Sword Among Us Chapter 23: Did Not Leave Far

"Cured Young Huan's father of his illness. You left a favorable impression on the villagers in Water Revival Village [1]. You gained 10 reputation points."

After Happy used up one Jinchuang Ointment, Young Huan's father instantly became better, but unfortunately, even though his injuries were better, it was useless. Young Huan's father still watched the ceiling with unfocused eyes. It could be seen that this man could not accept the heavy shock of not being able to protect his own woman even though he was a man. In fact, the thought of dying had already bloomed in him.

Happy sighed in his heart and swept his gaze past the villagers around him. He placed his fist in his palm and asked to learn of the details regarding the bandits from Black Wind Mountain plundering the village as well as when they had left. 

The boatman, who also happened to be the mayor, used that moment to introduce Happy's status to the people.

When the villagers learned that he was a disciple of the famous Murong Clan in Gusu City, they were instantly worked up. Even Young Huan's father pushed himself up from the bed with one hand over the wound on his chest. Hope was relit in his eyes.

"Young swordsman, I beg of you, please catch up to the bandits and save Xiu Niang. I, Gan Daniu, will be willing to serve you in the future. I will use my entire life to repay you!"

"Big brother, please save my mother."

Happy was shocked when he saw Young Huan and her father suddenly kneel on the ground. When he saw that the mayor had started to show signs that he wanted to kneel as well, he quickly held the old man and pulled Young Huan and her father off the ground.

At that moment, the villagers by the side cut in and gave him a timely reminder. 

"Daniu, stop dilly-dallying! Those crooks from Black Wind Mountain aren't too far away yet. Take the young swordsman with you and catch up to them! You might be able to save Xiu Niang if that's the case."

"They aren't too far away yet?"

When Happy heard this, his eyes lit up, and his spirits were greatly lifted.

Triggered missions would indeed not be too hard and over-the-top. If he really had to rush into Black Wind Mountain to save Xiu Niang with his current abilities, he would not be able to do so even if he had ten lives, but if he only had to fight against a small group of villains from Black Wind Mountain, he had a good chance to win!

"Let's go!"

He did not say anything else and just pulled Gan Daniu out of the village. There were two young men who volunteered to fight, and they picked up their hoes and wooden clubs and caught up to them.

They could not let it slide that someone from their village had been harmed, and they wanted to help.

Happy confidence immediately received a great boost.

While they were on their way, the trio told Happy the details about the villains from Black Wind Mountain, and immediately, Happy felt the passion burning in his heart extinguish…

"Accepted mission: Save Xiu Niang!

"Mission complete requirements: Save Xiu Niang and don't let her die. Protect villagers Gan Daniu, Zhu Zi, and Tie Dan. Kill ten Black Wind Mountain Bandits, and kill the Third Bandit Chief, the strongest martial artist from Black Wind Mountain who is at Gate Realm!"

Happy was speechless.

They might be a small group of mountain bandits, but he was quite certain that if he had to rush at them alone, he would come out with not a single bone left. 

While Zhu Zi and Tie Dan looked like they were sincere and loyal, they were still just villagers, and they would not be of much use. Gan Daniu was even injured. Once both parties came into contact with each other, it would be very difficult for Happy to get out of the situation. Unless he killed all the villains from Black Wind Mountain, it was inevitable for him to be injured. 

By the looks of it, he could not rely on only passion to be chivalrous. 

Happy began thinking of a plan. 

He had originally come to practice his Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Sword on Black Wind Mountain Bandits who were separated from their group and earn some money to buy lancet knives. He did not think that he would trigger a storyline. Fortunately, he had some Jinchuang Ointment and two sets of lancet knives in his Universe Bag, or else, he would really not have the confidence to handle a group of villains from Black Wind Mountain who even had a powerful martial artist protecting them. 

And that powerful martial artist, the third bandit chief of Black Wind Mountain, might be even more powerful than Third Tomb Robber!

By the looks of it, Happy was destined to clash heads against all the people who were ranked third in this life. 

'I'll have to act according to circumstances.'

Happy thought for a long time, but he simply could not think of a good plan for a new player to handle a powerful martial artist in Gate Realm. He could only proceed with caution and start planning when he caught up to the group from Black Wind Mountain. 

…

"Move!"

"Stop being so slow, you wench! You'll see how I'll handle your soft body when we get back to the mountain stronghold. That big, honest fool sure is lucky to have such a beautiful and petite wife."

"Bah!"

