A Chaotic World

Chapter 310: Goods

"What's going on? Who are you people?" the young lady driving the horse carriage called out in alarm.

Watching as the masked men surrounded them in a well-practiced and systematic manner, Jue and the rest of the mercenary groups tensed up immediately.

This was supposed to be an easy mission, with only beasts to deal with along the way.

None of them had expected to run into enemies in the form of demons!

Jue took a good look around, carefully scrutinising the enemies.

The mercenaries comprised of martial artists mostly at the early Essence Condensation realms, but their enemies were mostly at the late Essence Condensation realms. Not just that, but their enemies even had a numerical advantage here, at a ratio of almost one to five.

There were little chances of them winning this fight!

"Well, well, what a coincidence to meet fellow townsmen out here in the wilderness!" the well dressed Aged Crow stepped up in a relaxed manner, holding a sabre in his hand. "Oh? That looks like a heavy load on your horse carriage there. Since it is fate that we met all the way out here, why don't we help you carry it instead?"

Jue frowned.

From the way they moved, it was obvious that they had been lying in wait all along. There was no way this was a coincidence!

"Bandits?" Jue questioned with a frown. "I have never heard of the Blazing Wings. Who sent you?"

"Didn't I just say that it is a coincidence that we met here?" Aged Crow smiled, though it was well hidden underneath his mask.

Seeing that the other party had no intention to speak, Jue could only turn to the young lady driving the horse carriage. "What should we do? They outnumber us by too much, we can't win this fight."

"What do you mean you can't win? We hired so many of you, so now is the time to prove your worth!" the young lady yelled back in frustration.

Her heart was thumping heavily right now.

How did things come to this?

She could vividly recall Master Dongxian's words right before they left.

Even if these masked men decided to let her go safely, Master Dongxian would probably kill her if she lost his goods here!

"I'm telling you now that it is impossible!" Jue retorted, reflecting the thoughts in everyone's minds. "Are the goods more important than your life? Give up the goods and we can at least live to see tomorrow's sunrise!"

"How dare you talk back to me like that? You are paid for this, so do your job properly!" the young lady was enraged. "Unless you are one of them as well? That must be it! Is that how they knew we were here, and why you are trying to get me to give up the goods? What a good Iron Claw Brigade! I will surely let everyone know about this matter if I survive this day!"

"I am just telling you the best possible option we have right now!" Jue had to suppress the anger in his heart.

"The best possible option we have is to fight them and win!" the young lady shouted back. "My companions back in town all know exactly who has taken up this job. If something untowards happens to me, don't even think that your reputation will remain intact! Now go fight and win, just like what you have been paid to do!"

Hearing her words, the mercenaries frowned.

Even though they were indeed paid to protect the traders, these mercenaries had signed up for a mission that should only have involved fighting beasts on the way.

They had been told nothing about bandits suddenly showing up!

Jue was at a loss for words as well.

He turned towards Xing and the rest of the Iron Claw Brigade, who were probably waiting for his instructions.

At this moment, he suddenly recalled Lu Tianzi telling them to turn down the mission and how he had simply shrugged off the advice as needless worry.

It seemed like nothing is impossible indeed

"We don't have all day. If you are going to fight us despite our kind offer, then let's just begin," Aged Crow waved his sabre around as though he was stretching his arm.

"I'm sorry guys, let's fight it out with them," Jue informed his members through voice conveyance. "But the moment things make a turn for the worse, immediately look for a chance to escape."

He said that, but seeing how organised their opponents were, Jue had little hope that they would reveal any openings for escape.

"Understood!" Xing and the rest of the Iron Claw Brigade nodded, all along keeping their eyes on the masked men surrounding them.

"Looks like it has come down to this after all. How regretful!" Aged Crow sighed. "In that case, go-"

He stopped halfway through his speech, before turning around to look behind him.

His eyes widened in surprise as a familiar masked man appeared from the woods, slowly walking over towards him.

"White Griffin? Why are you here?" Aged Crow asked in surprise.

Aged Crow was the one in charge of this operation, and had handpicked everyone who was involved.

He certainly did not select White Griffin, so why was he here as well?

"Blazing Dragon told me about this, so I came to take a look," Lu Tianzi sent his voice directly into his head.

He had secretly followed the escort team just in case, and things really happened just as he had been told.

Lu Tianzi did not know how much Blazing Dragon trusted him, but now he could confirm that Blazing Dragon had not fooled him with fake information at least.

Even so, he had to be careful not to act too suspiciously.

"So that's the case," Aged Crow replied. "White Griffin need not worry. We can easily take care of something as simple as this."

"Seems like it," Lu Tianzi nodded. "I understand that the plan is to stop the traders, but what are you intending to do with the mercenaries?"

"Since they are in the way, we naturally get rid of them as well," Aged Crow answered without hesitation.

"Isn't that a little too excessive?" Lu Tianzi asked.

