Chapter 209: Chapter 209: Recruiting Bandits! Officials and Bandits as One!

"Please... don’t kill..."

Pssht!

The young girl ignored the plea and thrust her blade down.

The Young Castle Master of Blood Vine Castle’s Qi Blood was scattered by Black Stone, his body fragile as thin paper.

"You dare..."

Pssht—

Once again, a blade infused with endless hatred pierced down, the tip penetrating flesh and colliding with the ground.

Subsequently, the girl seemed to find a way to vent her hate, each stab quicker and more brutal than the last.

Nobody knew how many times she stabbed, but the Young Castle Master of Blood Vine Castle was long beyond recognition.

The girl exhausted all her strength, collapsing powerlessly beside the two bodies with hollowed chests, bawling her eyes out.

She avenged the blood debt but couldn’t bring her parents back to life.

Chu Ming looked at the girl, feeling a twinge of sympathy in his heart, and withdrew from the hidden room. When he returned, he had three clean clothes in hand.

"Put them on."

Chu Ming draped the clothes over the girl’s back and then covered the two unconscious girls with the other two sets of clothes.

Afterwards, he walked to the Young Castle Master’s body, pried open the clothes stuck to the bloody flesh, and retrieved several items from within.

A letter, a jade pendant, a fair amount of silver and silver notes.

The letter was already stained red with blood; upon opening, the writing was blurry and unclear.

But Chu Ming still discerned much critical information, regarding Blood Vine Castle’s personnel and family hiding in Wind Vine County.

Many officials from Wind Vine County, prominent merchants, were listed on the letter.

Such as the County Magistrate, County Magistrate Assistant, and many other officials.

Also included were top merchants from Wind Vine County, like Teng Family Manor.

"Recruiting people to become bandits..."

The list on the letter was just one part; the true purpose of the letter was for the Young Castle Master to recruit for the Blood Vine Castle.

Previously, while drinking with Black Bear at the tavern, he heard people discussing Teng Family Manor recruiting house servants and guards.

The so-called recruitment was, in fact, for banditry.

Chu Ming walked to the side and burned the blood-stained letter over the candle flame.

The Blood Letter turned to ashes.

The girl, who was just sobbing uncontrollably, struggled to lift her head, her swollen red eyes locking onto Chu Ming.

"Benefactor..." The girl knelt and kowtowed heavily to Chu Ming several times, "Maid... Chen Wanshu."

Maid?

Chu Ming turned around, picked up the Slicing Blade, his voice cold: "I don’t need a maid."

"Benefactor..." Chen Wanshu sobbed softly.

"They’re not dead." Chu Ming looked at the two unconscious girls beside him.

"Little Yuu, Little Qin!" Only then did Chen Wanshu remember her two younger sisters, rushing to check on them.

Chen Wanshu and her two sisters were the Bright Pearls of the Chen Family in Wind Vine County’s Classics, because Chen Dianji refused to conspire with the County Magistrate, and County Magistrate Assistant, they ended up in a miserable state.

"Benefactor... Please save Little Yuu and Little Qin!" Chen Wanshu knelt and pleaded.

Chu Ming looked at the girl around his age, took out three medicine pills: "Have them take these."

The pills he had taken when out looking for clean clothes, would calm and sooth ordinary people.

Without thinking, Chen Wanshu accepted the pills, swallowed one herself, and then gave them to her two sisters.

Moments later, they awoke.

"Sister..." The three embraced, crying together.

"Come with me." Seeing them awake, Chu Ming didn’t want to waste any more time.

"Little Yuu, Little Qin, quickly thank our lifesaving benefactor."

"Thank you, Benefactor..."

"Let’s go."

Chu Ming arranged the bodies of Chen Dianji and his wife, then led the three girls out of the secret room.

Throughout the compound, constable bodies were strewn everywhere.

In this County Government, anyone carrying the Blood Evil Qi and blood stench, he had eliminated.

The County Government was empty and devoid of life, as the entire place, constables and officials, had all ingested organs.

Sunlight shone on the three sisters’ faces, blinding yet gentle.

"Wait here for me."

Chu Ming’s figure disappeared; the three sisters dared not move a muscle.

He returned soon after, bringing back black clothing and conical hats.

"Put them on."

The three sisters hid their appearances and figures well; Chu Ming led them out of the County Government.

Later, he bought a horse-drawn cart and drove out of town.

"Get down and inspect!" The city gate guard blocked the cart.

In the cart, the three sisters trembled with fear.

Chu Ming dismounted nonchalantly, handing each constable silver taels, the coins poisoned.

These guards, too, reeked of blood scent.

"Open the gate, open the gate."

The city gate opened, and the cart smoothly exited the city.

After traveling about twenty miles, a small town appeared ahead.

"This is it."

Chu Ming escorted the three sisters into the town, giving them some silver taels.

He couldn’t possibly keep them with him forever.

"Benefactor... can Little Shu know the benefactor’s name..."

Chu Ming looked at the three sisters kneeling on the ground, took out a cultivation technique, and said: "If you don’t want to be bullied in the future, start practicing martial arts."

This cultivation technique, he devised for Little Shan, suitable for girls to cultivate.

"Benefactor..." Chen Wanshu wanted to say more, but there was no one before her.

"Sister, the benefactor... has left..."

...

On the other side.

Black Bear, who had parted with Chu Ming at the tavern, left the city, following the road eastward.

"Brother, are you heading to Teng Family Manor too?"

Not long after, someone approached to chat him up.

Black Bear nodded slightly.

