A bandit standing before him nodded frantically. "Yes, I've long suspected that Samuel was up to something, and today, following him, I definitely saw something suspicious!"

"A Silver Armor warrior? How could he know such a person?" White asked, bewildered.

"I don't know the specifics of that," the bandit explained. "Just now, I saw the person he met was clad in silver armor. After talking for a bit, the Silver Armor warrior turned and left. I kept my distance, but I overheard Samuel telling that person about our mine."

"That bastard!" A murderous glint flashed in White's eyes. "Good. Go gather everyone. Assemble them on the flat ground just outside the cave and wait for me."

"Yes!" The bandit turned and left.

After the bandit departed, White clenched his fists, rage churning in his heart. Someone had been playing games right under his nose. It seemed having so few truly capable men under his command was utterly useless!

What should he do? This trouble struck just as Chen Feng had entered secluded cultivation.

The Silver Armor warrior hadn't arrived immediately. He speculated there were only two possibilities.

The first was that they knew Chen Feng had killed a Level Two Silver Armor warrior with a single punch. Alone, the warrior dared not act rashly and had gone back to find reinforcements. The second possibility was that he had returned to lead his subordinates to seize the mine!

The second possibility was far less likely. After all, one Silver Armor warrior, confident in defeating Chen Feng, could seize control of his entire group and use them to occupy the crystal mine anyway.

A Silver Armor warrior was simply not something he and this band of mountain bandits could handle.

Should he tell Chen Feng? White hesitated.

Never mind. He needed to confirm the information first. Otherwise, it would be a false alarm.

Chen Feng—this man was likely a scion of some powerful family. Although their time together was short, White could tell he was definitely someone who knew how to utilize talent. Moreover, he was generous with rewards. If he truly worked under him, it would surely be a pleasant experience.

Young, ruthless when necessary, exceedingly smart, and seasoned in his methods. Following him might lead to forging a spectacular future.

It was because he saw these qualities that he had agreed so quickly in front of the bandits that day.

Since Chen Feng was so generous, he couldn't be stingy either. He hadn't properly demonstrated his capability last time; this time, he absolutely had to show something.

A Silver Armor warrior? Hmph. If this was planned well, even five of them wouldn't escape death here!

Having made up his mind, White hardened his resolve. He absolutely had to resolve this matter before informing Chen Feng; only then could he display his worth!

…………………………………………………………………………

After more than ten days of adjustment, although these bandits were wild and unruly, they held considerable respect for White. Although White's cultivation wasn't high, his insight and handling of affairs were many times superior to their former boss.

When their previous leader plundered wealth, these small fry like themselves might get one ten-thousandth of the spoils. But the current White, right from the start, gave each person over ten Purple Fire Crystal Stones!

It wouldn't be an issue if he were merely generous, but critically, he cared deeply for this group, never treating them like mere laborers. If someone felt unwell, he would even enter the mine himself to mine on that person's behalf!

Yet, when rules were broken, he showed absolutely no mercy. It was this combination of benevolence and might, of clear rules and distinct accountability, that made the 300 bandits fall head-over-heels in admiration.

White stood before them, sweeping his gaze over the assembly like a hawk-owl, emanating suppressed fury.

"Today, we have a traitor among us!"

A hush fell over the crowd; not a single sound was made.

"This traitor leaked information about our mine. Do you all know the consequences of the leak?" White didn't wait for an answer, his voice immediately turning icy. "If the Church learns of this mine, they will certainly dispatch a large number of Copper Armor warriors to seal this place and execute every one of us on the spot for blasphemy!"

"Do not forget your identities! You are bandits; you are already marked for death!"

Hearing this, the faces of the bandits below immediately darkened.

"Who is the traitor? Drag him out, and we'll flay him alive!" shouted a Copper Armor warrior.

Fifty Copper Armor warriors were among the bandits, forming their core strength. Once one rallied the others, their voices swelled in support.

"Kill him! Chop up this *!"

"Throw this bad influence into the pond and drown him!"

"Drowning is too easy! Throw him into the magma and burn him!"

…………

Everyone’s faces were flushed red with excitement, showing fierce visages.

Bandits were never inherently tame. Although they had been subdued by Chen Feng’s brute force and swayed by White’s political maneuvering, it hadn't diminished the savage core within them. When a threat to their very existence emerged, they instantly became volatile.

Seeing that his inflammatory words had done their work, White clenched his fists, projecting an aura of iron-blooded dominance.

"Since our existence is now at risk and we wish not to be killed, we will slaughter every person who comes seeking our mine! Leave no one alive, and we will be safe!" White paused, then roared, "Do you have the guts?"

"We do! Why wouldn't we!"

"Damn it, I'm a real man! What's there to fear?"

White had successfully ignited the bloodlust simmering in the bandits' hearts. (Mobile reading 16k.cn)

"If you don't wish to be killed, captured, or have what is yours stuffed into someone else's pocket, then follow my orders to the letter!" White pressed his advantage.

