Xu Bao'er truly adored fragrant, soft beauties—the world simply couldn't exist without lovely girls.
"Here, it's all for you."
Slightly intoxicated, Bao'er's jade-like cheeks flushed pink. She kept pulling silver notes and coins from her bosom, tossing them all onto the table.
"For the beauties, not for those stinky men."
"Take as you please, it's all yours."
"Yours."
The beauties were overjoyed upon hearing this. In their excitement, they spontaneously leaned in to offer kisses to Xu Bao'er.
Grinning broadly, Bao'er contentedly tilted her small face forward, ready to receive the beauties' sweet kisses.
Suddenly, Bao'er felt herself being lifted by the waist. Her head spun dizzily.
"Everyone out."
The beauties trembled at the sight of Zhou Jin—his imposing aura was terrifying, clearly marking him as nobility—yet none of them moved.
"What do you want with the young master?"
"If you don't leave now, we'll call for help!"
The beauties were loyal; though frightened of Zhou Jin, they refused to abandon Xu Bao'er.
"What does this prince want to do?"
Zhou Jin chuckled lightly, flipped the small turtle in his hand over, gripped Bao'er's chin, and fiercely kissed her.
"Mmph…"
Bao'er weakly pushed with her hands, feeling as if a monster were bullying her. Unfortunately, she couldn't budge him, her fingers instead clutching tightly at his dark robe.
Fearful of falling.
The beauties blushed crimson and scattered in an instant.
The last beauty to flee accidentally lost a shoe. She quickly stooped to retrieve it, remembering to close the door behind her as she left.
After what felt like an eternity, Bao'er grew breathless, her grip on the dark robe tightening even more.
"This prince forbids anyone from touching you—not even women."
The darkness in Zhou Jin's eyes swirled intensely as he shoved aside the red sandalwood table, sending fruits scattering across the floor.
He laid Bao'er upon a white silk cushion, gently removing the jade hairpin from her hair. Instantly, her black tresses cascaded like an ink-dark sea over the pure white fabric.
"Mistakes demand punishment."
Luo Qiang escaped. The moment he stepped outside, he tore off his damned shirt and hurled it skyward. Snatching a horse from a passerby, he galloped desperately toward the checkpoint.
He had to flee past the checkpoint and find the chief before that effeminate man noticed his escape.
Traveling day and night without rest, Luo Qiang feared the chief might not be at the secret base—without it, he'd have no idea where to search for him.
At the hidden cave, Luo Qiang lightly tapped the entrance three times with a stick. Soon, two taps echoed from within.
The signal matched. Overjoyed, Luo Qiang strode into the cavern.
Before he had gone far, a sword shot out from the shadows, slashing viciously toward him.
"Chief, it's me! Luo Qiang!"
"I didn't betray you—I escaped from them!"
Luo Qiang dodged frantically, but the blade pursued him relentlessly. He never expected the chief to turn on him; he hadn't even brought a weapon.
"You shouldn't have returned alive."
"Know why I'm still here? It's because every man I sent failed to kill you."
Xu Shaofei finally revealed himself, his sword strokes sharp and deadly.
"Chief, I truly didn't betray you."
Luo Qiang pleaded desperately, unable to believe the chief would treat him this way.
Why was he, despite not having a high rank, entrusted with the most critical task of information delivery? It was because the Mountain Bandit Chief trusted him.
For that trust, he would go through fire and water without hesitation.
Back then, to cover for the Mountain Bandit Chief, his entire family had died under the blades of government soldiers. His loyalty to the Chief was beyond doubt.
"Only the dead never betray."
Xu Shaofei couldn't be bothered to discuss feelings with Luo Qiang—he was simply too foolish. What feelings did mountain bandits have? Only interests.
The reason Luo Qiang was assigned intelligence work wasn't due to his loyalty, but because he was foolish enough.
Fools were always more trustworthy than the clever.
The blade sliced through Luo Qiang's chest, and in that moment, he finally understood the Mountain Bandit Chief truly intended to kill him.
How laughable.
His parents, his wife, and his son—all had died to protect the Mountain Bandit Chief. Yet now, the Chief turned his blade against him. In that instant, Luo Qiang felt his faith shatter completely.
"I hate you, you coward. For the sake of outsiders, you'd even abandon your own son."
"Now that Mother and Father are dead, I have no reason to live either."
Luo Qiang remembered his wife's furious roars before her death. She had repeatedly warned him that the Mountain Bandit Chief was untrustworthy, but what had he said then?
"Brothers are like limbs; women are like clothes."
"What does a woman know about loyalty?"
In the end, his wife and child died tragically before his eyes. Luo Qiang tried over and over to close his wife's eyes, but they remained wide open—she had died with grievances unredressed.
In his daze, Xu Shaofei's sword pierced straight through Luo Qiang's shoulder.
"Don't worry, I'll reunite you with your family soon."
"Gotta say, your wife was quite something—wild and thrilling. I'm not even sure if that kid was yours or mine."
Xu Shaofei laughed triumphantly, looking down on Luo Qiang with contempt.
Luo Qiang's expression shifted from shock to rage. This beast had actually defiled his wife.
No wonder his wife had always said he understood nothing—the Mountain Bandit Chief was a wolf in sheep's clothing, a true monster.
"Ha… haha… HAHAHA!" Luo Qiang threw his head back and laughed bitterly, tears streaming from his eyes. He had failed his wife.
Just as Xu Shaofei raised his blade to send Luo Qiang to reunite with his family, an arrow whistled through the air and pierced his throat.
Xu Shaofei's eyes widened in shock before he collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud, his gaze filled with unwillingness.
Trembling, Luo Qiang turned to look behind him. The one who had fired the arrow was none other than Song Xingzhi, General Song.
So it had all been a setup.
Song Xingzhi, carrying his bow, leaped nimbly from the tree branch and walked step by step toward Luo Qiang.
Luo Qiang didn't run. Where could he go? He no longer had a home.
"Da Qiang, come back soon. The child and I will be waiting for you."
"Da Qiang, let's just live an honest life. Too much evil brings retribution."
…
"Da Qiang, I hate you."
Luo Qiang fell to his knees, covering his face as he wept bitterly. He was nothing but a scoundrel.
He deserved to die.
Song Xingzhi didn't know how to comfort Luo Qiang. He could only stand there, waiting for him to finish crying.
"General Song, I'll give you everything you want."
"But sometimes, knowing too much isn't necessarily a good thing."
Luo Qiang stood up like a walking corpse and told Song Xingzhi everything he knew.
When he heard the name of the mastermind behind it all, Song Xingzhi's eyes widened in disbelief. How could it be him?
"These are the evidences that can bring him down. I leave them all to you."
"I have one more request, General Song. I beg for your assistance."
Song Xingzhi accepted the evidence of crimes and looked up at Luo Qiang.
"Speak."
"Please have me buried together with my wife. I miss her, and I wish to atone for my sins before her."
"Very well." Song Xingzhi agreed without hesitation.
Luo Qiang showed no attachment to life. He immediately picked up the sword from the ground and ended his own life with one swift stroke.
A smile still lingered at the corner of his lips—this blade had brought him liberation.