Chapter 201: Saving Lives

Chapter 201: Saving Lives

"Surviving a fall from a cliff is a common trope in ancient tales!"

When Su Mo heard that Hu Sandao had fallen off the mountain, he knew that this trip would not only result in him surviving but also lead to another unexpected encounter.

Xu Lu's situation was the same, and so was Hu Sandao's.

Only Su Mo, who considered himself a time traveler or reincarnated soul, quite fitting for the role of a novel protagonist, had not experienced such things. It was a real shame, though.

But then he thought, he understood why—no one had managed to push him off a cliff yet.

Hu Sandao listened, confused but still nodded:

"Indeed, I didn't die back then. I was carried downstream by the current, and when I woke up, I was in another place.

"It was a mountain cave. I didn't know how I got inside. When I opened my eyes, I was already lying on a stone platform.

"Before I could react, I saw a figure sitting nearby, more terrifying than any ghost I'd ever imagined.

"He was emaciated, with hair like withered grass and sunken eyes, like a living skeleton.

"His face had obviously been burned by fire, and his appearance was something out of a nightmare.

"When I saw him, I thought I had died. Otherwise, how could I see a ghost in broad daylight?

"When he saw me wake up, he asked for my name.

"I was very curious. I had heard people say that the underworld keeps a record of life and death.

"Why would a ghost need to know my name?

"Out of curiosity, I asked. The man suddenly became furious, and I realized I was still alive.

"Afterward, I told him my story, and upon hearing it, he kept sighing.

"He said it was the will of heaven."

Hu Sandao shook his head. "I later found out that he had been imprisoned there. He spent twenty years alone in that cave, chained to the walls, calling out day and night, but no one had ever come to rescue him.

"So, after only a few years, he slowly lost his mind.

"If I had arrived earlier, in his madness, he might have killed me with one strike.

"If I had arrived later, I would not have had the fate to meet him.

"At that time, it was just right. He said his time was running out and that he was briefly lucid.

"It was fitting that his martial arts should not be lost.

"He immediately wanted to pass on his skills to me.

"At that time, regardless of whether I was willing or not, he taught and imparted his knife techniques to me.

"Unfortunately, his knife techniques were difficult to master, becoming more intricate as they progressed."

"After barely mastering three moves, he didn’t pass on the fourth. Instead, he sighed and had me come before him, intending to transfer his inner strength to me.

"Unfortunately… he was already on his last breath by then.

"He managed to pass on only a fraction of his inner strength before he succumbed, unable to complete the process.

"Afterward, he showed me the way out and told me that one day, I would need to go to Wusheng Hall to rescue someone…

"Once I rescued that person, they would teach me the rest of the blade techniques.

"If I felt my skills were too weak and going to Wusheng Hall meant certain death, then I should just rely on these three techniques and my remaining inner strength to survive in the martial world.

By this point, the story of his martial training had become clear.

It was indeed all very muddled and inexplicable.

However, there was still one thing Hu Sandao had kept hidden.

At the time, Hu Sandao had asked, if he knew the way out, why didn’t he leave?

For some reason, after Hu Sandao asked this, the man’s eyes seemed to show a hint of regret…

It wasn’t until he was safe that Hu Sandao understood the tragic truth.

The man couldn’t leave because of the shackles on his body, which kept him trapped there.

Knowing the way out was meaningless if his body was chained there.

Afterward, Hu Sandao found a place to heal and rest, and every day he studied those three knife techniques.

He thought about going to Wusheng Hall, but with his current skills, it would be a suicide mission.

For now, he had no choice but to shelve the idea.

Once his injuries healed, he secretly returned to his village and saw that his parents and relatives were still safe, which put his mind at ease.

He then headed west, all the way to the western border of the Eastern Wilderness.

That area was quite chaotic, but he intended to use it to hone his martial skills.

He also had someone forge a Golden Thread Great Ring Saber to better execute his knife techniques.

Over the next few years, he earned the name ‘Hu Sandao.’

By then, he believed his martial skills had reached a certain level of mastery, so he planned to return and bring his family back, at least away from the territory of Wusheng Hall.