… ………………………………………………………………

In the silent forest, the sound of horse hooves drifted faintly. A company of over twenty figures threaded their way through the woods.

The first two were clad in pure white Silver Armor, while the twenty-odd behind them were all uniformly clad in Copper Armor—a Copper Armor squad from the Church!

"Tattoo, is the intelligence accurate this time? A deposit of over a thousand tons of imperfect ore—even the Eight Great Churches don't possess a mine of this scale!" a burly, bald man asked, perplexed.

"I heard it from Old Man Ye Qi's men," Tattoo explained, rubbing his hands nervously.

"Old Man Ye Qi? Wasn't he supposed to be out robbing during the Festival of Divine Descent? There’s been no word since; chances are his lair was wiped out. Does he still have subordinates alive?" the bald man asked, surprised.

"I planted an insider with him specifically to monitor him. That insider sent me a message saying Old Man Ye Qi was killed by a seventeen-year-old boy with a single punch, and that boy has conscripted his subordinates here to mine!" Tattoo reported.

"If I recall correctly, Old Man Ye Qi was a Level Two Silver Armor warrior himself. A seventeen-year-old boy? Are you joking?" The bald man was skeptical.

"When I first heard the news, I thought it strange too. I specifically met with my contact. I saw them mining, and with all the secrecy, even if it's not imperfect ore, it must be something significant!"

"If there's a mine, there's money. It's nice that Old Man Ye Qi left some benefit for his brothers even after death!" the bald man chuckled. "But you're quite something, thinking of me too with such good news!"

"Heh, we're brothers, aren't we? We share the spoils!" Tattoo grinned.

The bald man laughed. "You're probably just thinking about my share. If it’s truly as you say, I won’t take any of it this time; it’s all yours!"

"Then I thank you, Captain!" Brightness immediately sparked in Tattoo's eyes.

Talking as they went, the two urged their horses faster into the woods.

…………

"How much further?" the bald man asked.

"Just past this peak, it should be there. But... I feel something is strange," Tattoo said, glancing around.

"What's strange?"

"Don't you think it's too quiet?"

"It is," the bald man agreed, taking in their surroundings. "***, it is a bit odd. Let's hurry up!"

"Right," Tattoo responded, addressing the men behind him. "Everyone, pick up the pace!" He spurred his horse, increasing their speed.

However, the forest was thick with trees and weeds, meaning the horses couldn't run too fast even at full tilt.

"Boom..." Suddenly, a violent explosion erupted among their ranks.

The sound came without warning, causing their horses to rear up in panic and bolt in disarray.

Thud! Thud!

With several heavy sounds, dozens of horses tumbled into pitfalls.

"Damn it! Ambush!" the bald man roared. He leaped from his saddle, landing on the ground, only to see his warhorse impaled by wooden spikes in the trap below.

Just then, whistling sounds descended from the air. Dozens of sharpened logs, suspended from tall trees, swung simultaneously towards them.

"Is this all you can muster to hurt me?" The bald man snorted contemptuously. His muscles bulged, and he swung his fists to smash the incoming logs.

"Bang!" A log shattered into splinters under his punch.

But the twenty-odd Copper Armor warriors behind him were not so lucky. Three, caught off guard, were skewered completely by the logs and died instantly.

"It seems they knew we were coming," Tattoo said, dodging the attack and moving closer.

"So what if they knew? A rabble!" the bald man sneered. "Keep moving forward. I don't believe mere traps can kill a Level Nine Silver Armor warrior like me!"

"True!" Tattoo felt reassured hearing this.

Although Tattoo was also a Silver Armor warrior, he was the weakest among the eight captains of the Church guard. He held his position only because he was adept at navigating politics. When he learned of the ore deposit, though he fiercely desired to claim it all, he knew his own strength and capabilities. Not only was he unsure if he could defeat the teenager who killed Ye Qi, but even if he secured the ore, executing a takeover without the bald man's help would be extremely difficult.

The bald man was the First Captain of the Eight Squads. In the town, only the Patriarch’s power surpassed his!

Since he couldn't possibly absorb such a massive amount of imperfect ore alone, he shared the news with him.

Knowing when to compromise allowed one to live longer.

Though the bald man was only half-convinced, he preferred to err on the side of caution regarding potential benefits. He brought twenty personal guards and followed along.

Although both were captains in the Church guard, in reality, they had long been in collusion with the bandit Ye Qi. How could the meager gains from being a captain compare to outright robbery? Thus, Ye Qi, while nominally the bandit leader, was actually controlled remotely by the two of them.

"Official" and "bandit" unity was an unavoidable fixture, regardless of the dynasty or the world.

"Everyone, watch your footing!" the bald man shouted to the Copper Armor warriors behind him as they advanced. The peak ahead remained silent, showing no movement.

"Swish, swish..."

A series of sharp whistling sounds erupted from the depths of the woods. These were arrows fired by the fifty Copper Armor bandits, carrying immense force.

Bang! Bang! After a volley of arrows, four more Copper Armor warriors were struck down.

