Chapter 41: Night Weeping

As the four of them snuck into the inner perimeter of the village, they finally understood the situation. It turned out that a gang of more than ten bandits had attacked Sheep Horn Village. They used spiked hammers to smash open the villagers' doors, looting house by house.

Despite their small numbers, the bandits were well-trained and highly skilled. Sheep Horn already had few able-bodied men, and they couldn't organize an effective defense. The village was ablaze with torches, filled with cries and wails echoing everywhere.

"Should we come up with a battle plan?" Sean suggested to the other three as they hid in the shadow of a straw sheep shed. Before he finished speaking, EeDeChi had already drawn her giant sword and leaped out like a night saber.

"BANG!"

In her haste, she miscalculated the height and slammed her forehead against the roof beam of the sheep shed, breaking the thick wooden beam with her head.

The shed wobbled, and the thatched roof scattered over Barrett, Sean, and Stella. They quickly brushed off the straw and followed their captain outside.

...

About five minutes later, the fight was over.

The battle was uneventful, one of the most lackluster ones Barrett had experienced. Even the most talented bards, who could turn a fight against lizardmen into an epic dragon-slaying saga, would find nothing remarkable about this rescue.

The battle could be summarized simply: EeDeChi swung her giant sword like a badminton racket, swatting the bandits—who dared to resist—into the air along with their weapons. Barrett, Sean, and Stella followed, tying up the bandits who were lucky enough to survive.

Fourteen bandits in total, including their leader, five of whom were dead. The remaining nine were injured to varying degrees, tied up with thick ropes, and thrown onto an open space in the village center.

Barrett found a few bandits still conscious and interrogated them, discovering that six of them were adventurers. He felt relieved, thankful that he hadn't encountered someone as terrifying as EeDeChi during his stint as a part-time bandit years ago.

Sean picked up a torch and built a bonfire in the village center using several pine logs, lighting up the surroundings. Villagers peeked out from their houses, staring at the bound bandits on the ground and the four adventurers by the fire.

Barrett walked among the bandits, occasionally reaching into their pockets. He suddenly noticed one with pointed ears and, upon closer inspection, realized it was a young half-elf adventurer.

Half-elves are born from the proud lineage of both elves and humans. This half-elf had the typical pointed ears and, due to his elven heritage, a high nose bridge and handsome features. It was hard to understand how someone like him ended up as a bandit.

Barrett had an idea. He tied the half-elf's hands behind his back and loosened the rope around his upper body. The half-elf, still conscious, looked at Barrett in terror. "What are you doing?"

Barrett squatted down, sneering, and grabbed the half-elf's coat collar with his rough, heavy hands, ripping it open with a "rip" sound.

The half-elf's naked, firm chest was exposed to Barrett. His handsome face filled with fear, he twisted his bound legs and cried out, "What are you going to do?"

Barrett chuckled evilly, "Heh, of course, I'm going to do what we adventurers love to do the most."

EeDeChi turned her head, frowning in disapproval. "Barrett, be mindful of the setting. I don't oppose gay relationships, but this is a public place. Don't do anything inappropriate!"

"Captain, what are you thinking?" Barrett said helplessly. He reached into the half-elf's coat lining with his broad hand, searching skillfully. He quickly found a small spatial leather bag and a half-elf druid statue.

Barrett also had a spatial leather bag, which he used for personal storage until EeDeChi gave him a spatial ring.

"As I thought, anything related to elves usually means wealth," Barrett said, pulling valuable items from the spatial leather bag and putting them into his spatial ring.

After looting the spatial leather bag, Barrett weighed the druid statue in his hand. It was a three-finger-thick piece of sandalwood intricately carved into a tree elf druid. Having teamed up with real elves before, Barrett knew that the statue contained powerful magic.

"You thief…" the half-elf gritted his teeth, his handsome face twisted in anger. "That was a gift from my mother. Take everything else, but please leave that to me."

Barrett patted the half-elf's shoulder. "Does your mother know you're a bandit? She'd be very disappointed to see her son doing this." With that, Barrett tossed the druid statue into the air, caught it, and placed it into his spatial ring.

An old man, supported by a farmer's wife, limped towards the four adventurers by the bonfire. His leg seemed to be injured, causing his unsteady gait. His bald head had a few wisps of white hair fluttering in the wind.

This was the village chief. At this moment, the chief's eyes were downcast, his head drooping, a stark contrast to the defiant demeanor he had when he drove them out of Sheep Horn that evening.

The village chief stood in front of Barrett, facing the four adventurers, and deeply bowed alongside the farmer's wife who was supporting him.

With a choked voice, he apologized, "I'm truly sorry. I didn't know you were such great heroes. I was rude to you earlier. Yet, you didn't hold a grudge and saved us from these vicious bandits. I'm so sorry..."

