Chapter 4 Subsequent Events

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The Qin soldiers quickly took control of the bandit stronghold in a very short amount of time.

The trapped civilians were rescued, each wrapped in thick cotton clothes and blankets. The sun had risen, but large bonfires were lit to warm them up. The meat and mountain delicacies prepared by the bandits were all chopped and thrown into pots to boil over high flames with a handful of salt added to warm their bodies.

If they weren't given nourishment, even if these people were rescued, probably only 70% would survive the descent from the mountain.

The elder, who had nearly hacked the bandit leader into mush, sat on a bed, his thigh wound carelessly wrapped with a piece of torn cloth, as if that was treatment enough. Beside him, on a small table, were the ledgers the Qin soldiers had found. Under the dim light of the dying candles, the elder flipped through them, and flames seemed to leap from the words into his eyes, his hatred making him grind his teeth.