Chapter 56

Zhou Lu slowly raised his head, the muscles on his face twitching uncontrollably. At this moment, the fat man's usual foolish look seemed terrifyingly scary. Could someone who could eliminate a hunter in just two rounds be someone ordinary bandits could provoke?

The bandits of Sand Horn's group trembled in fear. When Zhou Lu cast a cold glance at them, one of the bandits even wet his pants, shouting in terror and fleeing in a panic, running out of the loot cave by brushing against the stone wall.

Seeing that the fat man standing at the cave entrance made no move to stop them, the other bandits, as if granted a great pardon, cried out in fear and ran away, leaving not a single one behind.

The fat man's ferocity had already pushed them to the brink of mental collapse. Now, they had no heart to think about their second chieftain.

In the loot cave, only the people from Oxhead Mountain were left, panting heavily and staring at Zhou Lu with wide eyes. The fat man had come to rob them, and they had nowhere to run.

With a "click," Zhou Lu loosened the bowstring of the giant crossbow, loaded another arrow, and then stepped into the cave with an extremely arrogant air. The people from Oxhead Mountain all retreated in unison, and the third chieftain, eyes wide as oxen, shouted, "What do you want to do?"

"What do I want to do?" Zhou Lu had a smug look on his face, his eyes squinting as he moved to the center of the cave entrance, blocking everyone inside, as if he were planning to trap them like dogs: "I'll do whatever I want. Do you think you can beat me?"

"Do you think you can beat me?"

These words made the people in the cave feel their limbs turn cold. Ertu, sitting beside the stone table, looked utterly miserable, sighing inwardly, "It's over."

Oxhead Mountain was the legacy of the old chieftain Kusuru, and he never imagined it would be completely lost to this man.

Ertu still remembered the scene when he first ran into the wilderness.

He was born in a small tribe on the edge of the wasteland. That year, he was just twenty-five, in the prime of his life. He had just married a beautiful wasteland girl, feeling full of vigor and hope, always dreaming of how he would make a name for himself. However, not long after the wedding, he accidentally discovered his bride in bed with the son of a chieftain. Ertu remembered he was so angry he almost spat blood, and he stormed into the tent with a knife.

The chieftain's son was injured and escaped, while the adulterous bride was killed by Ertu in a pool of blood.

Under the influence of the chieftain's family, the tribal elders declared Ertu guilty of an unforgivable crime and issued a warrant for his arrest in the wasteland. Ertu was forced to flee into the wilderness, almost dying due to the harsh environment.

It was the old chieftain Kusuru who saved him, treated his injuries, and taught him swordsmanship. A few years later, he became strong, and the old chieftain Kusuru personally led him and a group of brothers to raid the chieftain's hunting grounds, killing the entire family and avenging Ertu's deep-seated grudge.

That night, under the light of the burning sky, the old chieftain Kusuru asked him seriously, whether he wanted to find a place where no one knew him and live a peaceful life, or continue to stay in the bandit camp and be his helper.

Ertu almost didn't hesitate, immediately deciding to stay in the bandit camp. The old chieftain had given him a second chance, and he couldn't leave without repaying that kindness. Besides, life in the wilderness was tough, but at least he could live a life of passion and revenge.

Ertu still remembered the look of helplessness and loneliness on the old chieftain's face when he made his decision.

The old chieftain had always treated him as the next chieftain, earnestly telling him how important it was to control a territory in the wilderness, no matter how big or small, to control one's own destiny and never be at the mercy of others, as the pain of being controlled by others was worse than death.

For so many years, Ertu had always remembered the old chieftain's words, dedicating himself to managing the bandit camp and making it stronger.

Ertu had always hoped that one day, if he could find the missing old chieftain and reunite the bandit camp, making it a place for the old chieftain to live in peace, he would have repaid the old chieftain's kindness.

But today, all his efforts and hopes were about to be in vain.

