344 Depends on my mood (1/2)

Once someone saw a brighter future for themself, they would naturally think of their bros. It was rare for a bandit to come to a good end. If there hadn't been someone who suddenly supported them with money and supplies in this desolate place, they would still be leading quite a difficult life.

For the past five years, no caravans had passed through the valley. If the bandits wanted to fill their stomachs, they would have to go and rob the other bandits. All these days of fighting left them wondering when they could finally call it quits.

In their poorest days three years ago, the bandits even reached a stage where they had to eat wild vegetables and chew on bark and tree roots. As bandits, they were leading terrible lives.

Some of the bandits even ran back to the consortiums' factories to work...

Two years ago, their situation improved after the Qing Consortium set their sights on this place. At the beginning, they only brought food to them so they would not starve to death or leave the valley. From last year onwards, they started secretly sending weapons here.

This was a gradual process.

Naturally, the bandits were unaware it was the Qing Consortium that supported them. They did not care who they were and were only concerned about how long the aid would last.

Everyone knew that whoever was sending them the firearms had to have other motives. All of this was probably done so there would be chaos in the valley and in turn lead to an easier consolidation of forces.

But so what if they knew the motive behind all this? They still had to at least survive. If they got unified later, that wouldn't be too bad either. At least, they would have their meals taken care of.

But now there was a brighter path put ahead of them. It was just up to them whether they chose it.

Jin Lan whispered, ”There's no point saying that. You'll have to speak to the two lords.”

”Alright then.” The bandit hesitated for a while before finally going off to look for Ren Xiaosu.

Ren Xiaosu was currently having a discussion with Yang Xiaojin about the outcome. ”I wonder if they've heard of Old Xu's power before. What if they know nothing of it?”

Actually, Ren Xiaosu's move was an unnecessary one. He thought that if he used Xu Xianchu's signature power and called upon the shadow clone, these people might link it to Xu Xianchu since his reputation was rather well-known now. In this way, their identities as members of Stronghold 178 would be even more realistic.

But what Ren Xiaosu was worried about was that these bandits had never heard of Xu Xianchu before.

Yang Xiaojin looked at him and said, ”Aren't you afraid you'll mess things up?”

”At worst, we'll just go back,” Ren Xiaosu said nonchalantly.

As they were discussing this, the bandit came up to them. Ren Xiaosu looked calmly at him. ”What's the matter?”

”Boss,” the bandit hesitated for a moment before saying, ”can you let me return home for a while?”

Ren Xiaosu raised his eyebrows. ”Do you think you can ask for sick leave to return home? Who said you could go home?”

”No, please hear me out.” The bandit explained, ”I just wanted to go back and bring all my brothers here.”

Ren Xiaosu was stunned as he looked at Yang Xiaojin. The strategy was working! It seemed like these people knew about Xu Xianchu!

He deliberated for a moment before saying, ”What do you know?”

The bandit quickly shook his head in fear. ”I don't know anything, really! I don't know that you're from Stronghold 178!”

”Shoo!” Ren Xiaosu did not know whether to laugh or cry. ”You have a day.”

”Yes, yes! Thank you!” The bandit took it as an opportunity bestowed by Ren Xiaosu and was deeply grateful.