NOVEL NEXT Chapter 23 - Taking the Blame
Chapter 23 – Taking the Blame
“Boom! Boom! Boom!”
Xu Lian moved like a tiger among sheep, each punch and kick easily knocking a mountain bandit to the ground. These bandits were ordinary people; against a warrior at the Muscle Refining stages like Xu Lian, they stood no chance. In a matter of moments, more than a dozen bandits lay on the ground, groaning in pain and unable to get up.
To ensure that he captured them alive, Xu Lian had held back his strength. Otherwise, the bandits would have been dead by now.
He looked into the cave and saw several women huddled in a corner, trembling with fear. They were probably villagers who had been kidnapped from nearby. “Don’t be afraid,” he reassured them. “I’m here to take care of the bandits. You’ll be free to return home by evening.”
Lu Kan climbed up the slope, slightly winded. Seeing the bandits already subdued, he looked a bit sheepish, knowing he hadn’t contributed much.
The five swordsmen who had flanked the mountain’s ridges also arrived, dragging along the lookout they’d caught trying to flee. The man was now kneeling on the ground, his face pale, pleading, “Spare me, my lord!”
He had quickly identified Xu Lian as both a martial artist and the leader of the group.
The other bandits, slowly recovering from their ordeal, also begged for mercy.
Xu Lian ignored them and turned to Lu Kan. “Look around for a rope. If you can’t find any, cut some vines to tie these people up.”
Lu Kan and the swordsmen began to search the bandits’ caves. They found some rope, but discovered very little money or food. It wasn’t surprising; these bandits barely scraped by, surviving on occasional raids on nearby villages. Wealth was not part of their reality.
“You can split it among yourselves,” said Xu Lian, uninterested in the meager loot.
Lu Kan and the swordsmen divided the coins and food, then used the ropes to bind the bandits. They tightly secured the captives and lowered them down the cliff.
“Hold still!” one of the swordsmen barked at a bandit who tried to rub the rope against the sharp rocks to escape. A few punches and kicks later, the unruly bandit fell into line.
At the bottom of the cliff, the swordsmen tied the captives together in a long row that resembled a string of candied hawthorns. Xu Lian rode ahead on horseback, dragging the line of bandits behind him, while Lu Kan and the swordsmen followed in the cart, making sure that none of the prisoners tried to escape.
Their procession attracted the attention of passing villagers. Some, recognizing the bandits as those who had once raided their homes, sought Xu Lian’s permission to take a little revenge. With his approval, they rushed over to slap or kick the bandits, venting their anger.
When they returned to the quarry, Xu Lian saw that the granary and several buildings were already half built. Satisfied with Pu Lin’s efficiency, he nodded in approval.
Pu Lin rushed over to report, “I have ordered all the buildings and the granary to be made of stone. It’s more labor intensive, but it will be sturdy and fire resistant”.
“Good,” Xu Lian replied. He then ordered Lu Kan to tie the bandits to a tree for the time being. Once the stone buildings were completed, they would serve as holding cells for future blood sacrifices.
The workers who were taking a break after lunch were curious as to why Xu Lian had brought back the bandits, but they didn’t dare ask any questions. Their focus was on earning food; the quarry manager’s affairs were none of their business.
The head cook came out of the kitchen and asked, “Manager Xu, have you eaten yet? Shall I prepare something for you?”
“I haven’t eaten yet,” Xu Lian replied. “This is our first day working here. Prepare a feast and heat up some wine. I’ll host a meal for over a dozen of my subordinates.”
“Understood,” the cook said enthusiastically, eager to prove his skills on this inaugural day at the quarry kitchen. He wanted to impress Xu Lian and solidify his position.
Once the dishes were ready, three assistant cooks carried them over along with the wine. Xu Lian invited Lu Kan and the swordsmen to eat with him. He also called Pu Lin, Yang Ye, Zhang Yuan, and Lin Bufeng, the snake catcher’s son.
Although some of them had already eaten, they didn’t mind sharing a drink and a few bites of the feast. These guards were Xu Lian’s core team. By treating them to occasional perks, he could emphasize their distinction from the workers and strengthen their loyalty.
“Brother Lian, being an overseer certainly comes with perks. This food is something else,” Zhang Yuan said, enjoying both the wine and the food.
Xu Lian raised his bowl of wine and addressed the group, “Let me say something simple: you’re all under my leadership now. If you work hard and follow me, as long as I, Xu Lian, have good days ahead of me, so will you.”
