bookandnovel Chapter 6 Rugged
Chapter 6 Rugged
The setting sun slants, and the horizon is bathed in a soft glow.
Beside the steep mountain road
Seven or eight riders gathered together, and the burly bandits, their faces full of scars, were brandishing their swords and reining in their horses, staring at the two people they had surrounded.
A strong wind carrying yellow sand blew up the hood of the person being surrounded, revealing an extremely weathered face to everyone.
At first glance, this person appears kind and gentle; but upon closer inspection, one can detect a hint of violence deep within his eyes.
Most remarkably, this person was actually a monk who had taken vows.
Behind him, a novice monk huddled in a ball, trembling. His small, tender hands gripped the middle-aged monk's robe tightly.
"Gentlemen, what is your purpose in blocking our path?"
A rider slowly emerged from among the mixed-quality yellow horses. This horse was indeed robust, and the sweat on its muscles evaporated into white mist, swirling around its body.
The men on horseback were even more robust, resembling black bears draped in human skin.
This man had a face full of scars, fierce eyes, and an unfriendly appearance. His black hair, barely an inch long, was curly like weeds.
"Monk, if it were any other time, we heroes would have accepted a few strings of cash as tolls and let you pass. But today is different; we have received a death order from above."
"The Taoist priest shall not allow any monks or nuns to pass through this area."
Upon hearing this, the novice monk was the first to lose his composure. His already uneasy mood became even heavier, and the despair in his eyes could no longer be concealed.
"Where have those monks and Taoists who haven't left gone?" the middle-aged monk's hoarse voice rang out again.
Unexpectedly, the remaining seven people burst into laughter.
"We don't have enough food to keep you here. Even if you only have our heads, we can still get a reward."
In the crowd, a gaunt man with a pointed mouth and monkey-like face stared at the two of them with a mocking expression.
Only then did the novice monk notice that each horse was bound with a different number of sacks, from which drops of dark red blood were seeping out.
Even worse, some of it dripped down the horse's belly.
"It seems this matter is unlikely to end well," the middle-aged monk said calmly, without joy or sorrow.
His complete disregard for his own safety enraged several outlaws.
"Monk, do you perhaps have some other support?"
The leader of the bandits' eyes flashed with wariness as he stared at the two men with a guarded expression. The other bandits, however, drew their weapons.
After all, those who make a living in this industry are nothing more than bullies who prey on the weak and fear the strong. If they encounter a tough opponent, they will run away as soon as possible, or else they will cut off their heads as proof.
A gust of wind blew by, and the middle-aged monk was taken aback at first. Then he said "Amitabha" and closed his eyes, no longer looking.
"This monk is interesting. Knowing he's no match for us, he actually closed his eyes and awaited his fate. Brothers, it looks like we'll get another bonus today."
"Hahaha..."
"Brother, what are we waiting for? Let's kill him to get the reward money, and we can also use the corpse to make human flesh mince for the Cliff Gate Inn while it's still fresh."
"Exactly, that innkeeper is incredibly frivolous. As long as we give her enough money, the brothers can take turns attacking her and make sure she can't handle both ends."
The bandits chuckled in unison, their faces filled with a dark anticipation, and several of them licked their already chapped lips.
"call out"
The arrows, chasing stars and catching the moon, arrived in an instant, heading straight for one of the men's faces.
"thump"
On horseback, the short bandit fell to the ground.
Three arrows followed closely behind, but the leading bandit, who resembled a humanoid black bear, drew his sword and cut them all down. The contemptuous look on his face vanished without a trace.
"The government's arrow is aimed at that damned madman! Retreat! Retreat!"
The remaining men decisively reined in their horses and turned back. One of them hesitated for a moment, then reached out to try and take the sack from the yellow horse.
Who would have thought that the arrow would pierce his skull before he could.
The bandit leader at the front was filled with fear and dread: "Damn it, who told him to pick it up! Quick! Faster!"
Before long, the six riders disappeared without a trace.
...
The shadows of a man and a horse peeked through the gaps in the rocks and appeared before the monk, the glossy black horse neighing.
A handsome young man dressed in a black robe slowly drove out.
The cold metallic sheen shone through the robes and reflected on their faces.
"It's armor..."
Fang Hongxuan dismounted, not forgetting to place the iron-rimmed bow on the horse's back.
"Venerable monk, may I ask where you are headed?"
"Thank you for saving my life, benefactor. I am about to take my disciple to Daruo Temple on Mirror Lake Mountain. May I ask your name, benefactor, so that I may chant sutras to bless you?"
"This journey is not short. If we rely on our own strength, it will probably take two or three months. With these two yellow horses, we can save a lot of effort."
Fang Hongxuan looked at the two of them with slight surprise. However, he didn't want to inquire further.
"I am Fang Hongxuan, the Demon-Slaying Captain of Mixian County."
"Furthermore, things haven't been peaceful lately. It seems someone is secretly killing monks and Taoist priests. You two should be careful on your journey."
Fang Hongxuan turned around and took out some dry rations from his horse and handed them to the two men.
Upon seeing this, the novice monk's expression shifted, and he showed delight. Just as he reached out to take it, the middle-aged monk slapped it away.
"Do not be rude."
Fang Hongxuan didn't take it to heart. He not only brought a horse from nearby and handed the reins to the middle-aged monk, but also handed over the dry rations again.
"I have been searching for this band of bandits for three days. Now that I have found their trail, I am determined to wipe them out completely. However, I cannot send the two monks down the mountain now."
"The road ahead is long, but this can still satisfy your hunger. Please take it, Master."
The middle-aged monk put his hands together and chanted "Amitabha" before accepting the gift.
When Fang Hongxuan was about to leave, he was surprised to find that the middle-aged monk was leading the novice monks to dig a pit and bury the two corpses.
The two were sitting cross-legged on the ground, muttering something to each other.
Namo Ratna Trayaya...
"What a strange monk, actually performing a ritual to help such a wicked person pass on..."
Fang Hongxuan thought this, but didn't take it to heart.
He pulled out a scroll containing portraits of seventeen people. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the leader was none other than the burly bandit chief, as strong as a black bear.
The two newly added vermilion crosses landed precisely on the portrait of the recently deceased bandit.
"These bandits had a clear and specific objective, and acted with a measured approach, so they were definitely not ordinary people. There are many connections involved, and I am unable to investigate them all at once."
After the remaining six are killed, the detailed events will be recorded for future investigation by the Demon Suppression Division.
Fang Hongxuan had been away from Mixian County for more than half a month, and the most recent case for him was this group of bandits of unknown origin.
Although the Demon Suppression Division is responsible for eliminating evil spirits, the Demon Extermination Captains who are on patrol duty also have to intervene when they encounter problems that the constables cannot solve.
Otherwise, Fang Hongxuan wouldn't have spent half a month investigating this matter.
"I've thoroughly explored the surrounding terrain these past few days. If I encounter them again, I will not let them escape."
"We need to hurry. There's a case in this file that seems to be related to Rakshasa. It's not far from the Mirror Lake Mountains. We need to make sure we have enough time to go and investigate."