Rescue
He had arrived in a large space fitted out with 3 small wooden houses.
On the left side were several dark entrances leading to the depths of the cave.
Seeing the dilapidated state of these houses, there was no doubt that the bandits weren't staying here.
Seeing the people living here, Maxime's gaze was sombre.
In front of him were many women with lean bodies and sunken faces, their clothes virtually non-existent.
If their eyes didn't blink, Maxime would think they were just corpses.
Not far from them, too, were malnourished children who looked on with fear but also curiosity at Maxime and his group of mercenaries.
Everyone had come out of the houses after hearing the noise caused by the fighting.
In all, Maxime could quickly count that there were 5 women and a dozen children.
"Really, a beast in human form, how can anyone be so cruel?" expressed Maxime angrily.
His words were heard by the rest of the mercenaries, who said nothing, but their expressions were not pretty.
However, their impression of their leader increased slightly.
"Anyway, who's the son of a bandit here?" asked Maxime aloud with boredom.
He remembered well the promise he'd made to Romain the bandit, and he intended to fulfill it.
The children looked at each other, then one of them struggled to his feet.
But before Maxime could say anything, all the children stood up, staring at the blond man in front of them in bewilderment.
Maxime tapped his forehead lightly with his palm in annoyance.
Some of the mercenaries smiled.
Shaking his head slightly, Maxime clarified his request.
"Whoever has a father named Romain, stand, the rest sit."
A 7/8-year-old girl with short hair stood, calmly looking at Maxime.
"I killed your father," Maxime said simply, looking at the little girl.
In this world, he had no time for moods. His main objective was always to become strong enough to at least protect his family in the real world.
And Maxime guessed she'd soon discover the truth, so he might as well tell her straight out.
The little girl blinked several times, but answered nothing.
"He made me promise to take care of you," Maxime continued.
"But you still have the freedom to choose.
"Either you join the mercenary troop that killed your father and become logistics personnel or even a warrior."
"Or I'll give you 10 gold coins and a sword and you can leave here on your own."
"So what do you want to do?" questioned Maxime without a hint of warmth.
The little girl remained silent for a few seconds.
The children beside her and all the mercenaries looked at her.
The atmosphere was heavy.
Many of the mercenaries had blood on their clothes and weapons.
An ordinary little girl would have run away long ago at this sight.
Yet she showed no sign of shyness.
"I...I..."
"I...I'd like to...argh."
The little girl wanted to speak, but she couldn't get the words right.
Maxime frowned.
"Peter, go give her some of your water."
"Yes chief!"
After Peter had given her some water, the little girl's face turned a little redder.
The other children looked at her enviously.
"I...I'd like to join you..." she finally replied, looking directly at Maxime.
"Okay, you'll be responsible for washing our mercenaries' clothes from today onwards." declared Maxime.
He turned and pointed to one of the 6 new mercenaries in charge of logistics.
"You'll take care of this little one and teach her everything she needs to know."
"Yes chief!"
Maxime nodded in satisfaction, then turned to leave.
"Laura, Organ, now show me the way to riches!" he ordered with a happy face.
Seeing his back, the remaining women had no particular expression, but the children were surprised.
They knew that no matter how good or bad this man was, if they stayed in this cave they wouldn't survive more than a few days.
Organ and Laura inadvertently looked at each other, each with a puzzled look, but they quickly understood each other.
"Yes, boss! Follow us," replied Organ energetically as they headed deeper into the cave.
Some of the mercenaries looked pityingly at the women and children, but only shook their heads and avoided the unfortunates' gaze.
This was also the case for the mercenaries from Quessoi, but whether Andrew, Peter, Terry, James or Izo, each wisely chose to remain silent.
For the newly recruited mercenaries, however, this was not the case. They knew these women and children.
One of them gritted his teeth and ran to Maxime.
Seeing one of their former bandit colleagues do this, several of them felt an impulse deep in their hearts and followed him.
