Another Sect Mission [6]

"Haa... Haa..."

The bandit who had narrowly escaped death tore through the dense forest, his breaths ragged as he sprinted with everything he had left.

Sweat mixed with the grime on his face as the trees blurred past him, branches scraping his arms, but he didn't stop.

The forest gradually thinned, and in the distance, a jagged rock formation loomed, almost hidden by the thick underbrush.

With a final desperate push, the bandit dashed toward it, slipping through a narrow gap in the rocks that led into a hidden cave.

Panting heavily, he descended deeper into the cave, his footsteps echoing off the damp stone walls.

At last, he reached the underground chamber, a sprawling hideout carved out beneath the mountain. 

The cave opened into a rough-hewn series of rooms, where the dim light of flickering torches barely illuminated the rugged surroundings.