Chapter 14: A Windfall (Revised)

  They carried the unconscious Ma Liu down the stairs, and soon Xu Bin saw Li Chengbing leading a group of Heifengzhai bandits to besiege a room where some stubborn members of Xianglufeng lived. On the playground of Xianglufeng Mountain Village, many bandits were already squatting with their mouths gagged and tied up. If it weren't for the gunshot that had just sounded in Ma Liu's room, the bandits in this room would also have been quietly taken away by Li Chengbing and his men.

  Seeing Xu Bin dragging Ma Liu over, Li Chengbing was somewhat surprised and said: "Master, you killed Ma Liu?"

  Xu Bin shook his head and said, "Nothing, just said a few more words. Who knew this guy's psychological quality was so poor, he directly fainted. Let someone bring a bowl of cold water to splash him, and he'll wake up, no big deal!"

  Li Chengbing heard this and quickly arranged for someone to bring a bowl of cold water, which was splashed onto Ma Liu's face. Ma Liu, who had been stimulated by the cold water, slowly came to and saw the bandits from Xujiashan standing beside him. With a sigh, he said: "Today I'm finished, go ahead and kill me!"

  Ma Liu begged for mercy, asking to die quickly. Xu Bin said: "Don't worry, you won't be able to live today even if you want to. As for dying, it's only a matter of time. What I need now is for you to say something to make the people in the room put down their weapons and come out."

  They're also sacrificing themselves for you, no need to let the people in the room die in vain because of your problem. If you want to see me go on a killing spree tonight, I don't mind slaughtering all the people from Xianglu Peak!

  It's all gone!

  The seemingly casual words fell into the ears of these people, and Li Chengbing frowned slightly. The other bandits looked a bit fearful. Following such a ruthless leader, it was really unknown whether it was good or bad fortune. Even Xu Bin himself did not realize that tonight he seemed to have an exceptionally strong desire for slaughter.

  It's been a long time since I haven't killed anyone, and I need to vent somehow.

  Ma Liu, who was also startled, turned around with a bitter face and said: "If I let them lay down their weapons and surrender, do you dare to guarantee not to kill them?"

  Xu Bin said calmly, "Although Heifeng Village and your Xianglu Peak are sworn enemies, the reason for this enmity is you. As long as you, the mastermind, atone for your sins with death, I don't need to take their lives out of anger. Everyone is struggling to make a living on the edge of a knife, no one has it easy. As long as they are willing to lay down their arms, I can spare their lives."

  When Li Chengbing and others heard Xu Bin's words, they slightly breathed a sigh of relief, fearing that Xu Bin would say something to refuse. If Xu Bin killed these surrendered bandits tonight, the anger would be vented.

  I'm afraid that from now on, other mountain bandits will have a resistant attitude towards Heifengzhai, and if there is another situation like today where people are killed and the stronghold is seized, they will definitely be met with desperate resistance from those remaining bandits. In the world of bandits, indiscriminate killing is also strongly despised by all bandits, and it's unlikely that they will be able to recruit scattered bandits from the mountains in the future.

  With Xu Bin's response, Ma Liu still had some concerns in his heart, but thinking that so many people on the scene heard this, the possibility of Xu Bin going back on his word should be small. He shouted towards the quiet house: "I am Ma Liu, we have already lost today, brothers follow me and it's not easy to put down your weapons and surrender. The young master of Black Wind Fort has promised to let you go, you don't need to die for me, all come out and surrender!"

  This remark made Xu Bin feel that although the guy looked unpleasant, he was somewhat righteous towards his subordinates. However, thinking that the opponent could become the head of such a large gang and make so many bandits risk their lives for him, apart from financial reasons, it seemed that without some ability to command respect, he wouldn't have survived until now.

  As Ma Liu opened his mouth to persuade them to surrender, the bandits inside who had been stubbornly resisting seemed to confer with each other and soon someone said: "We'll throw out our guns now, hoping that Master will keep his word."

  As soon as the person in the room finished speaking, the Black Wind Stockade bandits standing outside saw several bandits inside the room quickly throw away their guns. After Li Chengbing sent someone to collect the firearms, more than a dozen bandits inside the room very readily put their hands behind their heads and walked out with bowed heads, allowing the Black Wind Stockade bandits to tie them up.

  Seeing the bandits in Xianglu Peak, except for a few who were killed just now, the rest were all tied up and pressed on the playground. Xu Bin asked Li Chengbing beside him: "Uncle Li, take advantage of the dawn, send someone to escort these Xianglu Peak bandits back to the village first. Leave one team behind to guard the supplies in Xianglu Peak, strive to empty the supplies in this mountain stronghold within today. Otherwise, as time goes on, other villages that have learned the news will inevitably come to grab food.

  I'll arrange for someone to escort these bandits back to the mountain immediately. However, I just checked some of the warehouses at Xianglu Peak and found that apart from some grain, most of them were just some not very valuable mountain goods, and didn't find too many valuable things.

