CHAPTER 27: CHAPTER 27: SIDE QUEST

Outside the temple, the supplies of their entire team had already been claimed by the bandits.

Ruan Mian frowned, trying to sit up, but found that her body was too weak. Beside her, Cui Zhu also noticed something was wrong and quickly whispered shakily, "Miss, miss! I seem to have been drugged..."

Though still conscious, they had completely lost the strength to resist.

So they could only watch helplessly as the bandits took away the supplies, while they were tied up together.

None of them dared to beg for mercy, all shivering with fear!

This group of bandits was not like the unruly beggars, the bandits were skillful and killed without hesitation!

Even the government officer did not dare to act rashly, let alone anyone else.

Especially under such circumstances of being drugged.

However, after the bandits left with the supplies, they left two people behind who noticed in the group of dusty people, Qi Lin’s fair face, the only one wearing such brightly colored clothing.

So they pulled her out of the crowd without hesitation!

"Hiding such a beauty here."

The other women all turned their gaze away, afraid of being picked.

Qi Lin turned her head in fear for help, and when she saw Liu Family lowered her head, she felt utterly hopeless.

After being dragged out of the Earth God Temple, her eyes turned cold, remembering that there were so many women behind her left untouched, only she was taken away, and she felt indignant!

So she suddenly changed her attitude and said sweetly.

"Sir, I... I cannot serve so many of you at once, there are several more beautiful women inside, just not dressed as well as I am!"

"Oh? There are other beauties?"

Qi Lin, looking pitiful, nodded and said.

"Of course, the eldest daughter of the Ruan Family, the one in the gray jacket in the middle! Her name is Ruan Qing, you will certainly like her." She knew Ruan Mian was not easy to deal with, so she decided to let her sister bear the consequences instead!!

Hearing this, the bandits immediately turned back and amidst the fright of the crowd, accurately picked Ruan Qing out.

Ruan Qing was so frightened she immediately cried out: "Mother! Brother, I don’t want to go, I don’t want to go..."

Her cries were so miserable that Mrs. Zhang almost fainted from fear.

At this moment, Ruan Mian suddenly spoke: "Gentlemen, my sister suffers from dementia, if you want a woman, take me instead."

She lifted her fur hat, revealing her bright face under the torchlight.

The bandits glanced at Ruan Qing disdainfully, but did not release her, taking Ruan Mian along as well.

"Mianmian!!" Ruan Qingsong was so angry he was about to vomit blood, but with his body drugged, he had no room to resist.

Ruan Mian gave them a reassuring look.

When Qi Lin saw Ruan Mian was also brought along, her gaze turned hollow, anger simmering inside.

Fine, both going to their deaths is better than her alone being bullied!!

They were taken to a nearby cave, which was well-lit and very warm.

Ruan Mian touched her bracelet, and took the opportunity to drink a large gulp of spiritual spring water from her space, soon feeling much more energized, and having thought of her space, she had a plan in mind.

The two bandit leaders pushed the three of them onto a beast skin rug at the side, not far away was another woman tied up like them.

The lead bandit, holding a large machete, approached them, the gleaming blade brushed their tender faces, Qi Lin and Ruan Qing, two young ladies of the court, had never witnessed such a scene and fainted on the spot from fright!

Ruan Mian saw them faint and thought it was just as well, in case they got scared when things got bloody later.

Her calm eyes attracted the leader’s attention, his bushy beard almost covered most of his face, he curiously beckoned Ruan Mian to come closer.

When the man’s hand was about to touch her, Ruan Mian glanced at the table and saw a letter.

Among the content, one name caught her attention.

Du Fei.

Wasn’t he the major villain in the later parts of the original story, doing evil deeds with Qi Nanfeng?

And he was also one of King Yan’s capable henchmen.

But Du Fei had two other brothers, all three acted together.

In the original story, these three utilized power to oppress countless commoners and slaughtered many innocent official families!

Now they were holed up in the cave acting as bandit leaders?

Moreover, this letter clearly had other content.

In the original story, her sister was taken by a group of bandits, humiliated and died, now it seemed the culprits were very likely these ruthless savages.

Rather than letting them continue to harm others, it’s better to eliminate them today!

As Du Fei attempted to pull her into his arms, Ruan Mian followed his lead. Lying weakly on his chest, her eyes turned sharp, touching her bracelet, and a sharp dagger appeared between her pale fingers!

No one reacted as she suddenly lifted her hand and swiftly slashed through his artery!

Blood gushed out, spraying everywhere.

Du Fei’s eyes widened!

Clutching his neck tightly.

However, unable to speak at this moment, his face turned visibly pale, drained of color.

His accomplice, only just realizing it, brandished a large knife and chopped over without hesitation.

Ruan Mian deftly pulled out the chili powder she carried with her, threw it into his eyes, and then took the chance to stab his heart again.

The man instantly met his end!

Seeing this, Du Fei’s eyes instantly lost focus, convulsing on the ground, drowned in blood.

Ruan Mian’s eyes showed no emotion, she picked up the letter, raising her delicate eyebrows.

On it, there were actually intelligence reports.

They had rooted themselves on the necessary route of exile, turning several court officials to King Yan’s side in the process.

They even leaked information about commerce routes entirely.

In this way, half of the Capital City’s economic lifeline was nearly controlled along this path.

However, they apparently hadn’t occupied it for too long, so the information gathered was only from trade caravans of neighboring countries over the past month.

At this moment, Ruan Mian could not help but think of a plot from the original story, where during a natural disaster, court relief food was long delayed in reaching Qingchang City, and later it was Princess Chun who used her space to distribute food and made achievements to establish her standing in the court.

Could it be because these few were working for the princess and intercepted the grain on the way?

If so, these pests must not be left alive!

Ruan Mian turned to the back of the cave, looting all the bandits’ things.

There were quite a few secret letters regarding border communications, Ruan Mian felt some regret for not finishing reading the original novel.

The original’s main line focused on the struggle between the princess and the Prime Minister’s factions at court.

And her line here was evidently a side plot, so she couldn’t fully understand all the content of these secret letters.

Take it all first!

After emptying some supplies from the cave, a man’s whistle came from the cave entrance.

"Boss, what women can I sample tonight? I heard you brought three, surely one of them is for me..."

He swaggered in, immediately seeing the boss and the second in the blood pool.

Then saw Ruan Mian covered in blood!

Frightened, he turned and ran out!