The scene was a nightmare, filled with the cries of helpless captives and the cruel laughter of their captors. A woman, her voice trembling with desperation, pleaded for release.
“Let go of me, please!”
Her pleas fell on deaf ears as a heartless bandit yanked her hair, dragging her through the dirt. Nearby, two carriages stood, each equipped with a cage, their sinister purpose all too clear. Within them were women and children, imprisoned by the ruthless marauders.
“Shut up, Bitch!”
The bandit’s boot struck with brutal force, sending a shockwave of pain through the woman’s body. Blood spilled from her lips, a grim testament to the violence she endured.
“Mother! Let go of my mother you bastard!”
A young boy’s voice rang out, filled with anguish and fury. He watched helplessly from within the cage, his eyes burning with a fierce determination to protect his mother.
“Shut your mouth, you snotty little brat! Or, I’ll screw your mother.”
The bandit’s threat hung heavy in the air, a chilling reminder of the horrors that awaited them.
As the captives suffered, a menacing figure approached. His scarred face told the story of a life steeped in brutality, and he exuded an aura of malevolence that left no doubt as to his authority.
“Have you captured everyone within the village?”
“Yes, boss. We’ve taken all the young women and children. The elderly were disposed of, as they had no value to us,” the bandit replied promptly, eager to please his leader.
A sinister grin crept across the boss’s face. “Excellent. Though the village yielded little, these captives will fetch a handsome price in the slave market. They are a fetching lot.”
“I couldn’t agree more, boss,” the bandit affirmed eagerly. “Before we sell them off, allow me some time to enjoy one.”
The boss’s eyes gleamed with a twisted pleasure. “Very well. Once we reach our base, you may indulge yourself.”
“Thank you, boss! You’re the best!”
With his crude desires sated, the bandit looked upon the imprisoned women with a perverse anticipation, his fantasies taking hold.
“Tonight, no one can stop me from having fun with a beautiful woman. It’s been a while since I’ve had such an opportunity.” His thoughts drifted into the realm of his dark desires, an unsettling smile tugging at his lips.
The boss’s twisted thoughts reveled in the grim business at hand. These captives, though not extraordinary in beauty, possessed a certain allure that promised a profitable sale.
‘Indeed, the women we’ve taken this time are more delicate than our previous catches. I trust that wretched Karlos will pay a pretty penny for them. And of course, I’ll indulge myself before making the trade.’
His anticipatory gaze lingered on the captives, his desires veiled beneath a veneer of malevolence.
“You handle things here. I’ll go deal with any remaining vermin in the village,” the boss commanded before departing.
“Yes, boss!”
Within the cages, terror-stricken cries pierced the air as the captives grasped the impending horror. They pleaded for mercy, questioned their fate, and implored the heavens for salvation. Some fell to their knees, their hope extinguished.
“Stop! Please, have mercy!”
“Why do this to us? What have we done to deserve such cruelty?”
“Let us go!”
Their desperate pleas, like frail whispers in a storm, fell on deaf ears. The boss pressed on, leaving behind the anguished wails of those he condemned.
—
Lily’s finger pointed to the grim tableau ahead, where charred remains still smoldered, bearing witness to a gruesome end.
“Look, there are bodies… They were burnt alive,” she observed with a tremor in her voice.
“How horrific! This is unmistakably the handiwork of bandits. They revel in their cruelty,” Anna declared, her tone a mix of sorrow and condemnation.
Anna knew that bandits were driven by avarice and pleasure, with no room for compassion in their hearts.
“Unforgivable! To commit such atrocities against one’s own kind, they deserve no mercy,” Rose seethed, her fists clenched. She bore witness to the depths of human cruelty and shuddered at the thought of it happening to her own village.
“HHHHEEELLLLLPPPPP!!!!”
A chorus of screams echoed from the far side of the village, each cry a desperate plea for help. The urgency in their voices was unmistakable.
“It sounds like someone’s in dire need of assistance. The bandits must be targeting the remaining villagers,” Rose remarked, her concern etched across her face.
“Should we go there and help the people? They’re keep screaming for help,” Ava voiced her concern to Yuan, her eyes reflecting worry for the villagers’ safety.
Yuan weighed the situation, his instincts cautioning him against a hasty move. ‘I should assess the situation first; it’s possible the bandits have set up an ambush.’
Turning to Ava, he explained, “Let me check the situation first. I don’t want any of you to be caught in an unexpected ambush.”
With a surge of his Divine Sense, Yuan surveyed the village like a god peering down from above. His senses honed in on the captives, caged and guarded by two bandits.
He returned to his wives, relaying his findings, “There are a total of 29 bandits. They’ve captured the women and children, locked them in a cage at the other side of the village. Two bandits stand guard.”
“What?!” His wives’ shock was palpable.
“They’re planning to sell them as slaves. This is unacceptable!” Rose’s fury burned bright. She knew the grim fate awaiting those women and children.
