A band of bandits in the woods built a fire and roasted meat.
Thick smoke carrying the scent of meat smoked the leaves until they smelled fragrant too. Dozens of burly men laughed and chatted as they ate meat and drank wine. Beside them, six chests and large bundles of goods were piled on carts. The stripped skeletons of livestock had been tossed aside, and in the scorching heat, their bones crawled with dense swarms of green bottle flies.
The cicadas in the mountains chirped deafeningly. The vicious sunlight baked the rocks scorching hot, and the blades of grass hung listlessly.
At some point, thick clouds appeared, blocking the originally bright sunlight.
The bandits eating and drinking failed to notice that the cicadas had fallen silent. The woods were so quiet that only their own shouts remained.
By the time the bandits realized something was wrong, it was already too late. They were blocked off from both front and rear. Their opponents wore brocade uniforms and carried sharp blades, their bearing calm and steady—far beyond the constables found in towns and villages.
"Government troops! Grab your weapons!"
The bandits frantically snatched up their battered weapons and nervously faced off against them, only to discover that their opponents were in no hurry to attack.
The Princess Mansion guards surrounded the bandits. The guards on the road they had come from stepped aside, and a sudden gust of wind sent withered leaves flying everywhere.
A gigantic tiger appeared, its paws leaving deep muddy pits with every step.
It passed through the guards and appeared before the terrified, panicked bandits. Their hands and feet went limp, and they could not even raise their weapons. The massive tiger was larger than anything they had imagined, especially with one of their companions—the sentry posted in