Chapter 74 Bandits And Slaves

When it was almost noon, the six of them were resting by a river. The six tied their horses and walked to the river to wash their faces.

Deming asked, "Why is it so hot?"

Yu Lei, "Brother Deming, we are heading south that's why is hot. The farther south we go, the hotter it gets."

Tian Xiang, "From here to Peace Town, there will be no village. We'd better collect all the water we need."

Two groups of merchants and a group of four hunters also stopped by the river as the men went to their bota canteen to fetch water. The six people followed behind the merchant and the four hunters and walked towards Peace Town. After walking for an hour, the group came to a crossroads. Left will lead to Silver Peak Village, right will lead to Peach Town. As they approached, they found a large group of people blocking the way.

Two people came over, and one of them said, "In order to ensure your safety from here to Peace Town, each of you has to pay fifty coins."

One of the merchants said, "I travelled this road often and I've never heard of such a thing."

The bandit said, "It's for your safety and your merchandise's safety."

One of the merchants muttered, "This is clearly a robbery of citizens."

The bandit pointed at the merchant with his saber, "Are you going to pay or not?"

One of the four hunters, "We won't pay any coins."

A man came out of the crowd and asked, "What's going on?"

The bandit said, "Deputy Miao, these people refuse to pay the protection fee."

Miao Jing smirked at the merchants and the four hunters, "Refused to pay?" He raised his hand and pushed his right hand forward. Then thirty men came out of hiding and surrounded the four hunters, two merchants and their ten servants.

One of the merchants said, "We'll pay."

Miao Jing put on an ugly grin and said, "It's too late now."

Lee Nianzu walked to where Miao Jing was standing. He was standing beside the two merchants and four hunters. He calmly said, "Deputy Miao, as far as I know, this road has no owner, please think twice before proceeding."

Miao Jing spat on the ground, "Bookworm, if you want to pass the border, you must pay."

Lee Nianzu said with a smile, "This road has no owner, so...no one should pay a fee to travel on this road."

Tian Xiang stood beside Lee Nianzu and stared at Miao Jing. He crossed his arm on his chest and said, "My older brother is absolutely right."

Yu Lei said, "I just came here recently, and I don't have to pay." He crossed his arms in front of his chest. "It's totally robbing people."

A woman's voice came from behind, "Who is looking for trouble?" The bandits make way for the woman. The woman walked to the group and stood beside Miao Jing.

Miao Jing, "Boss, they refuse to pay the protection fee."

Mu Yin smiled at the brothers and said, "If you don't pay, we won't let you go." She looked at Guozhao Zhiqiang. She whispered to Miao Jing. "Hey, capture that man in black, he is not human at all. If we captured him and sell him at Silver Peak trading market, we can make a lot of money."

Miao Jing, "Everyone capture the man in black." Forty bandits surrounded Guozhao Zhiqiang, Deming, and Gen. Miao Jing smirked. "Catch him alive."

Guozhao Zhiqiang stared at the men coldly and said, "We'll go with you. If you let these two merchants and four hunters go."

Mu Yin smiled and said, "Alright. Let them go."

Lee Nianzu then whispered to one of the hunters. The hunter nodded and quickly follow the rest of the people toward Peace Town. The two merchants, and the four hunters and the merchants' servants walked towards Peace Town.

Mu Yin, "I just want you." She pointed at Guozhao Zhiqiang. "Not the other five."

Yu Lei smirked and asked, "Why are you so partial?"

Mu Yin, "What am I going to do with an old man?" She looked at Gen then she looked at Deming. "A young teen who looks as fragile as a woman." He looked at Lee Nianzu. "A bookworm and two so-so men."

Tian Xiang, "Either you take us all, or not take us at all."

Miao Jing pulled Mu Yin aside, "Boss, who cares? We only feed them for one day and we will sell them out. It's win-win for us."

Mu Yin sighed, "Okay, do as you say." She looked at her followers. "The six of you will go with us, and you will continue to collect tolls." Mu Yin smiled at Guozhao Zhiqiang. "Carry your own bag. The horses stay with my men."

The six men carried their bag and followed Mu Yin, Miao Jing, their ten followers, and headed towards Silver Peak Village. As dawn approached, the group stopped by the road to rest.

Mu Yin said, "There is a small stream nearby, just rest here for the night."

Miao Jing, "Boss, it's better to walk a little more and go to the temple to rest."

Mu Yin knocked on Miao Jing's head, "You idiot... Do you want the monk to know that we are trafficking human? Use your brain next time."

