get-shopping Chapter 141 Taoist Priest, Please Wait
Chapter 141 Taoist Priest, Please Wait
Chapter 141 Taoist Priest, Please Wait
The sun was setting in the west, and the shadows of the trees were sparse.
A caravan was traveling along a mountain road. Around the carriages were caravan guards, about a dozen men, each with a vigilant expression, constantly looking around.
At the head of the caravan was a mounted captain of the guards, holding the reins in one hand and the hilt of his sword at his waist in the other, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's.
"Everyone, be on your guard! We've entered the territory of Dazeshan, and the Zeshan bandits could appear at any moment."
Upon hearing the term "Zeshan bandits" from his mouth, some of the guards shuddered, perked up, and became even more vigilant.
The infamous reputation of the Zeshan bandits was deeply ingrained in people's minds; everyone in the towns surrounding Dazeshan knew of them.
Even Tianyong City, which was nominally under the control of the imperial court but had long been captured by Cangjian Peak, was troubled by this group of mountain bandits and had repeatedly sent troops to besiege them, but all attempts had failed.
Over time, the government of Tianyong City reached a tacit agreement with the Zeshan bandits, and the two sides kept to themselves, which further fueled the Zeshan bandits' ferocity.
They intercepted caravans, robbed and murdered passersby, and committed all sorts of evil deeds.
Whenever he thought about this, the captain of the guard would complain to the guild manager, not understanding why he insisted on taking the dangerous Daze Mountain instead of other safer routes.
He also couldn't understand what the goods the caravan was escorting were, or why they were in such a hurry, leading the merchant guild to decide to take the Dazeshan route.
As he vented his dissatisfaction, a slightly chubby figure suddenly appeared in the corner of his eye. It was the very person he had been complaining about for so long: Manager Zhao from the Chamber of Commerce.
The newcomer was dressed in an expensive silk robe, slightly plump, with a kind face, and was holding a string of prayer beads in his hand. He smiled and said:
"Chief Escort Sun, it's getting late. Why don't we find a place to rest first, and then continue our journey early tomorrow morning?"
The man known as Head Escort Sun frowned, glancing disapprovingly at Steward Zhao, who was riding alongside him on horseback, and advised:
"Daze Mountain is fraught with danger, and the Ze Mountain bandits are entrenched there. The longer we stay, the more dangerous it becomes. I suggest we travel through the night and get out of Daze Mountain as soon as possible."
The Zeshan bandits preferred to strike at night, catching caravans and travelers off guard when they were resting at night.
Despite Sun, the head镖师 (bodyguard), earnestly advised Zhao, but Zhao remained unconvinced and insisted on resting for the night before setting off.
"The caravan has been traveling all day, and everyone is exhausted. If they don't rest soon, they might be powerless to fight back if they encounter any unexpected situations."
"But......
Sun, the head镖师 (bodyguard), wanted to try again, but Manager Zhao interrupted him.
"Head镖师 Sun, have you forgotten? Before we set off, our Fufeng Chamber of Commerce made an agreement with your镖局 (escort agency). I am the person in charge of the caravan, and you have to listen to me."
Upon hearing this, Chief Escort Sun shut his mouth, his displeasure evident.
"Alright, now listen to me, send someone to find an open space so we can cook a meal."
Manager Zhao spoke resolutely, completely disregarding the increasingly grim expression on Chief Escort Sun's face.
Due to the agreement reached between the security escort agency and the chamber of commerce, he finally loosened his clenched fist and ordered his men to do as Manager Zhao had said.
"A wise choice." Manager Zhao smiled and stroked his long beard as he returned to the middle of the group.
The sky grew increasingly dark, and the forest was pitch black.
The guards sent out have returned one after another, but none of them have found a suitable place.
Sun, the head镖师 (bodyguard/escort), sighed and muttered, "Everything is going wrong," before deciding to go find Manager Zhao and explain the situation to him.
A guard rushed over, panting, and reported, "Captain, there's a group of refugees not far ahead, probably over a hundred of them."
"Refugees?" Chief镖头 Sun's heart skipped a beat. He quickly dismounted, grabbed the guard, and said, "A few men, come with me to take a look."
Migrants are not law-abiding citizens, especially after they have formed a certain number of people.
Although Sun Biao Tou had not seen many people, he had heard rumors of refugees exchanging children to eat.
These guys are starving; they'll even eat their own kind.
If the refugees gather to a certain size, they may even attack villages and caravans, not only sweeping away food and money, but also possibly taking people.
If there really is a group of several hundred refugees nearby, then he would have to persuade Steward Zhao again.
Before long, led by the guard, the group of five finally encountered the refugees.
Where the forest should have been dark, a campfire had been lit. Large swaths of trees had been felled, and a clearing had been created. In the firelight, shadowy figures could be seen either huddled around the fire or lined up in long queues.
Their shadows, like their figures, were twisted and gaunt, like dried corpses just crawling out of a tomb, and a repulsive aura permeated the entire open space.
When Sun, the head镖师 (bodyguard), saw these refugees, he was first shocked by their sheer number, and then he noticed that these refugees were very different from those he had seen before.
They neither lay on the ground gnawing on grass roots nor went near the trees to gnaw on tree bark.
Those gathered around the fire held broken bowls in their hands and brought them to their mouths.
Sun, the镖头 (bodyguard), had practiced martial arts and reached the Bone Refining level. His eyesight was also much better than that of ordinary people. When he looked closely, he saw that their bowls contained very thin porridge.
