boyutpedia Page 11
Page 11
"Yes, yes, there is a customer who wants to sell some items in exchange for travel expenses."
Zhu Gui beckoned Liu Hong off the passenger ship. After his imposing and muscular physique was fully revealed to the two bandits, the smirk on their faces turned serious. Their gazes lingered on Liu Hong's muscular arms and the broadsword he carried, as if assessing whether this man was someone to be trifled with.
"May I ask your name, brother?"
A robber bared his rotten teeth and asked.
"Liu Hong, also known as Mao Jin Dao Liu, Shui Gong Hong. No nickname yet."
Liu Hong did not hide anything; these people were all bandits, and it was impossible for them to report him to the authorities.
"Oh, so you're the one the authorities posted a notice with a reward for your capture yesterday!"
The two robbers were immediately filled with respect. Upon discovering that the person who came was actually a wanted criminal, they instantly changed from being serious to bowing down with their hands clasped in their hands.
I never imagined that you were the famous Liu Hong who had recently become so well-known! We were just ordinary people from Xinshui. They say that the people of Daming Prefecture were driven to ruin and death by the local powerful clans who forcibly seized their land and increased taxes, leaving them with no choice but to become outlaws in this Ghost Fanlou.
The hero killed the local tyrants in Qinghe County, distributed money to help the people—a truly heroic act that is gratifying to the people!
Liu Hong was somewhat surprised, not expecting to receive such treatment among bandits. He was likely the scapegoat for wiping out the Zhang family. But who cares? He'd already taken the blame for the murder of the whole family, so he might as well take the reputation for robbing the rich to help the poor.
"Come, come, brother, what do you want to sell? What do you want to buy? To tell you the truth, my Ghost Fanlou is one of the best in the entire underground city of Daming Prefecture! Climb down the cave to the surface, and you can directly reach the most luxurious brothel in Daming Prefecture. Many of the girls there are girls we've brought in."
"Their Fanlou is built higher and higher into the sky, while our Guilou is dug deeper and deeper into the earth. Everyone has a bright future."
One of the bandits pointed to his lair, which he had built in a dark and damp cave, and then to the daimyo mansion on the thick rock wall above him, and said excitedly.
"A few days ago, the brothers took advantage of the crowds during the New Year to kidnap a rich girl at the lantern festival and are demanding a ransom. Her father refused to pay, so the brothers trained her a bit and are preparing to sell her to a brothel as a top courtesan. She's not fully trained yet, but if you want to try something new, five taels of silver will be enough for one night."
"Hey, let me tell you, the young ladies of wealthy families are just different from ordinary women. Their skin is so tender, you could squeeze water out of it. Fine, this time it's on me! If you're interested, brother, I'll let her spend the night with you for free! But she's a bit headstrong, so you absolutely mustn't untie her ropes."
"No need for that. I'm wanted by the police and I'm in a hurry to get on my way. I'll leave as soon as I finish the business."
Liu Hong declined the robbers' invitation and then took out the gold and jade jewelry he had looted from Zhang Yuanwai.
"Give me an estimate. I also have a carriage and two good horses, and I'd like to trade them for a small fishing boat."
"Okay, let's look at the jewelry first. Come on, let's go inside and talk."
Several bandits led Liu Hong into the tunnel. Liu Hong lowered his head and walked in the deep and narrow tunnel. At first, it was extremely narrow, barely wide enough for one person to pass through. After walking several dozen steps, it suddenly opened up and became a huge underground cave.
Upon entering, Liu Hong saw that the house was divided into a dozen or so small rooms by rough cloth curtains. Seven or eight naked women, like dogs, had their necks tightly tied with hemp ropes and fastened to iron nails driven deep into the ground. The women were crying softly and trembling in the damp and dark cave. Their eyes had long since lost their color, and their pale skin was covered with redness and bruises from the violence. The smell of semen and blood mingled together, making the air even more turbid.
Looking up, there were four or five iron cages hanging above the rock wall. Inside the cages, women wore blood-soaked hemp ropes around their necks. The young woman on the outermost side was digging at the rock wall with her fingernails, revealing white bone at her fingertips, as if it were some kind of punishment.
In one of the cubicles, two pale, white bodies were still intertwined and writhing together, accompanied by ambiguous moans, the sounds of flesh colliding, the lewd splashing of water, and the constant rhythm of life. A smooth, round, white leg was inadvertently exposed outside the curtain, and five snow-white toes were spasming and trembling, whether from fear or pleasure, it was hard to tell.
“Our eldest son is good in every way, except he’s a bit lecherous. I’m sorry to have made you laugh. Come on, eldest son, play with your eldest son, and we’ll sell ours.”
One of the robbers smiled somewhat awkwardly, carefully examined the jewelry, and his eyes lit up.
"My goodness, are all these jewels from Master Zhang? They're all top-quality. We really don't have that much cash to buy them."