Incidentally, he also wanted to seek revenge on the Forge Blade Gang.

However, he had underestimated the Forge Blade Gang.

His three techniques were still too few, and the ways of the martial world involved more than just skill.

In fact, he didn’t even get the chance to step onto the grounds of the Forge Blade Gang and formally declare his revenge.

Because… before that, he had returned to his village once more.

And at that time, the village was being slaughtered.

The ones doing the slaughtering were none other than the Forge Blade Gang."

"I originally thought that as long as I didn't show up, the village would be safe from danger.

"However, I finally realized that the Forge Blade Gang never killed because of me.

"The flames and horrific screams from the village reminded me of that night, those piercing screams.

"The only difference was that I wasn’t the same person anymore.

"Enraged, I drew my blade and struck down anyone in my path.

"In terms of martial skill alone, I may not be as good as Chief Escort Su, but I was far superior to those from the Forge Blade Gang.

"But those people, seeing my superior skill, avoided close combat and instead resorted to sneak attacks with hidden weapons.

"They used the elderly and children in the village as hostages.

"The village elders who were captured placed themselves in the path of the blades, only then did I unleash my full strength.

"Even so, it ended in a mutual loss.

"After a fierce battle, I killed the last of them and then turned to ask the villagers.

"At that point, staying there would mean certain death. Rather than that, it would be better to escape the territory of Wusheng Hall with me.

"They asked me, if we leave this land where we were born and raised, where would we go?

"I told them, to be villagers is to be at their mercy!

"If that’s the case, it’s better to take to the mountains, become outlaws, and make them fear us—better than living aimlessly and dying without purpose!"

From that night on, Hu Sandao led the villagers into a life of banditry.

The village had its share of hidden talents. Hu Sandao was originally illiterate, but during those two years, a teacher came to the village.

He sought lessons daily and, over time, learned a great deal.

After that, they tried a few raids but never fully committed.

Though he resented the world for its injustices, he was not truly a villain at heart.

He wasn’t ruthless enough, nor decisive enough in his actions.

Time and again, he vowed to harden his heart, but he never could.

Eventually, he left Wusheng Hall’s territory and secretly set up camp near the place where he first met Su Mo.

He originally planned to start anew and make a name for himself in the outlaw world, but his first encounter was with Su Mo.

"I wasn't willing to accept Chief Escort Su's reputation and challenged him, and as you know, the result...

"Afterward, fearing Chief Escort Su would seek revenge, I led them to East City.

"The journey was fraught with difficulties, we lost many along the way, and hiding became unbearable; some even left on their own.

"Finally, we found a place to settle on Tuniu Mountain.

"Unexpectedly, this place is so remote that no one passed by for days.

"Just when we thought no one would ever pass by, who should appear but Chief Escort Su once more..."

Hu Sandao let out a long sigh, "Now that I think about it, it seems the heavens are against me."

That was the end of that.

Su Mo didn’t react, his face unreadable.

The Forge Blade Gang was ruthless, and Wusheng Hall had no real power.

Hu Sandao had been pushed into becoming an outlaw.

But every time he tried to rob someone, he kept running into the same person.

A decent man had been reduced to this—truly a sad fate.

Wei Ziyi shook her head and said, "I don’t think the heavens are against you. The heavens don’t want you to fully enter the life of an outlaw but are giving you a chance to start anew."

"Hmm?"

Hu Sandao looked at Wei Ziyi, "Miss, what do you mean by that?"

"You're not cut out to be a bandit. Running into Su Mo repeatedly has led to this encounter.

"Why not ask Su Mo for a job? You could serve under him."

Wei Ziyi gave Hu Sandao a knowing look.

Hu Sandao hesitated, then realization dawned on him. The idea was tempting.

However, after much hesitation, he sighed again, "If it were just me, I’d beg Su Mo to take me in.

"But what about everyone back at the camp?

"While some of the younger men can join the escort agency to make a living,

"Many of them are too weak or old—women and children included..."

"That's not something to worry about."

