The caravan slowly rolled out of the town and the lively streets gradually disappeared behind them, replaced by a long dirt road that stretched toward the distant horizon. Open plains took over on either side, extending into the distance as far as the eye could see, only broken up by the occasional tree.
The rhythmic sound of wagon wheels and horses' hooves filled the quiet journey. Inside the lead carriage, silence lingered between the three passengers, those being Lei Mei, Lei Lishon and Sun Yunso.
All of them were sitting peacefully but the atmosphere was a little awkward; well just for Sun Yunso because the siblings were having a quality time together.
"If you don't mind me asking, where exactly are we headed?"
Lei Mei looked at Sun Yunso's direction.
"Oh, we're on our way to Meizou." Lei Mei answered with a big smile.
"Meizou," Sun Yunso whispered the name softly, making sure he remembered it. "I see, and... what exactly is it that we're supposed to be transporting?"
Lei Mei looked over at her big brother before she said anything.
"We're transporting goods."
She gestured toward the wagons behind them.
"The goods are mainly food, fabrics, and medicine, along with some valuable items for trade. These supplies were ordered by several merchants based in Meizou."
Lei Lishon calmly added.
"Nothing illegal, if that's what you're wondering."
Sun Yunso gave a small nod.
"I wasn't."
His eyes wandered back to the road in front of him, his gaze drifting away from whatever had caught his attention before. He just wanted to get a handle on the job he'd taken on, that's all. I mean, what kind of escort can you be if you don't even know what you're supposed to be protecting?
It wasn't about the cargo itself, but more about understanding his role in all of this.
A swordsman's got to know what he's fighting for, right? Otherwise, he's just going through the motions
Lei Mei smiled faintly.
"I'm glad you asked. Most escorts only care about getting paid. They never bother asking what they're protecting."
Sun Yunso remained silent.
Lei Lishon glanced at him before speaking.
"Knowing your cargo is part of the job. If something goes missing, an escort should notice."
Sun Yunso gave a small nod.
"I understand."
The carriage continued to sway gently as it rolled along the road. Outside, the sound of hooves echoed steadily across the open plains. A guard who was riding alongside the caravan suddenly shouted out with a big smile on his face.
"So far, so good!"
Another laughed.
"It seems like the stories about the Black Fang Bandits are just that - stories, and they might not be based on fact."
A few of the others chuckled in agreement.
"They probably heard we were coming and ran."
But Sun Yunso still had his doubts, and he kept his eyes fixed on the road stretching out before him.
"..."
Something felt unusual.
The wind swept across the empty fields, carrying only the rustling of tall grass. Not a single traveler had passed them since leaving town. It was as though everyone had chosen to avoid this road. Lei Lishon noticed Yunso staring into the distance.
"Is something bothering you?"
Sun Yunso answered without looking away.
"No, it just feels quiet."
Lei Lishon's expression became thoughtful.
"It usually is."
Silence settled over the carriage once again.
The caravan kept moving at a steady pace, slowly fading from sight as it traveled further down the deserted road that led to Meizou. Sun Yunso finally turned his gaze away from the road stretching out before him.
"...My apologies."
Lei Mei tilted her head.
"For what?"
He glanced through the carriage window once more.
"This road...it just gives me a bad feeling."
Lei Mei smiled reassuringly and waved a hand.
"We've got nothing to worry about, really. There are six escorts with us, so we're in good hands. They'll keep us safe, no need to stress about it."
She laughed softly.
"We've only been on the road for about an hour, so no need to worry, okay?."
Sun Yunso simply nodded in understanding but his gaze still wandered back to the scenery rolling by outside.The air was thick with tension, and an uneasy feeling lingered. Lei Lishon sat motionless, his eyes fixed intently on the young swordsman, who was seated across from him, surrounded by an unsettling silence.
The silence inside the carriage lingered for a while before Lei Shun suddenly spoke.
"Come to think of it...I never did learn your name."
Lei Mei blinked.
"...Oh."
She scratched her cheek awkwardly.
"I completely forgot to introduce the two of you."
She looked at her brother, feeling a little embarrassed, and smiled.
