The party hurried silently through the cold wind of the winter morning. Just as Qin Shi had said, Warriors possessed vigorous qi and blood, their footwork far surpassing ordinary people's. Coupled with their eagerness to wipe out the bandits, they did not stop once along the way.
After three hours of trudging, they had actually covered dozens of li over the rugged mountain paths.
When Qin Shi at the front suddenly raised an arm and signaled the party to halt, everyone looked up and saw a pitch-black mountain looming before them like a crouching beast.
The mountain was steep, its forests deep and shadowed. Even in broad daylight, it exuded a chilling aura that made hearts quiver. A narrow trail, trampled into being, wound its way into the depths of the woods.
"We're here!" Qin Shi's voice shattered the silence of the march, carrying a thread of icy killing intent. "That's Black Wind Mountain ahead! Follow this path up, and at the end is that damned Qingfeng Village!"
Everyone's gaze focused on that dark mountain path, and their breathing unconsciously grew heavier.
The hot blood and impulsiveness built up along the journey could not help but give way to instinctive vigilance and tension when they truly faced the bandits' lair.
Qin Shi turned around, his tiger eyes sweeping over the young, nervous faces. He gave a dark chuckle, baring his white teeth. "What? Did the mountain wind blow away all that boldness from earlier? Now you know fear? Too late!"
His voice suddenly turned harsh. "Listen the hell up! From this moment on, form groups of three! Pick your own teams! Treat Black Wind Mountain as a hunting ground, and you are the hunters! The bandits inside are your prey and your merit!"
"Keep your distance from the other teams.