"You think you can run?" The bald man pinpointed the archers' location, tensed his legs, and lunged forward like a fierce tiger, roaring across the ground.

"Swish, swish!"

The fifty Copper Armor warriors began retreating while the bald man batted away incoming arrows with both hands, advancing toward them.

However, after pursuing less than eighty meters, he heard a tremendous rumble. Hundreds of massive stones began rolling down from the mountainside.

"Damn it!" The bald man could only retreat as the stones tumbled down, forced to watch the archers escape.

"What do we do?" Tattoo asked as he approached.

"They must have someone skilled in tactics!" the bald man roared. "Where is your contact? Has he already been discovered? Otherwise, how could the enemy have set up such an elaborate defense?"

"He's probably been captured..." Tattoo also realized the issue.

"Damn it, forget it! Everyone stick close to the cliff face and move forward! Even if stones fall from the mountain, they won't reach the cliff edge!" the bald man shouted, taking the lead.

Rolling stones continued to fall from the cliff, but when they pressed themselves against the rock face, indeed, not a single stone touched them.

"Playing these tricks against me? You're still too green!" the bald man cursed with a chuckle, seeing his tactic succeed.

But before his laughter faded, he heard the sickening thwack, thwack of blades sinking into flesh. He spun around instantly. Over a dozen small holes had appeared in the rock wall, from which ten-odd spears shot out, piercing seven of the Copper Armor warriors behind him!

"Ah!" The bald man roared and leaped backward, slamming his fists where the spears protruded!

"Crack!" Rock shards flew as he smashed a large hole in the wall. It turned out this rock face was merely a facade constructed of stones and other materials by the enemy. Inside was a narrow passage, and these attackers had already escaped through it after killing, disappearing without a trace.

Without managing to harm a single opponent, a third of his subordinates were already dead!

This result fueled the bald man's rage.

Bang! Bang! He continued smashing the walls as he advanced, but the walls ahead were solid stone now, with no further ambushes.

The remaining Copper Armor warriors behind the bald man nervously completed the passage. Finding no more hidden arrows or spears, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Their mine is ahead!" Tattoo pointed to a circular opening in the ground.

Following his gaze, they saw an open area before the entrance, strangely devoid of any personnel. Why weren't the enemies who had been so elusive guarding their mine? What exactly was their scheme?

"Wait, something is wrong. They must all be hidden inside the entrance waiting to ambush us!" the bald man cautioned.

All the Copper Armor warriors nodded hurriedly. "Captain's foresight is brilliant!"

Simultaneously, they asked cautiously, "Since they have an ambush set up, shouldn't we go back and bring more men?"

The bald man looked upon the fearful nature of his remaining subordinates with disdain. "You cowards, wait here! Tattoo and I will go in first to check!"

The remaining Copper Armor warriors felt as if they had received a pardon, exhaling deeply. Watching their comrades die one after another on this journey felt like walking through the gates of hell. Now that they didn't have to proceed, a wave of relief washed over them. They stood watching their captains walk toward the mine entrance.

…………

The bald man and Tattoo stamped their feet on the ground and shot forward. As Silver Armor warriors, this leap carried them over twenty meters, and in just a few bounds, they reached the entrance.

"Tattoo, you go in first!" the bald man ordered from the side.

"I..." Tattoo's face instantly turned ashen. "The Silver Armor warrior who killed Ye Qi is probably waiting inside to ambush us... Perhaps we should... go back and bring more men?"

Tattoo was clearly terrified by the enemy's elusive maneuvers.

"Coward!" the bald man cursed.

Though he verbally abused him, he too hesitated before moving forward.

"Damn it, if a Silver Armor warrior really is lurking to ambush us, it is a headache," he muttered.

The heavy armor of a Silver Armor warrior was forged from mythril mixed with special materials, making it incredibly resilient. If the attacks were like the previous ones, he wouldn't worry, but a surprise attack from an equally strong peer required more consideration.

Thinking this, the bald man looked around. The area surrounding this circular hole was densely packed with smaller openings—clearly living quarters. The entrances were small, but the internal spaces were large, fully equipped with beds and daily necessities.

"Fine. Since they want to hide and ambush, we'll do the opposite: we'll raid their storeroom!" the bald man announced, then suddenly slapped his head with realization. "However... hehe, since we've come all this way, I'm unwilling to return empty-handed! Imperfect ore is only produced near subterranean lava flows. If they are collecting it, they must have a way to move it out. I suspect one of these stone chambers must be the warehouse!"

"That's right!" Tattoo suddenly understood, a smile appearing on his face.

"They don't dare come out and only want to hide and ambush; we will reverse their plan—we'll steal their warehouse!" The bald man couldn't help but laugh, striding toward the cluster of small openings. After circling them, he sensed a powerful energy fluctuation emanating from the farthest, sealed opening.

"Haha, it's here! Let's go in!" The bald man let out a wild laugh, rushing to the entrance. He concentrated all his strength into his right arm and smashed toward the stone blocking the opening!