"Who is so generous as to risk danger and come here to distribute porridge?"
He then looked at the long line of refugees and followed the line forward. At the very front, beneath a high platform made of wood, stood a Taoist priest dressed in a red crane robe.
Each refugee in line, after receiving a bowl of thin porridge from the red-robed Taoist priest, would bow their head in thanks, and some would even cup their hands in a more formal gesture.
The red-robed Taoist simply nodded slightly, reached into his sleeve, and magically produced a bowl of thin porridge, which he then distributed to the crowd.
"What kind of supernatural power does this Taoist priest use? He seems to have the ability to create things out of thin air! Even a grandmaster might not have such an ability."
Sun, the镖头 (bodyguard), was shocked and took a step back, accidentally breaking a dry branch.
The sound of the broken branch wasn't loud, but it clearly didn't escape the notice of the unpredictable Taoist priest.
"This is bad." Chief镖头 Sun's face stiffened, and when he looked up, he met the Taoist's gaze.
Modi wasn't surprised at all and shouted, "Hey friend over there, aren't you going to come out and greet us?"
Around him, some refugees exchanged glances, some reached for the wooden spears beside them, and others picked up the stones on the ground.
Fan Jin said in a low voice, "Daoist, please be careful. Those who come at this time are probably not good people."
"Master, why don't I take a few brothers to scout ahead and confirm their identity?" Lin Yuanping volunteered.
"I'll go, you all stay here obediently."
Modi patted the two men on the shoulder, signaling them not to move and to wait for him to resolve the matter, or at least take care of the people.
He was the strongest among the entire group of refugees. If even he couldn't handle the enemy, then sending any number of refugees would be suicide.
The sound of shoes crunching on the pile of fallen leaves was exceptionally crisp. Sun, the head镖师 (bodyguard), and his guards didn't dare to breathe, feeling their hearts leap with each footstep.
They could no longer tell whether their hearts were beating in sync with the sound of footsteps, or whether the sound of footsteps was affecting their heartbeats.
"Don't be nervous, I'm not a bad person, I won't take advantage of you."
He felt a tap on his shoulder and suddenly came to his senses, only to find that the red-robed Taoist had walked behind him and had one hand on his shoulder.
Cold sweat dripped down his forehead. Sun, the镖头 (bodyguard), desperately wanted to draw his sword and turn around, but his body wouldn't obey him; he couldn't move no matter what.
Moreover, the Taoist's words made him very worried. He was really afraid that the group of starving refugees would rush up and use their flesh to eat with the thin porridge.
"Master, my name is Sun Biao, a bodyguard from Fangtong Escort Agency. I happened to be passing through your esteemed place and did not expect to disturb you. I apologize in advance and hope that you will be lenient and spare our lives."
Sun Biao first invoked his identity, hoping that the reputation of Wantong Escort Agency would intimidate the Taoist priest.
But he miscalculated; Modi had never heard of the name before, and even if he had, he wouldn't have cared.
The red-robed Taoist priest's tone remained calm: "You're from the Wantong Escort Agency? Then you must be escorting something this time, right?"
Sun Biao looked troubled, hesitated for a moment, and then, thinking of his own life and the lives of his brothers, said:
"To be honest, this time we took on a mission for the Fufeng Chamber of Commerce."
"The Fufeng Chamber of Commerce, huh?" Mo Di nodded, with an expression that said, "I know everything."
In fact, he had never even heard of this chamber of commerce.
After a moment's thought, he lowered his hand, dispelling the oppressive feeling that had enveloped the five people.
The bodyguard was not lying, nor did he harbor any ill intentions; there was no need for him to kill him.
"Since it's a misunderstanding, you should leave now. I need to go back and give porridge to the refugees." He waved his hand, not even glancing at the five people, and walked towards the refugee settlement with his hands behind his back.
The aura surrounding them vanished, and the five felt as if they had been granted a pardon, sweating profusely.
All four guards looked at Chief Escort Sun, waiting for him to give the order to leave. But instead, he watched the Taoist priest's departing figure, pondered for a moment, and then called out:
"Taoist priest, please wait!"
Modi didn't stop walking; upon hearing this, he walked even faster.
You shouldn't listen to that.
Seeing this, Sun Biao shouted repeatedly, "Taoist Master, I would like to ask the caravan to camp nearby and rest for the night. Could you please do me this favor?"
This was a decision he made after careful consideration. After all, this Taoist priest was clearly not simple, and his willingness to give porridge to refugees suggested he was a kind person.
If I could stay by this Taoist priest's side tonight, I would be safer. Moreover, there are so many refugees here, so even if the Zeshan bandits really come, I would have a better chance of survival.
Sun Biao's words undoubtedly reached Mo Di's ears, and a moment later, he heard the telepathic message.
"Can."
He let out a long breath, his stiff features softened considerably, and a hint of joy appeared on his face.
Sun Biao immediately led his men back to the caravan and told Manager Zhao about his decision.
"You mean, there's a group of refugees there?"
Manager Zhao twirled the prayer beads in his hands, his already small eyes narrowing into slits, and with his two mustaches, he looked exactly like a large rat covered in clothes.
Sun Biao thought he would have to do some persuasion, but to his surprise, after thinking it over, he readily agreed.
The caravan set off again and camped out near a settlement of refugees not far away.