Let Them Go

The raucous laughter and filthy talk in the Gathering Hall froze at the woman's fierce words.

Then came even more unrestrained laughter.

"A blood debt paid in blood? Hahaha!"

Iron-Armed Monkey looked as though he had heard the funniest joke in the world. He pointed at the woman holding her head high and winked at Chen Fan.

"Chief, this one's got some fire in her! That's just how the brothers like them! You have the first taste, and when you're tired of playing with her, let the brothers have a taste of meat too!"

"That's right! Take her! Show her just how formidable the heroes of Black Wind Mountain really are!"

"Make her scream! Make her beg for mercy!"

The testosterone-fueled bandits shouted and jeered, their eyes glowing green.

The woman in brocade trembled almost imperceptibly, but she kept her teeth clenched and showed not a trace of fear. Her maid had already collapsed to the ground, sobbing too hard to speak.

Chen Fan gently tapped the jade thumb ring in his hand against the table.

Thud.

It was not a loud sound, yet the uproar throughout the cave came to an abrupt halt.

Everyone shut their mouths and looked at the bandit chief in the seat of honor.

Chen Fan had interrupted the bandits' jeering. He looked at the mistress and servant, feeling nothing in particular.

A gentleman appreciated beauty but did not give himself over to lust.

Though he was a bandit now, deep down he was still a soul who had received a modern education. He could not bring himself to abduct women, nor did he think much of such acts.

"What are your names, and where are you from?"

His voice was rough, but flat and devoid of emotion.

The woman in brocade froze, seemingly not having expected the bandit chief to ask that.

She took a deep breath, suppressing the fear and anger in her heart.

"I... we're the family of a merchant fleeing disaster. We were passing through and didn't mean to offend you heroes."

Fleeing disaster?

Chen Fan's gaze swept over her.

Though her clothes were covered in mud and her hair was in disarray, the brocade was fine Suzhou embroidery. A small length of pale wrist showed beneath her sleeve, delicate as jade. More importantly, the composure she showed in the face of danger was not something an ordinary merchant family could have cultivated.

This woman probably had an extraordinary background.

But what of it?

He was only a temporary mountain king and had no interest in digging into other people's family affairs.

"Smiling Tiger," Chen Fan called.

"Yes! Chief, I'm here!"

The third chief, Smiling Tiger, hurriedly squeezed out of the crowd, bending at the waist with a fawning look on his face.

"Find two quick-witted men and escort them down the mountain."

Chen Fan waved a hand, as though shooing away two flies.

"What?"

The cave fell deathly silent once again.

Every bandit thought he had misheard.

Iron-Armed Monkey was the first to jump up, his face full of disbelief.

"Big brother! She... she's a first-rate beauty who came right to our door! You're just going to let her go?"

He pointed at the woman, scratching his ears and cheeks in agitation.

"She's such a fresh, lovely woman. If you don't want her, you could give her to the brothers! The brothers are all tired of playing with the women on the mountain!"

"That's right, Chief! What a waste!"

"Don't let her go! Don't let her go!"

The bandits grew restless and noisy once more.

How could they spit out a juicy morsel that was already in their mouths?

Chen Fan slowly raised his head and glanced indifferently at several of them.

"Didn't you understand what I said?"

His voice was not loud, but it carried a bone-chilling coldness.

Iron-Armed Monkey's whole body went rigid under his gaze, and the rest of his words lodged in his throat.

The chief was an Eighth Rank expert. Even ten of him could not withstand a single move from the chief.

Half of Iron-Armed Monkey's drunkenness vanished. He sheepishly lowered his head, not daring to say another word.

When the other bandits saw that even the second chief had backed down, they all shut their mouths too.

Only the crackling of the torches remained in the cave.

The woman in brocade and the maid beside her were both stunned.

They had imagined countless miserable fates, but they had never expected that the bandit chief who looked the most steeped in killing intent would let them go so easily.

"What are you standing there for?" Smiling Tiger kicked the bandit who was still holding the woman. "Didn't you hear the chief? Hurry up and escort them down the mountain!"

The two bandits woke as if from a dream and hurriedly let go.

Smiling Tiger stepped forward himself and forced a smile at the woman in brocade that looked uglier than crying.

"This... this madam, please. Our chief is magnanimous and won't hold anything against you."

The woman in brocade looked deeply at Chen Fan, who sat in the large tiger-skin chair. The man had already lowered his head and resumed playing with his jade thumb ring, as though everything that had just happened had nothing to do with him.

She bit her lip. Without thanking him or making any more threats, she simply helped her terrified maid to her feet and staggered out of the cave under the "escort" of the two bandits.

And so the disturbance came to an end.

The oppressive atmosphere in the Gathering Hall was soon dispelled by the aroma of gold, silver, and fine wine.

"Drink! Drink!"

Iron-Armed Monkey apparently wanted to drown his sorrows in wine. He lifted a wine jar and gulped it down.

The bandits also returned to their revelry, dividing up the spoils.

Chen Fan drank two bowls of wine for form's sake, then found it all dull.

He stood, hoisted the ghost-head saber over his shoulder, and turned into the passage leading to the rear chambers under the awed gazes of the bandits.

The heavy stone door shut out the clamor and the smell of wine.

He liked quiet.

He crossed the passage and pushed open the door to the bandit chief's quarters.

The stone chamber was brightly lit.

Yun Niang, Hong'e, and Cuiqiao, his three bandit-chief's wives, were sitting together, talking about who knew what. They immediately stood when they saw him enter.

"Chief."

Three women, each with her own charm.

Yun Niang was gentle and graceful, Hong'e was fiery, and Cuiqiao was beguiling.

Compared with the fools in the Gathering Hall who only knew how to think with their lower halves, these three women were clearly better able to let him enjoy being a mountain king.

Chen Fan grinned and, imitating Black Wind Baleful Intent, tossed the ghost-head saber into a corner.

He opened his arms.

"Come here, all of you."

Hong'e and Cuiqiao giggled and threw themselves into his arms, one on either side, their fragrant, soft bodies like warm jade.

Only Yun Niang remained where she was, standing timidly.

Chen Fan paid her no mind. He scooped up the two beauties in his arms and strode toward the broad stone bed.

He kicked the door heavily shut.

Outside the door, the mountain bandits reveled.

Inside was a haven of tender pleasures belonging to the mountain king alone.

He tossed Cuiqiao onto the bed, her clothes half undone. Panting, she hooked a finger around Chen Fan's neck.

"Chief, aren't you afraid... that the woman you let go really will bring people back to demand a blood debt paid in blood?"

She had been hiding in the inner room just now and had heard the commotion outside.

She had originally thought the chief had taken that woman as another bandit-chief's wife, and had felt a little jealous.

She had not expected the chief to let her go in the end.