"His name is Sun Yunso."
"Sun Yunso..."
Lei Shun said the name over and over in his head, a small smile spreading across his face as he did so.
"That's a fine name."
Sun Yunso gave a small nod.
"Thank you."
Lei Lishon couldn't help but stare at him for a bit longer, his mind fixed on something that had been bothering him since their first meeting.
"If you don't mind me asking. I noticed the scars over both of your eyes."
Sun Yunso's body stiffened ever so slightly.
"You can still see, yet your eyes don't have the color most people do."
His eyes had a strange look to them, the color was almost gone from his irises, making them seem really unusual.
"I was wondering, if you are blind?"
Lei Mei glanced back and forth between the two men, her eyes moving from one to the other.
"Brother."
She could tell it wasn't an easy question to answer. Sun Yunso remained silent for several seconds. His hand unconsciously drifted toward one of the scars crossing his eye.
"I'd rather not go into details about how I got these scars, let's just say it's private. And about my eyesight, I'm not totally blind, just a bit limited in what I can see."
"Is that so, then allow me to apologise for asking in the first place. It was not my right to pry into past events."
"It's okay, curiosity does kill the cat as they always say, right?"
"Indeed it does."
The two young men gave out some laughter as if they were slowly bonding. Lei Mei felt like the third wheel in the exchange. As the boys were having their moment, they were interrupted by the driver, his face turned pale.
"We've got company!"
Dozens of figures stepped out from both sides of the road. The caravans had already been surrounded and the horses came to a violent stop. The train suddenly lurched, throwing everyone off balance, and people grabbed onto whatever they could to steady themselves.
"What happened?"
Lei Mei's hand shot out and grasped the side of the carriage, as if on instinct.
Outside, panicked voices erupted.
"We're surrounded!"
"Get ready for combat!"
The guards quickly pulled out their swords, and the loud clang of metal filled the quiet air of the empty fields. Sun Yunso quietly stepped out of the carriage. His eyes slowly swept across the road, there were people and dozens of them. These men were not just eager for battle, but also ready to claim whatever spoils they could find in the carriages. Some of them wielded swords, while others carried axes, spears, and bows, a formidable arsenal that struck fear into the hearts of their enemies.
They were a force to be reckoned with, driven by a hunger for victory and a desire for plunder. At the center stood a broad-shouldered man with a thick beard and a scar running across his face. A massive blade rested casually on his shoulder and he smiled.
“Things are looking up, today's harvest turned out way better than I thought it would.”
The guards swiftly took their places, creating a shield around the five carriages. One by one, they pulled out their weapons, ready for action. As Lei Lishon got out of the carriage, he automatically positioned himself in front of his little sister, a protective gesture that came naturally to him.
"Stay behind me."
Lei Mei nodded nervously.
"O-Okay."
Sun Yunso quietly stood beside the other escorts, one hand resting lightly on the hilt of the sword at his waist. He didn't draw it, not yet at least. His colorless eyes calmly swept across the men blocking the road.
"Twenty-three."
One of the escorts glanced at him.
"What?"
"There are twenty-three of them.
The man swallowed.
"You counted that already?"
Sun Yunso didn't answer.
His attention never left the bandits
The scarred man standing at the front took a few slow steps forward before stopping several meters away and a sly grin spread across his face.
"Let me tell you about us. We're called the Black Fang Bandits, and I'm in charge - my name is Zhang Pojun. I'll get straight to the point."
His massive blade dropped from his shoulder and slammed into the frozen ground with a heavy THUD.
"Drop your cargo and weapons, and maybe I'll spare your lives."
Lei Shun stepped forward.
"I'm afraid we can't do that."
Zhang Pojun sighed dramatically.
“I'm really disappointed, I was hoping that today would be a peaceful day without any violence or trouble.”
One of the escorts suddenly barked,
"Enough talking!"
He pointed his sword at the bandits.
“If you really want this stuff, just come and get it!”
The bandits suddenly erupted into loud laughter, their voices echoing through the air. Meanwhile, Zhang Pojun calmly pulled his blade out of the ground, its metal glinting in the light, and raised it threateningly at the caravans, his movements slow and deliberate.
