“Damn…”
Qin Ming finally understood.
As a transmigrator, he had clearly underestimated human nature.
In his previous life, Qin Ming had always been a shrewd person. Since childhood, he had rarely suffered any real losses.
The only thing he could remember was having a candied hawthorn stick snatched away by a little girl back in kindergarten. In the end, he had gotten his revenge by smearing her face with kisses until she cried, so it hardly counted as a loss.
But this was an ancient world plagued by war, famine, and chaos.
Anyone who managed to live past fifty was usually far more cunning than they appeared.
To the old Village Head, survival came first.
Virtues like loyalty, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and integrity were worth less than a scrap of toilet paper when his life was on the line.
“Hahaha! You’re a clever man after all!”
The female bandit laughed after her bindings were removed, her eyes filled with satisfaction.
She straightened her clothing and used a hairpin to neatly gather her loose hair into a bun.
As the breeze brushed past her, she looked unexpectedly elegant and charming.
“Heroine,” Qin Hui said as he kowtowed again, “our Qin Family Village is willing to live peacefully with you from now on. We only ask that you and your brothers spare us a path to survival.”
After speaking, he knocked his head against the ground twice more.
“A man’s knees are worth gold. Since you’re begging so sincerely, I’ll spare your village today.”
“Thank you, Heroine!”
The female bandit then turned toward Qin Ming, a faint smile curling at her lips.
“As for you…”
Her eyes narrowed.
“You injured my people and interfered with my business. That debt won’t be forgotten.”
“Tie Qin Ming up!”
The moment Qin Hui heard those words, he immediately gave the order.
His two eldest sons stepped forward with ropes and quickly bound Qin Ming.
Qin Hui had three sons, and they were the foundation of his authority as Village Head.
The eldest two were especially strong, and they had been the ones holding blades to Qin Ming’s neck moments earlier.
“Village Head, you’ve really outdone yourself,” Qin Ming said with a sneer. “Just make sure you don’t stand under a tree during a thunderstorm. Lightning has a habit of finding people like you.”
“Qin Ming, don’t blame me,” Qin Hui replied calmly, patting his shoulder. “I’m responsible for the safety of the entire village. But don’t worry. After you’re gone, we’ll look after your wife.”
“Take good care of Fan Niang,” Qin Ming said coldly.
Although they had only been married for a single day, he already cared about the young woman.
“If any of you mistreat her, I won’t let it go.”
Qin Hui smiled faintly.
“You can worry about that if you ever make it back.”
“Take him away.”
At Yang Yulian’s command, one of the bandits struck Qin Ming from behind with the handle of a weapon.
Darkness swallowed him once more.
Moments later, the mounted bandits departed from Qin Family Village.
…
Qin Ming had no idea how much time had passed when he finally regained consciousness.
Darkness surrounded him.
A foul, rotten smell filled the air.
Where am I? Some kind of dungeon?
His entire body ached.
Looking down, he discovered that heavy chains and a wooden cangue had been fastened around him.
In his previous life, he had only ever seen such restraints in historical dramas.
He never imagined he would one day experience them firsthand.
Clack. Clack.
Given his current strength, he could probably force apart the wooden frame.
The chains, however, were another matter entirely.
After a brief attempt, he gave up.
Creak.
A door opened.
Two figures carrying torches appeared outside.
“So this is the one who killed Brother Wuwan? Let me finish him right now!”
One of them shone the torch toward Qin Ming and immediately reached for a knife at his waist.
“Brother, stop!”
The other man grabbed his arm.
“The Chief has given strict orders. Without her permission, nobody is allowed to touch a single hair on his head.”
The first man glared at Qin Ming.
“Fine. The Chief will decide what to do with him.”
With that, they escorted him out of the cell.
The moment he stepped outside, Qin Ming inhaled deeply.
Fresh air had never felt so precious.
At the same time, he began observing his surroundings.
The stronghold was built against a mountainside.
Simple buildings stretched across the slopes, connected by winding pathways.
Wooden palisades surrounded the camp.
Watchtowers three to four meters high stood at every corner, with sentries keeping lookout.
To the west lay a lake thick with reeds.
Moonlight shimmered across its surface.
Throughout the camp, bandits were preparing meals.
Smoke rose from cooking fires.
Groups of men sat together eating porridge, their gloomy gazes fixed on Qin Ming as he passed.
The sight surprised him.
In his imagination, bandits were supposed to be carefree outlaws, drinking wine by the bowl and dividing spoils in grand fashion.
Instead, this place looked more like a rundown refugee settlement.
Aside from the two escorts, most people wore patched and tattered clothing.
In one corner stood a small shrine where several bandits were offering incense.
Following a narrow path, they eventually arrived at a large stone residence.
The contrast was striking.
Inside the gates, lanterns illuminated everything.
Lanterns hung every few paces along the corridors.
The ground was paved with clean blue bricks.
The place was far more refined than the rest of the stronghold.
As Qin Ming entered the courtyard, he was stunned by what he saw.
Rows of people sat on either side of the courtyard.
Tables before them were filled with meat and wine.
Everyone was eating heartily.
At the head of the gathering sat none other than the female bandit leader he had fought earlier.
Yang Yulian had changed clothes.
She now wore a high-collared jacket and a horse-face skirt, looking like an ordinary married woman.
Under the lantern light, her fair face appeared even more striking.
The small red beauty mark near her lips remained particularly eye-catching.
“Chief, we’ve brought him.”
The two escorts stepped forward.
“He killed Brother Wuwan. A life for a life. We should execute him and settle the debt.”
“There’s no rush.”
Yang Yulian lightly fanned herself.
Her brows lifted slightly.
“Our stronghold is in need of capable people right now.”
She looked directly at Qin Ming.
“His skills are impressive. Keeping him alive may prove useful.”
“But Brother Wuwan—”
“When you joined this stronghold,” Yang Yulian interrupted calmly, “you all accepted the risks involved.”
She folded her fan.
“We chose this path ourselves. Life and death have always been part of it.”
Her voice remained steady.
“Brother Wuwan’s death saddens me as well. But the stronghold needs capable people. We cannot let emotion cloud our judgment.”
“I agree with the Chief.”
A thin middle-aged man dressed like a scholar rose to his feet.
It was obvious he understood that Yang Yulian intended to protect Qin Ming.
“Over the years, Yu Family Stronghold has endured constant pressure from government campaigns. Meanwhile, local gentry are organizing increasingly powerful militias.”
He swept his gaze across the crowd.
“If we don’t continue recruiting talented individuals, the foundation we’ve built over decades may eventually disappear.”