Chapter 701: The End of the Tug-of-War

"Sir Knight, this guy with a mouth full of lies is not telling the truth about Monta Valley City either! I was shamelessly possessed by him; without a decent engagement or wedding, I had no choice but to follow him everywhere looking for opportunities to acquire wealth. Along the way, he always returned with a look of exhaustion and different money bags. I was too naive at the time and didn't see that this guy was constantly looking for weak residents every day to rob them. This forced us to constantly change the places where we might settle down."

"And when we arrived at Monta Valley City, which is a big city, I had intended to open a small shop there. I had still saved some of the money this shameless guy robbed, and it hadn't been squandered by him."

Shanlang Bani's face was pale from excessive blood loss, but a stubborn mockery remained on his face. This fierce guy grinned; he did not defend himself against Feiniya's words, but there was a strange gleam in his eyes.

Jier noticed that this guy was muttering something under his breath, but the voice was not loud, and no one could hear it clearly.

"But we came from a small place after all; in a big city, oh, that money really wasn't enough to spend. I was desperate because of this, but this guy sneered and came up with an idea!"

Jier pursed his lips: "The idea of luring men out of the city and then robbing them? I have to say, this is truly a stupid method."

Shanlang Bani immediately turned his face toward the young Knight leaning against the big tree. He could tolerate a momentary failure, but he could not tolerate being called stupid. After all, if he, who was so 'successful' and a fairly well-known Bandit Leader, was stupid, then were the others he robbed or killed only as wise as goblins?

Quite the contrary, the merchants who engaged in trade were often exceptionally clever, at least smarter than most people in society.

"Knight, what else do you have to say?" Shanlang Bani said suddenly.

Jier waved his hand: "I have nothing to say, but I think, you two didn't stay in that city for long, right? After all, this kind of thing doesn't last long."

Both Shanlang Bani and Feiniya fell silent, as if they had been poked in a sore spot.

After a pause, Feiniya skipped over this period of experience between her and Bani, even though she had already thought of excuses to exonerate herself.

"Sir, in short, I finally opened the shop here, right on the nearby inter-provincial Shanglu, providing food, water, and lodging for passing merchants and travelers, as well as some entertainment to relieve fatigue."

Shanlang Bani mockingly said loudly: "You might as well explain this 'entertainment' project in detail; I see these young people around here love to listen."

"Hmph, Sir, ignoring the shameless accusations added to me by this liar, I can speak according to my conscience that I have indeed provided indispensable help to the prosperity of the Shanglu. Not just me, but my subordinates, the chefs in the shop, the male and female servers, they are all innocent, good people. Perhaps because of me, they were deceived by this guy's lies and lured by him and his subordinates into this den of iniquity. But we are innocent."

Finally, Feiniya raised her voice and pointed at Shanlang Bani, who was no longer writhing on the ground: "You have seen it, the wounds on our bodies, and the smug looks of these guys, these are clear and distinguishable pieces of evidence. Sir, Sir Knight, please avenge the suffering we have endured, please avenge the innocent people who died at their hands. If you do not wish to stain your hands red, then please give me a Dagger. I, I believe I can finish off this scum, this villain, this liar, this collection of sins! This dark source that brings disorderly violence."

Feiniya stood straight with a serious face, but her eyes were full of pleading, and combined with the weak sister supporting her, it was simply something else.

If Jier hadn't known that neither of these two were good, he would have almost wanted to hand over his Long Sword and let her kill the villain. At least the young people nearby all looked eager, as if saying, 'We are here to help you.'

Before he could speak, Shanlang Bani, lying on the ground, shouted loudly with an excited look: "Feiniya, ah, my lover, that's it, that's it, hahahaha, I thought the once-you had been worn down by those boring business calculations and the trivialities of the shop with people coming and going. I was so stupid, ahahaha, you are still there, you are still there, haha, you are still the same you, I really love this look of yours to death!"

