Chapter 98: Raising a Private Army
“You—you—this is absurd! I forbid it…”
“Father, I must go. You can’t stop me today. Back when Xiaogang fell into the water, he almost got swept away. If it hadn’t been for second brother Haojie saving him, my son would’ve been gone! It was a life-saving debt—how could I not repay it, even if it costs me my life? Besides, this time, Xiao Luo sacrificed herself to save all of us!”
Hearing Yu Shanhe’s words, his wife Zhang Fen bit her lip, her eyes turning red.
As much as she didn’t want her husband to risk his life, they owed Yu Haojie’s family a debt they could never repay.
“Fine, fine! You want to repay that debt—I won’t stop you! But have you thought about your wife and child, or me, your father? If something happens to you, what’s to become of us in that desolate land? Your mother is already gone—do you want to anger me to death too?”
People are selfish by nature. Watching so many unfamiliar faces step forward for their sake, Yu Haojie and Ye Jiamei couldn’t help but feel touched, committing their kindness to memory.
They were grateful and moved, but they didn’t blame those who stayed behind. In their position, they might not risk their lives for a near-stranger either.
As Yu Liang clung to Yu Shanhe’s hand, refusing to let go, Yu Zhengqing spoke up.
“No need. Those who can use lightness skills, pick one to come with us. Everyone else stays behind. Our families still need protection.
“We’ve left that valley, but there might be other bandits or wild beasts out here.”
After saying this, Yu Zhengqing turned to Zhang Yuan. “So, you’re really not coming?”
“I’m not!”
This time, it wasn’t Zhang Yuan who replied. Tao Fanghua, his wife, cut in sharply, leaving no room for negotiation.
Yu Zhengqing’s eyes darkened at Zhang Yuan’s silence, and he nodded.
“Fine.”
Without another word, Yu Zhengqing turned and left.
“Father, I’ll go with you!”
Before Yu Zhengqing could say anything, Yu Xiaoran stood up, volunteering immediately. The two relatives from the Bai and Liu families also came forward.
“Your Excellency, our skills may not be as good as Zhang Yuan’s, but we have some lightness skills. Our hand-to-hand combat might not be great, but if we go with Yu second master and those powerful crossbows of his, we can at least provide cover if things go south.”
The one who spoke was the son of Bai You’s second brother, a nineteen-year-old who used to work at a security bureau. He looked sturdy and capable, someone who had clearly trained in martial arts.
During past fights, he’d helped out, but with the Yu and Zhang families taking charge, his efforts hadn’t been very noticeable.
“Your Excellency, I am Liu Kaiqi from the Liu family’s second branch. I know some basic martial arts. My lightness skills aren’t great, but I used to be a constable,” said another man, stepping forward.
While they were arguing over rescuing Yu Luo, on the other side, Yu Luo was being escorted by the bandit leader into a mountain cave and locked up.
She’d thought they would immediately take her to the bandit leader, but instead, they threw her into an empty cave and left her alone.
Staring at the iron-barred door, Yu Luo pressed herself against it, trying to see outside.
But no matter how she looked, it was pointless. The cave was part of a tunnel, and all she could see outside was a stone wall.
“System, how far is the gold stash from here?”
[Host, I am still scanning. Please hold on. This mountain cave is quite complex. It seems there’s even a lower level underground.]
Yu Luo: …
“Can you also check how many bandits there are in this place?”
[Understood, Host!]
The bandits hadn’t even bothered to tie her up, simply locking her inside. Little did they know that Yu Luo, in less than a moment, had already received a full report from the system, learning everything about the bandit hideout.
[Host, this private mine is enormous. You are currently in the rear mountain area, where they house the miners and the bandits themselves. There are over thirty caves in this tunnel alone, all seemingly for the miners. Once you get out, head left. Follow my instructions when the time comes.]
“Got it. What about the lower level?”
[That area is used for raising a private army. I advise against going down there. This is not just a bandit hideout—it’s part of a powerful figure’s plan to build a private army.]
Yu Luo: …
“That impressive? No wonder these bandits seemed way stronger than the last batch! In that case, I won’t go down. And I won’t bother saving those miners either. If someone’s powerful enough to raise a private army, I’d just be digging my own grave. Even if I rescue the miners,
[Exactly. Given your current abilities, your target today should just be those tens of thousands of taels of gold. Additionally, I’ve discovered a stockpile of weapons. It’s a sizeable haul—feel free to take it all.]
“But if I make a move now, they’ll definitely connect my disappearance to our group of exiles. If these bandits come after us, we wouldn’t stand a chance. We’d all be dead meat.”
[Correct. That’s why I suggest waiting until the last moment to use the invisibility talisman I gave you. Remember, it only lasts for two hours. Meaning, after grabbing the gold and weapons, you must escape their pursuit within those two hours.]
Two hours—four hours in modern time.
Four hours, all mountain roads, without lightness skills—definitely risky.
“System, can’t I just come back for the gold and weapons later? If they find out the stash is gone, they’ll hunt me and my family down.”
Yu Luo hesitated.
There was nothing more important than staying alive. If she died, all the gold and system points would be worthless.
[Host, you’ve already borrowed 1,000 points to get the invisibility talisman. Are you really going to give up now? Here’s another option: if you borrow another 1,000 points, I can replace the gold and weapons you take with counterfeits. That way, they won’t notice anything amiss and won’t waste resources hunting you down.]
“Alright then. No other choice. So, to sum up: I’m risking my life here, spending 2,000 points, in exchange for time to escape, tens of thousands of taels of gold, and a cache of weapons?”
[Correct. Once you’ve secured the goods, head north. There’s a secret path that leads out of the mountains faster. I’ll guide you.]
“Well then, let’s do this.”
