Chapter 27: Sand Bandits

The strong wind made the wooden window rattle, and no one dared to open it. However, the light leaking through the cracks let He Lingchuan know that it was almost dark outside. He lay on the quilt and crossed his legs, playing with He Chunhua's Yuan money in his hand: "Father, who exactly developed the use of meta-power in the beginning? Some say it was taught by gods, some say it was taught by immortals."

When not activated, this looked like just an ordinary coin. Who could have expected that a small national decree could carry the luck of the country and the hearts of the people? Meta-power is really too mysterious.

"Opinions differ, and it's hard to find in the sea of history." He Chunhua frowned. "The origin of meta-power is very vague. After all, human history can only be traced back for two or three thousand years, and there have only been countries for a thousand years. It is said that in ancient times, gods and immortals walked the human world, and there were no countries in the human world at that time; it wasn't until after the great catastrophe that gods and immortals disappeared and monsters ran rampant, and humans had to unite to resist, that there were countries."

He took the Yuan money back from his son's hand: "It is the appearance of the national decree that made it possible for humans to resist the demon race. Whether it was taught by gods, taught by immortals, or realized by humans themselves, what does it matter?"

Practitioners are only a minority after all, and most people are born ordinary. How can they resist monsters that have become climate? At this time, the meta-power generated by the unity of the people became a sharp weapon for the country to deal with the demon race.

From contending to changing strengths, meta-power has made great contributions. Nowadays, the number and territory of human countries are far larger than those of demon countries and demon domains.

"In other words, no one knows the origin of meta-power?" He Lingchuan sighed and turned back to the topic. "Father, why did you follow into the desert?"

"Can I not follow?" He Chunhua also lay down halfway. After days of hard work, his whole body seemed to fall apart as soon as he relaxed. "If I don't obey, State Preceptor Sun can behead me by imperial decree."

"Is it great to have an imperial decree?" He Lingchuan sneered. "The King's mandate also requires us to cooperate with the investigation, didn't we also delay for so long? On the day of departure, you could have actually dragged out the time."

There are policies above and countermeasures below; isn't it the same in every world? This kid, his mind is much more delicate than before. He Chunhua closed his eyes and rested for a long time before saying in a low voice: "With State Preceptor Sun here, the chance of returning alive is not low; besides, I always feel that this trip to the Panlong Ancient City is a bit strange. If I don't follow to see it myself, I fear there will be great misfortune later."

He Lingchuan's heart jumped: "How to say?"

"Can't say." He Chunhua shook his head. "It's just a whim. I have also thought about the method of shirking, but the worry in my heart is getting heavier and heavier, and my intuition is that I should still take this trip."

The so-called whim is actually the so-called sixth sense.

People at that time paid great attention to this, and He Lingchuan couldn't say anything more. But he still felt that there was something strange here.

Governor He is famous for being old and steady; would he risk his life for a little feeling? But he didn't say it; where could his son guess it?

He Chunhua added: "Chuan'er, you performed very well on this trip."

"Oh?" Father actually praised him? He Lingchuan immediately became energetic.

"Don't be too polite to Nian Songyu; use your method to get his words out. He has the State Preceptor behind him, and you have me behind you." He Chunhua's voice was very low. "But don't use force against him; you can't beat him. You grasped this scale well."

"Yes!" Sure enough, He Chunhua wanted his eldest son to sing the red face, and he himself sang the white face. The eldest son was arrogant and unreasonable, saying all the words that should be said, and He Chunhua came out to round it up.

Father could even make good use of his son's arrogant and unreasonable personality; he was indeed suitable for returning to the Yuan capital to be sophisticated.

He wouldn't suffer losses in the officialdom anywhere.

￥￥￥￥￥

The next morning, the team set off again.

Although they were still on the Red Cliff Road, travelers in this direction were becoming fewer and fewer, and State Preceptor Sun's team finally encountered the second greatest disaster of the Panlong Desert:

Sand bandits.