Seeing this old man, who had been so greedy just a few days ago, now wiping tears and apologizing, Barrett felt a small sense of satisfaction. But looking at the old man's pitiable state, especially his limping due to his injured leg, Barrett couldn't help but feel a bit sympathetic.

EeDeChi stepped forward, clasped the elderly person's hands, and earnestly said, "Fellow villager, please don't worry. This is our duty. If you have any difficulties, feel free to tell us. We, 'The Last Defender of the Way' Expedition Team, are dedicated to serving the people. Let's all maintain a positive and optimistic attitude, strive for progress in life, strengthen our determination to overcome difficulties. With the care and assistance of me and my team, Sheep Horn Village will surely overcome this adversity and emerge from the crisis."

Tears welled up in the old chief's murky yellow eyes again, and gratitude mixed with confusion showed in his gaze. He listened, somewhat bewildered, as he shook hands with EeDeChi, nodding and agreeing with a series of "yes, yes."

Afterwards, EeDeChi warmly greeted the village chief and villagers, delivering an inspiring and friendly speech. The households in Sheep Horn Village, who received assistance and condolences, were deeply moved. They felt EeDeChi's warmth and gained confidence in life. They expressed gratitude for EeDeChi's care and attention, pledging to strive to overcome challenges and face life with positivity in the days ahead.

Once the captain's impassioned speech finally ended, Barrett stopped the old chief and seized the opportunity to ask the question that had been on his mind, "Your village is quite large. Why are there so few strong young men?"

Tears welled up again in the old chief's eyes, which had just dried. He sat on a wooden stump, wiped his eyes, and sighed:

"Our Sheep Horn is near a northern military fortress. Every spring, the lord comes to the village to recruit conscripts. Serving in the army exempts one from taxes, but those who evade service are taxed extra. Generally, by autumn, the young men are sent back. It has been like this every year. Most return, though some come back missing an arm or a leg. But a few years ago..."

The old man choked up again, tears streaming uncontrollably down his deeply wrinkled face.

"Several years ago, the young men of our village were conscripted again, but this time, they never returned. Year after year passed, and not a single one came back! The nobles said they were all killed by a wizard named Ainz Ooal Gown. It wasn't just our village's young men—over a hundred thousand were killed! My son was among them.

"The lord gave each household two silver coins as compensation. I don't know if what the nobles said is true. Is there really such a wizard in this world? I don't know. All I know is that the young men of our village never returned, our sons, our husbands, never came back..."

The old man's frail body trembled as he wiped his eyes with his dirty sleeves, sobbing uncontrollably. The farmer's wife next to him held his shoulder, her expression also filled with sorrow.

EeDeChi's once warm and comforting smile faded, replaced by a dark and grave expression.

Barrett finally grasped the reason behind the village chief's personal trip to the neighboring town market to sell herbs at a high price. It was the only way the village, suffering from a lack of young laborers, could stave off decline and ruin.

To kill over a hundred thousand soldiers with an unprecedented Super-Tier spell, EeDeChi recalled the terrifying news about Ainz Ooal Gown. It seemed so unreal, almost like an absurd rumor. It wasn't until they entered the Re-Estize Kingdom that she confirmed the news was entirely true.

More than a hundred thousand was not just a number—they were sons, relatives, and husbands of tens of thousands of families. Behind this historically significant and powerful magic, countless families were torn apart. How much blood has the Sorcerer Kingdom shed to solidify its rule?

Barrett clenched his fists and looked at EeDeChi. He could see the anger, heaviness, and disgust in her eyes, as if they were solidifying like a freezing glacier.

After a long while, the old chief's teary eyes finally dried. He humbly turned to EeDeChi and asked, "I have a small request. I wonder if you heroes could agree to it?"

"Of course, go ahead."

"On the mountain south of our Sheep Horn, there is a group of goblins. They often raid the village at night in packs, destroying crops and even kidnapping women and children who are alone. We don't have enough people to deal with these goblins.

"We previously posted a commission at the Adventurer's Guild in a nearby city-state, but the reward we could offer was too small. We couldn't hire high-tier adventurers, so the task was never properly completed. We hope you heroes can eliminate some of the goblins, and if you can find the kidnapped people, that would be even better."

With that, the old man bowed down, kneeling on both knees.

EeDeChi quickly supported him, saying, "Please, there's no need for that. We don't adhere to such customs. The goblins you mentioned, we will exterminate them."

Hearing that the four adventurers agreed, the village chief was endlessly grateful and expressed his thanks profusely. The villagers then cleared out four large rooms in the wealthiest home in the village and laid down four big beds.

Stella brought the twin sisters from the tent outside the village, and "The Last Defender of the Way," now a group of six, rested on soft wool pillows and under warm cotton blankets, finishing their sleep for the second half of the night.