Death Sutra Chapter 8

Chapter 8  Robbers’ Camp

The 20 virgin boys and girls who had been pressured by 50 to 60 robbers rode at full speed, arriving at the robbers’ camp that same night.

The bandits of Iron Mountain’s camp was surprisingly built outside a big city, and not hidden deep within the forests of the mountain. Thousands of people were inside, with various weapons placed everywhere and flags flying. If seen from afar, it was more like an army which was ready to attack a city.

“We must have arrived outside of Jade City.”

The triangle-faced teenager dismounted the horse as he speculated while trembling; one hand was still holding the tail of Gu Shenwei’s clothing tightly.

His guess was right. The structure of Iron Mountain gangsters was complex and had various languages being spoken, but the words “Jade City” were said repeatedly. Everyone who mentioned this city looked happy, patting each other with a tacit approval.

Gu Shenwei was very confused. He recalled that in the legends, Big Head G.o.d of Iron Mountain had always appeared in the desert. Surprisingly, he had moved outside of Jade City, and it hadn’t looked like he had any intentions to rob.

The teenagers were driven forward. The camp was mostly filled with men. They were also curious about the teenagers, pointing at them and bursting into coa.r.s.e laughter when they pa.s.sed by, which only terrified the little slaves even more.

The tents of the camp were densely set up. The biggest one in the center was obviously Big Head G.o.d’s main tent.

Big Head G.o.d walked directly into the tent. The ten pairs of virgin boys and girls were also brought inside.

The tent was large enough to accommodate hundreds of people. The floor was covered with a thick carpet. The newly bought little slaves were all frightened, standing near the door and waiting for their unknown fate.

A dozen sub-chiefs followed their chief and entered. Big Head G.o.d hadn’t sat down. He waved his big hand and ordered loudly,

“Bring the meat.”

The little slaves were startled. Two girls fainted directly, while another two boys cried out of fear. The triangle-faced teenager’s body softened, leaning on Gu Shenwei’s back. He started talking to himself with a sobbing tone;

“I only said it casually for fun, they wouldn’t really eat people, right?”

A group of underlings poured in, bringing rich wine and meat. Even the little slaves huddling in the corner were served with food.

The wine and meat was casually piled on the carpet. Everyone sat on the floor and paid no attention to etiquette as they ate and drunk with a big mouth.

The smallest piece of the meat would be more than 2 or 3 kilograms, boiled half cooked and with blood trickling after a bite.

“What, what kind of meat is this?”

The triangle-faced teenager asked in a low voice. The kids who had wanted to grab and eat the meat put it back after hearing his words.

Gu Shenwei hadn’t eaten anything for the past few days and was already ‘burning’ with the fire of hunger. He didn’t put the triangle-faced teenager’s words in his mind and grabbed a piece of meat, taking a huge bite. Although the meat was hard and smelled of mutton, it was good for a hungry person; it also didn’t taste like the legendary human meat.

Once somebody started, the others all followed. However, they were all confused. Big Head G.o.d had bought 20 kids, and it couldn’t just be to invite them to eat meat, right?

Looking at the people in the tent again, not to mention Big Head G.o.d, the sub-chiefs also looked ferocious. Even the most normal-looking one had an arm filled with scars and tattoos. Some people drank so much that they even stripped naked.

This was a group of men who were full of energy. No matter how much wine and meat they consumed, nothing came out, so they could only fight to vent their energy. Not even quarter of an hour after the meal had started, there had already been four or five fights. The onlookers did not discourage them, but cheered loudly with the help of wine. Wine cups were also thrown everywhere.

After eating half a piece of meat, Gu Shenwei was already full. While he was observing these gangsters, especially the tall and mighty Big Head G.o.d, he suddenly had an idea pop into his mind; It would be very good if I could get help from Iron Mountain.

But the two villains Unique King and Big Head G.o.d were friends, so Gu Shenwei could only randomly think about it.

The meal was already halfway finished, but the mood of the crowd became more feverish instead of calming down. The crowd began to toast Big Head G.o.d, who accepted them all. The large bowl of wine in ordinary people’s hands was actually a small cup in his hand.

