Are You Tree Bandits?

Shen Tao looked at them and said, "If you can't accept it, then go and settle accounts with the Jiang Family yourselves. You've got nothing left."

Chu Yanran frowned and said:

"County Magistrate Shen, are you cooperating with the Jiang Family?"

Did you help them escape? Did you take their bribes to come and persuade us?

Shen Tao said helplessly:

"This money was all paid by Zhou Wanwan; she thinks you are the victims."

You should know that the Jiang Family family sold their shops and estates cheaply yesterday, right?

Chu Yanran nodded and said, "I know. I thought they wanted to raise money. I didn't expect they sold the estate and shops and ran away!"

"So! Zhou Wanwan felt sorry for you, so she gave you money to help you. If you don't want to, you can go to the Jiang Family."

Chu Yanran remained silent. The other women said, "Fine, let's do it at 20%! It's better than nothing."

"That's right! The Jiang Family has all run away, what can we do?"

"I have children to raise, two children to support, I don't know what to do."

Shen Tao said:

"Alright, everyone line up! Your information has been verified."

We will send you the money directly based on the verified information.

Once all the money had been distributed...

Shen Tao entered the county government office and said, "Master, everything has been taken care of, but I didn't expect those bastards from the Jiang Family to get away."

Zhou Wanwan nodded and said, "Let's go see how the Jiang Family is doing now."

Shen Tao looked up at her and asked, "Do you know where they are?"

Zhou Wanwan nodded and said, "I know! I've always known. Logically speaking, it should be on the island by now."

Shen Tao laughed and said, "Alright, let's go take a look!"

The Old Scholar Tree and their Old Ancestor led them to that island.

They were moving very fast. Shen Tao looked at the island and said, "I really don't understand, what's so interesting about this island?"

The Old Scholar Tree chuckled, "Yes, this island isn't as beautiful as it used to be."

Then they heard the people on the island say:

"Overnight, everything was gone: gold and silver, houses, fields, crops, and livestock."

Even the slaves we managed to capture with great difficulty are gone. What are we supposed to do now?

"How are we going to explain this to the clan chief?"

"Who did this? Do you think it could be someone from the Black Shark Gang?"

"It must be those bastards. Our island is so secluded, no one else knows about it except them."

"Those bastards from the Black Shark Gang have been at odds with us for a long time."

"When the boss comes back, we'll definitely get our revenge."

"Revenge! Revenge! Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!"

Across the island, shouts of revenge filled the air.

Suddenly someone shouted, "Our boss is back! Hurry up and go out to greet him!"

Everyone exclaimed, "Our big ship is back! Come on, let's go out and greet it!"

"Every time our boss comes back, he brings us lots of good stuff. I wonder what he'll bring back this time."

"You'd better not think about these things. If the boss knew what our island has become like, he'd definitely be angry."

A group of people rushed to the shore and saw dozens of planks floating towards them.

Everyone stared at the people on the wooden plank and said, "Boss, why did you come back in this kind of transportation?"

Where is our big ship?

The Jiang Lineage clan chief said:

"Damn it, I wonder who stole our boat."

If I find out, I'll skin him alive.

I need to hurry back and change my clothes; I've been paddling for over an hour, and I'm freezing!

He led a group of people and hurried home.

But when he got to his doorstep, he walked around in circles and said, "Hey! Am I lost in a maze? Where's my house?"

The clan chief's wife rushed over, crying, "Oh dear! Old man! Our home is gone, everything is gone!"

The chieftain looked at the empty island and said, "No, what about our houses on the island? And all our gold and silver treasures?"

All the members of the Jiang Lineage lowered their heads.

The Jiang Lineage clan patriarch coughed up a mouthful of blood and immediately fainted.

Jiang Ce shouted, "Father, hurry and find a doctor!"

"There are no doctors on our island right now! All the doctors have been taken away."

Not only the doctor, but now the cooks, carpenters, tailors, and blacksmiths on the island have all been taken away.

Jiang Ce slumped to the ground and said:

"How could that be? Who could have looted the entire island overnight?"

Who exactly is making trouble for us? Who is it?

"Could it be those people from the Black Shark Gang?"

Jiang Ce gritted his teeth and said:

"The Black Shark Gang? It must be them; they know this place best."

But we have nothing on our island, not even a boat. How can we fight the Black Shark Gang?

The strategist beside him said:

We still have one fishing boat available.

I think we can go check out the Black Shark Gang's hideout and loot some stuff while we're at it."

They were so poor that they desperately needed to replenish their supplies.

More than a hundred people set off under the cover of night.

The Black Shark Gang Black Shark Gang's hideout was on a nearby island, and it took them more than an hour to row to their territory.

Zhou Wanwan had been sleeping on the island for an hour when the Old Scholar Tree said, "Wanwan, wake up, they're here."

When Zhou Wanwan opened her eyes, she saw the Jiang Family members sneaking ashore.

The Old Scholar Tree then recounted the information it had gathered:

"The Black Shark Gang is no good either; they're even more disgusting than the Jiang Lineage."

You didn't even see what kind of people lived in the village.

That basement was full of women; they were all captured from the sea.

Zhou Wanwan asked, "Is the Black Shark Gang a big operation?"

The Old Scholar Tree nodded and said, "It's quite large, and this island actually has gold mines. The Black Shark Gang grew up relying on these gold mines."

Zhou Wanwan never expected that there would be a gold mine on this island.

Those members of the Jiang Family, armed with weapons, sneaked into the Black Shark Gang's territory.

Shen Tao asked, "Can we move out now?"

The Old Scholar Tree rolled its eyes and said, "By the time you remember, it'll be too late. Our trees have already started taking action."

Sure enough, we saw thousands of trees moving around on the island.

The Black Shark Gang's warehouse was very well hidden, located in a forest.

The area around the forest was riddled with traps, and there were patrols.

The forest is full of trees that are hundreds or even thousands of years old.

The Old Ancestor spoke with the trees for a long time, and the trees said, "You mean, we can also grow legs and walk like you?"

The Old Ancestor nodded and said, "Yes, but we need your help to move the things inside. It depends on whether you're willing."

"I get it, you guys are tree bandits, right? You're the kind who specialize in being bandits, oh my, this is so much fun!"

Why don't you turn us into someone like you right now, someone who does whatever you tell us to do?

We've learned how to be tree bandits quite well; you wouldn't believe how many pirates have infiltrated this island already."

The Old Ancestor shook the branch and said:

"Hey! We're not bandits, we're acting on behalf of Heaven. Look at the treasure these pirates have; most of it was stolen, wasn't it?"

Since it was stolen, it's ill-gotten gains.

"Yes, yes, we're doing something meaningful. Who's our leader? Oh! Isn't it that big tree? He's so impressive!"

Wow! It's actually an Old Scholar Tree! Our boss is really impressive, greetings, boss!

The surrounding trees all said, "Greetings, Boss!"

Zhou Wanwan poked her head out of the treehouse and said, "There are so many ancient trees here! Many of them must be over a thousand years old!"

The trees were startled when they saw Zhou Wanwan: "Isn't this a human? How could a human child be here?"