Chapter 1

On Green Ox Mountain, at Toad Ridge, in Toad Fort, a few men with flushed faces stood around.

"When the Great Chief was alive, our Toad Fort was so mighty that all the bandits on Green Ox Mountain had to listen to us. But after the Great Chief died, the brothers either died or fled, leaving only a few of us."

"The imperial troops are about to come and besiege us. With just a few of us, we can't hold out. We might as well disband."

"Damn it, the Great Chief left behind a young chief who is only eighteen years old, and you want to disband. Anyone who wants to leave, go ahead. I... will be the first to leave out of respect."

"Let's go together, let's go together."

On a grand armchair sat the young chief of Toad Fort, Cheng Dalei. He looked around with a blank expression, full of confusion.

"Am I in a different world?"

Cheng Dalei's previous life was that of an ordinary college student. While playing a strategy game called "Bandit's Heart" in his dorm, he suddenly fainted. When he woke up, he found himself in this world. The dilapidated fort, the earthen buildings, and he was the young chief of the fort.

Since I'm here, I might as well make the best of it.

Cheng Dalei could only console himself this way.

The memories in his mind told him that the country he was in was called Great Wu. Great Wu had been established for 120 years, governing thirteen provinces and 108 cities. It had once been powerful and respected by all. However, that was a long time ago. Now, the imperial power of Great Wu had declined, and the various lords held their own armies, constantly fighting each other.

Years of war had left the people in dire straits. Those who couldn't survive had no choice but to become bandits, making this a world full of bandits and outlaws.

Cheng Dalei's Toad Fort was one of them. When the old chief was alive, Toad Fort was well-known on Green Ox Mountain. However, the old chief recently passed away, and his subordinates either died or fled. Now, the entire fort was left with only Cheng Dalei.

"Little Chief, Little Chief."

A voice interrupted Cheng Dalei's thoughts. He came to his senses and saw a middle-aged man with a goatee standing in front of him.

"Xu Junshi, you didn't leave...?"

Cheng Dalei was taken aback, feeling a bit moved. The memories in his mind told him that the goatee man was named Xu Shenji, the military advisor of the fort. Although he was a military advisor, his intelligence was questionable, and he never came up with a good idea, only bad ones. The previous Cheng Dalei had detested him. However, he didn't expect that when the fort was about to disband, only Xu Shenji stayed until the end.

"True strength is revealed in the storm, and true feelings are seen in adversity." Cheng Dalei tightly gripped Xu Shenji's hand: "Xu Junshi, I will remember this kindness."

"Misunderstanding, misunderstanding." Xu Shenji pulled away Cheng Dalei's hand: "Little Chief, all the fort's possessions have been taken away by them. The last skinny horse was left behind. Can I take it?"

Cheng Dalei felt a chill, slumping back into the armchair and helplessly waving his hand.

Xu Shenji's face lit up, and he strode out of the door: "Ling'er, quickly bring the horse. After we go down the mountain, we will rely on it for our livelihood."

Cheng Dalei looked at the empty, spacious hall. The Toad Fort had once been prosperous, with five or six hundred small bandits, twelve seats in the main hall, eight金刚 (Eight Guardians), and two military advisors... It had been a formidable force on Green Ox Mountain, acting without restraint. But now, only one chair remained in the hall, and he was the only one left.

Alone and friendless, how could he stand on his own in this unfamiliar world?

Beep, conditions met, Bandit's Heart activated.

Beep, Bandit's Heart activating...

Beep, Bandit's Heart activation successful...

Huh, Cheng Dalei's eyes widened as a line of information appeared in his mind.

Toad Fort: A初级 (初级) fort on the verge of disbanding

Owner: Cheng Dalei

Population: 3 (1 Chief, 1 Military Advisor, 1 Stable Boy)

Beep, full of enthusiasm, young man, you will start from here, build the strongest fort, and leave your legend in this chaotic world.

This... This... This line full of middle school boy syndrome and cheap web game style is exactly the strategy game "Bandit's Heart" I played before I came to this world! It seems that not only did I come to this world, but I also brought the game system with me.

Beep, current fort population: 3. If the fort population drops to 1, the main quest will fail, and Bandit's Heart will shut down.

Beep, new quest: "Retain the Military Advisor and Stable Boy." Your military advisor and stable boy are about to leave. Retain them with your most sincere approach.