“Just get rid of the escorts, but make sure the cargo is okay.”
The laughter vanished and suddenly, a group of 23 bandits rushed in all at once, filling the space. The escort tightened his grip on his spear.
"Protect the cargo!"
The guards moved out to cover the caravan, with each one taking a side to watch over. Lei Mei's face lost all its color as she stood inside the lead carriage.
"They're here..."
Lei Lishon remained calm despite the tension.
"Stay inside."
Sun Yunso found himself suddenly back inside the carriage, his hand coming to rest quietly on the hilt of his sword, still sheathed at his side.
Steel clashed violently across the open road. The first guard clashed with the bandits, his curved sword smashing into a heavy axe, making a loud clanging sound.
He quickly turned his wrist, knocking the axe out of the way, and then slammed his shoulder into the bandit's chest. This made the man stumble backwards, losing his balance. Suddenly, another bandit appeared out of nowhere, charging in from the side. But before he could even swing his weapon, a spear came flying out of nowhere, shooting forward with incredible speed and accuracy.
The spear cut right through the man's shoulder, and he let out a loud scream as he stumbled backward.
"You're open!"
A guard with two short swords suddenly appeared between two foes, moving quickly. His swords shone like silver as he cut one bandit's arm, then spun around and hit another in the chest. He was fast and his blades seemed to flash in the light. The bandits were caught off guard by his swift movements.
"Agh!"
Blood splattered across the snow-covered ground. One of the escorts was ready, preparing to face the three bandits that were charging towards him. It was surprising to find that he wasn't carrying any weapons, just his bare fists, which were oddly wrapped in black bandages.
One of the bandits attempted to swing at the escort, but the escort was too quick and dodged the attack. The escort then grabbed the bandit's hand, twisted it, and delivered a solid punch right to his face.
The other two approached, but the escort didn't flinch, instead, he seemed pretty thrilled about the whole thing. He took a stance and waited for them and blocked one attack, but another blade managed to slip past his defense, slicing a shallow cut across his shoulder.
"Ghk!"
Even so, he refused to fall.
In another part of the scene, a different escort was fighting with amazing accuracy, dodging each blow with tiny, precise movements, and then quickly striking back with fast and effective hits. The once peaceful road had become a battlefield. The sounds of screaming men, clashing weapons, frightened horses and splintering wood echoed through the valley. Lei Mei sat in the lead carriage, her hands clutching the edge of her seat tightly.
"They're... they're actually holding them back."
Lei Lishon continued watching through the small window.
"For now."
Outside, more bandits emerged from behind the trees.
"...There's more!"
One escort's face paled.
"They're reinforcing!"
Zhang Pojun burst out laughing as the battle played out before his eyes.
"You fools actually thought twenty-three men were enough?"
He raised his hand.
"Everyone attack!"
A large number of bandits suddenly appeared on the road, coming from both sides of the mountain pass, their presence seeming to pour in from all directions. The escorts' confident expressions disappeared.
"...Damn it."
"We're being surrounded!"
The pressure suddenly intensified, doubling in an instant. One of the escorts found himself on the back foot, desperately fending off a fierce attack from four opponents who had closed in on him all at once. One of the bandits was stopped from striking, but only for a moment, because another one kicked him really hard in the stomach, and he fell back, hitting a wagon wheel.
The horses neighed in panic and the precious formation that had held together moments ago slowly began to break apart.
Things were starting to go the bandits way, and it seemed like the battle was turning in their favor
Sun Yunso entered the lead carriage and closed his eyes. He allowed the sounds around him to grow distant and faded away, taking the noise and commotion of the world with it. His breathing grew calm and slow as he focused only on the sounds surrounding him. A strange energy emanated from him and quietly swept the battlefield, causing everything to settle and fall into place.
"..."
His eyebrows narrowed slightly. His eyes slowly opened, revealing the colorless orbs, and he reached down and placed a hand on the hilt of the sword that dangled from his side, as if he was always prepared to draw it at the first sign of danger or conflict. The ordinary looters weren't the ones he was worried about, and with a silent motion, he opened the carriage door.
