Bandit Camp

"I wonder what that bastard leader of ours is planning..." a bandit muttered in a hushed tone, his footsteps barely making a sound as he moved through the darkness.

"That damn bastard targeted the Lu family. We're as good as dead," another bandit growled with despair, lighting a dimly flickering stick that cast eerie shadows around them.

The feeble light illuminated the dense forest that surrounded them. However, before they could even fully comprehend their surroundings, a sudden blur streaked through the darkness, hurtling straight toward them.

In an instant, a gleaming sabre materialized from the shadows, as it swung in a horizontal swing. Directly aiming for their necks.

Before either of them could gasp or flinch, the blade made its brutal impact. It cleaved through flesh, sinew, and bone as if they were mere paper. One head cleanly separated from its body, thudding to the grassy floor, while crimson droplets splattered the ground in a gore sight.

The other bandit's eyes widened in stark horror as he watched his comrade's life extinguish in an instant. The chilling blade, still slick with fresh blood, still continuing its momentum, carved an arc of death that ended in a swift, gruesome beheading, matching the trajectory of the first strike with eerie precision.

Thud! Thud!

The two body without head fell down instantly to the grassy floor returning to the mother nature.

With an air of indifference, Lu Zhen nonchalantly retracted his saber, slipping it back into its sheath as if he had merely completed a mundane chore.

"Alright, I'm done here," he declared, his voice calm and composed.

"Young master, your progress is astonishing," Yu Bai remarked in astonishment.

The twins, Lu Zhi and Lu Qiang, exchanged surprised glances, they were awestruck as Lu Zhen had handled the bandit so quickly.

Lu Zhen himself felt as though it was natural to kill these people, like mere bugs. Ever since he had obtained the adaptability skill, he felt as though his natural emotions that weighed him down had all disappeared.

Although he felt as though he could become an emotionless monster, the skill only disabled the emotions that weighed him down, such as love, pity, and compassion. However, he still felt lustful, happy, greedy, and wrathful.

So, he didn't think too much about it for now, as he still had some work to do.

"Let's go."

Lu zhen said in a silent tone as they all moved forward in the silence of the night.

They soon arrived at the encampment where the bandits known as the silent vipers resided.

The camp sprawled with a multitude of tents, numbering in the hundreds. However, most of them appeared weathered and ragged, almost as if a strong gust could easily whisk them away.

Only a handful, about 20 or so, stood in slightly better condition, while one tent stood out conspicuously, catching the eye with its larger size and striking appearance.

This particular tent dwarfed the others, stretching about 20 feet in length – akin to the dimensions of a one-story building. Illuminated by bright open lights, it cast an eerie glow across the camp.

"Old Bai, scout the surroundings," Lu Zhen commanded.

Without a word, Yu Bai swiftly went to investigate.

"Let's wait here for a while," Lu Zhen declared, sitting cross-legged on the ground and closing his eyes peacefully.

Observing this, the twins moved quietly to a safe distance from Lu Zhen, where they felt their conversation wouldn't reach him. Speaking in hushed tones, they exchanged words.

"Brother, can we really defeat the bandits with just the three of us?" Lu Qiang's voice carried a note of uncertainty.

Lu Zhi sighed and responded, "I had the same thought. But considering his confidence, I chose to believe him. Besides, taking down a group of mere bandits should be easy for a third-stage peak-ranked martial artist."

"We have no choice but to rely on him now, and I'll still owe him the debt."

"Damn it, that scoundrel took advantage of us," Lu Qiang muttered with resentment. Sometimes, regardless of rational understanding, the feeling of injustice lingers – blaming others for one's weaknesses and nursing anger at being the supposed victim of their own shortcomings.

Although Lu Qiang knew that Lu Zhen wasn't to blame for their predicament, and that their own lack of strength was the true issue, she couldn't shake the sense of injustice towards him. It was as if he had forced her to sleep with him and abandoned her.

This was a normal human emotion that everyone felt – the impulse to hold others responsible for one's own limitations and the stubborn anger of feeling victimized by their inadequacies, even when they knew deep down that it was their own fault.

Lu Zhi wasn't any better, but he still held it in him considering he was the big brother and it was his duty as an adult to educate his sister.

"You shouldn't think like that. Young master helped us solve our problem. If our business went down because of the bandits, do you think we can survive on our own? Although family resources can sustain us, they can't cover the expenses of a martial artist. And you will soon reach the martial trainee stage, so we need even more resources now," Lu Zhi said in half false but half true words.

Lu Zhen's ears twitched as he listened to their conversation, unable to suppress a sneer that crossed his lips.

These twins were quite intriguing, even though he didn't care much about them. They had sought his help, yet they spoke as if he had taken advantage of them. Despite not attaching much importance to these two, as long as his work was completed, he had decided to deal with them on his terms after the attack concluded.

Meanwhile, in the most luxurious tent of the camp, a brawny man with a green robe and a striking scar on his face, which emanates an air of fierceness, paced back and forth. Clutched in his hand was a black scroll, and his face was etched with a deep frown as he contemplated his thoughts.