Having just activated the system, Cheng Dalei couldn't let it disappear. He sprinted out of the earthen house, extending his hand towards Xu Shenji.

"Junshi, wait a moment."

Xu Shenji and his daughter Xu Ling'er were about to leave. He felt a jolt and instinctively blocked the skinny horse: "Little Chief, are you regretting it?"

Cheng Dalei's attention was immediately drawn to Xu Ling'er, a sixteen-year-old girl with a rosy face, bright eyes, and a water-like freshness like a cabbage covered in dew.

"Xu Junshi, this is...?"

When Cheng Dalei focused on Xu Ling'er, a line of information appeared in his mind.

Name: Xu Ling'er (an unknown ordinary stable boy)

Age: 16

Skill: Feeding horses

Out of a father's protective instinct, Xu Shenji guardedly blocked Xu Ling'er: "This is my daughter, Xu Ling'er. She has always been feeding horses in the back mountain, and Little Chief has never seen her."

Cheng Dalei didn't expect that such a detestable-looking man could have such a fresh and lovely daughter. With such a daughter, even Xu Shenji's detestable face seemed a bit endearing.

"Xu Junshi, I just thought, you have served the fort for so many years. Without you, there would be no fort today. I can't let you leave alone." Cheng Dalei got excited and almost blurted out his true feelings, but he wasn't lying. Without Xu Shenji's endless bad ideas, Toad Fort wouldn't have declined so quickly.

"The old man is also attached to the fort, but I am old and don't want to be a burden to Little Chief, causing trouble for the fort."

"Burden, Xu Junshi, you are cursing me! If you want to leave, go ahead. But if you say this, I absolutely can't let you go. As long as I have food, I will never let you and your daughter starve." Cheng Dalei spoke sincerely, as Xu Ling'er needed proper nutrition. He then changed the subject: "Besides, where will Xu Junshi go after leaving the fort? The world below is in chaos, and which fort would take in a military advisor?"

These words struck Xu Shenji's heart. His reputation as a military advisor was well-known throughout Green Ox Mountain, and no fort would take him in. If someone wanted him, he would have left long ago. The world below was not peaceful, and it would be difficult for him and his daughter to survive. They might be killed on the first day of leaving the mountain.

"But there are only three of us on the mountain. Can we survive?"

"Fear not, we will live off the mountain. Bring my weapon, and I will go down the mountain to rob."

Xu Ling'er dragged a large axe out of the house, a single-edged axe weighing fifty to sixty pounds. Cheng Dalei picked up the axe, feeling a bit speechless. Was this his weapon before? With his temperament and appearance, he should have had a green sword.

A young man in white, wielding a sword, wandering the world, and when he meets a girl, he says, "How old are you, can we marry?"

With this axe, he would probably only meet an old woman and say, "Old woman, do you have any steamed buns?"

Beep, quest "Retain the Military Advisor and Stable Boy" completed. Reward: a secret manual of Three Chops with an Axe.

Three Chops with an Axe: An axe technique from Cheng Yaojin, said to be taught by a god in a dream, consisting of "Chop the Head, Pick the Teeth, and Dig the Ear."

A stream of information merged into Cheng Dalei's memory, and he had completely mastered these three moves.

"Little Chief, it's too dangerous for you to go down the mountain alone."

"No, not alone, you and I together."

"I..."

"What, have doubts?" Cheng Dalei shouldered the axe, which was really heavy. If it were his body from before, he wouldn't have been able to lift it.

Seeing the axe head as big as two of his heads, Xu Shenji wisely shut his mouth.

Cheng Dalei mounted the horse, shouldering the axe: "Lead the horse, let's go."

Beep, received quest "Complete the First Robbery Before Sunset." Success: 1 lottery draw.

Beep, full of enthusiasm, young man, robbing is the beginning of becoming a qualified bandit. Take the first step bravely, and countless wonders await you ahead.

Sigh, this middle school boy syndrome line again.

...

The sun was setting, and an old man, a skinny horse, and a young man with an axe were stretched out by the long shadows of the setting sun.

"Little Chief, we...?"

"No." The young man interrupted the old man: "Call me Great Chief."

Facing the setting sun, the young man suddenly raised his axe and let out a shout.

The skinny horse raised its head and responded with a long neigh.