Wei Ziyi said, "There will be a place for you all in Sunset City. The women can take up laundry and sewing to support their families. The younger men can join the agency and receive monthly wages. As for a place to stay..."

She looked at Su Mo, "I have a house near the Ziyang Escort Agency that I'm not using for the time being. You can all stay there temporarily. The house is quite large, more than enough to accommodate everyone. Once they’re settled and can afford their own homes, they can give it back to me."

"Is what you say really true, Miss!?"

Hu Sandao's eyes widened in surprise.

"Of course," Wei Ziyi smiled, "However, this all depends on Chief Escort Su's decision. If he doesn't want you to join the agency, you can come to Heavenly Feather City, where there will always be food for you."

"Heavenly Feather City?"

Hu Sandao was no stranger to the name, but hearing this, he couldn't help but ask curiously, "Who exactly are you?"

Wei Ziyi gave a mysterious smile, intending to keep her secret, when Su Mo spoke up,

"This is the eighth leader of the Fallen Phoenix Alliance, deputy mayor of Heavenly Feather City, and granddaughter of the esteemed leader of the alliance... Wei Ziyi."

"Hiss!!"

Hu Sandao sucked in a sharp breath: "So… she's the prized daughter of Alliance Leader Wei?"

Wei Ziyi gave Su Mo a fierce glare but nodded: "Now, you should feel relieved, right?"

"With the backing of Alliance Leader Wei, I’m completely reassured."

His eyes drifted to Su Mo. Taking a deep breath, he bowed deeply and knelt on one knee:

"My brothers and I are willing to join the Ziyang Escort Agency, ready to serve faithfully. We humbly request that Chief Escort Su take us in and grant us a way to make a living."

Upon hearing this, the bandits who had been standing by also knelt down. In an instant, a large group of people were kneeling on the ground.

Su Mo waved his hands hurriedly: "Please rise, everyone. There's no need for this."

But Hu Sandao remained kneeling, waiting for Su Mo's final word.

Though Su Mo could have pulled him up, Hu would just kneel again.

After a brief moment of thought, Su Mo spoke:

"Everyone, if you truly wish to join the Ziyang Escort Agency, I certainly have no reason to refuse.

"However, there's something I must say in advance, and I hope you will remember it well.

"You were all originally living freely in the mountains. The escort agency is different from a bandit camp; it has many rules. Sometimes, my words may come across as harsh.

"If you join the agency, you must understand that everything is governed by the rules.

"If there are those who do not follow, and face severe punishment, don't blame me for not warning you in advance."

Su Mo was impressed by Hu Sandao’s loyalty.

Although the man wasn't very bright, he had a sense of fairness. It would indeed be a pity to let him go.

The Ziyang Escort Agency was rebuilding and would need more hands.

Taking them in would be mutually beneficial.

However, he was concerned that these people, used to being bandits, might not withstand discipline, so this warning had to be given upfront.

When Hu Sandao heard Su Mo's words, he knew the matter was settled and immediately turned to shout:

"Starting today, Chief Escort Su's words will be the law for us, not to be disobeyed.

"Otherwise, the blade in my hand won't recognize anyone."

"We obey, Chief Escort Su!"

Hu Sandao's face darkened: "Starting today, there's no 'Boss' anymore. Only Chief Escort Su!"

"Yes, we obey, Chief Escort Su!"

Su Mo nodded: "Everyone, please rise."

These people finally stood up, exchanging glances, all feeling the weight of life's unpredictability.

They couldn't continue being bandits and, in the blink of an eye, were now being recruited into the escort agency.

Su Mo looked at Hu Sandao and said, "You've all just joined the agency, so I won't assign you high positions for now. You'll start as foot soldiers. What do you think, Brother Hu?"

"Of course, I will follow the Chief Escort's orders."

Hu Sandao clasped his fists and bowed, but couldn't resist scratching his head at the end, "This is kinda weird. From now on, I can't just snatch whatever I want."

"…What do you mean you 'can't just snatch'? You can't take anything!"

Su Mo’s lips twitched.