Ten men in black escorted a carriage with a few huge boxes on a winding mountain road. They pushed a few bound women forward, which slowed them down. There was a rather pretty woman in the carriage with hate shining in her eyes. She turned her head around and spat on the face of one of the bandits. 

"Interesting!"

That man had the face of a villain, and he was dressed in a brocade robe. He was not angered by the action, and instead laughed. He did not take it to heart and just wiped off the drool on his face. His eyes sparkled, and he laughed sinisterly. His gaze traveled up and down Xiu Niang's body, and the sinister air around him grew stronger. 

"Heh heh, I heard your name is Xiu Niang. I've had my eyes on you since a long time ago. Now… I won't say anything else. When we go back to the mountain stronghold, if you become my wife, I'll make sure your family will have a good life."

"Dream on!" Xiu Niang was a firm and unyielding woman. With resentment and shame on her face, she cursed him. "The officials will definitely come up the mountain and annihilate all of you, you shameless bastards!"

As she spoke, she was shoved forward by the man in the brocade robe. She then reluctantly moved her feet. 

"That's Xiu Niang?"

Not too far behind them was a bush, and there were four people hiding in it. They were, naturally, the group chasing after Black Wind Mountain—Happy and the villagers. He pushed down Gan Daniu whose eyes were filled with fury.

"Yes!"

Gan Daniu nodded violently before he gritted his teeth and cursed. "Those blood-sucking bastards… Young Swordsman Happy, let's go up there and fight them!"

"Do you want to save your wife?" Happy gave the man a vicious glare. "If you want your wife to live, do as I say."

Gan Daniu's mind instantly became clear. He quickly nodded and said that he was willing to do whatever Happy said so long as Xiu Niang was saved from the hands of those trash. Zhu Zi and Tie Dan also showed that they were willing to listen to commands. 

Happy felt at ease when he heard this!

The situation was still rather good.

Black Wind Mountain had not just captured a few women, but also had a lot of stolen goods with them. They would not be able to get to the area of Black Wind Mountain so Happy should still have a chance to save the captives. 

However, his priority was to ensure that the normal villagers who came with him and the women were safe. 

A thought came to his mind, and he gave a few orders to the trio in whispers. 

The trio were first stunned, but when they saw the certainty in Happy's gaze, they quickly hid in the forest. 

After that, Happy brought out a lancet knife from his Universe Bag. He hid it behind his waist, took hold of his Noble Sword, and quietly followed behind them while he kept himself hidden!

…

Shick!

The mountain bandits from Black Wind Mountain were in high spirits after they plundered Water Revival Village and stole their valuables and women. They would occasionally point at the women in front of them and even grope them to satisfy their lust. Sometimes, they would let out lecherous sneers, which lasted until a sonic boom suddenly rose from an area near them. Then, a knife shot through a mountain bandit's neck, and it was only then that the group noticed that there was an enemy nearby. 

"Who is it?!"

The man who wore the brocade robe and had the villainous face was, naturally, Third Bandit Chief of Black Wind Mountain. When he saw that one of his brothers had been attacked right in front of his eyes and fell to the ground while convulsing, he roared in anger. While the bandit covered his bleeding neck and the lancet knife with one hand, the third bandit chief lifted his shining axe and rushed toward the place from which the sound of the hidden weapon had come. 

"Leave behind two of our brothers to watch over the women. The others, follow me!"

Once Third Bandit Chief gave his order, the other mountain bandits also brought out their weapons in righteous indignation. They leapt into the tall bushes by the side of the road.

"Where is he?!"

"After him!"

Right after they leapt behind the bush, they heard the sounds of someone swiftly running away, and that sound came from the distance. Without another word, the group of people went to chase after that sound and kill whoever their attacker was, but they did not expect that the third bandit chief would scowl, raise his palm, and order his men to stop. 

"Careful, the enemy might be luring us away!"

Happy's expression froze while he was hidden in the dark. 'Are NPCs supposed to be this hard to trick?'

"Chief, Fourth Leg can't die in vain!"

However, the other mountain bandits were not happy with this. 

The third bandit chief might have been more alert than the others, but it was not easy for him to swallow the grievance either. A murderous glare shone in his eyes, and after he hesitated for a few moments, he growled, "Chase after him!"

Once he said that, he returned to the group that was tasked to watch over Xiu Niang and the others. 

"Cured Young Huan's father of his illness. You left a favorable impression on the villagers in Water Revival Village [1]. You gained 10 reputation points."