The group raised their bowls in unison, clinking them together before downing their drinks in one go.
Pu Lin poured himself another bowl and stood up to toast Xu Lian. “I used to rely on my literacy to avoid menial work, but it left me idle and impoverished, barely surviving on wild vegetables. Manager Xu, you’ve entrusted me with this position of supervisor. Words can’t express my gratitude; it’s all in this drink. Here’s to you, Manager Xu.”
Xu Lian raised his bowl, flashing a steady gaze at the group. “I’ll keep this simple. You are all under my command now. Work hard and follow me, and as long as I, Xu Lian, prosper, you’ll all share in the good days.”
The crowd nodded in agreement and raised their bowls to toast him, drinking in one gulp.
Pu Lin stood among them and poured himself another bowl, raising it respectfully toward Xu Lian. “I have been idle and proud for too long, thinking that my literacy made me above manual labor. All it brought me was poverty and shame, barely surviving on foraged wild vegetables. It’s you, Manager Xu, who gave me this overseer position. I’ll say no more; my gratitude is in this bowl of wine.”
With that, Pu Lin drained the bowl and proudly showed the empty bottom. His solemn gesture drew a round of nods, and one by one, the others rose to offer their toasts. Though their words lacked Pu Lin’s eloquence, they were heartfelt – and occasionally amusing enough to draw a chuckle from the group.
The most awkward among them was Lin Bufeng, the snake catcher’s son. He stood with a trembling bowl, his face flushing crimson as he struggled to find words. After an uncomfortable silence, Xu Lian waved him back to his seat, sparing him further embarrassment.
The feast went on for over an hour before Xu Lian finally broke up the gathering. He took a quick tour of the mining site to make sure everything was running smoothly. Meanwhile, the sky was getting darker.
Xu Lian ordered the grain stores opened, and the workers eagerly lined up to collect their shares. Many of them had families waiting for them at home, desperate for food in these hard times. Once the miners had dispersed, Xu Lian turned his attention to the two captured bandits.
“Bring them forward,” he ordered. The two men, visibly frightened, were dragged before him. Xu Lian took out a knife and methodically drew blood to fill five small cups.
“Four of these are for you,” Xu Lian said, handing the cups to Pu Lin, Yang Ye, Zhang Yuan, and Lin Bufeng. “This will save your wives from having to give blood tonight.”
The four overseers gratefully accepted, their relief evident. Bloodletting had become a grim necessity in this world, and anything that shielded their families from it was worth treasuring.
Meanwhile, the two bandits exchanged suspicious glances. Their initial relief at being kept alive as blood slaves soon soured when Xu Lian abruptly shoved them forward, smashing their heads against the rocky ground. The sharp crack of the impact left no doubt – they were dead.
Pu Lin and Yang Ye froze, stunned by the sudden violence. Zhang Yuan was the first to speak. “Brother Lian, why kill them? Wouldn’t it be better to keep them alive for regular bloodletting?”
Xu Lian wiped his hands clean, his tone calm but firm. “Haven’t you noticed? Miners here die frequently. If we don’t do anything, it’s only a matter of time before something unnatural starts taking lives. Sacrifices like this could keep the mine safe.”
Zhang Yuan grimaced. “But the dead are always miners. It’s not our problem. Killing these bandits just feels… wasteful.”
Xu Lian’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t forget, even overseers like Liang Yan have died mysteriously in other mines. Do you want to risk being safe?”
Zhang Yuan paled, shaking his head. The others, understanding the gravity of Xu Lian’s words, quickly fell silent.
“What I’ve done here stays between us,” Xu Lian warned. “If the word spreads, it will only create panic.”
They all nodded in agreement, their expressions solemn.
Satisfied, Xu Lian fetched supplies from the kitchen-grain, vegetables, and meat-and divided the portions among the four overseers as a gesture of goodwill. Then he dismissed them for the night, leaving the mine in the hands of Lu Kan and the ten guards.
As Xu Lian rode back toward town, a question lingered in his mind. During a previous conversation, he had asked Lu Kan why the Night Patrol didn’t demand blood from the guards who watched over the grain stores.
Lu Kan’s answer had been simple: each squad leader carried a green jade token issued by the central granary. At night, the token glowed faintly, serving as a mark of immunity.
“So even the night patrol knows how to pick their targets,” Xu Lian muttered to himself, spurring his horse onward. The faint glow of the city’s lanterns appeared on the horizon, promising a brief respite from the ever-present tension of survival.