One of the drunk sub-chiefs got up, staggering when he stood. With a voice louder than all the others, he said,

“In a few days, our Miss of Iron Mountain will be wedded, and with the ten pairs of virgin boys and girls, the dowry is almost ready. I wish for Miss to have a baby early, and also wish for Big Head G.o.d to have a grandson soon!”

The Iron Mountain gang didn’t care about etiquette, even calling the chief’s nickname directly. Big Head G.o.d didn’t mind. He raised his head and drank the bowl of wine, obviously very satisfied with the wishes.

The little slaves all sighed with relief. So they were to be the dowry of the Miss, and not stay with Big Head G.o.d in the future.

The triangle-faced teenager relaxed, then spoke nervously in a low voice,

“The Miss’s family-in-law would not also be robbers, right?”

No one answered his question, and no one cared, because that sub-chief proudly said one more sentence.

“Big Head G.o.d, everyone in the world knows that our Miss is famous for her beauty. Now she’s getting married, shouldn’t it be the time for us uncles and brothers, to have a look at her?”

This proposal was agreed by many people, but the echo quickly ceased, because everyone could see that Big Head G.o.d’s expression had changed.

“You want to see my daughter?”

“No, no,” the sub-chief immediately realized that he had said something wrong. His face became blue, the bowl in his hands falling down to the floor. “I don’t, I, I……”

The Big Head G.o.d stood up with a boom and grabbed an iron spear nearby.

The iron spear was thick and long. If Yang Zheng’s long spear was compared with it, then Yang Zheng’s spear would seem like a children’s toy.

The sub-chief knew that he had made a terrible mistake and retreated in a panic. His face tried to make a slight smile, but instead it became more stiff and distorted.

Big Head G.o.d shouted like thunder striking in the clear sky, then jumped. Considering his gigantic frightening body, his movement was surprisingly swift. He jumped over a dozen of people and speared through the sub-chief’s chest as he landed.

Big Head G.o.d hung the dying sub-chief up in the air. The sub-chief’s hands held the shaft, looking at the chief in astonishment. He used up his last strength and said, “Forgive……forgive me.”

“Big Head G.o.d’s daughter, except for my son-in-law, not a single man in the world can see her face. My son-in-law is the son of the Unique King, not a b.a.s.t.a.r.d like you.”

The Big Head G.o.d and the Unique King were relatives by marriage!

Gu Shenwei’s heart suddenly sank. There was not the slightest chance that Big Head G.o.d would help him with his revenge.

However, his heart then filled with joy. He was going to follow Big Head G.o.d’s daughter and enter Golden Roc Castle. G.o.d’s will had appeared again after abandoning him for a few days.

Gu Shenwei’s mind suddenly settled down, a clear path was shown in front of him: Sneak into Golden Roc Castle, look for the whereabouts of my sister, a.s.sa.s.sinate at least one of the enemies.

The sub-chief’s death didn’t disturb the atmosphere of the banquet. The dead body was quickly carried out and the people continued to eat and drink.

After the banquet, the ten girls were sent to the Miss’s tent to listen to her orders. The boys were sent to a small tent nearby. Their daily work was to endlessly scrub the utensils and organising the dowry.

When his elder sister Gu Tsuilan had been getting ready for her marriage, Gu Shenwei had still been a young lord who lived a worry-free life. He had talked more and did less, but now he had to work for the robber’s daughter whom he had never seen before. His heart felt as if it was being cut by a sabre.

The skinny woman who had picked the slaves for Big Head G.o.d was the Miss’s close servant. The teenager servants were also now under her control.

The skinny woman ordered them to call her ‘Xue Niang’. These were the first two words the barbarian teenagers learnt about in the language of the Central Plains.

Xue Niang’s appearance was nothing like Xue (snow). Her face was pale, her cheeks were sallow, and her body like bamboo. She knew that most of these teenagers could not speak the language of the Central Plains, so she usually didn’t say much and always pointed her finger if she had some orders.

Her fingers were long and solid, like ten thin iron needles. If you didn’t understand her meaning immediately, you would be poked by the thin iron needles, which would leave a bruise lasting two or three days.

The ten teenagers had all poked by the fingers many times, even the triangle-faced teenager who claimed to be the most obedient. Every time he saw Xue Niang come in, the triangle-faced teenager would immediately take over his original job and work with pa.s.sion.

