Chapter Sixty-Six: The Bandit Thief

Futu Valley.

After pressing on urgently, Wang Pu and his group finally arrived before nightfall. Yet the sight before their eyes left everyone utterly shocked, for the entire Futu Valley had become a veritable hell of blood and carnage. The government troops stationed within the pass had been slaughtered to the last man. Corpses of soldiers lay strewn everywhere, the air thick with the stench of blood, so pungent it made one retch.

Scarface strode to a corpse, dipped his finger in the blood, and brought it to his nose. Turning to Wang Pu, he said, “General, these soldiers were killed less than half an hour ago.”

The bearded man examined the traces of fierce battle inside the pass, climbed atop the wall to look around, then declared decisively, “General, the enemy must have sent spies in first to infiltrate the pass, then launched a simultaneous attack from east and west, trapping the soldiers within and killing them all. I’d wager my life this was the work of mounted bandits.”

Little Seven nodded grimly. “Exterminate them to the last—such is always the way of the bandit horde.”

Wang Pu pondered for a moment, then barked, “Beard!”

“Here!”

“Post sentries at the front and rear of the pass, and set hidden posts in addition to the obvious ones!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Scarface!”

“Here!”

“Assign the men to guard the pass.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Little Seven!”

“Here!”

“Take some men, gather the bodies of our fallen, and dig a great pit to lay them to rest.”

“Yes, sir!”

At his command, Beard, Scarface, and Little Seven each set off to their tasks.

Before long, Little Seven hurried back to Wang Pu. “General, we’ve found a survivor—a child.”

“Is that so?” Wang Pu said quickly, “Fetch old Li at once and do whatever you can to save the child.”

Little Seven took his orders and left. Wang Pu turned to Zhen Youcai. “Come, let’s see.”

Led by a servant, Wang Pu and Zhen Youcai made their way behind a crumbling wall, where a frail child lay on the ground—clothes in tatters, face smeared with dirt, hair in disarray, looking every bit a little beggar. There were no wounds or blood on the child, who seemed merely unconscious.

Two servants guarding the spot stepped forward and pointed to two corpses beside the child. “General, we only found the child after moving these bodies. They shielded the child with their own bodies, saving her from the bandits’ blades.”

Zhen Youcai remarked, “So the child’s identity must be unusual.”

By now, Little Seven had brought old Li, who had Little Leopard help the child sit up. After a careful examination, old Li reported to Wang Pu, “General, the girl is uninjured—she’s only been knocked out.”

“A girl?” Wang Pu exclaimed in surprise. “She’s a girl?”

“She is, and no more than fourteen,” old Li confirmed.

“Wake her,” Wang Pu ordered.

Old Li gently pinched the acupoint beneath the girl’s nose and she woke. Seeing this group of armed, armored soldiers, she showed no fear, but calmly asked, “The mounted bandits attacked Futu Valley—are you the Datong garrison sent to our aid?”

“We are the Datong garrison,” Wang Pu replied in a grave tone.

“General,” the girl suddenly knelt before Wang Pu, pleading, “Please, I beg you, save my father.”

“Who is your father?” Wang Pu asked.

“My father is Ge Guang, commander of the hundred-household post at Futu Valley.”

“Little sister, we won’t lie to you,” Wang Pu sighed. “All the soldiers here, your father among them, fell in battle. You are the sole survivor.”

“Father…” The girl screamed and fainted dead away.

Wang Pu turned to Little Seven. “Take two men and escort this girl to Madam.”

Little Seven obeyed at once, shouting to the two servants, “Why are you still standing there? Hurry and bring the girl to Madam’s tent.”

Night fell, the clear moon hung alone in the sky.

The sentry posted by Beard at the pass stood as straight as a javelin beneath the night sky, his wary eyes scanning the pitch-black plains. Though he kept his guard up, the shadow of death crept ever closer—a vague black figure slithered slowly along the ground.

Within the pass, in Wang Pu’s quarters.

A light patter of footsteps startled Wang Pu from his thoughts. He turned to see Chen Yuanyuan returning. With a suggestive gesture, he beckoned her over. A faint blush swept across her delicate face, but she obediently walked to his side. Wang Pu reached out, encircled her slender waist, and drew her down to sit on his lap.

“Beloved,” Wang Pu murmured, his left hand caressing her chest, his right sliding down her smooth belly, then lower still, slipping into her most intimate place as he sought pleasure, asking as he did, “How is the girl now?”

Chen Yuanyuan, breathing softly, replied, “Nennian has already gone to sleep.”

“Her name is Nennian?” Wang Pu, forcing her legs apart, hiked up her skirt and began to undo her undergarments, panting as he asked, “You say the girl’s name is Nennian?”

“Mmm,” she answered, bracing her hands on his thighs and lifting her hips. Wang Pu quickly slid off her undergarments, baring her warm, full curves. Lifting his own robe, he cupped her shapely hips and lowered her slowly onto himself.

“Nennian is very strong, oh…” she gasped.

“Hiss…” As Wang Pu finally entered her, both moaned uncontrollably. Chen Yuanyuan fought to stifle her cries, but the more she suppressed them, the more intense the sensation became, until she felt as though she would melt away.

Outside the pass.

A sharp whistle.

Just as the sentry turned, the shadowy figure leapt from the ground, pouncing like lightning behind him. The sentry’s mouth was covered before he could cry out. In the moonlit darkness, a cold flash—his throat was cut. The shadow released him, and the sentry crumpled to the earth.

A thunderous explosion suddenly erupted from the shadows not far off—a blinding burst of fire and a deafening roar shattered the night’s calm. The shadow shrieked, fell backward, and lay still.

Within the pass.

The sudden blast startled Chen Yuanyuan, and in her fright, her already taut body clenched and tightened, wracked by tremors. The sensation overwhelmed Wang Pu, who lost control and spent himself in an instant.

“Aaah…” Wang Pu threw his head back, gripped her slender waist, and howled like a beast.

He had certainly enjoyed himself tonight, but Wang Pu felt rather embarrassed—it had happened so quickly, almost as fast as the famous “bedroom whirlwind.”