Dragon's Soul Chapter 25: Promises

Many curious people stopped running and looked back to find the portion of the city wall had collapsed.

"Enemy attack!! Enemy attack!!" Someone yelled out.

As everyone ran toward the eastern gate there was one person mounted on a fiery steed galloping against the crowd.

Everything had gone according to his plan. He had given Jian Wei all of the black powder he had gotten from the pirate ship, which was used to collapse the city wall.

First he would get the soldiers to follow him and then gather a mob of onlookers keeping the soldiers at bay. This made it so that once a large crowd formed more soldiers that were meant to guard the gates would be moved to prevent a riot from happening. Once the soldiers moved the gates would naturally lack guards.

With the civilians of the city keeping all of the soldiers at the eastern gate Zhang would be able to casually stroll out of one of the other gates and no one would be able to stop him. He used the hundreds of thousands of civilians as a distraction to escape.

"You made it." Jian Wei said.

The group began galloping through the fallen northern gate and outside of the city. A trail of dust was left in their wake as they preceded to go east toward Aurora City.

As the group headed east Zhang decided to go for a detour. He sped his way a distance away from the eastern gate of Red Mist city.

A short while after many shadowy figures could be seen appearing on top of the wall.

Thousands maybe even hundreds of thousands of arrows flew downward from atop the city gates. So many arrows were shot that one could say they blocked out the sun. it turns out that Red Mist city's army is composed mostly of archers because the city lord prefers defensive battles.

"I promise you that one day I will be back! And next time I'll have your head on a spike!!!" Zhang yelled.

Swooosh!

"Gahhhhh." Jin Chang yelled out

After giving them the message he left as quick as the wind to go meet up with his companions.

Red Mist city was located on the upper south western coast of the warring states region while Aurora city was located toward the center of the region. And to go from Red Mist city to Aurora city one would have to pass a series of valleys called the Dragon's Maw.

The town the group was headed towards situated itself right by the entrance to the Dragon's Maw. And this town was the only town within miles of the entrance so many travelers would have to visit here before moving on.

The group galloped on top of their horses for hours until it was time to make camp. Jian Wei needed to return to Aurora City as soon as possible because as the city's lord the longer he was away the more troubles may arise.

This is of course because if the rest of the group knew the two beauties were not take of course as men they would try to woo them and then that most likely would lead to internal strife within the group.

When everyone was done pitching tents everyone gathered around a campfire and ate their rations. The group had grown relatively familiar with each other which made the air around camp very harmonious. Jokes were shared and stories were told to pass the time.

However, one's world often intersects with another person's. As the Zhang's group sat by the campfire they saw what seemed to be lit torches in the woods. On light turned into two and two turned into four until there were hundreds of them.

A man holding onto a touch walked out of the woods and following him were hundreds of people also holding torches. The campsite had been surrounded but the odd thing was that no one was able to sense these hundreds of people coming. They had let their guards down too much and immersed themselves within their own world for too long.

Jian Wei took the initiative and got up to speak to the man.

"You may leave." The man replied

"No need to pack."

"Those things all belong to the White Tiger bandits now. Also empty your pockets and hand over all your valuables and you may leave. We only take things not lives." The man said as he placed his hand on top of his sword.

"Hmph give someone an inch and they'll take a mile." Zhang chuckled as he stood up.

Seeing Zhang, the man was somewhat confused he this was the first time someone did not just hand over their valuables and leave.

So it was no odd that some good decent people became bandits to survive. But that's not to say that all bandits are good this group was just one of the few who were good.

"Yes, I'll let you keep some your rations and a map of the area that'll give you the quickest way to the nearest village." The man replied.

"Hmph, impudent." The man sneered back as he drew his sword.

With his sword drawn the man charged at Zhang.

However, with a sweep of his sword the man knocked the daggers upward into the air. Then using one of his hands the man grabbed onto the two chains and began to tug.

The man continued to tug on the chain something odd happened. The chain began getting longer and longer and because he was pulling back so hard the man fell over once the chain extended.

Zhang pulled the man as he weaved through the trees within the forest and after a short while he looped the chains around a tree and bound the man to the tree.

"Enough words do what you will!" The man barked back.

"Please spare my uncle!"

"Little Yan what are you doing here! Go home now!" The man yelled.

"Not a bad person? He's a bandit!" Zhang yelled back.

"Please spare our leader." Many voices rang out as many figures holding touches emerged from the forest.

"What's about. Explain." Zhang said coldly to the man.

"I will explain just please don't kill him." A middle aged man spoke out.

Their leader was named Xi Ning had eventually offended Jin Sho and was to be executed. However due to huge public disapprove he decided to exile Xi Ning. Once Xi Ning was gone the Jin clan once more had total control of the city within any disturbances.

Now they were no longer oppressed by the nobility and rulers of the city. However, they soon found out that although they were no longer within the city they would still be oppressed. Red Mist city's lord ordered a trade ban upon the small village they established.

That was when they decided to move the village and go elsewhere however when they tried to the city lord ordered the Red Mist army to block their path. He did not permit them to leave.

By taxes he meant thousands of gold coins each year. How could a small village such as theirs be able to afford this?

"I Understand." Zhang said as he released his grip on the chains binding Xi Ning.

Seeing this Xi Ning was stunned.

"Indeed you can, how about this. You take the gold and consider it as me employing you." Zhang said.

"Employ?" Xi Ning asked.

Chapter end