If I Can't Come Back From This Trip, So Be It

Outside the Luo Residence, in his silky white robes, Luo Hong had a sword tied to his waist and a jade headdress on top of his head. A lock of hair lingered in front of his forehead, making him look natural and elegant as if he was a noble gentleman. 

Zhao Donghan looked dejected as he pulled the horse over. The scar on his face was twitching fiercely, as though a wriggling worm was stuck on his face. 

Little Douhua puckered her lips as she watched Luo Hong climb up the horse in confusion. 

Even though the young lord was fierce to her, she knew he was a good man. However, the young lord was about to join the Heiyun Stockade. 

The Heiyun Stockade was more than just a stockade of bandits. They were actually a force of evil. 

Luo Hong joining the ranks of a bandit was an insult to his name as though a pure lotus was tainted by the mud around it. It was heart-wrenching.

Luo Xiaoxiao watched her brother climb up the horse as she held the hand of a servant. She pouted and looked grumpy because she might be the only one in this world who knew how evil her brother was!

He had a rotten heart under that elegant skin of his!

He was a brother who stole even his sister's breakfast!

Luo Xiaoxiao tightened her lips, feeling like she was the only conscious one among those who had been deceived by her brother. 

'My brother is super evil! The bandits are in danger!'

As Luo Hong climbed up the horse, he heard the servants and the crowd talking about him, but he was not bothered. 

In the past two days, rumors about him joining the stockade had spread like wildfire.

With the righteous Young Lord Luo Hong falling to the dark side, the news of him joining the bandits swept the county like the rising tide.

Good news stayed behind doors while bad news spread far and fast. The more good Luo Hong did, the more the people would pick on his actions, but he was not bothered by any of it. 

He even felt extremely happy. While he knew that someone was spreading the rumors in the dark, hence causing it to spread like wildfire, he was clueless about who was responsible. 

He just wanted to give the person responsible a big round of applause.

Neither did Luo Hong stop the rumors from spreading, nor did he clear his name. He actually wanted this to happen, and he believed that with the rumors out there, it would benefit him in some way. At least, he would be able to assure his own safety until he reached the Heiyun Stockade.

Since the news was out, everyone knew he was joining the Heiyun Stockade, and the chief of the bandits would not just cut him in half at the first meeting, would he? Therefore, his safety was assured. 

"My young lord, it's dangerous. Why not listen to me and…forget about it?" Zhao Donghan tried to persuade Luo Hong with a heavy tone. 

Luo Hong shook his head while he put on a faint but confident smile. 

How could he simply give everything up?

Because the rumors had already spread to every corner of the county, his evil plan would definitely work out this time around. This would be a crucial step for him to reach the epitome of his villainous life. 

"Let's go," said Luo Hong.

Zhao Donghan realized that his words were futile. He knew that his young lord was determined to reach the Heiyun Stockade. 

Therefore, he kept quiet, but his heart grew heavier.

As the horse moved its hooves, clear clicking noises sounded. 

Zhao Donghan pulled the horse by the rein with Luo Hong on top of the horse. The duo was moving outside the county.

As a bigger crowd gathered around the moving horse, the news of the righteous Young Lord 'Long Hoe' falling to the dark side had become household news.

Many people gathered on both sides of the street, talking and pointing at the elegant-looking man on the horse.

Although Zhao Donghan looked gloomy, Luo Hong was calm.

With that many pairs of eyes on him, the Young Lord 'Long Hoe' finally left the county gate.

Above the county gate, Magistrate Liu's eagle-like eyes were staring at Luo Hong's back as the horse carried him further away. 

Beside the magistrate were several constables waiting in silence.

"My lord, should we arrest Luo Hong?" asked one of the constables.

The magistrate glared at the constable with his keen eyes. "Are you dumb? Arrest? Do you really think Young Lord 'Long Hoe' is really joining the bandits?" he shouted.

The constable lowered his head right away at the magistrate's words.

