Chapter 14: Mountain Stronghold

The plan Chen Luo suggested wasn’t ideal, as ultimately, the imperial court held the most power during this era.

Becoming bandits was typically a last resort for those driven to desperation with no other choice. Moreover, even if they retreated into the mountains, it wouldn’t guarantee safety. If Wei-gonggong’s backers were truly ruthless, they might send a large force to sweep through the area. In that scenario, escape would be impossible, and their fate could be far worse than their current predicament.

“Seeking these people isn’t about becoming actual outlaws; we’re looking for survival at the Mountain Stronghold,” Chen Luo explained, noticing his third uncle’s hesitation.

“It’s clear that Wei-gonggong and his associates are plotting something significant, and conflicts involving the royal family have never been minor affairs. As insignificant individuals, our priority should be preserving our lives amidst such turmoil. When it comes to survival, there’s no better option nearby than joining those mountain bandits.”

“All right!”

With gritted teeth, Third Uncle agreed to his nephew’s proposal.

After all, given their dire situation, things couldn’t possibly get much worse.

With that decision made, uncle and nephew promptly changed course, heading towards the nearest mountain stronghold. Fortunately, being locals of Qingya County, they were familiar with the nearby strongholds. According to their knowledge, there was one such stronghold on Desolate Mountain Ridge called Fierce Tiger Stronghold.

After walking along the mountain path for about an hour, by the time they reached the entrance of the stronghold, the sky had fully brightened.

“Halt!”

Before they could approach, an arrow whizzed past and embedded itself near their feet. Looking up, they spotted a bandit armed with a bow standing atop the gate. Dressed as a hunter, he likely hailed from one of the nearby villages who had turned outlaw.

“Kindly inform your leader that Chen Dahe, a fellow townsman, seeks an audience,” Third Uncle said with a smile, remaining where he stood and speaking loudly. Simultaneously, he produced a money pouch from his robes, indicating his awareness of the customary fee. At the Fierce Tiger Stronghold, this payment was known as “road toll.” By paying it, visitors became guests entitled to the protection of the stronghold.

In the past, when burying corpses, Third Uncle had interacted with the Fierce Tiger Stronghold, so he understood their protocols well.

Upon seeing the money, the hunter swiftly jumped down from the gate. The gate itself wasn’t particularly high, making it easy for someone agile to descend quickly.

“Not bad, you know your way around.” The hunter accepted the money pouch, weighed it briefly in his hand to ensure the correct amount, and nodded with satisfaction.

Standing behind Third Uncle, Chen Luo observed the hunter closely. Judging by his archery skills just now, this gatekeeper was no ordinary individual. He could easily handle three or five grown men without breaking a sweat, though it was unclear if he had formal martial training.

The competence of even a gatekeeper gave insight into the strength of the entire stronghold.

For Fierce Tiger Stronghold to be renowned far and wide as a formidable force, surviving multiple government sieges, undoubtedly meant they possessed commendable qualities.

“Go ahead, follow the path straight ahead. Remember, don’t wander off randomly.” With payment received, the hunter returned to his post at the gate.

“Many thanks, brave warrior.” Third Uncle breathed a sigh of relief and swiftly led Chen Luo into the mountain stronghold.

He felt extremely anxious; dawn had already broken, and events in Qingya County must have escalated. Whether it was Wei-gonggong’s backers or the County Magistrate of Qingya, both were influential figures beyond their means to confront. They needed to escape before either side reacted and tightened the noose.

Inside the stronghold, Chen Luo and his uncle followed the directions given by the bandit at the entrance, avoiding any unnecessary wandering.

The Mountain Stronghold had its own rules: anyone entering with payment must immediately pay respects to the Great Chief and present a gift as a sign of respect.

After passing through the front hall, they arrived at a central training ground. As Chen Luo and his uncle approached, several men from the stronghold were practicing their boxing techniques in the yard. With a quick glance, Chen Luo noticed that they focused on rudimentary forms, commonly known as external martial skills. Such skills might suffice against ordinary people, but in a world where martial arts prevailed, they lacked long-term effectiveness. More importantly, external martial training often prematurely depleted one’s lifespan. While manageable in youth, various health issues typically surfaced later in life.

Continuing further, they reached the only imposing building within the stronghold:

Fierce Tiger Hall.

Several chiefs were drinking inside, showing no reaction upon seeing newcomers enter, presumably because they had been informed beforehand.

“You’re Chen Dahe? How come I don’t remember having a fellow townsman like you?” The Great Chief lounged in a tiger-skin chair, leaning back casually. Even his black short jacket could not conceal his well-built muscles, exuding a menacing aura just by sitting there - truly embodying the ferocity of a fierce tiger. The bandits around him also carried an extraordinary presence, each tall and robust, clearly skilled in raiding and pillaging.

“Great Chief, it’s understandable for someone of your stature to forget acquaintances.”

This wasn’t Third Uncle’s first encounter with these bandits, so he remained unfazed by the Great Chief’s attempts at intimidation.

Calmly, he retrieved a prepared sum of silver from his pocket and placed it on the table - a substantial thirty taels!

An amount most ordinary folk wouldn’t earn in a year! If not for their current reliance on these bandits for survival, Third Uncle would never have been this generous.

“We shared drinks just two months ago,” Third Uncle said after placing the silver down, then stepped back respectfully with hands cupped.

“Ah yes, indeed I remember you now.” The bandit chief grabbed the silver, laughing heartily.

His expression suggested genuine recollection, but only he knew if that was true or not.

“Well, speak up. What brings you here today? Thirty taels should buy me enough wine for quite some time,” the Head Tiger declared boldly.

The implication was clear: whatever favor they sought mustn’t exceed the value of thirty taels.

“We wish to leave Qingya County and hope the Great Chief could assist us, perhaps via waterways.”

“Leave Qingya County…”

The Head Tiger sat up straighter, his tone no longer as casual. The laughing bandits nearby also fell silent, realizing their leader was deep in thought.

“Have you heard something troubling?” asked Head Tiger, showing his astuteness. In truth, he had been closely monitoring Qingya County’s activities for some time. Since the blockade began days ago, he sensed that something was amiss. Recently, he had ordered all his brothers back to the stronghold and intensified patrols and defenses. Previously, Third Uncle and Chen Luo would not have encountered any patrols upon entering the Mountain Stronghold’s territory.

“We…”

“Let me handle this, Third Uncle.” Chen Luo stepped forward, gently placing his hand on his uncle’s shoulder.

He knew explaining the situation briefly wouldn’t suffice, and even if they managed to clarify it, verifying the information would take considerable time. By then, it might be too late to escape once everything became clear.

Thus, Chen Luo decided to use his own approach to reason with these bandits.

“You got this?”

Seeing Chen Luo’s determination, Third Uncle swallowed his words and stepped back, acknowledging that after last night’s events, he could no longer view his nephew as just an inexperienced youngster.

“Head Tiger, I assume you can sense it too?” As Chen Luo spoke, he intentionally released his aura. With his current inner training prowess, even ordinary people could distinctly feel it.

An inner training expert?

As his aura spread, everyone in the hall became instantly alert, with some bandit leaders reaching for their weapons. These were ruthless outlaws who understood well the significance of an inner training expert.

“I stand corrected.”

Head Tiger narrowed his eyes, subtly tightening his grip on the armrest.