CHAPTER 266: Captives

When Janet and her band of bandits sneaked up on the house of Menlo to add insult to their injury, she didn't realise that she had become someone else's prey.

Adam Menlo was injured, and the Roc had turned into a blond, middle-aged man with blade wounds all over his skin. Both were under the protection of the family's elite as they slowly retreated towards their headquarters.

As they passed a thick bush surrounded by several towering trees, Janet's people immediately jumped out, screaming and shouting. The old man next to Janet unleashed several wind-assisted 'Acceleration' spells, allowing her people to quickly close the distance between them and the House of Menlo and begin their ambush.

Han Shuo had thought that Janet would be lurking around here, waiting for a chance to loot and pillage. Contrary to his expectations, however, Janet had given the order to kill as soon as she saw the Menlo family. Obviously she hadn't intended to rob them.

"Unlucky old fart Adam. Serves you right! You even dared to plot against me. You really are tired of life, aren't you?" Janet didn't move, just screamed loudly in high spirits. Her delicate cheeks were painted with joy.

"The House of Menlo is finished when we kill these people. See if they still dare to make trouble for us!" The bandits screamed and shouted, waving their weapons furiously and attacking fiercely. They were hot on the heels of the badly wounded Menlo experts, who were now fleeing in all directions.

The major powers seemed to have come to a tacit agreement before tonight, as they hadn't sent too many people on this journey into the valley. The House of Menlo had brought about two dozen experts in all. After the berserker Laureton had killed some and more had fallen to Han Shuo's resurrected corpses, they only had a dozen members left.

Now that they were facing Janet's bandit group, which was three times their size, it was only a matter of time before they suffered a loss.

"Protect my father well. Our people are close! As long as we return to the headquarters, these damned bandits won't be able to leave alive!" A thin, seemingly weak mage with brown hair waved his staff and shouted loudly.

Many sharp spikes suddenly shot up on the path Janet and her bandits were taking. Their momentum was fast and furious, thanks to the Acceleration spell that supported them. They simply didn't pay attention to the changes beneath their feet. As they landed, one by one, their bare feet were immediately pierced by the spikes.

"Damn it! Shoot them!" Janet roared, ordering the several archers behind her.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh.

The sound of arrows piercing the air echoed as a series of shining silver arrows whizzed towards the House of Menlo, suddenly throwing them into confusion. Even the earth mage who'd cast Earth Spikes earlier was affected by the rain of arrows. He was forced to release an earth wall in defence.

Han Shuo could clearly see the battle between Janet and the House of Menlo through the three Yin Demons. Currently, his group was hiding in the darkness about dozens of metres away, paying close attention to the intense battle and waiting for Han Shuo's orders.

"Let them hurt each other. I'll have the Earth Elite Zombie sneak attack them in a moment and grab our person!" Han Shuo said calmly, not the least bit worried.

"Tonight will be a sleepless night. Starting tomorrow, the Valley of Sunshine will become even more chaotic, and our Soul Destroyer mercenary band will seize the opportunity to rise up!" Trunks' ambition flared as he spoke with excitement.

"You should be careful for now. After my brutal actions tonight, I think the Rainbow Sickle Mercenary Band and the House of Menlo may drop everything to deal with us first. The current strength of our mercenary band isn't enough to compete with them yet. Our base must not be compromised." Seeing the burning ambition on Trunks' face, Han Shuo couldn't help but chime in.

"Hehehe, that's fine too. With your madness tonight, our Soul Destroyer mercenary band will definitely become famous. As long as we have fame, we won't have to worry about recruiting. As long as we have both money and manpower, we will grow rapidly. When we're strong enough, the traitor Florida will die! Trunks said coldly, his face solemn.

Nodding in agreement, Han Shuo said, "Indeed, the moment of the Soul Destroyer Mercenary Band has come!"

"Oh?" Han Shuo shouted softly and said, "I didn't think the experts from the House of Menlo would really wait outside to help their own. It seems that Janet's efforts are going down the drain!"

Han Shuo patted the Earth Elite zombie and ordered it to quickly sneak into the ground. Then he turned to look at Trunks and said, "I suddenly remember that since I have him, I don't need your help. You go back to the base first. I'll bring Janet and join you later."

"You really don't need any help? Since Janet can become the leader of such a large bandit group, her strength must be strong. Besides, her men will surround her. Are you sure that you can succeed?" Trunks asked in surprise.