Ertu's heart sank into a cold, dark abyss, the despair gnawing at his soul, making him sweat profusely. He tightly gripped the edge of the table, his fingers trembling.

Ertu's throat felt like it was filled with blood, and he asked hoarsely, "Tell me, what do you want?"

"What do I want?" Zhou Lu picked his teeth, shaking the giant crossbow threateningly, and said calmly, "First, I have a question for you, and you must answer honestly."

The bandits looked up in shock.

"Recently, there's a rumor in the wilderness..." Zhou Lu coaxed, "It says a bandit group found a mine and even kidnapped a group of miners from a tribe. Do you know if it's true?"

The feeling of life and death hanging by a thread was unbearable. The brothers of Oxhead Mountain were eager for the fat man to make a decision, but he was playing with them.

The third chieftain, eyes wide as oxen, shouted, "What do you mean, 'do you know if it's true'? It was Blackbeard Mountain, of course."

"Blackbeard Mountain?" Zhou Lu was startled, not expecting to get the information so easily: "Are you sure?"

"Of course, it's true."

The third chieftain snorted, "Blackbeard Mountain's group must have had some good luck to find a metal mine. They're recruiting soldiers and preparing for a big fight. Damn, they're making us pay for the recruitment, and the double Blackbeard Order is like drinking blood. Fat man, I'm not saying this to you, but in terms of robbing, you're still a level below Blackbeard Mountain."

Hearing this, Zhou Lu was so excited that his whole body trembled. The information was confirmed, and it was real.

As long as he found the target and brought back detailed intelligence about Blackbeard Mountain, it would be a great achievement. It would be like pinpointing the target for the next tribal raid into the wilderness.

Thinking about the great military merit he would earn alone, Zhou Lu was almost unable to contain his excitement: "Ha, I'm about to become a hero, a great hero."

"Everyone, stand up."

Zhou Lu's wild scream, aiming the giant crossbow at the bandits from Oxhead Mountain, made them shiver and change color.

They had already seen that this fat man was unstable, his face changing in an instant, a completely irrational madman. What was he going to do? Start a massacre?

The second and third chieftains were almost grinding their teeth in frustration. No matter what, they couldn't sit and wait to die. Even if the opponent was insanely strong, they had to fight, even if it was just a bite, it was better than dying quietly.

They nodded at each other, slowly drawing their knives from behind their backs.

"No!"

Ertu, the chief, sat there, his face full of anger. Oxhead Mountain was about to fall, but he had to protect these brothers who had shared life and death with him.

"Great hero," Ertu mustered his courage and begged, "Whatever you want, I'll give it to you. We have some savings in the back cave; I'll lead you there. If you don't like us, I'll kill for you, just spare my brothers..."

"Brother..."

The brothers, tears in their eyes, gathered around Ertu.

Ertu pushed them away, his face both sad and cold, his eyes sharp as he looked at Zhou Lu, gritting his teeth, "If you insist on killing everyone, I will never tell you where the back cave is, and you won't get a single thing from me."

Ertu, his face full of anger, stood up, his neck stiff, facing the fat man. The stone cave was so quiet that a pin could be heard dropping. Ertu's cold sweat slowly rolled down his forehead, and he could even hear his own heartbeat.

These few moments of silence felt longer than decades to Ertu.

"Why would I kill anyone?"

Zhou Lu finally broke the silence, his face full of confusion, "Who said I was going to kill anyone? Did I say that?"

"Then what do you want?" Ertu's eyes were full of surprise, asking in shock.

Zhou Lu hummed in dissatisfaction, squinting his eyes, "If you can't guess someone's intentions, don't speak rashly."

Zhou Lu reached into his chest and took out the ox bone demon chain, waving it in front of everyone, "I want you to stand up and look at this. Do you recognize it?"

"Ox bone demon chain!"

Ertu shouted, feeling all his strength drain away, his body collapsing, and he fell to the floor.

"Is it really the ox bone demon chain? Where is the old chieftain?"