The second robber scratched his head, looked at Liu Hong's Taoist robe, and wondered if he was a psychic. Suddenly, an idea struck him.
"By the way, brother, we've been robbing and killing people here, and we've acquired two priceless magical items. Our leader has already equipped himself with one of them, while the other is for spellcasters only. We don't need it, and it's not easy for us to sell it. I wonder if you could use it, brother?"
"Alright, I'd like to see what kind of good stuff it is."
Liu Hong gave a calm reply.
The robbers quickly produced a necklace. The chain appeared to be made of gold, and the pendant was a lifelike golden serpent with eyes embroidered with small sapphires that shimmered with a terrifying aura of psychic energy in the sunlight.
[Energy Storage Necklace]: Reduces all psionic energy consumption by 1 (the psionic energy consumed each time cannot be zero).
This thing is indeed excellent; it can effectively reduce one's psionic energy consumption, although it cannot reduce one's psionic energy consumption from 1 to 0.
But this thing can amplify the Heavenly Slash! To unleash the full damage of a Heavenly Slash, you need to consume 2 points of Spirit Energy, and 9 points of Spirit Energy only allow for 4 uses. With this, I can unleash Heavenly Slash 9 times directly!
The saved psionic points can also be used to adapt to the battlefield environment and utilize other psionic abilities, making it more convenient and flexible.
"How much is it?"
Liu Hong was pleased, but fearing the other party might try to raise the price, he didn't show much interest and only asked a casual question.
"This item isn't too expensive as a rare item, but the material it was made of isn't ordinary copper or iron, but gold, so it's much more expensive. Its original value is equivalent to your gold necklace, and the value of the enchantment is worth these two bracelets."
The robbers compared them carefully.
"The remaining two jade pendants, five gold rings, plus this large gold longevity lock, um... we are willing to offer one hundred taels of silver."
Liu Hong nodded. Pan Jinlian had roughly estimated the price of these jewelry pieces. Although the price was a bit low, it was still fair, considering it was the black market. So, they exchanged money for goods.
Afterwards, the group boarded the boat again to check on the carriage and the two horses and see how much they could sell for.
"Where did this necklace come from?"
After putting on the energy-storing necklace, Liu Hong casually asked a question.
"Oh, didn't we tie up a rich girl a few days ago during the New Year? We pulled her off her neck."
The robbers answered truthfully, not taking the man seriously at all.
Chapter Nineteen: Vanguard's Skull Snatching in the Cave
As the group talked, they left Ghost Tower and returned to the port. The characters and ways of these bandits were really strange.
On the one hand, they were pitiful people driven to desperation by the government; but on the other hand, they were also ruthless bandits who killed without blinking an eye, forcibly took women, and drove others to desperation as well. The two completely different personalities and styles intertwined, creating a very jarring situation.
The group returned to the restaurant and carefully examined the two horses and the carriage.
“Brother, to be honest, your horses and carriage are really good, they are top-quality. These two horses are not warhorses, each one is worth 10 strings of cash, which is 10 taels of silver. We will use 20 taels of silver to buy them.”
“However, our little village doesn’t need a horse-drawn carriage. We can’t travel on the main road. If we buy a carriage, we can only resell it to someone else. We don’t know how long it will sit in the warehouse before we can sell it. How about this, brother, you’ve seen my fishing boat. I’ll use that boat to trade with you for a carriage, how about that?”
Pan Jinlian nodded. As a maid in the Zhang household, she was well-informed and knew the approximate prices of horses and carriages. The prices these people offered were reasonable. Although carriages were more expensive than boats, it didn't matter. If she couldn't sell the carriage, she could just throw it away and find another boat.
Seeing Pan Jinlian nod, Liu Hong recalled what Zhu Gui's fishing boat looked like—he remembered that the boat was quite spacious, enough to carry ten or so people, enough for three people to stay overnight, and one person could operate it. So he nodded in agreement, but added some additional conditions.
"Okay, but I need you to teach me how to pilot the boat."
The bandits readily agreed, first unloading the two horses from the carriage and leaving it at their inn. Then, they drove the two horses back to the port with Liu Hong and his two companions, introducing their own ships.
Liu Hong carefully examined the boat he had just ridden back and forth on. Although it was small, it was fully equipped. The boat was 10 meters long and 3 meters wide, with an elegant and slender streamline. In the middle of the boat, there was a 6-meter section with a bamboo frame woven into an arched dome. When covered with straw mats, it became the cabin section that could shelter from the wind and rain.
The bow and stern of the boat each have a 2-meter open area, and there is also a huge sail and two oars at the stern for navigation and direction control.
"How about it? This is the one. I'll call it the 'Hulu,' which means crocodile. I'll teach you how to row, brother. Come on, let's take these two horses back first, then give you the money."