They soon arrived in front of Maxime.
Of course, everyone had noticed these little movements, but no one had tried to stop them.
Firstly, if these bandits wanted to do something dangerous then, let alone hit Maxime, it would be nice if they could still stay alive after a sword thrust.
Secondly, and also the main reason, most of the mercenaries were relatively young and wanted to save these women and children.
Maxime stopped, but said curtly:
"I already know what you want. But we're a group of mercenaries, not a group of bandits. So please don't talk to me about taking these women and children with us."
This directly stopped the breath of both the former bandits and the mercenaries behind Maxime.
However, the first to run did not admit defeat as he gritted his teeth and replied:
"To be honest, these women have been completely destroyed by our...former comrades. But these children still have a future ahead of them!"
Maxime smiled slightly inwardly, but outwardly he wore a very cold expression.
"So do yourself a favor and put these women out of their misery. But we're not an orphanage or a charity, these children will have their own destiny in their own hands."
Maxime didn't stop there as he turned and shouted:
"That goes for everyone here too, need I repeat that you are mercenaries from now on! In the future you'll see scenes far more awful and pitiful than today!"
"Every time we have to save everyone? With what money can I ask you?
"Let's imagine we save hundreds of women and children, can you imagine how much food hundreds of people eat every day?"
"And we'll have to lug them from battlefield to battlefield every time?"
"And what if our future enemies kidnap these children? Have you thought about that?"
Maxime swept his gaze over the crowd behind him, but no one dared reply.
He turned back to the bandits, most of whom wore bitter expressions in the face of this reality.
"If you understand, move!" ordered Maxime furiously.
The former bandits moved aside, except for one who remained standing, meeting Maxime's eyes.
Maxime found it surprising that, after such a situation, a former bandit was still standing up to him.
"They used to tell me at school that ordinary bandits were all cowards, but it seems there are still exceptions," Maxime thought happily, despite his expression.
In reality, Maxime came very close to the former bandit, and just as their faces were about to meet, Maxime whispered in a very slow but dry tone:
"Move...from...there!"
But the former bandit didn't move an inch.
"If food is a problem for these children, I'll use all my income to pay for food for these children," he replied firmly.
Maxime opened his mouth to speak, but the former bandit cut him off directly.
"If you're afraid they'll slow us down, I'll train them to develop their physique every day, even if it means shortening their life expectancy!" he shouted in a deafening voice.
His courage and determination impressed the mercenaries.
"If you're worried about them being a weak point, I'll train them as soon as possible to become warriors with no fear of death! That way, if they're ever captured, they'll kill themselves immediately!"
The bandit's voice was muffled after he had given his all to utter these few sentences, but his expression retained a steely determination.
Maxime remained silent, prolonging the strange atmosphere.
"What's your first name?" Maxime asked calmly.
"Irus, Chief" replied the former bandit briskly.
Maxime suddenly lifted his leg, then, with intense momentum, threw it towards Irus.
*crack*
Several of the bones in Irus' abdomen were shattered as he flew some ten meters.
His landing a few moments later was just as painful, as his skin rubbed against the ground.
As many people looked on in shock, the person who had been speaking so forcefully the moment before found himself spitting blood on the ground the next.
Maxime slowly retracted his leg.
"Irus, can you still hear me?" Maxime questioned loudly.
The former bandit, barely regaining his senses, heard Maxime's voice.
"I hear you, Chief.
"From now on, you'll be in charge of the nine children left here as you see fit."
Irus, who was spitting blood, was extremely happy to hear these words.
"Thank you, Chief!" replied Irus contentedly, but still spitting blood at the end of his sentence.
"However, you'll have to stay with the saber-toothed group until each of these children grows to adulthood. During this time, you will receive no wages from the saber-toothed tigers unless you perform a meritorious act."
Irus thanked Maxime once again for his kindness, despite his seemingly heavy punishment.
Maxime passed his gaze to the former bandits who had accompanied Irus.
"As for you..."