Chapter 89: Military Supplies

“Tiger?” Zhu Ding, the Mountain-Climbing Ape, stared at Zhanji Tiger, then turned and fled without hesitation.

Zhanji Tiger indeed limped, and its agility was compromised, but that didn’t mean it was slow.

A gust of demonic wind surged around it as Zhanji Tiger leapt into the crowd and began slaughtering indiscriminately.

Chu Danqing glanced at Zhanji Tiger’s data panel—anyone who thought a limp meant it could be outrun was gravely mistaken.

【Zhanji Tiger】

【Attributes】

【HP: 100%】

【MP: 94】

【Strength: 10】

【Agility: 7】

【Constitution: 10】

【Spirit: 10】

【Perception: 10】

【Talent】

【Southern Mountain Evil Tiger】

【Skills】

【Fierce Tiger Demonic Scripture (Inherited · Fragmented) LV.10】

【Serving the Tiger (Passive) LV.10】

【Demonic Wind Surrounds (Passive) LV.10】

【Ghost Gold Claw Attachment (Passive) LV.10】

One bandit’s head was crushed by Zhanji Tiger’s paw, killing him instantly.

Unfortunately, Serving the Tiger did not trigger.

The passive skill required the victim to be eaten alive by Zhanji Tiger.

Simply killing someone would not enslave them as a ghostly Chang .

Zhu Ding, seeing his escape route blocked, had no choice but to face Zhanji Tiger head-on.

Yet as the tiger drew nearer, he found himself at a loss for how to attack.

An adult tiger was already large, let alone Zhanji Tiger, a demonic beast—its size was monstrous.

While he hesitated, searing pain pierced his back and burst through his chest—he saw Zhanji Tiger’s face twist with a human-like cunning grin.

He looked down: a claw had pierced clean through his chest and back, then retracted with a yank, as if dragging out all his internal organs.

“Feint and strike elsewhere.” Zhu Ding instantly understood—Zhanji Tiger had merely distracted him.

Too late—he spoke the words and died on the spot.

With their leader gone, the remaining forest bandits tried to flee—but it was already too late.

Zhanji Tiger and Da Bao began their bloody rampage, turning the ruined temple into a slaughterhouse.

Both of them were the type who fought with blood and gore.

“Now you don’t mind introducing yourself, do you?” Chu Danqing said, picking up the saddle, his expression brightening—it was armor.

He added: “If you refuse, let Zhanji Tiger eat you and turn you into a Chang —then you’ll answer every question.”

“No, no, no! Letting beasts devour men invites heavenly retribution!” The white-robed youth forced a strained smile.

He thought the forest bandits hunting him were ruthless—until he met the ones inside the temple.

The white-robed youth was Wang Zhao, son of the leader of Lingyun Dao’s forest bandits.

This saddle was a gift meant for the leader of Qipan Dao’s forest bandits as a token of goodwill.

Lingyun Dao’s bandits had purchased a batch of military supplies from someone in the Autumn Pond Faction, and to transport them to Lingyun Dao, they had to pass through Qipan Dao.

Hence, they sent this precious saddle to bribe the Qipan Dao leader.

When Xiong Zhigang heard this, his vision darkened and rage surged uncontrollably.

The military supplies were already on the road—no more than two days away.

Wang Zhao had arrived ahead of schedule, but hadn’t expected that while resting on the road, someone had coveted his fine horse—and thus triggered the disaster.

The saddle could be concealed; only sharp eyes could detect it.

But you can’t not ride a fine horse.

“Who was he?” Xiong Zhigang grabbed Wang Zhao and demanded.

Wang Zhao shook his head: “I don’t know. We’ve always communicated through a single line, with a go-between.”

“We’re just forest bandits—how could a court official deign to meet us directly?”

“Marshal Xiong, that official isn’t doing business with just us.”

“The military supplies we’ve taken are but a drop in the ocean—the real bulk is all on Mount Pingdou.”

Xiong Zhigang sucked in a sharp breath; though he’d prepared himself, hearing this still made his limbs go weak.

“No wonder we’ve lost battle after battle, and bandits still plague every region,” Xiong Zhigang said, his expression hollow.

Chu Danqing heard this and thought: the Tai Chang state is finished.

But he couldn’t save it—he could save a small village, maybe even a county town with grit.

Beyond that was beyond his power.

“What do we do with him? Kill him?” Chu Danqing said. Da Bao leapt eagerly nearby; Zhanji Tiger rose up, sizing up Wang Zhao, deciding where to take the first bite.

Chu Danqing didn’t care whether he lived or died—he was the son of a forest bandit leader, so he was a bandit.

Killing him would be no mistake.

Zhao Mingqian watched coldly from the side—this meant he approved of Chu Danqing’s decision.

“Wait! I’m useful! Useful!” Wang Zhao hurriedly said. “Marshal Xiong, finding the one selling military supplies isn’t hard.”

“The escorts aren’t bandits—even if they’re just go-betweens, if you capture them, you can trace the whole chain.”

“I can help you—just spare my life.” Wang Zhao knew: threats and promises wouldn’t work now—only showing his value mattered.

Xiong Zhigang paused to think, then turned to Chu Danqing: “Master Chu, we’ll need your help for this.”

Without him, he and Zhao Mingqian couldn’t pull it off.

As soon as he spoke, Chu Danqing’s screen flashed a side quest.

【Side Quest: Capture the Leader of the Military Supply Escort】

【Trial Difficulty: C-Rank (Adventure)】

【Reward: Paradise Points ×2000, Attribute Points +2】

【Failure Penalty: Paradise Points -4000】

Chu Danqing accepted without hesitation—he hadn’t expected the difficulty to be this high.

C-Rank? That meant there were experts inside.

“No problem. Leave it to me.” Chu Danqing agreed, then added: “By the way, do you still want this saddle?”

“Since Master Chu desires it, I present it to you,” Wang Zhao said, unwilling but forced to give it up to save his life.

“Do you think I’m the type to seize things by force?” Chu Danqing frowned. “Take it first and deliver it to that Qipan Dao bandit leader—we’ll take it from you later.”

Wang Zhao’s face froze—what did that mean?

“Master Chu means you’ll guide us,” Zhao Mingqian explained. “We’ve already cleared half of Qipan Dao’s bandits—only eight groups remain.”

“We need your small help to wipe them all out at once.”

Chu Danqing nodded along: “Exactly.”

“Tomorrow we’ll work overtime—we’ll wipe them all out in one day, so we’re ready for the day after.”

He preferred to complete side quests as soon as possible—no need to hoard too many.

“As Master Chu says,” Xiong Zhigang agreed eagerly—he wanted to launch the raid right now.

To capture someone, you must avoid any complications.

The biggest complication in Qipan Dao was this gang of forest bandits.

They had to clear the threat before the day after tomorrow.

(End of Chapter)