Zhu Gui gave a greeting and prepared to set sail.
Liu Hong confirmed that Gui Fanlou was not dangerous, so this time, Pan Jinlian and Wu Dalang also took their travel money and belongings onto the boat, thinking that after selling their horses and carriages, they could just take the fishing boat and leave.
Zhu Gui taught Liu Hong, whose intelligence was as high as 22, how to sail the boat. After going around in circles, the group finally sailed back into the dark and deep underground waterway. Pan Jinlian looked at the dark and dirty place and her mysophobia almost kicked in. She kept covering her nose.
"By the way, who's your boss? How did he become a robber?"
The underground waterways were so dark and complex that Liu Hong could barely see his surroundings; no wonder the government troops had struggled to wipe them out. With nothing else to do, he chatted with the bandits again.
"Hey, our boss is also a man with a hard life. He is a retired border soldier, with a broad back and a strong waist. He is incredibly strong and the people of Daming Prefecture have great respect for him."
"He originally had a happy life, with a harmonious marriage and two children. But last year, when Liang Zhongshu was sending birthday tribute to Kaifeng, the capital, to celebrate his father-in-law's birthday, the people in the government conscripted him to be a laborer to accompany the army."
"As a result, when he returned from his long trip to Tokyo, he found that his home had been burned down in a fire and his wife and children had all disappeared. After making inquiries, he learned that a brothel had taken a fancy to his wife and daughter, so she colluded with the government to send him to Tokyo to escort the birthday tribute, playing a trick to lure the tiger away from the mountain."
"No sooner had he left than his wife and two children were kidnapped by thugs and forced into prostitution and child molestation. They were forced to serve by perverts, who demanded that the siblings, mother and daughter, or mother and son serve them. They even burned down the house to destroy all evidence and traces of their crimes."
"I remember you said before that there was also a brothel above your Ghost Fanlou. Could this be it? Why would he be willing to do things for his enemy???"
Liu Hong felt a mix of emotions, including surprise. If he had gone to Gansu to perform corvée labor back then, Pan Jinlian would most likely have ended up the same way. Fortunately, his wife had some savings, which prevented the officials from killing him openly; they could only resort to underhanded tactics.
"Hey? What are you thinking! At that time, the eldest brother was filled with grief and indignation. He had no evidence to report to the authorities, and he couldn't break in even if he tried to settle it privately. He was driven to the brink by that evil landlord and was even arrested and imprisoned by the other party who filed a false accusation first!"
The robber became serious.
"Fortunately, the brothel above us is a rival to the one that captured the boss's wife and daughter! The two wealthy men have been fighting each other in Daming Prefecture for a long time. So the wealthy man rescued the boss from prison, gathered our gang of bandits, and set off from the underground Ghost Fanlou. After defeating the bandits of the Ghost Fanlou, we climbed directly to the surface and broke into the evil wealthy man's brothel to rescue him."
"Unfortunately, it was too late. The eldest brother's wife and three children were tortured to death by a pervert who played a 4P game with them. In a fit of rage, the eldest brother killed everyone and burned down the other party's brothel. From then on, he became the big boss's black glove, guarding the Ghost Fanlou underground for him."
After listening for a while, Liu Hong felt a chill run down his spine and was deeply moved.
To combat a deeply entrenched criminal gang that colludes with the government, one must find another villain who is even more ruthless, more wicked, and more capable of colluding with the government and distorting facts.
At that moment, the robber was still telling his story with great enthusiasm.
"Let me tell you, my brother is incredibly strong! That night, he wielded two steel knives and hacked his way from the underground Ghost Pavilion to the top of the brothel on the surface, killing for a full quarter of an hour. He killed over fifty people, and even his knives were dulled, but he didn't even blink! I've never seen such a strong man in my life!"
"awesome."
Liu Hong also praised him repeatedly.
"By the way, Brother Liu Hong is a Robin Hood-like figure who robs the rich to help the poor. He's currently wanted by the Zhao Emperor and has nowhere to go. Why don't you come to our Gui Fan Lou? We'd like to offer him the second-in-command position."
A bandit offered to recruit him, but before Liu Hong could agree, Pan Jinlian grabbed his belt and shook her head repeatedly with a terrified expression—"I don't want to spend my whole life in such a dark and filthy place."
Liu Hong also shook his head and refused. "I do have a problem with the government, but I can't do something as disgusting as asking you to kidnap respectable women and force them into prostitution."
The bandit sighed and was organizing his words to recruit again when suddenly, he heard the sounds of fighting ahead.
Following the dim firelight, the group of people looked ahead and discovered a group of Song soldiers dressed in bright red round-necked robes who had actually entered the territory of Guifanlou from the ground of Daming Prefecture through the tunnel!
"Where did this thieving convict come from, daring to cause trouble for us underground?!"
