Chapter 91: Entangled

Yes! Yes! Yes!

We should first confirm the specific requirements of the mission!

Upon hearing this, Yuzhibo Zhe seemed to have seized the last hope, and hastily spoke up.

Even Yan reacted, hurriedly pulling out the mission scroll from behind and examining it word by word.

Earlier, Dong Shilang had only glanced briefly at the mission content, and wasn't too clear on the specific requirements.

No way! Yan, who had just become the acting captain, was still caught up in the excitement of just becoming a leader.

The mission scroll was merely given a quick glance by Dong Shilang before being put away.

How is it! What are the mission's requirements?

Facing Zhe's hopeful expression, Yuzhibo Yan shook his head, expressionless, and said: "The mission requires us to 'eliminate' these bandits entrenched here!"

Is that so!

Faced with this answer, Zhe was at a loss for a moment.

The ninja profession is one that earns payment by completing missions, and he also had no better way.

As for this answer, Dong Shilang wasn't too surprised.

In this ninja world, with the ruling class's nature, if there were any appeasement-like handling, that would be unheard of.

I think! We can first clear this place up. Gather the unconscious people, then see if any have slipped through the net. Also the victims they plundered, or captured goods, etc. ~~~

Seeing that the companions were still somewhat entangled, Dong Shilang timely suggested cleaning up the 'battlefield' to distract them and ease their emotions.

Upon hearing this, Yan and Zhe also felt as if pardoned, and after a brief discussion, they went to search inside the stronghold.

【Still haven't made up your mind?】

Yuzhibo Chongzheng, hiding in the dark, saw that they did not kill the night watchman right away.

He also didn't show much disappointment; anyway, it's still early, and Dong Shilang's group basically had control of the situation here.

There was plenty of free time, allowing them to hesitate and adapt slowly.

At the same time, a glint of thought and memory appeared in his eyes.

Dong Shilang's group's current entanglement and hesitation inevitably reminded him of his own youth.

Back then, he and his teammates also hesitated for a long time before finally deciding to act and kill.

The mental journey thereof is also not something to be told to outsiders.

In the blink of an eye, he had already married and had children.

And his comrades who had experienced countless missions, as well as their teacher, have already......

Just thinking about it really makes one feel sentimental~~~

Speaking of Yuzhibo Chongzheng, back then he also had a team not much different from Dong Shilang's group.

One team-leading teacher, two male teammates, plus a cute girl.

They formed a typical Leaf Village mission squad, and together carried out many low-rank D- and C-rank missions.

Although the teammates would occasionally have quarrels and comparisons among themselves.

But the memories left behind are also deeply nostalgic~

When busy, time always passes more easily.

In the blink of an eye, the sky had completely brightened.

On the flat ground in front of the sole wooden house in this stronghold lay forty-three people, their clothes disheveled and fallen into unconsciousness.

Except for a few individuals whose faces had some oil sheen and whose clothes still looked decent.

The remaining bandits, though not utterly emaciated, also showed a sallow complexion.

It seems the bandits' days were not much better than when they used to farm.

Around this group, miscellaneous items were piled up in disorder.

There were the weapons they used when robbing, as well as the daily supplies they stored here; also there were goods they had looted outside, which seemed hard to sell, so they kept them until now.

Unexpectedly, some gold and silver trinkets and some banknotes were searched out from that wooden house, together worth roughly twenty thousand taels.

These things are fine to say; the key is the other group of people nearby......

Only seen at the edge of this small open space was a group of women in tattered clothes, appearing timid and shrinking.

These women totaled seven, discovered by Dong Shilang's group during their search here from a concealed cellar.

When they discovered these women, Dong Shilang's group was startled, thinking there had been an accident or that there were unknown ambushers in the stronghold.

Compared to Dong Shilang's group's tension, these women appeared much more 'unfazed by change'.

Saying 'unfazed by change' is a bit exaggerated; describing their state as 'numb and insensitive' is just right.

After some questioning, Dong Shilang's group found out.

These poor women were all snatched by the bandits from nearby villages or from passing merchants.

They were locked together in a dark cellar with only a single opening for light and ventilation, for the stronghold's leaders or any usually outstanding bandits to indulge in pleasure.

Speaking of these bandits, they really deserve to die.

These women originally numbered twelve, but unable to endure the bandits' humiliation and abuse.

Either they committed suicide or were killed by the abuse, and five died one after another.

According to the information gathered by Dong Shilang's group, during their robberies their methods were also quite cruel.

At the drop of a hat they would kill and loot, basically leaving no survivors.

This didn't just narrow their own path, did it? Finally, it made the nearby lord, unable to tolerate it any longer, send a mission request to Leaf Village.

Did they summon Dong Shilang's group, these ninjas, then!?

Speaking of which! What should we do with these people?

We can't possibly expect these women to help us complete the mission, can we!

Seeing that the time was about right, Dong Shilang beside them leisurely asked.

"Why don't we split up and together take care of these people!"

He swallowed his saliva, and as his Adam's apple moved up and down, Yuzhibo Zhe put forward his suggestion.

However, the response he got was a long silence.

Even the women gathered over there seemed to realize something, gradually growing quiet and trying not to make a sound.

The words 'killing people' sound light when spoken, but for Dong Shilang, Yan, and Zhe, children of that age, they are still somewhat too heavy.

Take Yuzhibo Yan, for example—she is just an eight-year-old girl this year. Normally at home, whether it's her parents or her two older brothers, they all treat her as a treasure in the palm of their hand.

Saying she grew up soaked in a honey jar is not an exaggeration. Although she usually likes to tease her little companions, she is essentially an innocent and carefree little girl.

As for Dong Shilang, compared to his companions, he is much more mature.

But in his previous life, he was merely an ordinary office worker.