Qi Da Xian glanced at the deserted path, stones scattered by the roadside, the sky dim, and the breeze rustling.
"We should have escaped the control of the Lionheart Group by now. Offering assistance will also help us establish ourselves here."
"But our benefactor's injuries are not stable, and several others are wounded. If we delay here, I fear..."
Just as the two were having a minor dispute, Ren Yuan Hao, supported by Shen Lan Ni, emerged from the somewhat suffocating car.
"Benefactor, you're awake?"
Qi Da Xian and Tu Xing Sun cupped their fists.
"Don't keep calling me benefactor. My name is Ren Yuan Hao, and I'm also from the countryside," Ren Yuan Hao emphasized. After inquiring about the entire affair, he learned that these people were impersonating 'mountain bandits.'
Ren Yuan Hao looked back at the car and calculated the remaining efficacy of the 'Six Qi Blood-Boosting Pills.' He thought: Once the effect wears off, these people will surely be overcome by drowsiness and will need a period of rest. It would be better to find a secluded and quiet place to stay, both to avoid suspicion and to recover strength.
With this in mind, Ren Yuan Hao said slowly, "Gentlemen, to be honest, the medicine I gave you will cause all your accumulated injuries to strike back once its effect wears off. At that time, you will not only lose your combat effectiveness but also fall into a coma for a period due to the injuries accumulated within your bodies. During this time, we must find a place that is sufficiently quiet and secluded to settle down and recuperate."
Before Ren Yuan Hao could finish speaking, he erupted into a violent coughing fit, drawing everyone's attention.
The 'mountain bandits' also looked over. At first, they were stunned into silence by Shen Lan Ni's exceptionally beautiful and fair face, then they shifted their gaze to the pale young man she was supporting.
"Hey, boss, is this sickly guy their leader? He looks more like a consumptive."
"Bah, you little rascal, speak carelessly again, and be careful the Great Immortal hears you. He might just turn you into an old tree stump with some spell."
As the two were whispering, they saw the Great Immortal nod and then lead Ren Yuan Hao to the front of these dozen or so people.
"Alright, you don't need to bow. You're lucky today to have run into us. Tell me, what exactly happened that forced you honest farmers to become bandits in the mountains?"
Qi Da Xian's voice was exceptionally calm, carrying a touch of immortal bearing.
It turned out that the leader of the mountain bandits was named Gan Lao San, a lumberjack from the village of Huxiao Town. Not long ago, his wife ran off with a rich man. Moreover, his child's young heart couldn't bear the blow, and his congenital heart disease relapsed, requiring over two hundred thousand for a heart bypass surgery. The family was already struggling financially, and with his wife taking all the finances, it was a case of a leaky roof during a sudden downpour. The lumberyard, citing the introduction of new equipment, refused to pay wages. Thus, Gan Lao San was at his wit's end.
He sought out relatives and friends, desperately trying to borrow money. However, after all his efforts, he only managed to borrow twenty thousand. With his youngest daughter's surgery date drawing nearer, Gan Lao San hardened his heart and resorted to robbing people. It so happened that he was well-liked at the lumberyard, so those burly men who were full of grievances joined him, forming the current group.
Their first attempt at robbing people led them to Ren Yuan Hao and his party. This was truly a stroke of luck amidst misfortune!
"Hmph, what kind of people are in this world!" Yang Ling Xue, hands on her hips and pouting, was about to take out her bank card from her pocket when her face blushed. She thought: Oh no, I forgot I just escaped from the Lionheart Building. I don't even have a single coin on me, let alone twenty thousand. How can I pay this?
As she felt awkward, Ren Yuan Hao sensed Yang Ling Xue's embarrassment first. He immediately nudged Liu Yu and whispered, "Brother, did you bring any money?"
"Money?" Liu Yu's gaze suddenly flickered towards the bus, and he whispered in a low voice, "There, it's all been converted into that thing."
"Meaning, that thing is now your property?"
"That's right. What do you want to do, brother?"
Ren Yuan Hao didn't reply. Instead, he patted Yang Ling Xue's shoulder, imitating Liu Yu's gesture, and pointed at the bus, saying slowly, "Everyone, that bus now belongs to you."
Gan Lao San immediately waved his hands upon hearing this, "No, no, no, we are not mountain bandits. If we accept such a large item, our crime of being mountain bandits will be solidified. We dare not, we dare not."
"Tsk, if it's a gift, then it's not robbery, is it?" Yang Ling Xue said, taking the keys from the car and tossing them to Gan Lao San.
Gan Lao San dared not meet Yang Ling Xue's mischievous gaze. He was also extremely worried about his daughter's safety, so he accepted the keys, kowtowed on the ground, and expressed his immense gratitude repeatedly.
Liu Yu, however, pulled Ren Yuan Hao aside and whispered:
"Hey, hey, hey, brother, that's my entire net worth!"
Ren Yuan Hao leaned close to Liu Yu's ear and said, "Of course, I know that's your property. But now that we've broken free from their control, should we keep this car and wait for them to track us down?"
Liu Yu thought about it and immediately realized the grave implication. He then said to Gan Lao San, "Sell this car somewhere far away, and then leave a few brothers to lead us into the village."
"Yes, no problem. We thank our benefactors for their immense kindness and will never forget it."
Gan Lao San kowtowed again. Then, while they were talking, he took the more unusual items from the car, such as the rocket launcher, and buried them in secluded spots. After that, he, along with his brothers, led them into the village. Gan Lao San, following Liu Yu's advice, took official documents and drove away.
The group walked for about half an hour, passing through a dense forest and heading southwest. Soon, they saw a sheer cliff face, carved as if by a knife, shrouded in mist and smoke. At the foot of the cliff was their village.
Shen Lan Ni poked her head out and felt the cold wind roll back, stinging her face. The cliff dropped several hundred meters. The place they stood was like the sharp claws of a ferocious beast protruding upwards. Since the mist enveloped the village, from this direction, it appeared as a sea of rolling clouds, like a natural barrier separating them from the outside world.
Qi Da Xian, who seemed to have some knowledge of Feng Shui and divination, observed the surroundings for a moment and said, "This place has winding peaks and secluded ridges, standing tall like pillars. The mist is hazy, and below the cliff lies a valley with fertile land stretching for a thousand miles. The southern water meanders through it. This is the physiognomy of a 'Sleeping Dragon'!"
"Speak human."
Liu Yu placed his hand on Qi Da Xian's shoulder and offered him a cigarette.
"This is a truly excellent place for recuperation and nourishing the spirit," Qi Da Xian whispered into his ear. Just then, the sound of heavy footsteps suddenly approached from the direction of the iron chain bridge in front of the断崖!
"Catch her! Don't let her escape!"