Chapter 28: Shanwu County
Chapter 28: Shanwu County
September 25, 2017
With thanks to 'Orochimaru's Dad' for the reward.
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Lu Hai Kong had always assumed that his identity as an Outsider Bandit was as obvious as a bright light in the night, visible to all.
The robbery incident involving Wang Ke and his group further reinforced this notion in Lu Hai Kong's subconscious.
But at that moment, Wang Fat's words made Lu Hai Kong suddenly recall his first time venturing out. Even when he had boldly strolled with an axe, none of the people on the official road had thought he was a bandit. Some hooligans had even tried to rob him.
If it hadn't been for meeting Yue Er that time, Lu Hai Kong might have already visited 'Shanwu County'. As he reminisced, Lu Hai Kong suddenly realized, "Yes, if I don't bring along our little YaYa and the Wang Chao MaHan group, who would know we're bandits when we strut into the county town?"
Lu Hai Kong, feeling enlightened, quickly gulped down the chicken soup in his hand, threw the bowl onto the table, and then dashed out with his legs wide apart.
It was the sixth morning since Lu Hai Kong had received the food mission. He needed to meet with Zhang Feng and Li Yi to confirm some matters. If he hurried, he could reach 'Shanwu County' before noon.
Meanwhile, after forcefully converting Zhang Feng and Li Yi into bandits, Lu Hai Kong stopped managing them. After all, they weren't bandit chiefs yet, and without his help, they had little chance of becoming ones.
As all their money had been taken by someone, the two pitiful fellows now had no funds for breakfast. At this moment, they were performing the task of cleaning the bandit camp training ground to earn money for their meal.
The two unlucky fellows had gone without food since the previous night and were already exhausted. After finally cleaning most of the training ground, they were about to complete the task and have money for a meal. But then Lu Hai Kong strode over, and without any pretense, he simply walked over and pulled the two fellows away.
Lu Hai Kong briefly inquired with the two fellows about the situation in Shanwu County and matters related to their identities.
After confirming with Zhang Feng and Li Yi that neither NPCs nor Outsiders could see the attributes of strangers, Lu Hai Kong directly led the two fellows out of the bandit camp towards the county town.
As for the minor issue of the two fellows not being able to leave the bandit camp, Lu Hai Kong temporarily removed two bandits from his subordinates and added Zhang Feng and Li Yi to his group.
This time, Lu Hai Kong didn't bring Wang Chao MaHan and the others with him. But before leaving, he didn't forget to leave a gold coin for Wang Chao MaHan for their meals and asked them to supervise the bandits' training.
Lu Hai Kong had never been to 'Shanwu County', or at least, he had been there once, but Yue Er had diverted him halfway to fight bandits. Recalling her fierce fighting style, Lu Hai Kong still felt a lingering sense of unease.
On this trip to Shanwu County, Lu Hai Kong didn't bring his axe, even though he was sure the officials in Shanwu County wouldn't casually see through his identity. However, openly carrying a large axe seemed inappropriate. But fearing he might encounter a fight and be at a disadvantage without a weapon, he conveniently picked up a book on 'Basic Blade Technique' and one on 'Basic Fist Technique' to study.
As he took action, Lu Hai Kong generously handed out two copies of the Basic Skills book, a lavish gesture that left Zhang Feng and Li Yi drooling with envy. However, Lu Hai Kong couldn't help but look down on them, as they were inexperienced and easily impressed by the mere sight of such books, worth thousands of copper coins each.
Their previous encounter, where they had been 'robbed' and later turned the tables on their attackers, had taught them that the security on the official roads wasn't entirely reliable. As a result, Lu Hai Kong remained vigilant throughout their journey.
This time, with two additional companions, their journey to Shanwu County was surprisingly smooth. When Lu Hai Kong first laid eyes on the towering city walls of Shanwu County, rising over ten meters high, he was awe-struck. This reaction gave Zhang Feng and Li Yi, who had been cautious throughout the journey, a sense of superiority, as if they were city dwellers looking down on rural folk. However, this feeling of superiority quickly vanished as Lu Hai Kong remembered his current identity.
After paying a standard thirty copper coins as an entry fee, Lu Hai Kong and his companions strolled confidently past the city guards and into Shanwu County.
Inside the city, they encountered dusty streets with horse and cow manure scattered here and there, and mischievous children with missing teeth running amok, relieving themselves wherever they pleased. Despite this, Lu Hai Kong couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.
Disappointment aside, the city exuded a vibrant energy, instantly pulling Lu Hai Kong out of the game world and into reality. For the first time, he felt like he was in a living, breathing world.
"Let's go, take me to the food market," Lu Hai Kong said, snapping out of his reverie and addressing Zhang Feng and Li Yi, who were also marveling at the changes. The three of them made their way towards the food market of Shanwu County.
"Boss, don't be fooled by the shabby appearance of this city," Zhang Feng explained as they walked. "Due to the system, it's actually well-planned. It's divided into the 'Commercial District,' 'Residential District,' 'Military District,' and 'Administrative District.' Although it's a bit crude, the basic framework is in place."
"That's right, boss," Li Yi added. "We just entered through the South Gate, which is in the 'Residential District,' and being close to the city gate, it's naturally dirtier and more chaotic since it's a slum area. But the 'Commercial District' is different; it's clean and has many great things to offer."
[End of Chapter]
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