Bandit Slayer

[Word Count 1944]

The mission issued by the Third Guard wasn't solely meant for the Ten Sky Guards but also the entirety of the Sky Guards Battalion.

Of course, high priority was centred around the Ten Sky Guards and they had the option of either choosing whoever they wanted to form a party with or going solo mode.

Most didn't want to take the risk of fighting the bandits alone and chose to join squads having a reputable genius to maximize their survivability.

Apart from survivability, there was also a matter of studying the terrain, scouting their surroundings and also the efficiency when it comes to strength in numbers.

The five days that the youths had been given by the overseer were all to prepare for the mission and be at their very best.

Zhao Wei didn't enter or form his own squad.

There were many reasons behind such a decision. One, If he had others accompanying him, they would only serve as dead weights and hindrances that only need to be saved. Two, if he had to be constantly on the lookout for his squad's status then he wouldn't be able to fight without restraints. Three, in the whole Sky Guards Battalion, Zhao Wei thought he was currently the strongest and this wasn't due to being overconfident, they were just pure facts.

Zhao Wei had already analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of the Ten Sky Guards. He had a good opinion of them since they were capable but the reality out there in the wild didn't care if you were a revered genius.

Bandits were a heinous bunch and they wouldn't take it lightly when the youths from the Sky Guards Battalion disturbed their peace and banditry.

Five days swiftly passed and finally, the day of the mission arrived.

"You are going alone? Wouldn't that be dangerous even for you?" Zhao Yufei softly spoke with an unhidden worry showing on her face.

"You are worried about me, huh? I didn't see that coming." Zhao Wei said teasingly.

"Ugh, I am not worried about a bastard like you. I am just trying to convince you to change your decision lest you meet certain dangers during the mission." Zhao Yufei cutely balled her fists in frustration.

A shade of red gradually spread around her cheeks.

Zhao Wei flashed an easygoing smile as he raised his hand to pet her head, much to her surprise.

"W-W-What do you think you are doing?" Zhao Yufei stammered in anger and embarrassment but she couldn't find the energy to brush his hand away.

"I just wanted to pat your head. See, you are enjoying it. It seems I have learned another way to make you docile, little sister Yufei." Zhao Wei wore a victorious grin as he gently patted a heavily blushing Zhao Yufei.

"I don't have to explain my decisions but just know I really don't like babysitting others." Zhao Wei withdrew his hand.

"You can't come with me. Rediscover your inner self through the bloody battles to come. I remember you asking if I have ever killed before, from here henceforth, the world you once knew is going to be overturned."

"But-"

"Killing is easier than you think, especially when your very life is on the line. It's kill or be killed, that's the law."

"O-Okay." Zhao Yufei released a weak sigh.

Zhao Wei then left to deal with the mission.

There were some youths in groups that saw Zhao Wei leaving on his own and they couldn't help but comment on his daredevil act.

"Did he just go solo? Isn't that crazy and straight-up courting death?"

"He is just stupid and thinks highly of himself. Does he think he's invincible or something?"

"He would have a taste of the consequences due to his cocky decision."

"Leave him be."

A bald young man in a certain group looked at the receding figure of Zhao Wei with a surprised look on his face.

He was Lei Cong, ranked number two among the Ten Sky Guards, just below Feng Hanyue.

'Youths these days think that they know it all.' The monk snickered and turned his attention elsewhere.

He didn't give two Fs about Zhao Wei.

What mattered most to him was to accumulate a lot of battle points and get the chance to be chosen by Lord Guanjun.

How were the actions of one young man going to outvalue the one-in-a-thousand chance of serving directly under Lord Guanjun?!

Soon, all the squads involved in the kill mission began heading toward the territory where the bandits were hiding.

Zhao Yufei joined forces with a Peak Fifth Rank lady and Li Changfeng who was currently at the Beginner stage of the Sixth Rank.

The latter had willingly joined and that was only after Zhao Yufei had thoroughly made sure he was genuine and tamed.

***

The territory where the bandits were hiding was immensely huge and bordered the Maple Fire Country.

The terrain was laden with trees, streams, cliffs, hills and villages that gave life to the environment.

Zhao Wei took roughly two days to reach there due to his superior speed.

A worn-out but still interpretable map drawn on a unique leather skin could be seen patched on Zhao Wei's hands as he copied all the information into his photographic mind.

"Hmm, now what should I do with this physical map?" Zhao Wei wondered for a moment before rolling it and storing it in his pocket.

"I should just return it instead of throwing it away."

With the layout of the terrain easily imprinted in his mind, Zhao Wei didn't have to constantly refer to the hand copy.

The territory which was comparable to a maze brought into being was easily navigated by Zhao Wei as he stealthily rushed toward his very first targets a couple of miles away.

He was a recon expert due to his telescopic vision and the way he was effortlessly moving among the trees made it look as if he had always been familiar with the region.