Zhu Gui and the two bandit leaders who bought the horses were truly stubborn. Before Liu Hong could react, they pushed off with the mast, and the entire boat suddenly accelerated, approaching the battlefield! They completely disregarded the Xiang Army of Daming Prefecture.
"Aren't you afraid of the government troops?!"
Liu Hong was greatly shocked.
"What's there to be afraid of! Our boss alone can take on ten convicts! These people are probably new criminals who just arrived in Daming Prefecture and are desperate to make a name for themselves. Kill them if you want, the rich man can handle it."
The bandits proudly introduced their leader and their protectors.
Just then, a burly man, two meters tall, with a pale complexion, emerged naked from the cave in Ghost Fanlou. His lower body was covered in a layer of white semen from both men and women, which swung around in the air. Judging from his physique, his strength was no less than Zhang Ming's. According to the Blazing Vision, he was actually a level 4 warrior, extremely powerful.
"Where did this thieving convict come from! Disrupting your grandpa's enjoyment! Do you want grandpa to defile your scrotums?!"
The leader roared and brandished two short swords, crashing into the enemy ranks like a meteor. Two Song soldiers were sent flying by his blows. As he swung his swords, a bloody storm swept through the dark cave. The two short swords, like ferocious beasts devouring their prey, slashed at the Song soldiers, limbs flying and blood splattering everywhere! This naked white-clad man, covered in blood, was as imposing as a demon, and as terrifying as a hateful soul. He single-handedly forced a dozen Song soldiers to retreat.
"Boss! We're here to help you!"
Seeing how brave their leader was, several bandits also landed on the shore. Zhu Gui and two other bandits grabbed short knives and long clubs and charged forward.
Just as Liu Hong was pondering whether or not to help, suddenly, a suffocating and terrifying killing intent surged out from the depths of the cave, making Liu Hong's heart skip a beat. Pan Jinlian's silver tail bristled, as if she had been frightened.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!!!"
Following the heavy footsteps, the two saw a terrifying warrior emerge from the darkness like a nightmare. He wore brass fish-scale armor, a robe of blood-red waves around his shoulders, an iron-core bow tucked into his flying fish pouch, and a giant, gold-plated axe in his merciless hand.
She was so tall, a full two and a half meters high, like a heavy and oppressive brass mountain range, stretching across the darkness. Her whole body was protected by iron armor, with only her arrogant and beautiful face exposed.
Even more terrifying was that the blood-red robe on her back was like an ancient river of blood, flowing freely and without wind in the cave, like a blood dragon tied to her shoulders, performing a bloody and terrifying dance in the deep cave.
Liu Hong quickly looked at the person, his eyes burning with intensity, and began to weave information about her.
"Damn it, you petty thieves, you think you can act with impunity just because you're protected by a brothel owner? You dare to snatch other wealthy men's daughters?"
"Let me tell you, Liang Zhongshu usually just ignores you lowly worms, but today, you've messed with the wrong person! The regular army of the Daming Prefecture Garrison Command, urgently! The vanguard, Suo Chao, is here!!!"
Before the information in Liu Hong's eyes had finished burning, and before the others could even react, the female general shouted angrily with heroic spirit, and with a push of her feet, she soared into the sky like a golden meteor, leaping to the top of the cave!
The howling wind swept over her body, making her blood-red cloak flutter in the air like a vast ocean of blood pressing down on everyone, making it hard for them to breathe.
After leaping into the air, she gripped the battle axe tightly with both hands, her muscles tense, every inch of power concentrated in that moment, as if she wanted to shatter the entire world. Aiming at the bandit leader's head, she brought the giant axe down fiercely!
The bandit leader instinctively looked up, but the other party was too fast. Before he could react, the golden axe had already smashed his head with a loud bang.
The powerful impact shattered the sturdy skull like a fragile eggshell, sending brain matter mixed with blood splattering out like a volcanic eruption, splashing several meters away. The warrior's body, too, was struck by this devastating blow, crashing straight to the ground like a withered tree broken by a gale, producing a dull thud.
"Rubbish."
The bloodthirsty female general stomped on his chest, forcefully pulling out the battle axe, bringing with it a string of sticky bone fragments and flesh. Blood gushed from the wound like a fountain, flowing into the river of blood behind her, making the blood-sea cloak even larger and more terrifying. After drinking the blood, the golden axe also emitted eerie and terrifying blood-colored patterns, revealing eight horrifying skull demonic patterns.
Her speed was so fast that after she had killed a level 5 warrior and crushed Zhang Ming's powerful opponent, Liu Hong only then saw the full extent of this person's attributes.
[Suo Chao] (Demon)
Level 8 (Level 8 Warrior)
Life 100, Psychic 0
Strength 20+8, Agility 14, Constitution 20
Intelligence 8, Perception 10, Charisma 10
Defense: 20 (10 base + 2 agility + 8 brass fish scale armor)