The Gray Adventurer team was quite competent overall. The mage and elf archer provided ranged support, disrupting enemies while under the protection of the three warriors.
"Move out," the red-bearded man waved, and the team sprang into action. They never considered these small fry a threat; their attention was reserved solely for the bandit leader.
The battle commenced.
The village chief hid, motionless.
"So terrifying! Thankfully, the adventurers arrived. Otherwise, these bandits would have definitely attacked our village."
The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became. The villagers were ordinary folk, no match for these bandits. Their expertise lay in farming, not wielding weapons. Expecting them to fight bandits would be asking too much.
Gradually, for some unknown reason, the village chief's hearing became more acute. Despite the distance, he could clearly hear the bandits' shouts.
For example:
"An elf! We've actually found a female elf! Let's capture her for the boss. After he's had his fun, we can have ours!"
"And a female mage!"
"Kill! Kill all the men, keep the women!"
"Hahahaha..."
The village chief shuddered. The thought of these bandits storming the village and harming his "sisters" made him clench his fists, his face contorted with rage.
My sisters! How could they be defiled by bandits?
Any informed observer, knowing that the villagers had been consuming monster meat for the past year – from the relatively weak Wild Boar King to the formidable Saint-level Holy Dragon, along with a variety of seven and eight-star monsters and other Saint-level beasts just below the Holy Dragon – would understand the terrifying implications.
An occasional meal was fine. But a daily diet of such high-quality monster meat was truly astonishing. Even the imperial family couldn't afford such extravagance. They'd go bankrupt.
A short while later…
BOOM!
Lost in thought, the village chief suddenly saw a dark object hurtling towards him. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be the red-bearded man who had just moments ago assured him everything would be fine.
His eyes widened in disbelief.
Are you kidding me?
The Gray Adventurer team was annihilated.
"Gray Adventurers, you fools! We knew you accepted the mission and were waiting for you," a large man wielding dual axes declared, arrogance radiating from him. "Hmm! Who's this old man? Since he found us so quickly, he must be from that village down the mountain. Excellent. We'll pillage your village next."
The village chief's heart pounded with fear upon hearing these words. How could things have gone so wrong?
The red-bearded man was in bad shape. He never expected this outcome. They were so close to success. Who could have predicted the bandits were so well-prepared?
This is what happened: They had eliminated the outer guards without causing a commotion. Under normal circumstances, this would have guaranteed victory. However, when they pushed open the main door, they found the bandits lying in wait. The bandit mage had already completed his incantations. The moment the door opened, countless low-level spells came hurtling towards them, completely disrupting their rhythm.
During the clash with the bandit leader, he had overestimated himself. He thought, We're both four-star warriors; I'm not afraid of you. But reality proved him wrong. The bandit leader's powerful build was no illusion. His axes struck with the force of a thousand pounds, leaving the red-bearded man dazed and disoriented, his arms numb and unable to block the onslaught.
Moreover, the bandit leader fought dirty. He seized an opportunity to deliver a swift kick to the groin, completely incapacitating the red-bearded man.
Now, the village chief took a deep breath. Leaning on his cane, his body trembling, he said, "Young man, don't be impulsive. I'm the village chief. If you kill me, the young people in my village won't let you off. It's best to think this through."
The bandit leader, radiating savagery, advanced towards the village chief, swinging his axes. "Your village is mine now."
Seeing the bandit approaching, the village chief squeezed his eyes shut, gripped his cane, and yelled, "I'm the village chief! You can't kill me! I'll fight you!"
Legend has it… there's a cane fighting technique called the "Blindly Swinging While Screaming" technique. This technique harms the enemy eight hundred, and oneself one thousand. Self-inflicted injuries are common.
The bandit leader scoffed. He swung an axe towards the village chief, ready to cleave him in two.
CLANG!
At the moment of impact, the bandit leader's mocking expression transformed into one of shock. An unimaginable force surged through his arms. He lost control of his axe, and the butt of the weapon slammed into his forehead with tremendous force, shattering his skull as if struck by a bullet. Brain matter splattered everywhere.
THUD!
The bandit leader, his face etched with disbelief, collapsed to the ground.
"Ah!"
"Ah!"
The village chief continued to swing his cane wildly, oblivious to what had transpired. Eyes still closed, he only hoped he wouldn't be too afraid when death finally came.