"Brother, look, there are unusually many people on this road today. Nine out of ten are going to Teng Family Manor to join in the fun, but if you ask me, they’re mostly ordinary folks with little capability; only you, brother, seem to stand out."

The person’s eyes flickered, plainly not looking like a good person.

Black Bear glanced but couldn’t be bothered to respond.

"Brother, do you know why Teng Family Manor suddenly started recruiting a large amount of house servants?" the person continued on their own.

"I heard that Teng Family Manor is looking to expand its business recently and urgently needs manpower. I don’t know if it’s true or not."

"..."

"Robbery, this is robbery!" Suddenly, a shrill voice came from the front.

"Robbery? Who saw it?!"

An old man was blocked by two young men.

Bystanders watched coldly as the old man begged bitterly.

"Keep talking and we’ll break your cane!" the two young men threatened.

"Tsk tsk, at your age, what are you doing running around outside?" A mocking voice rang near Black Bear’s ear, "Brother, don’t you agree?"

Black Bear glared at the person and strode forward.

"Give it back to the old man!"

"Oh, there’s someone not afraid of death!" The two young men surrounded him from both sides.

Bang bang!

Black Bear kicked them, sending them flying.

"Just you wait!" The two dropped the silver and ran.

"Old man, your money." Black Bear returned the silver to the old man.

"Th... thank you, strong man." The old man took the money and didn’t dare stay among the crowd, turning back towards the city.

After this small incident, they walked for roughly another two hours until they faintly saw a row of buildings ahead.

"We’ve arrived at Teng Family Manor."

The people in front gathered, quickening their pace.

"Brother, walk faster." That person hurried forward.

In front of Teng Family Manor’s gate, a crowd of three to five hundred people had gathered.

"Everyone, quiet down."

A person dressed in Teng Family Manor’s attire stood up high and shouted, his voice highly penetrating, so even those in the back could hear clearly.

"There are conditions for recruiting house servants at Teng Family Manor. No one with physical disabilities, no one over forty, no one weak in body..."

He listed a few more ’nos’, and the several hundred people present gradually became dissatisfied.

"Why not take those over forty?" someone questioned on the spot.

"Yeah, we came all this way, and you’re saying no just like that? Why?"

"..."

With someone taking the lead, more questions followed.

"These are the rules of Teng Family Manor!"

Seeing the situation getting out of control, a middle-aged man with an impressive presence stepped forward.

As soon as he appeared, an intangible pressure swept over everyone present.

"If anyone is dissatisfied, feel free to step forward!"

Not a sound was heard; no one dared to speak again.

"Hmph, those who don’t meet the criteria, get out immediately. If anyone dares to sneak in, don’t blame Teng Family Manor for not being polite."

The middle-aged man punched, and the black stone lion statue beside him shattered instantly.

Sss—

The crowd below drew a collective sharp breath.

Those who initially thought about sneaking in either left with their heads down or cursed Teng Family Manor for being unkind before leaving in anger.

In just a moment, more than three hundred people dwindled to around one hundred.

"Those who stayed are impressive. Teng Family Manor needs courageous people." The middle-aged man looked down on everyone while stepping on the fallen stone lion.

Suddenly, he raised an eyebrow and his gaze stopped somewhere.

"Hey, you two, come over here."

Two tall and muscular men puffed out their chests and shouted in a rough voice, "Make way for us."

The people in front quickly made way.

"Have you practiced martial arts?" the middle-aged man asked.

"Yes."

"Not bad, you two go in first."

"Yes." The two were overjoyed.

"And you, come over." The middle-aged man looked at Black Bear.

Black Bear stepped forward, answered similarly, and entered Teng Family Manor ahead of time.

"This way."

Someone led the way in front, and after a while, the crowd grew again.

Sensing a presence of about twenty people, each one was a martial artist who had condensed Qi and blood.

Gradually, more scattered people arrived, including the two martial artist women in black conical hats Black Bear had met at the Wind Vine County tavern.

However, the two had disguised themselves and blended into the crowd, making them not very noticeable.

When the number reached thirty, a person with a stern expression from Teng Family Manor stepped forward.

"Not bad, you’ve all trained in martial arts, so you can’t be mere house servants like those farmers outside."

"I just so happen to need a squad of guards. Follow me." Every word seemed indisputable.

Everyone hurried to follow.

When Black Bear saw this person, his eyes flashed with anger, but it was quickly suppressed.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, they arrived at a square, guarded by many on both sides.

The smell of blood was not only present but strong, like a slaughterhouse.

It seemed to have recently witnessed some bloody incident.

As soon as the thirty people stepped into the square, the exit was blocked.

Then, the Blood Vine Castle Guard Captain Teng Hua stepped forward, holding a long blade, his face as cold as ice, striking fear into hearts.

"What’s going on?" someone panicked.

"Something’s wrong."

... The people looked around at the armed guards, feeling uneasy.

At this moment, Black Bear’s face was slightly angry, his fists secretly clenched, and something seemed off about him.

"Hmph!" Suddenly, an ear-piercing voice rang out, making everyone’s heart tremble, "Make a choice."

Make a choice? What choice?

Everyone was confused.

But the next sentence immediately changed everyone’s expression.

"Join as bandits, or die."

Bandits? What bandits?

Isn’t this the Teng Family Manor, the richest merchant in Wind Vine County?

Weren’t we here to become guards?

How did it suddenly turn to being bandits?

When Black Bear heard this, his arm muscles bulged, his face was red, and he seemed furious beyond control.

"No one chooses? Then I’ll help you choose."