CHAPTER 56: CHAPTER 55: FOURTH BOSS (PART 1)

"Look quickly, is that Sunset Mountain up ahead?"

"So tall, so majestic, such a mountain!"

"Enough chatter, let’s ride."

"Giddy up..."

After escaping from the Xinxiang Inspection Bureau, they rode their horses at top speed.

With Zhu Darui leading the way, they avoided many dangerous areas.

After about seven or eight hours, they reached the foot of Sunset Mountain.

It was near dusk, the red glow of the sunset cast a brilliance on the forested mountains.

Sunset Mountain stood nearly four hundred zhang tall, with dense vegetation, rugged rocks, and steep slopes.

They climbed up the mountain and, about tens of zhang up, saw a simple gate of the stronghold.

The base was made of a heap of stones, with an upside-down U-shaped entrance blocked by a wooden fence.

Above the base was a pavilion with flying eaves, where seven or eight men dressed in black with red headbands stood.

Noticing Lou Yi’s group, they quickly became alert, blew whistles that echoed far in the silent mountain.

"Who are you?" a lookout bandit shouted, raising his longbow.

Lou Yi glanced at Zhu Darui beside him.

He swaggered forward, pointed his rough finger ahead, and cursed loudly: "Blind fools, can’t you see I’m leading them back?"

The bandits in the pavilion looked at each other in dismay, someone couldn’t help but lean forward to take a closer look and rubbed their eyes.

"It’s the Third Boss!"

"Why is the Third Boss back?"

"Wasn’t he going to be escorted to Tai City for execution?"

Hearing these underling’s words, Zhu Darui almost blew his nose in anger.

He raised his voice, like a broken gong echoing in the forest.

"Bullshit! I’m alive and well, it’s your damn self that’s going to be executed!"

The more arrogant Zhu Darui was, the more intimidated the guards were, one cautiously said: "Third Boss, please wait, we’ll report to the First Boss."

"Damn you! I bring people back and can’t even enter?"

"How dare you lock me out, when I get in, I’ll skin you alive!"

Zhu Darui vented all his jail grievances, yelling unrestrainedly.

The scene became somewhat uncanny.

Both sides of the gate stood silently, only Zhu Darui was in the middle shouting out loud, a one-man show.

After about half a stick of incense’s time.

The fence at the gate of the mountain stronghold opened, and people filed out.

A loud joyful shout was heard: "Third Brother!"

Then a burly man in red strode over.

He was two or three times wider than an average person, almost two meters tall, his bald head shining, features ugly.

Several scars adorned his cheeks, one stretching from his lips to the back of his ear, looking like a demon.

He wore a Nine-Ring Great Cleaver at his waist, clinking as he walked.

"Big Brother!"

Zhu Darui also got excited, jogging to the burly man.

The burly man, the First Boss of Sunset Mountain, gripped Zhu Darui’s arm: "Brother deeply regretted, after you got caught, it was a mistake to let you test the waters!"

Just after the First Boss finished, an aged voice came from behind: "Third Brother, after you were caught, Big Brother couldn’t eat or sleep well. We almost went to Xinxiang to bust you out!"

Speaking was an elder with half-white hair in a topknot, wearing a blue Daoist Robe.

Though he tried to seem celestial, his thin face and small eyes made him look rather sleazy.

"Second Brother." Facing this Daoist, Zhu Darui’s expression turned cold, anyone could tell their relationship wasn’t close.

After reminiscing a bit with Zhu Darui, the First Boss asked: "Third Brother, how did you get out?"

While speaking, his gaze occasionally fell on Lou Yi’s group, especially lingering on Lou Yi.

"This time, thanks to benefactor Lou Yi for saving me!" Zhu Darui’s expression was excited as he turned to introduce Lou Yi to his two older brothers.

"He’s Lou Yi, he released all the prisoners and led us to storm the Inspection Bureau, and took that inspector dog’s head! Haha, it was satisfying!"

"Despite his young age, don’t underestimate him, even Man Slaughter Ning Xiong only lasted two or three moves!"

"What?!"

This statement shocked the mountain bandits of Sunset Mountain, even the First Boss’s expression changed slightly.

The formidable reputation of Man Slaughter Ning Xiong was hard-earned.

Not to mention those who died at his hands on Sunset Mountain, you couldn’t count on both hands.

"Is this true?" the Second Boss, the old Daoist, couldn’t help but ask shrilly.

"When have I ever lied?" Zhu Darui scowled.

"Eh, Second Brother, Third Brother has always been precise, he wouldn’t lie." The First Boss stopped the dissatisfied old Daoist, politely cupping his hand towards Lou Yi, "This young brother is indeed a hero among youngsters.

You saved my Third Brother, thereby saving me! Whatever request you have, I’ll agree!"

"First Boss, you’re too kind." Lou Yi also cupped his hand in return, "I currently have no place to stay, I hope First Boss would take in a homeless person like me on Sunset Mountain."

Getting closer to the First Boss, Lou Yi felt immense heat emanating from him, like a big furnace.

This was something not even found on Man Slaughter Ning Xiong, Lou Yi felt some trepidation.

The First Boss heard this, his eyes flickering.

But before he could respond, Zhu Darui exclaimed loudly: "Why wouldn’t he? My Big Brother said he wants to achieve great things, naturally, the more capable people under him, the better!"

"Hahaha! Third Brother is right!" Hearing Zhu Darui, the First Boss agreed heartily, "We truly need talented youths like Brother Lou on Sunset Mountain!"

"Thank you, First Boss." Lou Yi appropriately showed joy on his face.

"Wait a moment!" Zhu Darui interjected again, making the old Daoist frown, and even the First Boss looked at him.

"It’s not just me; many brothers owe their lives to Lou Yi. Such a debt of life-saving grace is hard to repay in this lifetime.

I want to give him my third seat, what does Big Brother think?"

After Zhu Darui finished speaking, an eerie silence fell over the scene.

Both the local mountain bandits and the newcomers were bewildered by Zhu Darui’s far-fetched idea.

"Third Brother, don’t joke about. This leadership position can’t just be given to a newcomer." The old Daoist couldn’t contain himself, his expression sour, "All of us have weathered countless battles, made great contributions to our stronghold."

"In our stronghold, whoever can fight, can lead! Of course, except you." Zhu Darui scoffed.

"Nonsense!" The old Daoist’s beard bristled in anger, "Old as I am, I climbed out from among the dead! Besides, the times have changed, and now with so many brothers on the mountain, we need to be responsible for them!"

"Either way, my life belongs to Brother Lou, if I don’t want the seat, can’t I give it to him?"

"He saved your life, not mine!"

"And I didn’t ask you to give up your position!"

Thus, the Second Boss and Third Boss of Sunset Mountain argued in front of everyone.

...