The chief was so excited that his whole body trembled.

The old brothers beside him were stunned, their eyes fixed on the object in Zhou Lu's hand, standing there motionless.

The ox bone demon chain was the old chieftain's symbol. These old brothers had all followed the old chieftain through thick and thin, and each of them had received great kindness from him. After the old chieftain Kusuru disappeared, they had searched the wilderness for years, and even this year, they were still sending out scouts.

Suddenly, the ox bone demon chain appeared in front of them, leaving them all in a daze.

Ertu, pulling the third chieftain's arm, stood up from the ground, ignoring the threat of the cold crossbow, and struggled towards Zhou Lu, his face red, his hand trembling, pointing at Zhou Lu, "Where did you get this?"

"Grandpa Kusuru gave it to me." Zhou Lu was very satisfied with their reaction. It was clear these old brothers still remembered the old chieftain. No wonder grandpa always said that as long as he had this demon chain, he might have a chance to survive in the wilderness. He didn't believe it at the time, thinking that after so many years, who would recognize an old thing. Now, it seemed grandpa had done a lot of good in Oxhead Mountain.

"Kusuru... grandpa?"

The twelve bandits were all shocked, "The old chieftain is your grandpa?"

After so many years, hearing news of the old chieftain, Ertu's emotions boiled over, and he couldn't control himself: "Is the old chieftain well?"

Zhou Lu smiled, "He's fine. Grandpa loves meat and can't sleep without wine. He especially likes the roasted chest meat from Little Fine Leg Blackbeard Mountain. If you prepare that for him, he'll do anything you ask."

Ertu and the other brothers' eyes lit up. The fat man described the old chieftain's habits vividly, and they knew it couldn't be wrong. Knowing the old chieftain was safe, everyone was overjoyed.

"Where is the old chieftain now?"

Ertu's voice was trembling.

"He's at my place," Zhou Lu said, pretending to be indifferent, his neck stiff as if he was very disdainful.

"Your place?" Everyone was puzzled, "Where is your place?"

Zhou Lu, dissatisfied, squinted his eyes and gestured with his hand, "My place is behind a mountain, with a forest nearby."

The people looked at each other with strange expressions: This fat man was still a bit simple-minded. But as long as the old chieftain was safe, that was enough.

Ertu, looking at the giant crossbow in Zhou Lu's hand, asked cautiously, "Why... why did you come to rob us?"

"Oh, you mean that," Zhou Lu shook the crossbow, looking simple-minded, "I was hungry, so I came to find something to eat. It's so impressive, and I can scare away the real robbers."

"You..."

Ertu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, feeling both angry and amused.

"Are you not going to rob us anymore?"

The third chieftain, eyes wide as oxen, asked gruffly.

The second chieftain also cautiously stepped forward, "Are you not going to kill us?"

"Did I say I was going to kill you? Grandpa didn't tell me to do that," Zhou Lu put down the crossbow, complaining, "Hurry up and get me something to eat. This damn wilderness, it's so hard to find food on the road. I'm almost starving to death."

Zhou Lu hadn't eaten for two days.

Hearing this, the people in the cave almost cheered.

Escaping death, this fat demon had suddenly become one of them. For the desperate Oxhead Mountain, this was more exciting than a hundred New Year's celebrations. Although they had been terrified just now.

A few people hurriedly ran out to prepare food, and Zhou Lu, unconcerned, kicked the unconscious hunter, "Hey, take this sheep out."

The third chieftain's eyes were wide with disbelief, "This bastard is also given to us to deal with?" He was breathing heavily, and seeing Zhou Lu nod, the old brothers shouted in excitement, knives in their mouths, and dragged the hunter to the back cave.

The hunter had crippled the chief's leg and betrayed Oxhead Mountain many times. Today, they finally had a chance to take revenge. The third chieftain's eyes were almost slits, and he was determined to torture the hunter for three hours to vent his anger.