Chapter Three: The World Is in Turmoil
“Listen up, everyone.”
A short while later, Chief Li returned to the main hall. He planted one foot on a chair and looked over the assembled heads of the household, his expression brash and unyielding.
“I’ll be leaving the mountain for three days to see what’s going on outside.”
He cast a sidelong glance at them, speaking slowly, “If any of you aren’t convinced by me, or wish to set up your own stronghold, step forward and say it now. Walk out of this room, take whomever you wish with you, and I won’t stop you.”
“If none of you leave, then wait for me three days.”
Li Yun spoke in a muffled voice, “After three days, I’ll give you all a proper way to settle things.”
The household heads exchanged glances, stunned.
Erzi… No, the chief—when did he start speaking so elegantly?
Seeing no one respond, Chief Li grew irritated and slapped the table hard. “If you agree, fine. If not, we’ll settle this blade to blade. Speak up!”
Everyone let out a sigh of relief.
Now that’s our chief!
The third head, a tall, thin man who looked to have had some education, stood and cleared his throat before addressing them. “Brothers, our Cangshan stronghold has survived countless government crackdowns over the years. There’s no need to panic and lose our heads. Since Erzi has spoken, there’s nothing more to say.”
“We’ll wait three days, then decide.”
Chief Li had always been the toughest fighter in the stronghold, and with the old chief’s favor, he had many loyal followers. Now that the third head had spoken, everyone in the hall voiced their agreement, raising no objections.
Li Yun rose and walked to the second head, who had turned away. He spoke quietly, “The brothers in our stronghold have fought and moved on. I’m admitting fault now; can we let this matter pass?”
“Erzi…”
The second head looked up at Li Yun. For some reason, he felt that the old reckless Li Er seemed somewhat different now, though he couldn’t pinpoint how.
Still, he knew well Chief Li’s temperament. To say such words was his bottom line—if he refused to let it go, one of them might not leave alive today.
And in Cangshan stronghold, none could best this fool.
The second head forced a smile and said, “Erzi is right. Our men fight and settle their scores. I was partly at fault too.”
“As for admitting fault…”
He swallowed. “No need.”
“Good.”
Chief Li stood tall and strode toward the door.
At the threshold, he turned back to the hall. “Whoever dares touch that girl, I’ll take their life.”
With those words, Chief Li took only some dried rations and marched down the mountain’s single path.
He had never been on this mountain, nor in this stronghold, but traversing the treacherous trail felt as natural as eating or drinking.
Every stone, every footprint was oddly familiar.
Within half an hour, he was already at the foot of the mountain.
After reaching the bottom, he glanced back at the towering peak behind him.
At that moment, a thought surfaced uncontrollably.
Why not… run away?
He didn’t know what kind of world this was, but with the experience of living two lives, he could surely carve out a place for himself.
Anything would be better than remaining a mountain bandit.
Chief Li wrestled with himself for a long while before shaking his head.
If he left, the woman “he” had kidnapped would surely meet a tragic end. If he was to run, he’d have to take her with him.
But first, he needed to find out what was happening at the foot of the mountain.
Or rather, how many “black coats”—no, how many soldiers—had arrived.
At the foot of Cangshan, a few scattered villages lay nearby, and a small town further off.
Many of the bandits in Cangshan stronghold were actually villagers from these settlements.
During busy farming seasons, they would return home to help out.
Sometimes, with nothing to do, they’d visit their families.
Being a bandit was little more than a side job for them.
When Li Yun descended, it was already dusk. He waited until darkness fell before quietly slipping into the village.
He seemed instinctively familiar with the place and quickly found the largest, centuries-old banyan tree. With a few agile moves, he climbed up and hid among its dense summer foliage.
From outside, it would be nearly impossible to spot him.
Not long after, a group of constables entered the village, torches blazing. Chaos quickly erupted.
Several villagers, including the village chief’s only son, were already bound. Whips rose and fell, cracking loudly through the night.
“Speak! Where are the bandits?”
With each lash, the prisoners were battered and bloodied.
The elderly village chief pleaded with the leader—a constable who had previously faced off against Chief Li—bowing repeatedly.
“Sir, please, don’t strike them anymore!”
The chief, in his fifties, begged, “If you keep beating them, the boy will be killed…”
The constable scowled at the old man, cursing, “You refuse to reveal the bandits’ whereabouts! If I don’t beat you, how will the magistrate spare me?”
“Sir, please…”
The chief pointed toward the mountain, weeping, “I’ve already shown you the direction of their stronghold, but I really don’t know the exact spot—just that it’s halfway up Cangshan…”
“What good is that?”
The constable narrowed his eyes, voice cold. “You old fool, you know nothing!”
The chief seemed to understand. After bowing again and again, he hurried home, returning with two strings of coins and a silver ingot.
The constable accepted them, weighing them in his hand, then glanced at the old man. “Is this all?”
“There’s nothing more,” the chief replied, trembling as he looked at his suspended son. “That’s all I have…”
“At least you know how things work.”
The constable waved his hand, and the whipping stopped. He pulled a stack of wanted posters from his coat and tossed them in front of the chief, speaking coldly, “This is the bandit chief’s likeness. The authorities have had it drawn. Post them at every road entrance.”
The chief took them with both hands, nodding repeatedly.
“And another thing…”
The constable glanced at him, slowly saying, “I have intelligence there are at least two bandits hiding in your village.”
“What?” The chief’s eyes widened. “Sir, how can that be, how can that be…”
The constable replied blandly, “If I say there are two bandits, there are two—no more, no less.”
“As for which family they belong to…”
He sat in a chair, legs crossed. “That depends on how willing you all are to cooperate. Understand?”
Bandits were vicious.
Cangshan stronghold had been notorious for decades.
Everyone knew its location, but would these constables risk their lives for a meager salary, fighting with desperate fugitives?
A token effort was enough.
Of course, they lacked the skill to suppress bandits, but when it came to extorting money under the pretense of a crackdown, they excelled.
To appease their superiors, they’d drag a few unlucky villagers off as “bandits.”
If asked about the missing lady…
They’d simply say she wasn’t found.
After all, being captured by bandits meant little hope for her.
Soon, the constables began searching each house for “bandits.”
Wanted posters bearing Chief Li’s likeness were plastered everywhere.
Hidden in the banyan’s canopy, Li Yun took a deep breath and murmured to himself.
“This world seems…”
“Rather chaotic.”