Chapter 68: The Small Wooden Box

At the gate of the bandit stronghold, hundreds of players broke through and fought the remaining outlaws in a savage melee.

The bandit boss, King Wild Tiger, wielded a nine-ring broadsword in both hands and led a group of bandit leaders in the vanguard, fierce and domineering. He cut down all sides like a tempest, and none could withstand a single stroke; those who met him either fell dead on the spot or were hurled several yards away, reduced to a near-death state.

Though the players held a slight numerical advantage, they suffered terribly beneath King Wild Tiger’s blade. They scattered from him in all directions, not daring to approach, and a huge gap opened in the line.

The nonplayer character Zhang Feng instantly knew something was wrong. If this bandit chief was allowed to keep carving through them, then once the players were broken apart, disaster would surely follow.

Without delay, Zhang Feng drew the green-edged sword at his waist, leapt down from the high ground, and led several squad leaders straight at King Wild Tiger.

When official and outlaw met face to face, their blood ran hot.

“Die, you wretch!” Zhang Feng roared, and a streak of azure swordlight lunged forward. “Sword Qi Severance!”

King Wild Tiger’s expression changed drastically. He raised his blade to block. The sword qi struck the great knife, and his whole body jolted violently. He stumbled back several steps, unable to hold back a mouthful of blood, which he spat out with a cough. That single blow had actually taken a quarter of his health.

King Wild Tiger cried inwardly that something was wrong. This official leader was far too fierce; he was no match for him. He had to flee for his life. Hastily, he led the bandit leaders in retreat and shouted for the underlings to hold the rear. The lesser bandits surged forward and sealed the breach.

Though Zhang Feng had wounded the bandit king with one sword strike, he had also expended a great deal of internal force and dared not give reckless chase, fearing an ambush and the ruin of all his efforts.

The players and the NPC soldiers were greatly emboldened, shouting as they threw themselves into the slaughter of the remaining bandits.

“Boss, what do we do?”

The bandit leaders who had fled with King Wild Tiger were panicked and at a loss.

King Wild Tiger remained calm. He had already planned for such a defeat: if they lost, they would first pull back into the stronghold, take what valuables they could, and then escape. So long as they kept their lives, they could rise again another day. “Follow me!”

...

Zhan Xiaobai led the Dog-Faced Strategist into a secret chamber within the Hall of Brothers. Young Hero of the Spring and Autumn Annals and A Fei followed as well.

The chamber was very small, less than ten square meters. In the center stood a weapon rack packed with arms, while in the corner lay a disorderly heap of boxes, carrying poles, and other odds and ends. It did not look like a treasure room at all.

Zhan Xiaobai said, “Search it. See if there’s anything unusual.”

A Fei, delighted, rushed straight to the weapon rack and picked up each weapon to inspect it. But after one glance, he was thoroughly disappointed. “Damn, they’re all wooden imitations. I thought they were real.” He put them back and began rummaging about in the corners.

Young Hero of the Spring and Autumn Annals examined the weapons on the rack carefully and nodded. “They really are all wooden imitations... Hm? No, wait. There’s one genuine piece here: a level-twenty iron sword... and also a folding fan.”

Zhan Xiaobai was also turning over the clutter in the corners. Most of the boxes were empty; when opened, there was nothing inside. He could only shake his head in disappointment. For a bandit stronghold of this stature, there was not even one worthwhile item to show for it.

Suddenly, from nearby came Gou Buli’s excited cry. “A little wooden chest! A little wooden chest!”

Zhan Xiaobai turned and saw Gou Buli clutching a small box with great effort. It was nothing remarkable; the only difference from the other large chests was that it was locked.

Gou Buli was intoxicated with joy, his two little mustaches trembling with excitement. “My little wooden chest, at last I’ve found you.” He kissed it fervently. “There must be some priceless treasure inside. Let me open it and see...”

Gou Buli smashed the chest hard against the ground, only to find it would not break open at all. He then remembered at once: the system had set the chest as invincible, and only a key could open it. “A key! It must be opened with a key. Where’s the key?” He hugged the little chest and searched madly through the pile of junk for it.