Yuan comforted her, “Leave them to me, Rose. I’ll ensure they pay dearly for their crimes. You don’t need to face them in anger.”
Suddenly, a translucent screen materialized in front of Yuan, catching his attention. A subtle smile tugged at his lips as he read the message.
<Ding!>
«A mission has been assigned to the host»
«Mission: Kill the group of notorious bandits and save the survivors ahead as well as rescue the captives.»
«Number of bandits: 29 bandits.»
«Difficulty: High»
«Reward: 145 SP, and a Spirit grade body Armor»
«Time Limit: 1 hour»
«Mission: The lives of the survivors would be lost and the captured will be sold as slaves, -200 SP»
<Will the host accept this mission?>
<Yes/No>
‘Killing the bandits will be easy, but the punishment for failure seems unfair. In any case, the reward is very tempting.’ Yuan’s thoughts raced as he considered the implications. In the end, he swiftly made his decision and accepted the mission.
Turning to his wives, he rallied, “Let’s not waste any time. We must rescue those women and children before the bandits harm the remaining survivors, shall we?”
“Let’s make them pay in the most terrifying way possible, darling,” Grace affirmed with an unsettling grin. “I’m positively thrilled at the thought of carving them up.”
Rose, Julie, and Ava exchanged glances, fully aware of the perilous edge to their mother-in-law’s demeanor. They silently vowed never to cross her.
As they hurried toward the captives, intent on liberating them from the clutches of the notorious bandits, the scene they encountered was one of unspeakable horror. The village was strewn with lifeless forms, bearing the brutal marks of torture and fire.
“Only ten of them are left now, let’s finish them quickly and leave this village and have fun with the women we’ve captured,” one of the bandits declared, his cruel intentions clear.
“Please, don’t kill me. I don’t want to die…” begged the terrified man.
“Shut up and prepare to—” Before the bandit could finish his sentence, a massive sword pierced his chest, ending his life abruptly.
Thud!
His lifeless body fell to the ground with a sickening thud, staining the earth with fresh blood. The remaining bandits stared in shock, unable to comprehend how one of their own had been struck down so suddenly.
“Hmph! A coward ganging up on a weak innocent farmer. I wonder where this arrogance comes from…” Yuan’s cold voice cut through the air, snapping the bandits out of their stupor.
As they looked at Yuan’s wives, their astonishment shifted to a different kind of captivation. The women’s beauty left them speechless, as if they’d never beheld such splendor before.
‘So beautiful! Where did such women come from? I’ve never seen anyone as lovely as them. I’ll make them mine,’ thought the bandit leader, his desire unmistakable.
“Since you came here for yourself, don’t think about leaving,” the leader sneered, eyeing Yuan’s wives with a lascivious grin. “Each of you is too beautiful. Why don’t you come to my side? I’m afraid your man can’t protect you from danger; he looks too weak to me. I promise to give you a life fit for a queen. Come to my side.”
“Hahaha…” Yuan’s laughter rang out, but his expression swiftly turned frosty. “Making my women happy? Are you even worthy? You’re nothing but a lowly bandit, and yet you think yourself a king? This is ridiculous!”
“Are you questioning my ability?” The leader’s face contorted with indignation.
Yuan gave a sardonic smile. “What do you think?”
“Hahaha, good, good, you’ve now pissed me off, brat,” the leader chuckled, then ordered his men. “You hear that? This brat is doubting my ability. Capture those women and kill that brat. Show him who he’s crossed.”
“Yes, boss!” One of the bandits eagerly agreed, a sinister grin etching across his face. “Brat, you’ve made a grave mistake doubting my boss’s ability. We’ll take good care of your women after we’re done with you.”
“Is that so?” Yuan retorted, swiftly reaching for the sword embedded in the fallen bandit’s chest.
The sword vibrated, then swiftly flew from the dead bandit’s chest, hurtling toward Yuan. The bandits were dumbfounded, unable to comprehend how the sword moved on its own, and the sheer size of the weapon left them awestruck.
‘What the hell is with this sword?! How can it fly on its own, and isn’t it too massive to wield?’ They stared wide-eyed at the enormous blade in Yuan’s hands, its autonomous flight defying their understanding.
“Although I’d relish torturing you to death, just as you did to the innocent villagers, unfortunately, I don’t have the time for such indulgence. I’ll dispatch you swiftly instead,” Yuan declared, his voice steady and resolute. In the blink of an eye, he vanished, leaving the bandits startled.
“Where did he go?” Their eyes darted around in confusion, trying to make sense of Yuan’s sudden disappearance.
“Look out! He is—” Before one of the bandits could finish his warning, he felt a chilling sensation at his neck. In an instant, his head fell to the ground.
Thud!
The severed head rolled across the ground, followed swiftly by the rest of the lifeless body.
Gasps of horror filled the air. The remaining bandits stared in utter disbelief at the gruesome scene, struggling to comprehend the abrupt and brutal turn of events.
“What just happened?!” One of the bandits mumbled, his voice trembling with shock and disbelief.