The red-bearded man, lying on the ground, stared at the scene in stunned silence.
What the… What just happened?
A moment later, the village chief, feeling no pain, opened his eyes and searched for the bandit leader. He found him lying dead on the ground, blood pouring from the back of his head.
He was dumbfounded.
What… what was going on?
The red-bearded man snapped out of his shock and called out, "Village chief, come here."
The village chief, still bewildered, approached him.
"I'll give you two gold coins. Just say I killed him. Deal?" the red-bearded man offered.
He was the leader of the Gray Adventurers. Having just witnessed his team's defeat, his authority had undoubtedly diminished. He needed to regain some face.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Deal."
The bandits in the stronghold were mostly eliminated. Under normal circumstances, they would have won if the bandits hadn't been prepared. But who could have foreseen the bandit leader's lack of professional ethics? His sneak attacks and dirty tricks had forced the adventurer team into a disadvantageous position.
During the final duel, the bandit leader's underhanded tactics had severely injured him. His four team members had fallen unconscious.
When the red-bearded man woke them, they expected to be captured. Instead, they found the bandits dead, including their leader, supposedly slain by their own leader. They looked at him with newfound admiration.
The village chief, having accepted the payment, maintained his professional ethics.
"Your leader was truly amazing. A few swift moves, and the bandit leader was down. I was so dazzled, I couldn't even see what happened."
Indeed, he hadn't seen what happened. Now, he wondered, I killed the bandit leader? Do I possess some hidden power?
The red-bearded man silently gave the village chief a thumbs-up.
Well done.
Back in the village…
The village chief returned, accompanied by the adventurers. Two gleaming gold coins rested heavily in his pocket. Perhaps a thicker wallet made his steps lighter.
"Village chief, do you have a blacksmith here? My weapon was damaged in battle," the red-bearded man asked.
The village chief replied, "Yes, we have a blacksmith. He's very skilled, though his prices are a bit high."
He was thinking of referring business to Lin Fan. The young man was a good lad, often sharing his food. Now with a child to raise, his expenses would surely increase. By mentioning the higher prices, he hoped Lin Fan could earn a bit more.
Less profit from the villagers, but more from you adventurers.
"No problem. As long as the weapon is good, the price is irrelevant," the red-bearded man said with a smile. He saw through the village chief's intentions. Having narrowly escaped death and now experiencing this unexpected fortune, paying a little extra was nothing.
What good weapons could a small village like this possibly have? It would only be a temporary replacement. After collecting the reward for the mission, he would get a better one.
At the blacksmith's…
"Lin Fan, I've brought you some business!" the village chief called out.
Lin Fan, practicing his blacksmithing fundamentals, put down his tools and smiled. "Thank you, Village Chief."
The red-bearded man nodded at Lin Fan and casually glanced around. The displayed weapons were ordinary, the kind Lin Fan had crafted when he first started. They hadn't sold, so they remained as decorations.
He casually examined them.
None were suitable. They didn't meet his requirements. In battle, such weapons would easily shatter.
"Do you have anything better?"
"This is all I have. I mostly make farming tools, not weapons."
"Oh."
He truly wasn't impressed. The weapons were too common, too low quality. None caught his eye. He had always used heavy weapons. These felt like toys in his hands.
A team member whispered, "Leader, if there's nothing here, let's just go back to the city and buy a good one."
He shook his head without saying anything. It wasn't that he wanted to buy from here, but he had no choice. Did they know what had happened while they were unconscious? If they did, they would understand why he needed to buy something.
"Oh, right. I have one more piece inside. Wait a moment," Lin Fan remembered the sword hanging in his house. It was the first weapon he'd crafted, and he felt it was decent. He could sell it and save some money for Ke Lan.
The red-bearded man held no expectations as he waited.
Soon, Lin Fan returned with the 'Very Fast Sword'. The man looked at the small sword. It seemed alright, but for a man of his size to wield such a small sword would be like a little girl swinging a mace – comical.
"Here, take a look," Lin Fan said.
He took the sword from Lin Fan, initially unconcerned. But as he grasped the hilt, his expression changed dramatically. He couldn't be mistaken. This sword felt extraordinary.
He gave it a light swing.
His face contorted.
A look of intense concentration washed over him. His arm trembled violently, nearly dislocating his shoulder. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"How much for this sword?"