"Hmm? What does White Griffin suggest then?"

"Take the goods without harming the mercenaries," Lu Tianzi answered.

"Is there a need to go to all that trouble?" Aged Crow frowned. "Or does White Griffin have a plan in mind?"

"I don't," Lu Tianzi answered. "But against these opponents, there's no need for a plan."

"Oh? I will be leaving this to White Griffin then!" Aged Crow eagerly stepped aside.

It seemed that White Griffin was finally intending to show off his strength. Since that was the case, he had to watch carefully before reporting back to the leader without missing a single detail!

Jue did not know what they just spoke about. But seeing that Aged Crow had stepped aside for this newcomer, Jue felt nothing but despair.

Aged Crow was already at the Peak Essence Condensation realm. For him to step aside for someone whose cultivation level Jue could not detect, it only mean one thing.

This newcomer was probably an Origin Core realm expert!

No Essence Condensation realm martial artist would be able to stand before the might of an Origin Core realm expert.

The probability for them to obtain victory were already low enough earlier, but now it was completely non-existent!

Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, Lu Tianzi started making his way towards the horse carriage. As he did, Lu Tianzi made a conscious effort not to take a second glance at Jue and the Iron Claw Brigade, treating them just like they were any other mercenary group.

Step by step, Lu Tianzi walked forward nonchalantly, as though he was taking a casual stroll in the park.

"S-Stop him!" the young lady yelled at the top of her voice.

She was a Primary Essence Condensation realm martial artist herself. Because of that, she, too, had a good guess of just how strong this new opponent actually was.

Her voice echoed in the silence of the surroundings, but none of the mercenaries made a move anyway.

Many of them did not act because they were reluctant to act against this monster of an opponent. But even those who wanted to risk it all were unable to move an inch.

An overwhelming pressure exuded by this new opponent pressed upon them, forcing them to remain where they were.

In fact, it was taking them quite a bit of effort just to remain standing!

There was no doubt about it now.

This new opponent had to be an Origin Core realm martial artist!

Under this tense atmosphere, Lu Tianzi arrived at the horse carriage before anyone knew it.

"I will need you to step aside," Lu Tianzi spoke calmly.

"I-I don't know who you guys are, but do you know who these goods belong to? The owner of these goods will not let you off lightly once he finds out what happened here!" the young lady found the courage to retort.

Lu Tianzi did not bother arguing.

With a wave of his hand, his Origin Force wrapped around the young lady, picking her up from the driver's seat and tossing her to the ground.

Thud-!

The young lady fell on her back, but this much was not nearly enough to make her groan in pain.

Nevertheless, she could do nothing but bite her lower lips anxiously as she glared at Lu Tianzi.

On the other hand, Lu Tianzi's attention was now on the horse carriage, showing absolutely no concern for the young lady whatsoever. It was almost as though she was nothing but a bug that he had swiped away without thinking twice.

With a sweep of his perception, Lu Tianzi quickly investigated the goods within.

As he did, Lu Tianzi could not help but frown.

There were not many items, merely six large boxes with a simple concealing formation shrouding anything within from the outside.

If Lu Tianzi wanted to, he could easily break the concealing formation. However, he was not in a hurry to do so.

"Take the carriage," Lu Tianzi turned around and looked at Aged Crow.

Aged Crow took a moment to snap out of his daze. "You guys heard him, go take the carriage!"

"Yes, sir!" two men stepped forward cautiously, watching the stationary mercenaries as they walked right past them.

When they realised that the mercenaries were indeed not going to move against them, the two men let out a sigh of relief before rushing up to the horse carriage.

After they climbed onto the driver's seat, one of them took the reins of the horses before starting to guide them out of the encirclement.

Still under the pressure from Lu Tianzi, the mercenaries and traders could do absolutely nothing about it whatsoever.

Aged Crow watched on in amazement.

It's over just like that?

Why did he even bother getting this many people to come?

He should have just brought White Griffin with him and that would have been enough!

"Are you not checking the goods?" Lu Tianzi asked.

"Answering to White Griffin, we will check it later when we get back," Aged Crow replied. Without even knowing it, his attitude towards White Griffin was now filled with respect.

"Isn't that a little too late?" Lu Tianzi shook his head. "Since we have time now, we might as well just check it here."

"This" Aged Crow hesitated.

"If you are not comfortable with doing so, then so be it. Check it after you return then," Lu Tianzi quickly added, not wanting the other party to suspect him.

For all he knew, Blazing Dragon might have given the instructions to check the goods only after they got back.

"No, I have no issue with checking it here either," Aged Crow answered before yelling at the two men on the horse carriage. "You guys, check the goods!"

"Yes, sir!" the one not holding onto the horse reins quickly headed to the back of the horse carriage and opened up the first box that he saw.

At that moment, the man could not help but let out a horrified gasp.

"It it's a girl!" the man shouted out in disbelief. "They are smuggling young girls out of Bog Town!"