Rest assured. This will definitely not be a problem!" Han Shuo smiled confidently and turned to Gilbert and the little skeleton, ordering them both to go back. He then headed towards Janet with the Earth Elite Zombie, silently lying in wait to ambush them.

This evening was bound to be chaotic, so when the elites from the four major powers of the Valley of Sunshine had entered the mountain valley, most of their troops were waiting outside to provide support.

The small powers in the valley, who had been deeply resentful of being oppressed by the four major powers, hadn't dared to act rashly. Now that the four major powers had been severely wounded in the battle, in addition to the deadly temptation of the mithril mine, no one would suspect them of doing anything crazy.

Even though Trunks and his party were familiar with the terrain of the Valley of Sunshine, Han Shuo was worried that they'd run into danger along the way. He sent Gilbert and the little skeleton along with them. At least they could help each other along the way.

Han Shuo's mind raced as he planned exactly how to capture Janet. Relying on the detailed observations of Janet's every move by the three Yin Demons, he quickly brainstormed and considered the most appropriate method.

"Hurry and go after them. Kill them! There won't be another chance if we miss this one!" Janet grabbed the huge, spiked club and her delicate body shot forward at lightning speed as she chased after the fleeing members of the House of Menlo. Several bandits were originally at her side, but gradually moved away from her as they rushed after the Menlo experts.

Han Shuo calmly determined Janet's route through the Yin Demons. He moved stealthily to hide behind a huge tree and slowly adjusted his breathing and heartbeat. After a while, his entire being seemed to melt into the tree. No one could spot him in the shadows.

The Earth Elite zombie moved quickly through the ground, following Janet closely as Han Shuo had instructed. All it needed was a command from its master to immediately coordinate with Han Shuo from underground.

The Menlo experts rode various magical creatures and fled past the huge tree trunk where Han Shuo was hiding. Several bandits on Janet's side waved their weapons and shouted loudly as they gave chase. All of them passed right by Han Shuo.

Panting heavily, Janet gradually approached on the trajectory Han Shuo had previously predicted. She wielded the giant spiked club while screaming and cursing vulgarities at the top of her lungs. She had none of the restraint and subtlety that a young girl should have.

Suddenly, the lurking Han Shuo jumped out like a ghost and instantly appeared in front of Janet like a dark shadow.

Janet was cursing incessantly when she suddenly saw a shadow slip out of the darkness. Startled, she raised the spiked club and lunged forward. The club moved at high speed, making a strange whistling sound. The momentum was astonishing.

Clang clang!

A metallic sound echoed as an enormous force was transmitted through the club into Janet's body. The force was like a terrifying volcanic eruption that threw Janet backwards.

"It's you!" Janet realised after a single blow that the newcomer was much stronger than her. When Han Shuo's figure was revealed, her face immediately paled in shock as she screamed.

When she saw that her ambusher was Han Shuo, she knew that her strength wasn't up to the task. She quickly retreated without a thought, shouting, "Men, capture him!"

As Janet retreated furiously, she was completely unaware of the Earth Elite Zombie lying in wait. A pair of arms suddenly rose from the ground and grabbed her ankles, halting her flight.

Janet was startled by this sudden turn of events. She cried out in fear, "Help! Something's got me!"

"Too late!" A light cry rang out. Han Shuo was already face to face with Janet. She could feel her entire body stiffening as if it wasn't her own anymore and slowly losing strength in her limbs.

"Let her go, or you will bear the cost of our retaliation at any cost!" The crippled Wind Archmage Billy quickly flew over as he glared at Han Shuo and shouted loudly.

"I need to ask her some questions. I will not take her life, so rest assured!" Han Shuo said, carrying the unconscious Janet as he reacted to the quickly approaching Billy.

"You promise not to hurt her?" On the other side, Billy was afraid that Han Shuo would make a vicious move. He stopped the angry bandits around him from rushing forward as he stared at Han Shuo urgently.

"Of course I won't take her life. Otherwise, she'd be dead by now!" Han Shuo nodded and replied, then he took Janet and flew away, leaving a few words, "Three days at the most. She will definitely return safely, rest assured!"

Having finished speaking, Han Shuo ordered the Earth Elite Zombie to retreat. Together, the man and the zombie left the sky and the ground. They quickly drifted in the direction of Trunks and his group.