Miao Jing scratched his head, "Oh, do you want to share food with the slaves?"

Mu Yin, "Why waste our food? We will sell them tomorrow. Let their buyers feed them." She hit Miao Jing on the head again. "You're a bandit. Act like a bandit."

Miao Jing, "Oh." He walked toward the ten bandits and sat with them.

Mu Yin watched the three men pick up firewood and start a bonfire. She thought to herself that these three men were all handsome. Then she turned her gaze to the stream. She saw the man in black wipe the young teen's face with a handkerchief. The man in black smiled at the young man, very handsome. She kept staring at the two men in a daze, until Miao Jing's voice startled her, and she woke up from her daydream.

Miao Jing, "Why are you looking at them?"

Mu Yin, "Ah Jing, do you think the man in black know how to fight?"

Miao Jing chuckled, "Do you need to ask? Anyone with weapons can fight, it depends on how good their ability is."

Mu Yin, "How good do you think his abilities are?"

Miao Jing said, "Maybe not good at all. If he was good, he would have fought us long ago." Miao Jing handed her a peach and two buns. "Why are you suddenly interested in the man in black?"

Mu Yin said, "I was thinking that if he was on our team, many people would be afraid of him because of his looks."

Miao Jing knew that when Mu Ying was interested in a person, it's because that person is handsome. He joked, "Could it be that he is too handsome to sell?" He laughed.

Mu Yin denied, "Nonsense."

Guozhao Zhiqiang heard Deming's stomach growling. He smiled at Deming, "Hungry?" Deming nodded. Guozhao Zhiqiang asked, "Do you want to eat fish?"

Deming said, "If I do, would you go fishing?"

Guozhao Zhiqiang looked at his left palm, and a talisman appeared in his palm. He put his hand in the water and the fish swam towards them.

Deming was taken aback with a smiled on his face, "How do you do it?"

Guozhao Zhiqiang said, "It's a charm spell. After using it, the fish will be attracted by the spell and swim up voluntarily."

Deming looked at Guozhao Zhiqiang and asked, "Does it work on a person?"

Guozhao Zhiqiang, "Why do you ask?"

Deming propped his hand on one of his knees and said, "Well, I wonder if you cast a spell on me because I'm attracted to you." He smiled.

Yu Lei stared at Mu Yin and asked loudly, "Hey lady, why are you staring at them?"

Tian Xing shouted from the opposite side, "Are you going to give us buns?"

Mu Yin smirked, "You are a slave, you don't need to eat."

Yu Lei smiled and said, "Well, if you don't share, don't blame us for not sharing."

Mu Yin said, "I don't eat with slaves, nor do I eat anything offered by slaves."

Yu Lei, "Okay, remember your words." He walked toward Lee Nianzu, Tian Xiang, and Gen.

Guozhao Zhiqiang and Deming return and handed Gen the fish. Lee Nianzu and Gen started grilling the fish. The smell of grilled fish filled the air, and the twelve bandits began to stare at the six people who were sitting across from them eating fish.

Miao Jing frowned, "How on earth did they get those fish?"

Mu Yin, "I don't know." Mu Yin stood up and walked towards the six hunters. She sat opposite Guozhao Zhiqiang in between Gen and Lee Nianzu.

Yu Lei teased, "No trading."

Mu Yin said, "Who said I was looking for a deal?"

Yu Lei asked, "Then why are you here?"

Mu Yin, "I came because of him." She pointed at Guozhao Zhiqiang. "You have two options. The first option is to be my follower. The second option is to be sold into slavery."

Guozhao Zhiqiang just stared at Mu Yin while eating his fish without saying a word.

Mu Yin took the fish from Li Nianzu and began to eat it. "Being my follower has many benefits," she said. "We split all the gains equally." She looked at Guozhao Zhiqiang, but Guozhao Zhiqiang, who ignored her. "Hey, are you listening to what I'm saying?"

Guozhao Zhiqiang didn't even look at her, "I'm not interested." He opened his bota canteen and handed it to Deming.

Mu Yin asked, "Why not?"

Tian Xiang said firmly, "Not interested mean not interested. Do you understand human language?"

Mu Yin got up and walked towards her followers. She studies Guozhao Zhiqiang and noticed that Guozhao Zhiqiang was much closer to Deming than the others. She smirked at the two men.

Mu Yin handed the half-eaten fish to Miao Jing and muttered to herself, "I will make you interested in me." She smiled and continued to look at Guozhao Zhiqiang.