Shanlang Bani looked surprised and wild: "I just love this look of yours when you lie without blinking. After all, no matter what, I could never do it as beautifully as you. Whatever troupe's prima donna, they aren't even fit to tie your shoes compared to you."

"Enough! Shut up!!! Shut up right now!!!"

Feiniya screamed loudly, her bare feet stomping hard on the loose soil of the open ground, but Shanlang Bani spoke faster and faster, without thinking, completely in the manner of someone speaking the truth from his heart: "And this, using words to provoke others to kill each other, this is also the place I love most about you. A guy like me can only do it myself, or only incite and lead other idiots to kill and rob on the road. This won't do, this won't do, it's not concise at all, not perfect at all."

"It's still only you, only your methods are the best, the most perfect crime and evil. Do you know, I had known you long ago, but only that day, when you manipulated and provoked two local families who were originally at peace to fight, did I understand that I wanted you. A woman like you is the only one a man like me can match."

"Ahhhhhhh, lies, all lies! This guy is a Poisonous Snake, quickly block his mouth full of poisonous fangs, don't let him spray any more poison!! Please, anyone! Quickly take down this Poisonous Snake!!"

Feiniya shouted loudly, but as if the two were competing to see who had the louder volume, the face of Shanlang Bani on the ground, which had lost blood, was no longer pale; his face flushed as he shouted frantically: "Elegant! Concise! Don't be like this! Let me see your most beautiful side one last time before I die, okay? All the dirty things you and I did, quickly splash them all on me, quick, say something! Hahahaha, sob sob sob, how is it? Do I also have half the ability you had when you were young? Say it, have I gotten rid of that look that you always looked down upon?"

"Hahahaha, I don't need vicious words to make people die, haha, young Knight, have you seen through her true colors? Feiniya, come with me, let's go to Hell together. You would surely be very lonely in this world all by yourself, right?"

Feiniya was almost going crazy at this moment. Everything she had said before seemed to have been torn to shreds by Shanlang Bani's chaotic rambling. What was especially fatal was that the lives of her, Shanlang Bani, and even everyone around were actually in the hands of that young Knight.

The eyes of everyone around looked at Jier. The thick Metal Armor made it impossible to see his expression. Before Jier spoke, no one knew what kind of order he would give after seeing all this.

Not only was Shanlang Bani, who knew he was going to die, staring at him, his chest heaving, his lips smiling, as if he had seen the result he expected.

Feiniya was also clutching her sister's hand tightly, looking at him with the most pitiful gaze, not caring that her sister's palm had been pierced by her fingernails.

The five at-a-loss young people were also looking at him intently. They had swayed back and forth several times following the words of this pair of scoundrels; at this moment, the weapons in their hands were as good as nothing, worse than fire pokers.

Oh, the crazy Weier nearby wasn't looking at him; this poor and hateful guy was constantly repeating his surname, as if it were something very important to him.

"Hmph. Why are you all looking at me?"

Jier shrugged and waved his hand: "You guys." He pointed at the at-a-loss young people around.

"Forget about this mess. You've heard enough, you've rested enough. A few of you, go to the Bandit's Shandong, and bring out the cloth, Rope, and the supplies you found inside, slowly, for me."

Jier also added a reminder: "By the way, there is a cat inside; find something to put it in and take it away too. Hmm, after all, a Village cannot be without a cat, otherwise the grain will be ruined by a rat infestation."

The young people responded mumble-mouthed, and as they crawled into the Shandong, they kept turning their heads to see how Jier would handle this matter.

After Jier waited for his subordinates to leave, he then said: "Stop saying those useless things. What bad things you did when you were young, such as instigating duels to cause family hostility, or robbing and killing some lecherous old men, I actually don't care about these."

Jier spread his hands: "Let's talk about something real. Shanlang Bani, don't take me for a fool. You know you're dead, but you don't want to die alone, right? Don't bother denying it. And Ms. Feiniya, you want Shanlang Bani to die now, even to be killed by you, right? At the same time, you want to leave here safely; these are all clear and obvious things."

