"Bandit queen?"
Upon hearing these words, a glimmer of excitement sparkled in Cendrarsa's eyes. Had she not been reborn and assimilated into this body, the idea of being captured to serve as a stronghold's consort would have been quite amusing. She would have transformed that stronghold into a breeding ground for venomous creatures, inciting them to slaughter one another until only one remained, whom she would then dispose of.
Yet now…
She was a married woman, and her husband was a scholar—albeit a false one. Nevertheless, if others were to address him as 'Mr.', she too must present herself as a proper wife. Bloodshed was to be avoided, but the fate of these ruffians was sealed.
With these thoughts in mind, Cendrarsa suppressed her impulsiveness, her gaze shifting nervously, wishing to retreat.
"It's alright."
Zagonnas, fully aware that these brigands held no real threat to Cendrarsa, nonetheless felt compelled to treat his delicate wife as just that, in this tense atmosphere. He stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Cendrarsa, and fixed a steely glare upon the foolish bandit.
"In broad daylight, how dare you brigands intrude upon this village and resort to robbery? Do you not fear the law?"
As Zagonnas uttered these words, the villagers collectively held their breath in trepidation.
The bandit, eyes wide with rage, raised a fist to strike Zagonnas. Yet before the blow could land, the bandit leader—who fancied himself as the 'Mountain God'—lashed out with a whip, binding the assailant's arm.
"Desist! You'll frighten the gentleman!"
The bandit leader yanked the whip back, dismounting from his horse with a swagger, and approached Zagonnas, pushing aside the lesser thug. He glanced at Cendrarsa behind him before his gaze lingered on Zagonnas's face. With each passing moment, his expression grew increasingly lewd.
"This young lady is rather ordinary, nothing particularly special, yet this gentleman… truly a beauty!"
Cendrarsa: ???
Zagonnas: …
The villagers gaped in astonishment, having initially pitied Zagonnas, only to find their sympathies swiftly redirected toward Cendrarsa.
Who would have imagined that the bandit leader favoured men over women?
"Beautiful one, if you desire the tranquillity of the home, you must obediently come with me. Otherwise, I shall let my brothers enjoy this lady behind you."
The bandit leader proceeded to seize Zagonnas by the chin.
Zagonnas, unperturbed, allowed the bandit to grip him.
Cendrarsa could no longer contain her fury; that crass bandit dared to touch her husband! Pulling a silver needle from her person, she prepared to strike the scoundrel down.
But before she could act, Zagonnas turned to embrace her.
"There's no need to worry, my lady. The Mountain God merely wishes to become friends with me. I shall return by tomorrow."
"My lord?"
Cendrarsa, caught in a moment of excitement, utterly forgot Zagonnas's true identity. If he wished to retaliate, these bandits would already be corpses. His agreement to accompany the bandit must stem from a desire to keep the village from harm.
"Then I shall await your return at home."
"Very well."
Reassuring his wife, Zagonnas turned back to the bandit leader. "Mountain God, I will go with you, but I have a condition—do not harm any villagers."
"Hahaha! Since the beauty has requested it, I, the Mountain God, shall grant your wish."
The bandit leader grinned with malice, licking his lips.
Beautiful women were commonplace, but handsome men were rare. How thrilling it would be to indulge in such a connection!
Despite promising not to harm the villagers, the bandits proceeded to ransack the village with impunity. Zagonnas found his hands bound with rough rope and was unceremoniously tossed onto a cart, while the bandits departed in a rowdy procession, like a pack of wolves, leaving Cendrarsa standing at the village's edge, watching them recede into the distance.
"Sister, it is better for the gentleman to be captured than for you. These brigands are devoid of humanity."
The village chief's wife grasped Cendrarsa's arm, attempting to console her.
"Do they come every year?" Cendrarsa asked, her heart heavy with indignation.
"Alas!" The village chief's wife sighed heavily before her voice broke with emotion. "Yes, they come every winter when the snow falls, and they never cease their raids. It's fortunate when they only steal; last year, two young maidens on the verge of marriage were abducted from Old Wang's home, and he was killed."
Tears glistened in the village chief's wife's eyes as she recounted the tragedy.
Upon hearing this, Cendrarsa's composure shattered.
"What happened to those maidens?"
"That night, the bandits ravaged them, then cast their lifeless bodies into the mountains without even a shred of clothing."
"…."
Cendrarsa's heart sank further at the village chief's wife's words.
While all hearts are warm and all blood is red, warmth and colour do not necessarily signify humanity.
"Sister, I am well. I must return home. Thank you."
Cendrarsa gritted her teeth and strode away toward the thatched cottage.
She knew Zagonnas would not let these beasts go unpunished. However, his swordsmanship was too refined; with a single, swift stroke, he could end a life before they even realized what had happened. Such deaths, however, were too merciful for these vile creatures.
They deserved to be dismembered, to suffer agonizingly, unable to achieve either life or death—only then could the souls they had tormented find solace.
Once home, Cendrarsa retrieved a set of dark garments hidden away.
After donning her attire, she produced the Bi Yue Dao, a dagger that symbolized her identity as the leader of the Divine Poison Sect.
As darkness enveloped the world, Cendrarsa stepped through the snow and ventured up the mountain.
Meanwhile, Zagonnas was brought back to the Black Wind Stronghold.
Perched atop a mountain, the stronghold was encircled by sheer cliffs, with only a single pathway leading in.
In addition to the brigade that had returned from Maple Village, there were also bandits led by the second and third lieutenants, returning from other villages after their plundering.
As a massive bonfire blazed to life within the stronghold, it became clear that the entire gang had assembled.
"Brother, I heard you captured a teacher today?" the bald second lieutenant remarked, gnawing on a hock of meat as he spoke to the bandit leader.
"Haha, second brother, take a look at my little beauty! Such a slender waist!" The bandit leader leered at Zagonnas, his eyes glinting with lust.
"Your taste is undeniable, brother! Once you've had your fun, let the brothers have a turn as well. I've had my fill of women, but I've yet to taste a man."
"Of course, of course! We're all brothers here! Once you've experienced it, you'll understand—male beauty is truly captivating!"
Zagonnas listened to the lewd exchange between the two bandits, a bloodthirsty smile slowly forming on his lips.
Indeed, male beauty can be just as captivating.