The magistrate turned away after scolding his subordinate. His hands were clasped behind his back as he watched the horse carrying Luo Hong slowly disappear from his sight, and he sighed heavily.

…

Zhao Donghan pulled the horse along the crooked mountain paths, lost in his memories as he slowly led Luo Hong to the Heiyun Stockade.

A long while later, the outline of the Heiyun Stockade finally entered Luo Hong's sight. It was a little stockade built in the valley between two mountains, creating a formidable defensive point and making it difficult for enemies to launch an attack.

"The Heiyun Stockade…" Luo Hong squinted his eyes.

"My young lord, the Heiyun Stockade is ahead of us. It's still not too late to turn around," Zhao Donghan advised reluctantly.

Luo Hong glanced at him. The guard might look boorish and hideous, but he really cared about his young lord.

He patted Zhao Donghan's shoulder. A phrase popped up in his mind and he said nonchalantly, "Zhao, you don't have to worry. I've made up my mind. If I can't come back from this trip, so be it."

Kaboom!

Zhao Donghan's body quivered all of a sudden. The feelings in him almost went out of control as the words entered his ears. His fierce gaze was shaking.

The young lord's words reminded him of his brother-in-arms whom he had lost on the battlefield.

After having experienced the meaning of the phrase first-handed, it caused his blood to boil. Zhao Donghan understood his young lord's determination.

The air turned quiet all of a sudden except for the clicking of the horse hooves.

As the two moved closer to the stockade, two figures appeared at where they were before.

The figures were none other than the emissaries from the Court of Judicial Review, Xin Wei and Fang Zheng.

"If I can't come back from this trip, so be it…" Xin Wei's delicate face looked rather impressed as a hint of admiration floated in her gaze.

Fang Zheng's dull and blank face was also decorated with a soft smile. "The conversation between Lord Luo and Young Lord 'Long Hoe' reveals that the latter was attacked by the bandits before and that his bodyguards were all killed…"

"He must be joining the stockade to avenge the fallen guards. He's shouldering a heavy burden here," said Xin Wei, sounding like she had mixed feelings.

Fang Zheng nodded dully.

The two stopped chatting and moved out, tailing Luo Hong quietly but swiftly.

…

Outside the Heiyun Stockade, the chief of the bandits, Di Shan, had the beautiful woman in his arms and he seemed lively and energetic.

He stood tall at the dwelling, watching the mountain path further away. Behind him were his league of bandit brothers, standing restlessly and curiously.

The well-known man of justice in Anping County, Young Lord 'Long Hoe' had chosen to join the Heiyun Stockade, a bunch of bandits. The news was surprising even to the bandits.

"My king, it's better to be cautious. This is out of the norm. There must be something fishy. Why is he joining us as a bandit instead of keeping his title as a righteous man?" one of the bandits questioned Di Shan.

"That 'Long Hoe' isn't a powerful cultivator, so why should I be scared? We have our brothers here in Heiyun. If he has the balls to cause trouble, I'll mince him myself and feed him to the dogs!" Di Shan grinned, looking as fierce as a tyrant.

He was confident. After all, the Heiyun Stockade was a formidable defense point and was difficult for the enemies to launch an attack on. Even if the local government sent soldiers over for a siege, he might not even be afraid.

Luo Hong was just a weak boy, thus why should he be scared?

While they were chatting, Zhao Donghan and Luo Hong slowly appeared at the far end of the mountain path. 

Soon enough, the two arrived in front of the dwelling.

The coquettish woman in Di Shan's arms spotted the elegant Luo Hong as he came closer on the horse. Her eyes gleamed and she licked her succulent lips with her pinkish tongue, looking like a vixen.

As the bandits clamored, whistled, laughed, and caused all kinds of noises, the entire Heiyun Stockade came alive.

Zhao Donghan looked as gloomier as ever while the fierce aura from him was brewing.

Luo Hong squinted his eyes. He looked at the bunch of fierce bandits in black above the dwelling and he smirked.

'Evil...I like it.'