The girl supporting Feiniya was so scared that tears kept flowing down. She wanted to find a place to curl up and hide, but her palm was held tightly by Feiniya, and she couldn't escape, so she had to play deaf and dumb, keeping her head down and shivering like a poor rabbit.

"What do I care about? Tonight I was camping and spending the night properly with my people, and as a result, I was attacked. And after being identified by the captured Bandit, they all said that this matter was controlled and instigated by you, Shanlang Bani."

Shanlang Bani bared his teeth: "Not bad, originally this would have been a perfect hunt, even no different from easily picking up money in the field, but I just didn't expect you to be so capable. Knight, hmph, the King of White Wall always keeps his set of family grudges on his lips and often shows off to us about the young Knights he has killed. He is just an idiot, a fool, a megalomaniac."

Jier lifted his chin and patted the glowing Magic pendant at his waist: "He still has some skills, although not many."

"So, Shanlang Bani, you are definitely going to die, because of you, I have lost at least dozens of young lives on my side. And now, you want to achieve your goal, oh, to die together with this Ms. Feiniya, you know, this requires some showing."

Jier rubbed his fingers.

His words and his actions scared Ms. Feiniya and her sister.

But before this lady could speak, Jier continued: "This lady, actually your words and performance are not that brilliant either. Saying so much is not as good as giving some real benefits—coins, treasures, Deed, loan certificates, etc. Take out some of these things; don't mention letting you take revenge, you can even bite this scumbag and rotten person I knocked down to death with your mouth. If you are still not satisfied, hang him on a tree; the nocturnal birds around seem to be used to eating Humans, how about letting this guy enjoy the way they treat the weak?"

After hearing all the young Knight's words, the lady took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled: "You are not as young as your voice suggests."

"This has nothing to do with age; it's about the brain. I am not stupid, nor do I blindly believe other people's words. If it were someone I could trust, that would be another matter. But you two, honestly, I just watched the previous arguments for the fun of it, hehe, at most it adds some conversation topics at the wine table."

Jier coughed lightly and said playfully: "The stories of you two might be able to win a toast of celebration from the drinkers? They will make me drink my fill because of this."

"What do you want?"

Ms. Feiniya exhaled and asked cautiously.

But before Jier could speak, Shanlang Bani spoke loudly and preemptively: "Young Knight, ha, in the center of this small open space, less than a meter deep underground, there is a box of valuable goods I hid. How about it? Baby, how about you and I step into the embrace of death together tonight?"

As soon as the words fell, Feiniya screamed: "You lunatic, I finally left your den of iniquity, your control, I won't go with you again. Sir Knight, my shop, although it was burned, I have a sum of money hidden away. Take me there, and I will take it out for you! Quickly execute this guy, please be quick, I don't ask to do it myself anymore."

Jier crossed his arms and remained silent. Both guys looked at him nervously. Shanlang Bani's expression was slightly regretful, and Ms. Feiniya nervously clenched and unclenched her palms repeatedly; every time she clenched her palms, the other girl would let out a low, painful cry.

"The price is equal, not enough. How about you add something more?"

"Greedy guy! Bah!" Shanlang Bani had previously seen the Jinzhuoxiaoxiangzi that the young Knight had brought out himself, so he knew that his most weighty bargaining chip had become ineffective.

And Ms. Feiniya looked at her old lover unexpectedly and said triumphantly: "Can't take anything out, right? Oh ho ho ho, Sir Knight, in the town closest to here—Dorn Town, I still have a shop, and I am willing to gift it to you. This is a gift for you rescuing me and my companion."

"Very good, now Ms. Feiniya's words seem more credible," Jier said.

But Shanlang Bani's eyes rolled, and he immediately said: "I also know a place, right nearby, it's a rock salt mine, really, a brother of mine who was a Miner said so. Think about it, getting a mineral vein is a hundred times better than a broken shop! Your family's future prosperity can rely on this."

"Oh, a rock salt mine? Tell me more about that."