This group of sand bandits were humans, about thirty riders, basically sturdy men, riding horses like the wind. He Lingchuan saw at a glance that the few muscular guys in the front were martial artists, and there might even be sorcerers in the team.

The two sides came toward each other and bumped into each other, all stunned, looking up and down.

There was no need to say how their side looked at the sand bandits; and in the eyes of the sand bandits, this team was neatly dressed, with light armor and long knives, standard soldiers, armor, and martial arts, plus warhorses that could be recognized at a glance. What did this explain? This was an army! Either marching, or suppressing bandits, or patrolling. What else could an army appear in the Panlong Desert for? The people don't fight with officials, and the army's number far exceeded their own, so the sand bandits were also solidly shocked.

Fortunately, the masked man in the lead turned his head and saw He Chunhua, his eyes lit up, and he actually rode forward: "Governor He, we are just passing by!"

Before moving to rob, isn't it just passing by? He Chunhua coughed, a little embarrassed: "We have no time to suppress bandits today, don't do evil... Is there anyone in the due north direction?"

Sun and Nian looked at him, then at the sand bandits, and understood.

These two sides clearly knew each other.

"No, not even a bird feather." Boss Situ Han tried hard to explain, "We have always taken it when we see it..."

"Then stay."

"Ah?"

Sun Fuping said to He Chunhua: "We are just short of manpower, isn't this just right?"

He Chunhua thought, aren't two hundred government troops enough? But he nodded on the surface: "Also, it's not easy to recruit people in the city."

State Preceptor Sun smiled kindly, looking at the sand bandits like a yellow weasel looking at a chicken, making the other party feel hairy, and they wanted to run faster. Unexpectedly, He Chunhua raised the Yuan money and coughed: "All stay! Officially recruit the thirty... Mangshan fierce bandits..."

He Lingchuan counted clearly on the side: "Thirty-two people!"

"... thirty-two people, incorporated into Deputy Lieutenant Zeng Feixiong's hands, follow the army and listen to orders!"

He Chunhua even listed their salary and benefits.

The Mangshan bandits stared, looking at each other. The bandit leader couldn't believe it and asked tentatively: "We, we just became government soldiers?"

This is too fake and childish, right? The government officials are so good at playing.

"Exactly!"

"Then, where is Governor He going?"

"Listen to the State Preceptor's dispatch." He Chunhua pointed to Sun Fuping, "Deep into the Panlong ruins."

Looking at the government army surrounding them from all sides, the bandits were suddenly stunned: "What!"

Walking more than ten miles, the bandit leader Boss Situ Han still felt a bit dizzy. Today he clearly looked at the calendar before coming out to rob, how did he suddenly become a regular army halfway? He Lingchuan patted his shoulder and sympathized: "Hold on. As long as you return to the city alive, you will eat imperial grain from now on."

How can eating imperial grain be as happy as being a mountain king? However, the group of subordinates were all surrounded by the Heishuicheng army and had nowhere to run. Boss Situ Han's smile was uglier than crying, and his back was cold: "Governor He, are we really going into the Panlong ruins? The wild sand season is coming, and it's ten deaths and no life inside!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 28 =====

Seeing the government troops surrounding them from all sides, the bandits were instantly dumbfounded: "What!"

After walking more than ten miles, the bandit leader Boss Situ Han still felt a bit dizzy. He had clearly checked the almanac before heading out to rob today, so how did they suddenly become regular troops halfway through? He Lingchuan patted him on the shoulder and said sympathetically, "Hang in there. As long as you make it back to the city alive, you'll be eating imperial rations from now on."

How could eating imperial rations be as carefree as being a mountain king? But since his subordinates were all surrounded by the Black Water City army with nowhere to run, Situ Han's smile was uglier than crying, and his back felt ice-cold: "Young Master He, are we really going into the Panlong ruins? The Sandstorm Season is coming; getting trapped inside means certain death!"

(End of chapter)