  From what I know of Ma Liu, he should have other places to stash his loot. But if he doesn't say anything, it'll be hard for us to find them in a short while. What do you think? Should we press Ma Liu and make him reveal where he's hidden the money?

  Ma Liu has money, it's a well-known fact among the mountain bandits. However, Li Chengbing just sent someone to search the two warehouses in the stronghold and didn't find even one silver dollar. Because of this, he is certain that Ma Liu still has other secret stashes of money.

  Xu Bin's conversation with Li Chengbing was in front of Ma Liu. When Xu Bin's eyes fell on Ma Liu, Ma Liu smiled bitterly and said: "I'll tell you where the money is hidden, can you give me a quick death later?"

  It seems that Ma Liu knew the cruel methods of torture used by the bandits, and he also knew that he would not be able to escape death. He only hoped for a quick death, and he made a request to Xu Bin that was not really a demand.

  Xu Bin nodded and said, "You're a sensible guy. If it weren't for the fact that you killed my old man and several dozen brothers from Heifeng Village, I might have let you off with your life. Alright, as long as you tell me where the money is hidden quickly, I'll give you a quick death."

  A gentleman's word is his bond!

  A swift horse and a sharp whip!

  Ma Liu, who had agreed on the terms of exchange, readily revealed where he had hidden his money - in the second-floor small building that had just been seized by Xu Bin. Inside the room was a secret compartment, and as long as you pulled it open, you could take out the money inside.

  Originally thought Ma Liu would readily reveal the location of the hidden money, thinking there wouldn't be much anyway. But when Xu Bin carefully opened the secret compartment, he saw a small room filled with stacks of silver dollars and felt that one night's hard work was truly worth it.

  After Li Chengbing sent someone to count, there were more than 30,000 Longyang coins in this dark room, and dozens of small yellow fish and scattered gold and silver ornaments. It seems that attacking Xianglufeng really made a fortune this time! It looks like what they said before about robbery being the fastest way to get rich is somewhat reasonable!

  Looking at the wealth he had accumulated with great difficulty, it suddenly belonged to someone else. Ma Liu seemed to have aged a lot in an instant. Until he was escorted to Heifeng Village, he didn't say a word. It seemed that he had already made up his mind to seek death and was waiting for Xu Bin to execute him at any time.

  Xu Yizhong, who had been worried all night, saw the brothers from the mountain stronghold and Xu Bin return safely, and he finally cracked a rare smile after being on edge for a day. When Li Chengbing handed over the wealth they had plundered to him to keep safe, this "logistics minister" of Heifeng Stronghold was beaming with joy.

  Li Chengbing introduced that today's success in taking down Xianglu Peak was largely due to Xu Bin's efforts. Xu Yizhong had been worried about Xu Bin being young and possibly unable to calm the hearts of these mountain bandits, but now he can finally put his mind at ease.

  He looked forward to Hei Feng Zhai being able to continue to flourish under the leadership of this nephew, and that the mountain stronghold they had established together would not be in vain after his older brother's death.

  As the people of Heifeng Village worked together to transport the goods from Xianglu Peak back to their mountain stronghold for safekeeping, the bandit village near Xianglu Peak soon found out that Heifeng Village had taken care of Ma Liu.

  For a time, the prestige of Heifengzhai did not decrease due to the death of Daxianzhang Xu Yiren, but instead made the surrounding mountain strongholds increase their defense vigilance, fearing that they would become the next Ma Liu.

  The mountain stronghold that originally wanted to come and fish for some benefits, upon hearing that the Black Wind Stronghold had already plundered all the resources from Xianglu Peak, although they envied the Black Wind Stronghold's gains. But thinking of the Black Wind Stronghold's usual dominance, they ultimately gave up on the idea of robbing them. In these times, money is a good thing but you also need to be able to spend it with your life intact!

  Moreover, they don't even dare to guarantee that they have the absolute ability to take down Xianglu Peak. The Black Wind Fortress, which suffered heavy casualties from the ambush by government soldiers, has this ability instead. The reason for this is worth considering for these bandits!

  Perhaps in the eyes of these surrounding bandits, the real strength of Heifeng Gang is not something that one or two mountain strongholds can contend with. It's just that they got the news too late, otherwise they could have taken advantage of it to make some profits. After all, there have been many cases of taking advantage of the fire in Junfeng Mountain, this time they just knew the news a bit later.

  Now, if you want to get the money that has already been put away from Hei Feng's mouth, there is no other way but to attack Hei Feng with a clear sword and a clear gun. Is it limited free? Exclusive interview with the great god? The new book of the famous family is released for the first time? There are also lottery activities every week, Apple Watch, Q coins, starting point coins, etc. Don't hesitate, open WeChat, scan the QR code on the left, and easily follow, don't miss the wonderful content~