Gu Shenwei’s chest had been attacked several times by the iron finger poke, his minimal internal power offering not even the slightest protection. From this, he thought Xue Niang’s kung fu must be very good.

The Big Head G.o.d would often lead the robbers out of the camp. Sometimes they would come back with nothing, sometimes they would bring back many goods. It was difficult to say which ‘business’ they were doing.

The exact date of the marriage had not been set. The only words known was ‘soon’, and there was also a rumor saying that new problems might unexpectedly pop up.

Gu Shenwei felt that every day in the camp was like a year.

The triangle-faced teenager had brought back the rumor. He didn’t forget to remind the audiences, “If the Miss can’t get married, we will follow her and suffer. This is a robbers’ gang. Although it is camped here today, n.o.body knows if we will move tomorrow. At that time, will Big Head G.o.d take a group of kids with him? Have you seen any other kids in the camp except us? I think, the Big Head G.o.d will not sell us, he will pierce through all of us to make a string, like this.”

The triangle-faced teenager imitated Big Head G.o.d’s manner of stabbing a person with a spear. Three kids were so scared that they dropped the bronze they were holding onto the floor.

On the fifth day after they went into the camp, Big Head G.o.d led his men out of the camp again, not returning at night.

Gu Shenwei laid on the straw mattress after a long day of tiring work, but he couldn’t fall asleep.

He had gotten used to the soft mattress. For him, the straw mattress was no different from the solid floor. Furthermore, ten people sharing one tent made him very uncomfortable. Previously, only the little bookkeeper Ming Xiang had slept in the same room as him, and Ming Xiang never snored, not to mention frequently grinding his teeth or turning over.

Gu Shenwei had already accepted the fact that he had lost his family. His mind for revenge was increasingly firm, but he still couldn’t get used to some details in life.

Someone was moving inside the tent. The roof of the tent had a gap. A ray of moonlight s.h.i.+ned through, and Gu Shenwei saw two teenagers creeping to the door.

It was the same two teenagers who had been targeted by the swordsman from the Big Snow Mountain.

Gu Shenwei had once impulsively stood up and spoke up for them, but they seemed to not appreciate it in the least. Of course, they couldn’t speak the language of the Central Plains, but they also had never showed any meanings of grat.i.tude.

Gu Shenwei didn’t mind. He himself had too many other things to worry about.

The two teenagers were alike, obviously they were brothers. They scanned their surroundings while they walked. Soon, the elder brother’s eyes made contact with Gu Shenwei’s.

It was only just now that Gu Shenwei suddenly understood. The two brothers were going to escape.

The elder brother paused for a while. He then pointed outside and made several easy gestures. His eyes were even darker than the night, s.h.i.+mmering like a watchful cat.

The other kids were still sleeping soundly. Gu Shenwei pushed up his body, staring at the two pairs of eyes. He understood their meaning; the brothers were inviting him to escape with them.

This seemed to be a good chance for escaping. Big Head G.o.d had taken many of his men away, and the rest were servants who didn’t know kung fu. The robbers didn’t arrange special guards for these ten teenagers, and Jade City was only several miles away from the camp. It was a good place to avoid being hunted.

Gu Shenwei slowly shook his head, but he softly waved his hands and wished them all the best.

He could not waste this golden opportunity to enter Golden Roc Castle. Unless he followed the young mistress, approaching Golden Roc Castle was like ascending to heaven for a normal teenager with minimal kung fu skills like him.

There had the whereabouts of his elder sister, and there existed the enemy.

The other teenager was a little surprised, but didn’t continue to persuade him. He also waved his hand, turned and pulled his brother’s hand, then carefully walked outside of the tent.

Gu Shenwei lay down again. These two brothers must have the same unusual experience as him, but they couldn’t communicate.

“Someone is running away! Someone stop them!”

The two brothers had just walked to the corner of the tent when the triangle-faced boy’s voice suddenly rang. No one knew when he had woken up.

The brothers were taken aback. They were slightly hesitant, but then turned back at the same time, rus.h.i.+ng to the triangle-faced teenager who slept closest to the center.

But the two of them had only just taken a step before they were both lifted up by a hand.

It was Xue Niang. She wore white clothes that were as bright as daytime. She was incredibly quick, as if she had been waiting outside the tent.