"My lady, no, I mean, great lady, what do you mean by that?" The bandit leader quickly moved closer, trying to flatter her. Huang Bei Shuang, seeming to find him distasteful, stepped to Qing Yun’s left side before replying, "People suffering from hallucinations have bulging eyes, yellowing sclera, and veins that appear as knots of blood. When the sun reaches its peak, they experience terrifying hallucinations, leading to three hours of madness. Isn’t that right, old fool? How does it feel?"
Huang Bei Shuang’s playful expression surprised even herself. It seemed that being near Qing Yun allowed her to relax in a way she hadn’t been able to during their entire journey so far.
"Great lady, since you’ve pointed it out, surely you must have a way to help us, right?" The leader, clearly desperate after suffering long from this condition, was eager for a solution.
Huang Bei Shuang smiled softly. "Don’t worry. This kind of desert sickness often affects those who’ve been wandering the desert for years. If your body weakens even slightly, or if you have a fragile mental state, it’s easy to fall prey to it. But it’s also fairly easy to treat." Her words were like music to the leader’s ears.
The leader, clever enough to catch on, quickly responded, "Great lady, since you’ve spoken, surely there’s a condition attached, right? Fine! Just say it, and if it’s within my power, I, Tong Bahe, will lead the way! And besides, many of my brothers suffer from this illness too."
"Can your word be trusted?" Huang Bei Shuang asked, already beginning to calculate how she could use this group.
Qing Yun, who had been silently observing, seemed to understand her plan and chuckled softly, amused.
"Great lady, trust me this once!" Tong Bahe was becoming increasingly anxious.
"Don’t rush. First, answer me: is that cart behind you carrying explosives?" She had noticed it from a distance.
"Yes, it is. It was meant as a gift for Ruo Wen. He requested it a while back, but I held onto it. I figured if I’m going to join him, I might as well offer something in good faith."
Huang Bei Shuang let out a snicker. "Look at you, such a fool. You plan to bring over five hundred men to Ruo Wen’s camp, hoping to get a free meal? Isn’t that like walking straight into the lion’s den? Once he takes your explosives, what use will he have for you?"
Tong Bahe was stunned by her blunt assessment of his fears. He stared at Huang Bei Shuang, his mind racing. He had spent decades in the desert, and never had he encountered someone as intelligent and beautiful as her. Truly, she was a rare gem.
"What do you propose, then?" he asked cautiously.
"I’ll help you take on Ruo Wen. How about that?" She spoke calmly, though deep down, the thought of returning to Ruo Wen’s camp still unsettled her after the traumatic events she had experienced there.
"That’s impossible! We have only five hundred men, while Ruo Wen commands over two thousand, all of them bloodthirsty killers! It’s a gang of madmen!" Tong Bahe retreated in shock.
"Tong Bahe!" Huang Bei Shuang sneered. "Fine! Then take your men and join him. Let’s see who dies first!"
With that, Qing Yun, understanding her intent, effortlessly mounted Fei Ta with her, ready to ride off.
"Wait!"
Tong Bahe didn’t hesitate for long before calling after her. "Great lady, give your orders! Only at the end of my rope would I even consider joining Ruo Wen. Everyone knows that where Ruo Wen treads, the end is near. Better to risk everything!"
Meanwhile, back at Ruo Wen’s camp, a tense silence filled the hall. No one dared approach while their leader simmered in his anger. The bandits sat nervously in rows, occasionally stealing glances at Ruo Wen, who was reclining on a chair made of animal hide. What was he thinking? No one knew. They only saw him alternating between cold smirks and furious frowns.
"Chief, they’re here! They’ve arrived!" A scrawny boy with a yellow headband suddenly burst in, startling the bandits seated near the door.
"You idiot, Eagle! Are you trying to get yourself killed, running in here and shouting like that? The chief’s in no mood to be disturbed!" Mang Hu shouted at him.
"No, it’s just…" Eagle, clearly shaken, had already expended most of his courage rushing in to deliver the message. Now, standing before the unpredictable Ruo Wen, he was on the verge of collapse.
"Is she here?" Ruo Wen asked softly, his expression unchanging.
"Yes, the woman is here. And she’s brought several hundred men!" Eagle stammered.
"Brought men? What men?" Ruo Wen finally showed some interest.
"About two hundred of them. They say if you don’t release her people, they’ll blow us all up!" Eagle replied.
This statement didn’t faze the bandits. Mang Hu and Wolf Head even joked back and forth.
"Two hundred people think they can bury us? What a joke! Let them try. If we survive, I’ll reward her myself!"
"This woman’s too naive, isn’t she? Running around with a few men thinking she can toy with us? Who’d be stupid enough to back her up?"
"Exactly! Once we catch her this time, we better make sure our chief has some real fun with her!"
"Yeah! I almost feel sorry for her. She won’t survive this time!"
The group grew more excited, paying no heed to Huang Bei Shuang’s threat.
"Who are her men?" Ruo Wen asked after a moment of silence.
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