"Yes, yes, yes. From today onwards, if anyone tries to steal what we're protecting, they’ll have to deal with this blade!"

Hu Sandao shook his Golden Thread Great Ring Blade, causing it to ring with a tingling sound.

Su Mo looked at the people in the stronghold and felt a bit troubled.

Although he had accepted Hu Sandao and his group, he currently had a delivery to make to Cold Moon Palace, and after that, he needed to visit the Purple Sun Sect.

He couldn’t take them all with him on this journey.

They had already traveled a long way to get here, and if they had to go on another trip, some of the older and weaker members might not survive the journey back to Ziyang Escort Agency.

However, leaving them in this mountain stronghold wasn't very reliable either.

This place was isolated, and getting supplies would mean a long trek.

If any passing hero decided to play the hero and attacked them, thinking they were still bandits...

Well, in the past, that wouldn't have been wrong.

But now, he had to take care of them.

Su Mo thought that the best solution would be to find a place where they could stay temporarily, give them some money, and allow the elderly and weak to rest and recover.

By the time he returned from East City, he could pick them up and bring them back to Ziyang Escort Agency.

While he was thinking, his attention shifted to the room where Little Situ Taoist had gone.

A presence emerged from that location, and suddenly, a cry of "Ouch!" was heard.

Little Situ Taoist burst through the window and tumbled out.

"Young Master, Young Master!!"

Four figures flew out of the window, intending to help Little Situ Taoist.

But Little Situ Taoist loudly said, "Don't worry about me, don't let our efforts fail."

The four of them nodded and immediately turned back without hesitation.

Little Situ Taoist was stunned. They really weren't going to help?

He fell to the ground but didn't get up.

Su Mo hesitated for a moment before approaching Little Situ Taoist. Hearing his footsteps, Little Situ Taoist turned his head and smiled at Su Mo:

"Chief Escort Su, please go inside and help. The person is critically injured, but his unique cultivation technique has kept his heart meridian intact for now.

"I used silver needles to help stabilize him, and I tried to use my inner energy to clear his blocked meridians, but I wasn't strong enough.

"Instead, I was thrown back by a strange surge of energy from within him.

"Chief Escort Su, with your deep inner energy, you're the best one to help him now."

But instead of rushing in, Su Mo gently helped Little Situ Taoist to his feet. He noticed that while she managed to stand, her legs felt weak and lacked any strength.

"……Little Situ, what happened to your legs?"

Though Little Situ Taoist usually sat in a sedan chair, Su Mo had always assumed it was just her preference. He had no idea that her legs were actually paralyzed.

Seeing his surprise, Little Situ Taoist remained calm, though her smile seemed forced as she explained:

"Since childhood, I've had damage to the six major meridians—three yin and three yang. Although I've managed to cultivate inner energy, my legs have never been able to stand. Chief Escort Su, don't worry about me, saving the person is the priority.

"Although the four sisters have decent inner energy, they won't be able to hold on much longer.

"If we don't act quickly, we might lose him for good."

Su Mo exhaled softly, nodded, and gently helped Little Situ Taoist sit on a nearby rock.

Su Mo flew into the room.

On the bed, someone hovered in mid-air, covered in bandages, with blood slowly seeping through.

Each of their limbs was covered by a hand, channeling internal energy into them to unblock the meridians and restore the flow of energy.

However, the four women looked strained, their faces flushed red, with a faint white mist rising from their foreheads, indicating they were pushing their limits.

"You four, stand down. Let me take over."

The four opened their eyes, glanced at Su Mo, and instantly stepped back. The person they had been holding aloft dropped down.

In an instant, Su Mo was beside him and, with a quick gesture, the person spun in mid-air. Su Mo then placed a hand on the person's back.

A surge of internal energy flowed in, and the person instinctively tilted their head back, exhaling suddenly.

Su Mo's eyebrows twitched slightly as he felt multiple streams of internal energy swirling within the person, slippery and cunning like snakes. His own internal energy, when probing, encountered a situation where it was surrounded by a pack of snakes!