Horses screamed into the night. Torches hissed as they burned. The caravan tightened ranks, weapons raised, eyes darting into the dark.
Da Zhuang's heart sank. He'd known Chen Mazi had betrayed A-Mo. After two years on the route, how else would the bandits suddenly surround them? They'd sheared the fleece and now planned to slaughter the sheep.
"Bring out A-Mo!" the bandit leader shouted. His beard hid his cheeks. Under the torchlight his bronze eyes glinted with malice.
"That's him, that's him — right here, big man!" Chen Mazi ran to the wagons and lunged for Shigeo. Shigeo slipped aside and kicked Chen Mazi hard in the chest.
Chen Mazi hit the ground and raged. "You little bastard. You want to die today? With all these heroes here, you still dare act up. I'll make them kill you!"
"Kill him, kill him — or he'll sell us out to Iwagakure or Amegakure and we're dead!" Chen Mazi screamed.
The caravan cursed him in their heads. If he hadn't been so meddlesome would they be trapped?
"Hahaha… I'll kill some of you, sure. But we're not letting anyone go. These goods are worth over two hundred thousand. With the horses it's over three hundred thousand. Plenty for my men this month. Seize them all and drag them up the mountain!"
Chen Mazi panicked. He scrambled up and begged: "Boss, don't break your word. You said you'd off that brat and I'd give you extra toll later. The Sunward trade group will ruin my family if I lose this job. Please — "
"To hell with your extra thousand. You think I kill for charity?" The leader slapped Chen Mazi hard. Blood spurted from his nose. Two teeth flew out. Half his face swelled purple.
Chen Mazi screamed and sobbed.
The bandits moved. A fight broke out and soon people were wounded.
Shigeo shouted, "Keep the green hills and you'll have firewood later. Merchants, don't fight. Is a pile of goods worth dying for? Let it go."
His target was Ame-Neri. Over a hundred men here did not include him. He would not let the caravan be sacrificed for his own hunt.
Those who refused to resist were bound. Two were hurt. The rest were tied together and dragged up the trail.
They crossed a ridge, passed a wood, squeezed through a winding cave, and after several checkpoints a valley opened before them — the bandit lair.
They worked their way down from a mid-mountain cave exit into the valley.
The place glowed with lanterns. Ragged barefoot villagers lined the road, faces hollow with sorrow as the caravan was dragged through. Their hair was matted, their eyes dull. They watched the captives like people watching ghosts.
The stronghold was vast. It took over half an hour to walk from one cliff to the other. Along the route, the villagers looked at the captives as if seeing their former selves.
The bandits swaggered, whip-cracking. "What're you gawking at? Get back to work. Tomorrow's harvest. Move!"
Despite the blows, the villagers stayed. They shifted away when the whip struck but did not flee.
The caravan's thirty to forty people were shoved into a cavern and forced to kneel.
Chen Mazi still wailed but dared not be loud. His sobs choked him.
"We're back, big brother. We brought them all in. No mistakes this time." A burly man reported.
On the high seat sat a gaunt man in a gray robe. He radiated an oppressive chill. Beside him stood a pale woman in orange, ashen and weak. She leaned close and whispered into his ear.
"No chakra sensed. They're all commoners."
The gaunt man nodded. "Kill them all. There's no use keeping them."
"But big brother, these forty could be put to work. The orchard harvest is soon. We need hands." Lianpian Huzi cursed, sounding annoyed.
"They're outsiders. We can't keep outsiders. Don't forget why this stronghold survived so long." The gaunt man's face was hateful and cold.
"Cautious. No risk tolerated. I was negligent. Take them and cut them down. If they're useless, why drag them here?" Lianpian Huzi spat and strode out with his blade.
(End of Chapter)
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