A Fei hurried over, slapped the Dog-Faced Strategist on the head, and snatched the chest away. “Dog Face, you think this belongs to you? Big Brother, here.”

A Fei handed the little wooden chest to Zhan Xiaobai.

The Dog-Faced Strategist was so furious that he shouted and glared at A Fei with bloodshot eyes, as if A Fei had stolen his most beloved treasure.

A Fei snorted, utterly dismissive of his anger. “No matter how tough you are, you’re still an NPC. Your little life is still in our hands. And you dare fight us for a treasure chest?”

Zhan Xiaobai could only smile wryly and shake his head without saying anything. If he did not need the small chest himself, giving it to the Dog-Faced Strategist would have been no trouble. For now, he would just have to wrong him a little.

From the secret chamber they found only two weapons and one string of copper coins, a thousand in all. Beyond that, nothing.

After Zhan Xiaobai and the others left the chamber and returned to the Hall of Brothers, the players had already searched every corner of the hall. They had found three pieces of pottery, one small wooden chest, two weapons, and one length of silk. They also discovered a storage room containing several hundred dan of grain. They had only managed to throw a small portion of it off the cliff.

After thinking it over, Zhan Xiaobai gave the small wooden chest to the old hunter and said with a smile, “Elder Lu, you said that after taking the bandit stronghold, the best item would be given to you. I think aside from this little wooden chest, there isn’t anything better here.”

The old hunter accepted the chest with satisfaction and chuckled. “Indeed, I knew a bandit lair would surely have a good chest. I was just lacking something like this to store precious things in. Now it’s perfect. From now on, I won’t have to worry about bright, shiny items being stolen by birds anymore.”

“Yaya~”

King Wild Tiger led several of the bandit chieftains back to the main hall of the stronghold, intending to gather their valuables and flee, when he suddenly saw the Dog-Faced Strategist and the many players from White Village. His anger exploded at once.

“This Dog Face ruined this king’s grand plan. I’ll hack you to pieces!” he cursed, raising his blade to kill the Dog-Faced Strategist.

The old hunter gave a cold snort, drew his bow, and loosed an arrow. It whistled through the air, but was knocked away by the nine-ring broadsword, nearly striking King Wild Tiger. The superb marksmanship startled him into a cold sweat. My heavens, another expert? Why are there so many masters tonight?

He turned and ran, fleeing in blind panic and forgetting all about the bandit leaders behind him. On the rugged mountain path, King Wild Tiger slipped and tumbled down the slope.

Yet he did not die. Taking advantage of the darkness and the absence of others, he hastily vanished into the wilderness and escaped.

The cries of battle drew nearer and nearer. With too much grain to carry away in time, much of it was simply abandoned on the ground. Torches were thrown onto it.

“Retreat.”

Zhan Xiaobai led the people of White Village away through the rear mountains.

Meanwhile, Commander Zhang Feng led a large force of players and soldiers in defeating the remaining bandits and storming into the stronghold. By then the fire had only just begun to spread, flames shooting skyward. The players were delighted to discover grain scattered everywhere, and while some fought the fire, others scrambled to plunder. A few grabbed bundles of grain and ran off with them, and the scene descended into utter chaos. Players from different villages even began killing one another over the spoils.

The Brilliant Swordsman assumed that Zhan Xiaobai had already begun secretly murdering and looting, and quickly ordered his subordinates to kill the players from the other villages.

NPC Zhang Feng shouted and cursed loudly, only to find that his handful of soldiers could not possibly stop the frenzied looting of the players. Some of the soldiers even joined in. Zhang Feng was filled with rage. He strode into the Hall of Brothers and found it already stripped bare. He was so furious he nearly spat blood.

“Damn it all, who got here before me and looted this place? This was the stronghold I conquered myself! I’m furious—!”

Storming out of the hall, Zhang Feng came to a pillar in the center of the stockade, upon which the tiger-head banner was flying. With a fierce sweep of his sword, he chopped the pillar down.

“The Tiger-Head Stronghold has been broken. The stronghold has been abandoned. Commander Zhang Feng’s bandit-clearing mission is complete.”

An abandoned stronghold could not be occupied by either players or soldiers. Before long, other bandits would appear here again.