The newly obtained enhancement buff for the Shadow Soldiers was excellent. Originally, Shadow Soldiers were just max-leveled individuals who were stronger than ordinary mortals. Without modification, the Shadow Soldiers could only take down two or three bandits simultaneously.
Since they were rewarded with bonuses, they could greatly increase their combat power even if their level was merely one. With that, Zhang Yun had the upper hand. He could easily take on seven or eight bandits alone.
Even if the bandits were to cooperate with the Calabash Brothers to save their grandfather, the Shadow Soldiers' ever-growing combat ability was even more formidable. Only one Shadow Soldier was needed to wipe out the entire lair.
After all...
The Shadow Soldiers were shadows. They didn't possess physical restrictions nor did they get fatigued.
After getting rid of all the enemies in the bandits' lair, Zhang Yun led a large group of Shadow Soldiers back to the dungeon.
Zhang Yun unlocked the girl's chains, opened the wooden cage, and found a new set of clothes for the girl.
[After asking around, you found out about the girl's background. Her village was destroyed, and all her family members died. She had nowhere to go.]
[You didn't know whether the Silver Wolf Bandits still existed. However, there could a chance that the girl heard about them. So, while testing the wasters, you suggested joining the Silver Wolf Bandits. This group of people had a strong sense of justice. The Silver Wolf Bandits would definitely take care of her.]
[The girl looked on edge. She seemed to be aware of the Silver Wolf Bandits, but she didn't trust you. The girl was unwilling to reveal the location of the Silver Wolf Bandits.]
[Choose your option.]
[A: Forcefully interrogate the girl with a gun.]
[B: Take the girl on the road and prove yourself with time.]
[C: Leave the girl behind and look for the Silver Wolf Bandits.]
[D: Give up on the search for the Silver Wolf Bandits.]
This?
Did this mean that the Silver Wolf Bandits were not exterminated yet?
Perhaps, Zhang Yun's appearance in the first simulation led them to their early deaths. If the Silver Wolf Bandits had not rebelled, the corrupted army would not have mobilized a large force to encircle and annihilate them.
This situation was similar to people's indifference toward little mice hiding in the shadows. Should the mice reveal themselves and climb into beds, humans would use all means available to exterminate these pests.
Zhang Yun thought about it and felt apologetic. Thereafter, he chose Option B.
[You took the girl on a journey to find the Silver Wolf Bandits, all the way to the west.]
[You continue to eradicate all the bandits you encounter along the way. You then used the money and food you amassed from the bandits to help the old, weak, women, and children you encountered. You and the girl had been following the creed and principles of the Silver Wolf Bandits from the beginning.]
[However, after several days of investigation, you didn't receive any information regarding the Silver Wolf Bandits' whereabouts.]
[But the girl grew to trust you more and more. A different kind of emotion bloomed within her. She even wanted to become one with you.]
[Finally, one morning, the girl opened her heart to you and confessed she had always known the location of the Silver Wolf Bandits' main stronghold because her brother was also a righteous thief who had joined them.]
[You told the girl that you hoped she could lead you to the Silver Wolf Bandits. You shared your intention of joining the group and saving more people who are gravely suffering on the border.]
[The girl believed you and agreed to it.]
[Under the girl's lead, you quickly found the Silver Wolf Bandits' stronghold. Unexpectedly, you learned that the current leader of the Silver Wolf Bandits was not Milano but a mysterious long-haired woman.]
[The mysterious long-haired woman was towering. She had snow-white skin, slender limbs, and long blue-and-white hair. Her eyes are blue like ice, and she has a blue crystal pendant on her ear. For some reason, she was wearing a white devil mask, which made it impossible to see her true appearance.]
[You have discovered that the long-haired woman is also a hero soul that fulfills the conditions of the Shadow Contract.]
What?!
Not only did the timeline change but even Brother Silver Wolf changed his gender?!
This...
The long-haired woman should be the second-generation leader, right?
Milano was previously introduced as the first leader of the Silver Wolf Bandits.
If there was a first generation, then there would definitely be a second, third, and fourth generation.
[The new leader of the Silver Wolf Bandits was greatly suspicious of your identity. She ordered others to put you under house arrest and take the girl away for questioning. After learning that you had previously joined the criminals who slaughtered her village, she immediately broke into your room with a long spear in hand and stared at you with murderous intent.]
[You remained calm in the face of danger and explained that you were an ambitious man who went undercover. You wanted to use the power of the unscrupulous bandit to find the Silver Wolf Bandits who intended to rob the rich to help the poor. Your ultimate goal was to join the Silver Wolf Bandits to save more people at the border.]
[But the current leader of the Silver Wolf Bandits didn't believe you. She bluntly questioned why you failed to save the entire village of girls from slaughter.]
Upon reading the words, Zhang Yun was dumbfounded. He realized that the response of his shadow in the simulation would be dependent on his own thoughts if there was no system prompt providing specific options.
Just like earlier, Zhang Yun could only come up with being an undercover agent. He didn't even have time to fix it or think about the logical loopholes in his excuse.
Zhang Yun's shadow delivered the words so openly. The current leader of the Silver Wolf Bandits noticed that something was amiss.
What was this?
This was a scam!
How should Zhang Yun explain himself?
[Since you failed to explain, the suspicion of the current leader of the Silver Wolf Bandits grew. She decided to lock you up in the dungeon first and slowly uncover your identity.]
[But at this moment, the door of the room was pushed open heavily, and a subordinate ran in nervously. The newly-arrived bandit reported that a group of armed knights from the kingdom had barged in.]
[The current leader of the Silver Wolf Bandits debated whether you were taken advantage of by the kingdom's lackeys to locate their base camp or your loyalty lay with the army. Perhaps it was you who called the knights over.]
[You were asked to explain yourself properly. You then offered to prove your innocence by killing the armed knights from the kingdom.]
[However, the current leader of the Silver Wolf Bandits did not pay attention to you. Instead, she ordered the bandit who reported the news to keep an eye on you. She went to personally deal with the group of kingdom's lackeys who invaded the base.]
[Choose an option.]
[A: Wait obediently.]
[B: Kindly persuade and ask the subordinate to release you in order to help.]
[C: Stun the subordinate and break out of the door to help.]
[D: Stay in another place. Force your way out and take advantage of the chaos to leave.]
[Special: Personally interfere.]
Zhang Yun frowned.
Should he choose Option A?
It definitely wouldn't work. Regardless of whether the current leader of the Silver Wolf Bandits won against the army or was defeated by the army, it wouldn't be able to resolve his dubious identity.
Option B was not reliable either.
How could a subordinate who couldn't make decisions release so easily?
Then...
Zhang Yun could only choose between Option C and Option D.
First of all, Zhang Yun had to eliminate Option D. Milano had been nothing but kind to Zhang Yun last week. Zhang Yun didn't want to give up on Milano's successor just because of a small misunderstanding.
Moreover...
The probability of a hero's soul appearing seemed to be very small.
If he were to give up on the current leader of the Silver Wolf Bandits, Zhang Yun might not be able to encounter any other hero souls, and this round would be a waste of time.
After all...
Zhang Yun was incapable of determining his spawn point and timeline without contracting a hero's soul.
In the next round, Zhang Yun might not even be able to meet Brother Silver Wolf and Sister Silver Wolf.
So…
Only Option C was left.
Stun the subordinate!
Zhang Yun attacked forcefully. He could only prove he was in the same boat as the Silver Wolf Bandits through his actions.