All the Bandits Dead!

Several of them ran forward like madmen, desperate to sprout a few more legs.

Only after running into a silent, deep forest did Tiger Bro finally stop. He collapsed to the ground like a dead dog and lay there without moving.

The few men following behind caught up to Tiger Bro and, as though all their strength had been drained away, dropped to the ground as well.

After about the time it took for an incense stick to burn, Tiger Bro finally caught his breath. His face was still somewhat pale as he cursed inwardly.

Damn it!

He had never expected to be so unlucky as to run into a pack of killing gods. Luckily, he had run fast.

Otherwise, this day next year would have been his Death Anniversary!

"Tiger Bro, what do we do? There are only a few of us left. How are we supposed to explain this to the Heads when we go back?"

A man spoke with a worried tone, looking fearful.

Although they had escaped from those killing gods, the people they would have to face next were even more terrifying than killing gods.

"Yeah, Tiger Bro, should we still return to the stronghold and report to the Heads?"

"Tiger Bro, how about we..."

Another man chimed in, staring anxiously at Tiger Bro ahead of them.

Not only had they failed to seize any grain or silver, nearly all their men had died. Only a handful of them remained.

When they returned to the stronghold, who knew what terrible consequences they would have to face?

Tiger Bro cast a cold glance at the men speaking and said icily.

"Hmph, we definitely can't go back to the stronghold. Do I need to spell out the Heads' methods for you? Don't you know them well enough in your own hearts?"

"I don't plan on returning to the stronghold. The sky is vast and the earth broad. I refuse to believe those Heads can still find me."

How could Tiger Bro fail to understand what they were thinking? They simply wanted to tell him that returning meant enduring the Heads' punishment.

"Tiger Bro is right. We are willing to follow Tiger Bro and flee this place together."

The moment Tiger Bro finished speaking, the bandits hurriedly echoed him.

The reason they had clung so tightly to Tiger Bro was precisely because of this.

They had failed the task assigned by the Heads, and only death awaited them. They might as well defect directly; at least that would leave them a sliver of hope for survival.

But this place was a land of rolling mountains and towering ridges, fraught with dangers and swarming with vicious venomous snakes and savage beasts.

With only their superficial Martial Realm cultivation, they could not survive here at all. They would likely be reduced to bones before they even left the mountain range.

Following Tiger Bro, whose Martial Realm was stronger, gave them a better chance of surviving.

"Very good. You're all smart. Then follow me. I know of a hidden Mountain Road here that can quickly take us through this mountain range."

Tiger Bro was quite satisfied with their attitude, so he did not refuse their allegiance.

After all, every extra person meant an extra measure of strength, and a greater chance that they would survive.

Rustle, rustle, rustle!

At that moment, the sound of footsteps grinding against dry branches and leaves rose from not far away in the forest, as though something was approaching.

"Who is it?!"

Tiger Bro immediately tensed up. He snatched up the broadsword stuck in the ground and watched the edge of the forest vigilantly.

The others were frightened by Tiger Bro's grim expression. They hastily raised their weapons as well, staring outside the forest in panic.

Only when three figures slowly entered the forest and came before them did they see who it was.

One of them was a slender-looking man dressed in a neat white robe, idly playing with a sharp shortsword in his hand.

With an amused look, he watched the flustered Tiger Bro and the others, then said in a low voice, "Where are you heading? Why don't I give you a ride?"

"Second Head!"

"Third Head!"

"Y-you, you, you..."

"Impossible! This is impossible!"

"How did you find us?!"

The instant Tiger Bro saw the three people who had arrived, his mind went blank, leaving him utterly at a loss.

Two of them were the very men they had been talking about: Second Head and Third Head had both come.

He could not understand how they had found him.

This road was clearly a secret passage he had discovered before, a secret buried in his heart, an escape route prepared for a rainy day.

"It was you, you bastard!"

When Tiger Bro saw the man standing behind the two Heads, he understood.

Especially seeing the man's smug, gloating expression—it was obvious he was enjoying Tiger Bro's misfortune.

This man was the one Tiger Bro had beaten and cursed at before sending back to spread the news.

Faced with Tiger Bro's accusation, the man merely sneered, with no intention of answering.

"Second Head, Third Head, spare us!"

Before Tiger Bro could think any further, the men beside him, who had just wanted to flee alongside him, had already thrown down their weapons and knelt to beg for mercy.

Hmph! A bunch of idiots.

Tiger Bro cursed inwardly as he looked at the people kneeling at his feet and begging.

Things had already come to this—did they still think the other side would spare them?

Smack!

Before Tiger Bro could think further.

Second Head, standing across from him, moved. His body shot forward like a cannonball, and the shortsword in his hand let out a ringing cry.

Tiger Bro was greatly alarmed. He hurriedly gripped his broadsword with both hands and raised it high, trying to block Second Head's attack.

Crack!

A piercing clash of metal rang out, and the broadsword snapped in two.

A cold flash!

While Tiger Bro stood frozen in shock, Second Head's sword suddenly hooked upward.

Drip. Drip.

Tiny droplets fell softly onto the dead leaves.

When Second Head's shortsword came into view again, several bright red drops of blood ran down its blade.

As the blade swayed, the blood droplets fell to the ground one after another.

The world spun. In that instant, Tiger Bro seemed to see a headless body.

Then his consciousness vanished completely, plunging into endless darkness.

"Hmph! Overestimating yourself. A mere ant in the Flesh Refining Realm dares to resist."

"Ah!"

"Spare me!"

"Second Head, spare me!"

Soon after came several more agonized cries for mercy, but they lasted only a few breaths before vanishing without a trace.

Several objects fell onto the dead leaves. The silent forest returned once more to its deathly stillness.

Only the corpses on the ground, giving off a dense stench of blood, proved the brutal slaughter that had just occurred.

"Speak. Where did those people run off to? Can we still catch up with them?"

At that moment, a rough, heavy voice sounded. It belonged to the Big Man who had been standing still all this time—the Big Man was the Third Head they had spoken of.

He spoke to the scrawny man who had informed on them beside him.

"Ah?"

"Reporting to Third Head, this lowly one does not know. Those people have already been running for quite some time."

"Perhaps..."

"Maybe..."

The scrawny man stammered, yet he did not dare say the answer aloud.

"Hmm?"

"Useless trash!"

Crack!

With the sound of bones shattering, Third Head had already clamped one huge hand over the scrawny man's skull.