"W-Wait!"
Lei Mei instinctively reached out, hoping to stop him somehow, but Sun Yunso stepped onto the snow-covered road. His sleeves of his black robes fluttered as he calmly surveyed the battlefield.
"Nothing to worry about. This won't take much time."
The fighting didn't stop, and none of the bandits realized that another swordsman had entered the battlefield. Lei Lishon quietly watched as Sun Yunso entered the battlefield and a small smile graced his lips.
“ It seems my intuition was right.”
He got out of the carriage as well and looked at the young man who was carrying the sword.
"So he's a Seijinist."
Lei Lishon remained calm like his sister. He wanted to see just how skilled the young man was. He didn't panic but instead studied the situation to see what the young man was capable of doing.
Meanwhile, Sun Yunso walked across the snow-covered road. He didn't rush for it. Instead, he casually placed a hand on the sheathed sword that was hanging from his waist as he followed the presence that he had sensed seconds ago. The sounds of clashing swords and wailing of the injured slowly faded away but he was too focused on the three mysterious figures who were blended in with the bandits to notice it. Before long they came to a stop.
A little ways away, a lone figure stood, waiting for him. The man with mischief in his expression wore a confident smile as he approached.
"I didn't expect to see someone like us watching over those caravans but now I'm wondering, where's the other one?"
Sun Yunso looked at him, still expressionless.
"...Another one?"
The bandit frowned.
"Don't tell me. It's just you?"
Sun Yunso didn't get what the man was saying, and he really didn't care enough to ask him to explain. The bandit clicked his tongue and turned his head slightly.
"Oi, you can come out now."
As another figure stepped out from behind the tree, it became apparent that he was different from the first man. He had a pair of curved blades fastened to his waist, and his eyes met Sun Yunso's as he sighed.
"So this is the other one? I thought he'd be stronger."
The two men slowly spread apart. One man moved to Yunso's left and the other circled around to his right. Without realizing it, Sun Yunso had been surrounded.
"So, you guys are resorting to teaming up on me instead of taking me on one on one?"
"Honestly, we don't really care about doing the right thing. We're only in it for the money, that's all that matters."
"Is that so? I now understand."
No one moved because they all waited for the first strike.
The two bandits slowly inched towards him from either side but neither rushed. Both waited for the first opening. Sun Yunso lowered his head slightly and his hand rested casually on the hilt of his sword.
"May your souls descend into the deepest depths of hell."
The two bandits frowned.
"...What?"
"What did he just say?"
In that moment, their focus wavered, giving Sun Yunso the opening that he needed. With a gentle touch, his thumb brushed against the guard, and he easily drew the sword from its sheath.
Shing.
"Moliu...Silent Current."
The two bandits attacked simultaneously.
Clang!
Sun Yunso's blade intercepted both of their weapons in one fluid movement. Before either of them could react, his blade changed directions. So quiet had it been that neither of the bandits had realized they had been hurt until it was too late.
They stood motionless.
"Huh?"
A mark was visible on both of their necks, a thin line that was invisible to them. Their eyes widened. Blood splattered the snow as their bodies collapsed to the ground, both falling to the ground at the same time.
Sun Yunso gave the blade a quick flick to remove the blood from it. He slid the blade back into its sheath in a smooth movement and moved on to the last cultivator.
Lei Lishon was filled with amusement as he watched what Sun Yunso had done. After seeing what Sun Yunso had done, he was certain that the supposed guard that his younger sister had hired was actually a Seijinist like him and placed a hand over his mouth, amazed.
"Okay then, I think I should also show that I'm also like him as well."
The battle raged on across the snow-covered road. Steel clashed with steel as desperate cries filled the mountain pass. The escorts fell one after the other.
They had fought with all their strength but in the end, their bodies gave up. Despite knowing that they didn't have a chance against the Black Fang Bandits, none of the escorts had tried to run. They had chosen to stand their ground and fight to the very end. These brave men had fought with all their might and in the end, had given their lives to protect the caravan that they were supposed to protect. Now only one of the five escorts remained and that was Sun Yunso.
