Descendants of the False Gods

Chapter 12 – Escaping the Deadly Trap (5)

Yan Bo swiftly cut down eight enemies in one go, leaving only five Cai Zhou soldiers standing, including their leader. These remaining soldiers had initially planned to overwhelm their opponents and create an opportunity to flee. However, faced with Yan Bo’s relentless assault, they found themselves trapped — advancing felt impossible, and retreating seemed futile. All they could do was hold their blades defensively in front of them, bracing against Yan Bo’s next move.

Every step Yan Bo took forward made them retreat, and a casual wave of his blade sent them flinching. Although the five soldiers were tightly clustered in a defensive stance, making it difficult to find an opening, Yan Tie had no patience for a stalemate. Without hesitation, he drew his bow, released an arrow, and the air was pierced by a sharp swish followed by a scream and a splash a Cai Zhou soldier had fallen into the river, lifeless.

Their leader glanced sharply at Yan Tie, noticing him already drawing another arrow. Fear and desperation flared in his eyes as he roared, “If we stay, we die! Fight them with everything you’ve got!” With that, he charged at Yan Bo.

The leader’s sword thrust straight at Yan Bo, forcing him to either parry or dodge. Missing this chance would give the leader an opening. However, Yan Bo and Yan Tie had undergone rigorous training since childhood, having served in the border army with ample combat experience. Yan Bo’s dual blades worked seamlessly — his left knife swept inward in a semi-circle, smacking the leader’s sword aside, while his right blade cut horizontally from right to left.

Caught off guard, the leader struggled to halt his charge, but there was no room to retreat. He was forced to block Yan Bo’s slash with his armguard, his hands spread wide, leaving his front fully exposed. Seizing this vulnerability, Yan Bo’s left-hand blade recoiled inward. With a quick wrist twist, the blade angled forward, thrusting directly into the leader’s throat. A swift pull across severed the windpipe, and the leader fell heavily to the ground, arms spread wide.

With their leader dead, the remaining four soldiers lost all will to fight. Yan Bo lunged forward, his blades whirling in a deadly dance, cutting down three more. The last soldier panicked and jumped into the river, attempting to escape, but was struck down by a precise arrow from Yan Tie.

The Cai Zhou soldiers had been utterly wiped out. The mountain bandit leader approached the Yan brothers, cupping his fists respectfully. “We owe our lives to both of you today. Without your intervention, these jackals would have surely taken us down. Thank you, noble heroes! We’re all wounded, and our plan to return home with mountain goods has failed. We can only return to our hideout in the mountains. If you do not mind, please join us — we may not have much, but we can offer a humble meal in gratitude.”

Yan Tie initially wanted to refuse, but Yan Bo considered their situation. They had left in a hurry, and their supplies were insufficient for the journey back to Yan Village. Relying on banditry for provisions wasn’t viable, and there was no guarantee of finding more settlements ahead. It seemed wiser to accept the offer.

Using his arm to stop Yan Tie, Yan Bo replied, “There’s no need for a banquet, but my brothers and I left hastily, and our provisions are running low. If you could spare some food, we would be grateful.”

The bandit leader, relieved at their agreement, responded eagerly, “Of course! Your help saved our lives; sharing food is the least we can do. Please, come with us to the hideout.”

He then commanded his men, “Gather the bodies of our fallen brothers and give them a proper burial. Pack up — we’ll head back to the hideout. We can return to the village another time.”

The bandits swiftly went to work — some scavenged the Cai Zhou soldiers’ bodies, some buried their own dead, and others treated the injured. Having made their decision, Yan Tie whistled sharply toward the forest. Shortly after, Yan Yu emerged carrying a basket, a cooking pot, and leading the maid. She muttered complaints as she approached, “Brother, such a fierce battle and you wouldn’t let me join! I always end up babysitting!”

Hearing her mention the children, Yan Bo quickly sheathed his sword and hurried over to assist. Soon, Yan Bo and Yan Yu each carried a basket, while the maid followed behind with another. Yan Tie also set aside his bow, sheathed his sword, and shouldered the remaining basket.

Noticing the four baskets, the bandit leader curiously asked, “Why do you have four children with you?” Realising the potential for misunderstanding, he quickly added, “Forgive me, I meant no offence. I was just curious.”

Yan Bo calmly shared the prepared story, “It’s a long tale. The heavy-set man back there is from a merchant family. We were escorting him to trade goods when we passed a village wiped out by bandits, with only children left alive. My brother, unable to abandon them, decided to take them in. We also rescued the young woman over there — her village had been raided, leaving her and the child the sole survivors. With no place to go, she’s joined us.”

“Oh, I see!” the leader nodded, seemingly satisfied. Observing his men had finished clearing the area, he gestured forward, leading the way while the Yan siblings followed closely.

On the journey, the bandit leader couldn’t help but ask, “Why take this remote, forsaken path instead of the main road?” Realising the question might sound intrusive, he added, “Just curious, really.”

Yan Bo didn’t mind sharing the fabricated explanation, “Initially, we didn’t see it as an issue, but shortly after crossing the Qian territory, we encountered Cai Zhou soldiers. They accused us of being bandits and claimed we intended to sell the children. When they tried to arrest us, we had no choice but to fight them off. Since then, we’ve been avoiding Cai Zhou’s territory to prevent further trouble.”

The leader sighed, lamenting the state of the land, “These wicked bandits are worse than wolves, preying on the innocent!”

Seeing the strange look from the Yan siblings, he quickly added, “Not us, of course! We’re not like them — circumstances forced us into this life.”

He looked across the river to the Cai Zhou territory, his expression a mix of bitterness and regret.

“My name is Ji Li, originally from Nüji Village across the river in Cai Zhou. Years ago, I joined the army and left behind a new bride. Five years later, I returned to find my wife… taken by a Cai Zhou official’s nephew. She… ended her own life in shame. In my anger, I confronted that man, but he claimed she was never truly my wife since we hadn’t consummated our marriage. My rage got the best of me, and I struck him. That marked me as a traitor, and I had no choice but to flee.”

Yan Yu, intrigued, chimed in, “Impressive courage! Charging into a magistrate’s office like that!”