Chapter 1795: Chapter 1795

Early the next morning, you opened your eyes and didn’t see Zhao Yu, but the washing water was already prepared.

As usual, you went into the living room, where a simple breakfast and a piece of cloth were on the table. You nibbled on a steamed bun while reading the note. The words were simple; Zhao Yu had to leave for a while, but didn’t specify when she’d return. She stated clearly that if she hasn’t appeared by New Year’s, you should wait for her at the White Horse Temple in Luoyang during next year’s Mid-Autumn Festival.

Lastly, Zhao Yu mentioned someone named Zhen Luo, the second young lady of the Wuji Zhen Family. Zhen Luo and Zhao Yu have been very close, like sisters. Zhao Yu mentioned that the Zhen Family seems to be facing some difficulties recently. Zhao Yu wanted to help in person, but due to changes in her sect, she can only ask you to go in her place.

After finishing the breakfast Zhao Yu made for you, you stretched lazily and tucked the cloth with Zhao Yu’s unique fragrance into your chest, then walked out of the house with big strides. Locking the door securely behind you, you walked away without looking back.

To you, this place was merely a starting point in life; the real journey is about to begin!

After leaving Wang Village, you headed straight for the mountain. This is the location where you once led an operation to eradicate the Mountain Bandits. It has been a while since you’ve been here; now it’s overgrown with weeds, and even a couple of wild deer are dashing back and forth.

Along the way, you noticed there were no footprints on the ground, indicating that no one has been here. After scanning the surroundings for a moment, you enter the already dilapidated bandit village.

Back then, during the slaughter in the village, one Mountain Bandit begged you to spare his life, offering intel on a secret passage within the village. At the end of the passage, there’s a secret chamber storing many valuable goods, which belong to their leader. You agreed and made him lead you to the passage. At the entrance, you killed him; he was sly and shifty — clearly no good — and one knife was too good for him.

But you didn’t enter the passage yourself; first, time was not on your side, and secondly, you weren’t in the mood. Back then, the killing urge was too strong, leaving little room for other concerns.

Now things are different; during your time in Wang Village, you exchanged ideas with Wang Ling a few times. Wang Ling clearly stated that to make a mark in this world, you must rely on a powerful faction or a great warlord. Of course, Wang Ling also revealed his helplessness; in this world, your background determines everything. Even with the favor of a great warlord, you will always be seen as just a henchman in their eyes.

You intended to depend on some local powerful factions, but eventually decided against it. In your view, regardless, everything must depend on oneself. As the saying goes, the beginning is always the hardest. You must first gather some absolutely loyal subordinates and a supply of capital.

Most importantly, now you have considerable strength, and naturally won’t bow and scrape before others. Since leaving the battlefield, you’ve bid farewell to your former self completely. Now, you’re filled with ambition and confidence regarding your future.

Back then, when you left the bandit village, you intentionally placed many large stones outside the passage, making it impossible for ordinary folks to move them. Standing above the passage today, you noticed the stones were still in place, showing no evidence of being moved. Easily, you cleared the stones and stepped into the passage. Though called a passage, it was not deep, only about twenty meters in length. At the end of the passage, there’s a small door. You pushed the door open and entered. The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the novel✦fire.net

The lighting in the chamber was dim, but you could still barely make out shapes.

The chamber was quite rudimentary, with six large chests before you. You opened them one by one, discovering masses of gold and silver; all six chests were stuffed with gold and silver and nothing else.

This wealth was illicit, acquired through coercion, but in a sense, this was your first pot of gold.

Besides the six large chests, you also found a recess in the wall containing two small wooden boxes. Opening them revealed coarse paper; paper-making technology in this era was just emerging, so most paper was of poor quality. You casually looked through a few and found correspondence between the Mountain Bandit leader and outsiders. Most of it involved exchanges of information with other regional bandit leaders, proving that these so-called Mountain Bandits were actually disguised forces of other factions.

After looking at a few sheets, you finally had a lead. The letters revealed three pieces of information: First, these Mountain Bandits originated from Qing Zhou, and the instigator was obviously none other than Qing Zhou’s master, Cao Cao; Second, their goal was not solely money, but engaging in covert activities like military intelligence gathering and understanding the Yan Province internal official roster; Third, these bandits had insiders in many places, especially among major factions and merchants. This included the Wuji Zhen Family that Zhao Yu mentioned to you.

Just as you were carefully reviewing the letters, commotion and the clash of weapons erupted outside.

Immediately discarding the letters, you fiercely rushed out of the passage. Outside, two groups were engaged in an intense battle. Their fighting styles were similar, with little difference in attacking angles or combat formations. Yet at this moment, they were fighting to the death, especially the two leading men: one was tall and burly, the other short and agile.

The tall man wielded his knife viciously, aiming at vital spots, while the short man’s agility allowed him to evade just as the knife started to swing.

Having sparred with Zhao Yun for over half a month, you are familiar with the fighting, and it’s clear these two were once friends. Their familiarity with each other’s fighting styles made for an excellent fight, exchanging blows amid flashing blades.

Your appearance soon caught the attention of both groups, who paused and turned their gaze towards you.

With around two hundred people, each leader commanded about a hundred. Were it any ordinary person in your shoes, they’d undoubtedly escape immediately, but not you. You advanced instead of retreating, smiling as you said, "Why did you stop fighting?"

"Who are you?" the short man asked, holding a Big Blade and fixated on your hands.

Without directly answering the small man’s question, you casually walked over to a large tree you had thrown in earlier. With a "thud," your right hand plunged into the tree trunk, and right before everyone’s widening eyes, you effortlessly lifted the twenty-or-so-meter tree trunk.

"What is it, judging by your expressions earlier, you seemed eager for a showdown with me, but now you’re all cowed?"

And with a casual toss, the twenty-meter tree slammed into the rocks beside the passage, scattering rocks and blocking the entrance with large boulders.

Facing the two leaders, you beckoned and said with a smile, "Come on, both of you at once, have a go with Brother."

The two leaders exchanged glances and nodded slightly.

The short man shot forward, the dozen-meter distance seemed to require merely two or three steps for him, in a blink, he was in front of you, slashing upward from your lower left, aiming to chop off your left arm!