It was over in a flash. The fight had ended faster than anyone could have predicted. The Black Fang Bandits had taken a beating as well. There had been dozens of them that surrounded the caravans but now only about ten remained standing and one of them was their leader, Zhang Pojun. He looked over the battlefield, surveying the aftermath, and tossing his head back he let out a loud, hearty laugh. The sound of his loud laughter filled the quiet mountain pass, echoing off the peaks.
"I have to say, I am impressed . Normally, when people hear the name Black Fang Bandits, they just give up, tremble in fear and hand over all their stuff. But you guys, actually decided to put up a fight, even though you knew you'd lose. That takes guts. And I've got to admit, I respect that. But respect isn't going to keep any of you alive."
Zhang Pojun slowly drew his sword, the polished steel sliding out of its sheath with a quiet sound. The polished steel reflected the pale sunlight. He rested the sword on his shoulder, a grin crossing his face. He looked over the battlefield.
He laughed and said, "Now, who's going to be next? I'm sure one of you still has some energy left to put on a show for me."
Lei Mei's face had paled. She took a step back, without thinking, and in that moment, Lei Lishon moved in front of her, using his body to shield his younger sister from harm. The last remaining escort stood several paces away.
He was a mess. His clothes were all ripped and bloody, his fists were bruised and swollen, and his breathing was labored, like he had run for hours. Every muscle in his body ached as if his body was convincing him to stop, to rest, but something kept him going.
He took another step forward and then another one.
Zhang Pojun looked at him with a bit of admiration in his eyes.
"...You've got courage."
The escort just stood there, not saying a word, and then he suddenly charged at him. He threw a wild punch, a desperate attempt to defend himself. But what happened next was totally unexpected - Zhang Pojun let out a deep sigh.
"A shame."
A quick flash of metal sliced through the air, sudden and sharp. The escort stopped dead in his tracks, and for a split-second, everything was silent. Then, without warning, he crashed to the ground with a heavy thud. Zhang Pojun wiped the blood off his blade, his face showing no emotion at all.
"Courage alone is never enough."
Lei Lishon took a look at what had just happened and was able to figure everything out quickly. Zhang Pojun had a pretty clever plan. He figured that if he could wear everyone out completely, they would be too tired to defend themselves and then he could strike when they were at their weakest. It may seem like a cowardly move, but when you think about it from a battle perspective, it's actually a really smart tactic.
Lei Lishon took a quick glance at Sun Yunso, who was slowly approaching Zhang Pojun with his sword at the ready, prepared to strike at any moment. He couldn't help but smile, knowing he was in for a treat, and now he was eager to get in on the action too. Zhang Pojun's face lit up with a smile as the sound of footsteps echoed from behind him, getting closer and closer.
He spun around, his huge sword at the ready, preparing for whatever was about to happen.
"I have to say, taking down those two Seijinist from the Black Fang Bandits is no easy feat. Now, I'm guessing you're on the hunt for the last one, since you likely sensed that there were three of them in total. Guess what, you're looking at the third one. Now tell me what are you going to do?"
Sun Yunso didn't say a word, just kept in motion, inching closer and closer. He finally appeared and stopped about six meters away from Zhang Pojun. Then, he raised his blade, pointing it directly at Zhang Pojun's face.
"Does it matter what I'm going to do? Whatever it shall be, will only result in your death."
Zhang Pojun paused for a moment, and then a snicker escaped his lips.
"You're an interesting one I see. With those words, I'd believe you're someone who appreciates poetic justice but it's just they carry something dark and that's what makes this interaction of ours even more exciting."
Sun Yunso stared coldly, his eyes devoid of emotion, as he kept his blade fixed on his opponent. Zhang Pojun was still smiling until he remembered something.
"I know that you caught three Seijinist but you somehow missed another one. Why is that?"
"Another Seijinist?" Sun Yunso asked.
He suddenly remembered that one of the two people he had fought had said exactly the same thing, and it stuck in his mind.
If there was another Seijinst, where could they be located? That was the question at hand but not knowing that he was amongst them the entire time and couldn't contain himself.