Jier frowned, but with the protection of his Faceplate, no one else present saw it, especially Shanlang Bani.

"It's just a cliff with white powder on the rocks, right nearby. It's very safe there. I chose this place as my Jiedian precisely because I had my eye on that place where one can get salt."

Lady Feiniya looked suspicious, then seemed to believe Shanlang Bani's words, staring fixedly at her old flame on the ground and cursing: "You hid it well, didn't you? Why didn't you take your men to develop it instead of being a Bandit? If we had mined it, would we still need to do these things?"

Shanlang Bani looked at her with disdain: "Stupid woman, it's not your first day knowing me, is it? Am I the type of man to settle down? Mining? That's what weaklings do; real men have always lived by plundering!"

"Ha, what a load of nonsense. Living by plundering? If you really could mine, I'm afraid you would have done it long ago, wouldn't you? Don't pretend to be rough and heroic. What rock salt mine? Shanlang Bani, is there really any truth in your mouth?"

"Hmm?"

Lady Feiniya suddenly realized something, while Shanlang Bani still stubbornly insisted, but this persistence was exposed the very next moment.

"Don't forget, you aren't the only one who knows about your Bandit Group! Before you, others were captured by me. A salt mine? You really dare to say that; it's nothing more than a small rock wall in the Forest where herbivores lick for salt. I now suspect whether what you said before is true at all. Why don't we take a look on the spot?"

After Jier finished speaking, he walked straight to the middle of the clearing, moved the raised bonfire aside, picked up the two-handed logging axe that the Bandit had intended to use to attack him earlier, and used the wide axe head as a shovel to start digging downward.

Jier moved quickly and had great strength, especially with the Divine Power of the god of agriculture within him, which made his digging twice as effective with half the effort. In just a short while—the time it took for the young men searching the Shandong to come out twice—Jier had dug a deep pit.

Thud, thud—the axe head collided with the top of a buried box. "There really is something, but I have to open it to see what it is."

Jier then dug out a square box, carried it back to the clearing with one hand, tossed it onto the ground, and prepared to open it.

But before acting, Jier thought of something. He secretly glanced at Shanlang Bani's face and found that it was not the face of someone nervous about whether he would be satisfied with the contents, but an expression that looked calm but was desperately trying to hide joy.

What was he happy about?

Jier's eyes shifted, and he guessed the other's thoughts.

"Shanlang Bani, I've changed my mind again."

As soon as Jier said this, the other's face changed drastically, as if he knew he had given himself away, so he roared with a ferocious face: "Open it! Quick! Open it! I told you to open it! Open it and you can have the wealth inside! Treasures! Quick!"

Frowning, Jier walked over with long strides and stomped down; his metal war boot directly crushed his other leg, breaking it at the knee.

With a crisp crack, the other's knee turned into a puddle of mangled flesh.

"It seems that for you two old lovers, the end of your entanglement has arrived. Lady Feiniya, please go find a place to sit and rest with that girl. This guy seems to be useless now. Hmph, a sinister fellow who doesn't have a single word of truth in his mouth."

Grabbing Shanlang Bani by the neck with one hand from the ground, Jier dragged him behind a tree trunk. As they walked, the young Knight's voice rose: "The sinister trap zone outside this lair, the coin box with a hidden lethal mechanism under the wooden chair in the Shandong, and now, the wooden box dug up in the clearing."

"If I'm not mistaken, inside is likely a whole set of lethal trap mechanisms meant to take the lives of people nearby, right? Whoever opens it dies? Taking the people around them with them? You sinister guy."

The response to the Knight was nothing but muffled groans.

Afterward, the two asked a few low questions, a crack sound rang out, and when the Knight returned, he was dragging a corpse.

At this, Lady Feiniya finally let out a breath she had been holding in her chest.

"I hope there is some truth in your words as well, especially regarding wealth and gifts," Jier warned.

"Please rest assured, Knight, I am different from that liar. A Merchant running a shop relies on words being sincere and reliable."

"Is that so?"

Jier did not believe it.