn't have anything we could threaten them with.

The interrogation room, although underground, was outfitted with bright lights, as was the rest of the outpost. Because of that, it didn't look gloomy at all, although it did look extremely bare and desolate. Everything was white, from the walls, to the floor, to all the furniture, and even the teacups. The main purpose was to disorient the prisoners.

The only ventilation came from a window that looked out into a specially built corridor, which was also white. Because access was restricted, no one would pass by. This also prevented them from breaking out.

The men pulled out a chair each for Hua Ling and I. I sat and stared at them for 10 minutes while Hua Ling and I drank tea slowly. I observed them. We had captured 3 bandits. The one in the middle was a young man that looked rather honest. The one on the left was a grizzled, middle aged man with a long scar on his face, and tufts of hair. The one on the right was a skinny middle aged man with oily hair, sharp eyes and pockmarked cheeks. I noticed he was missing 2 fingers.

As we waited, their expressions changed from apprehension, to confusion, to disorientation. The purpose of waiting was to make them delusional with worry. After 10 minutes, I made a gesture. Our men passed them each a teacup, and poured them tea. After that, they refilled our cups with the same teapot, signalling it was safe to drink.

Hua Ling and I each casually took out a book and began reading. The guards, stationed at the door and behind both us and the men in a formation, would rotate every 30 minutes so that they would remain sharp. The room was silent apart from the flipping of pages, clinking of teacups, and the men walking around.

Finally, I closed my book with a snap. "It's time." I said. Everyone in the room straightened up when they heard that. The muddy gazes of the bandits even cleared up a little as they stared openly at me. I turned to Hua Ling and nodded.

The men behind them removed their gags. Before they could collect themselves, I asked "What should we call you 3?". The grizzled man on the left spat on the table. "Why should we tell you!" he shouted. I looked to the other 2, who were equally uncooperative and showed similar attitudes.

I glanced at Yun, who had shown herself in the interrogation room today. She passed me a booklet with the information they had managed to gather. "Ruo Nan, Xiao San, and Jian, right?" I read out. The 3 looked at me vigilantly. "How do you know that?" the young man said harshly. I ignored him.

"Where do you live?" I asked. This time, the 3 were silent, observing me. I continued to answer my own questions. "You each live in your own small huts because as small time bandits of White Fang, you don't have the right to accommodation at your headquarters. You are also not guaranteed employment or pay. Your pay comes solely from what you plunder and if you're able to sell it for a profit." I said. They remained silent.

"Tell you what, why don't you work for us undercover. You can continue to be bandits, but you'll get Luna Marche employee perks. You'll each get a nice room in our staff dormitories, 3 meals a day provided, as well as 6000 taels a month." I said.

6000 taels was the base salary for even our lowest ranked employees. Normally, a small time bandit would only be able to earn 2000 taels a month at most, after splitting the goods. Not only that, their job was very risky as they might get killed or tortured if they encountered a high ranking official who was unhappy with them.

"That's dog shit! Why would you give us these perks?" "You're lying!" "Why should we work for you!" I ignored them. "In return, you'll first give us the hierarchy of the entire bandit structure in this county, whatever information you know on the routes as well as targets, and any information we ask. You don't have to do all these immediately, but it will be in your best interest to give us useful information at the start so you are treated well." I said.

"We'll never betray our brothers!" "A member of the imperial family would never understand our struggles!". "If you don't agree, you'll die here today. We have other ways of finding out the information we ask from you." I said. "Yun, take them to the torture chambers and brief them on what will happen to them if they don't comply." I said.

After that, I took Hua Ling and left. We then went to the proper sitting room of the outpost, which was decorated in a similar minimalist, airy manner as the rest of Luna Marche offices.

"Noble Concubine, do you think the bandits will really agree? They didn't seem too happy about it." Hua Ling said. "It's normal for them to have some opposition since they've only known 1 life and don't know what we're offering them. Yun is a master interrogator.

After letting them sit in the torture chamber and watch the other prisoners, we'll bring them to the empty dormitory. We already have staff maintaining the place, so there will be cooks too. Give it a few days. Any smart person will know what to do." I said.