'Ah, there you are.' An amused glint shone in Zhao Wei's eyes when he saw a group of six bandits camping in an almost inconspicuous place.

They really knew how to camouflage their camping sites.

Some were on the lookout, maintaining vigilance over their surroundings while some went on with their businesses.

Zhao Wei sensed a couple of life signatures inside the log house that were weaker compared to the six bandits he had singled out.

He heard the weak low moans of hopeless women and the inarguable scent of death.

'Typical of bandits.' Zhao Wei touched his chin as he listened to the wind and sounds emanating from the house.

'They are truly careless despite their so-called surveillance.'

'What a lousy bunch.'

'Two Peak Fourth Ranked, Three Peak Fifth Rankers, a beginner Sixth Ranker and a Peak Sixth Ranker.' Zhao Wei categorized their strengths in ascending order.

The Two Peak Fourth Ranked were the ones acting as the surveillance dogs while the others enjoyed themselves.

"Fuck, those guys are busy enjoying themselves while I am here getting nothing." One of the bandits complained with indignance as he lit up a thick tobacco cigar before taking a puff.

He then exhaled a ring of smoke in satisfaction.

"I can even hear their satisfied groans from here and it's making me hard that I could fuck a hole through the ground." Bandit B comically and exaggeratedly rubbed his crotch.

"You are a shitty lowly fucker you know that, haha." Bandit A clicked his tongue in disgust before laughing.

"Don't be so impatient, brother. The leader promised us some fresh village women after this boring shift." He then added casually.

"The leader really knows how to joke. He will be leaving us nothing after enjoying all the 'goods'." Bandit B grumbled as his eyes lazily scanned the surroundings.

Bandit B then eyed the thick cigar.

"Won't ya share some smoke?"

Bandit A blew the smoke on his face before begrudgingly giving him the cigar.

Bandit B remained unaffected by the smoke and hurriedly took the cigar.

"That's what I am talking about." He greedily took a puff.

"I am gonna take a piss. Give me a moment." Bandit A said in a hurry.

"Don't do something that I wouldn't do." Bandit B flashed a meaningful smile.

"Fuck you!"

Bandit A then walked toward a thick bush some distance away from his friend.

Bandit A was unaware that the tall tree next to the thick bush was where Zhao Wei was observing everything while casually sitting on a branch as if he was sightseeing.

'You brought yourself to me.' Zhao Wei leaned his cheek against his fist as he eyed Bandit A in amusement. (Bandit A and Bandit B were names he had come up with to remember the cannon fodders.)

'It's a pity I forgot my bow back at the Zhao Clan.'

Then an ingenious idea appeared in his mind.

Zhao Wei then started searching his pockets for a silver coin and he found one.

'Misaka, lemme borrow your railgun move for a moment.'

"Yo, what do you think about the ass of the village head's wife?" Zhao Wei asked in a serious tone as he tried to mimic the voice of Bandit B.

"It's thick and fat. I have thought about clapping them a few times in my dreams. It's a pity only the leader gets to enjoy her." Bandit A answered quickly as he released a sigh of satisfaction while taking a piss.

It was only some seconds later that Bandit A realized that the voice came from above instead of behind where Bandit B was.

A confused look settled on his face before he abruptly gazed at the tree branches.

And there he saw a youth about 14 years of age merrily swinging his legs around like a child in a park.

The youth was also flipping a silver coin with surgical precision using his thumb.

"Who the fuck are you, kid?!" Bandit A hurriedly touched his blade, prepared to swing it at any moment.

Zhao Wei stopped flipping the coin and smiled down at him.

"I am the Bandit slayer!"

Zhao Wei then channelled a little bit of his inner strength into the silver coin and aimed at the head of Bandit A.

"I will kill-!"

WHOOSH!

A beautiful golden line zapped through the air before drilling a small circular hole in the forehead of Bandit A.

With his eyes widening in extreme disbelief, Bandit A didn't get to finish his words before receiving a headshot.

"Sound an alarm first, small fry." With his hands tucked inside his robe, Zhao Wei soundlessly gravitated down to the ground.

In the next moment, he appeared behind Bandit B and poked his shoulder.

"You are done already!" Bandit B continued getting high.

Zhao Wei wondered if cultivators could also get high.

"I am back from the memorial service of your friend."

Bandit B tensed when he heard an unfamiliar voice and when he was about to shout an alarm, a wind blade severed his neck off his body.

Deep red blood started splattering in all directions from the beheaded corpse like the waters of a fountain.

Seconds later, the headless body languidly fell to the ground to make a pool from its own blood.

Strangely, the blood didn't dirty Zhao Wei's body.

His clothes remained spotless.

All the droplets of blood seemed to hit a wall whenever they splashed toward him.

"This is the infinity between us, blood."

Zhao Wei then nonchalantly walked toward the foul house of depravity and orgies.

***

Enjoy!

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