C28 – Once Again Sneaking into the Thieves’ Nest
After Min Zhenkang finished checking everything, he retrieved a Pill from his Bag of Heaven and Earth and resumed his cultivation.
The next day, bright and early, Tang Tian arrived at the inn.
“You really have a knack for finding trouble, don’t you?” were Tang Tian’s first words to Min Zhenkang.
“Hehe, I guess I owe it to the lady’s good fortune!” chuckled Min Zhenkang.
“Enough with your wisecracks. Do you have any idea what the castellan’s residence had to sacrifice to make amends with the Jee family this time?!”
“I can’t imagine Castellan Tang would go out of his way to save an unknown like me without good reason. No doubt, he and Miss Tang must have gone to great lengths to shield me from the Jee family’s wrath. For that, I’m grateful.”
“You’re not without your wits, I’ll give you that. But enough banter. It’s been over ten days; when do you plan to deal with the bandits? I’ve warned the Jee family to steer clear of the Min’s mansion, but while open attacks are easy to parry, hidden threats are not. I suggest you quickly figure out how to resolve the crisis facing Min’s mansion.”
“Thanks for the heads-up, Miss Tang. Rest assured, I’ve got plans in place for both issues. You just wait for my good news back at the castellan’s residence.”
“I’ll be waiting, then.” With that, Tang Tian made to leave.
“Just one more thing. You’re aware of the Jee family’s animosity towards you, so be cautious when you step outside. Within Steelgrave, they wouldn’t dare make a move, but beyond its borders, it’s a different story.”
“I appreciate the warning and will be vigilant.”
The gravity of the situation was clearly more serious than he had anticipated. He needed to find a solution to these troubles—and fast.
“Zhenkang, how are you doing?” Tang Tian had barely left when Min Qi and Min Qigang entered.
“Father, I’m all right. And you?”
“My injuries are nearly mended, thanks to Miss Tang’s Healing Pill and your own Pill. If not for those, my old bones would have been bedridden for half a year at least!”
“Any recent news from the family?”
“I came specifically to discuss this with you. Just yesterday, I got word from your second uncle that the Guo family has struck against Min’s mansion. They’ve already devoured two-thirds of our businesses in Whalespell, leaving only a few vulnerable holdings near the Min family. Without Qin Hui’s intervention, the Guo family would have completely overrun us by now.”
“The Guo family couldn’t resist, after all. It looks like the Jee family has been quite involved.”
“Indeed. Time is not on our side, which is why I need to know what you’re planning.”
“Father, I’m planning to hit the bandits’ hideout again tomorrow, to wipe them out once and for all!”
“Good. Let’s wrap things up here quickly and head back to Whalespell as soon as we can.”
“There’s something else, Zhenkang, that I think you should know.” Min Qi hesitated but decided it was best not to keep it from Min Zhenkang.
“What is it, Dad?” A sense of foreboding washed over Min Zhenkang at his father’s words.
“Keke’s grandfather isn’t in Whalespell right now, and the Guo family, seeking revenge, has taken her. They plan to force her to marry Liu Tao in ten days!”
Liu Tao was a known figure in Whalespell, the younger brother of Guo Tao.
But he was an imbecile.
Rumor had it that he was injured while playing with Guo Tao as a child, leaving him with a mind that knew only laughter.
“The Guo family has a death wish! To think they’d lay a hand on Keke.” For Min Zhenkang, both the Jee and Guo families were marked for his retribution.
“Zhenkang, the Min family’s future rests on your shoulders, so make sure to weigh your actions carefully.” After the last ordeal, Min Qigang realized that Min Zhenkang was the key to the Min family’s continued presence in Whalespell.
“I understand.”
“Okay, we’ll leave you to your training then.”
With that, Min Qi took Min Qigang back with him.
“Understood, Second Head.”
And with that, Min Zhenkang boldly entered the stronghold.
“Hey, don’t you think the Second Head has been acting odd since he returned from his last outing?”
“I’ve noticed something’s off too, but I can’t put my finger on what exactly. Have you noticed anything specific?”
“Not me. If I had, I wouldn’t be asking you.”
“Didn’t Second Head leave with Little Six a few days ago? We haven’t seen Little Six around lately. How come only the Second Head has returned?”
“Yeah, it’s odd. Maybe the Second-in-Command sent Little Six on an errand, which is why he returned alone.”
After Min Zhenkang entered, the two bandits on door duty began gossiping about him.
“What are you two muttering about instead of keeping a proper watch?” A man resembling a subordinate leader overheard their murmurs and, noticing their lax attention to the gate, came over to rebuke them.
“Boss, it’s nothing. We were just shooting the breeze!” One of the gatekeepers quickly responded with an appeasing grin.
“Shooting the breeze? Keep your eyes on that gate. If even a fly gets past you, I’ll flay the both of you.”
“Yes, yes, of course,” they replied, forcing smiles.
“But, Boss, our hideout is so well-hidden, and with all those lethal traps outside, we haven’t seen an outsider in years. Do we really need to be on such high alert?” inquired the other gatekeeper.
“Damn it, guarding a gate and you still have complaints? One more peep of nonsense and I’ll skin you both right here!” The junior leader, fed up with their chatter, bellowed.
“Understood, understood. We’re on it, fully focused on the gate.”
Chastened by the leader’s outburst, the two gatekeepers shrank back, redoubling their vigilance and not daring to utter another superfluous word.
Once the leader saw them back at their posts, he departed.
Inside the stronghold, Min Zhenkang made his way to the Second-in-Command’s quarters with ease.
“Second-in-Command, where have you been all this time? The Boss has been looking for you for days!” The bandit at the door reported the leader’s search for the Second-in-Command upon his return.
“Mm.”
“The Boss wants you to meet him at the Hall of Loyalty.”
“Understood!” Min Zhenkang acknowledged and entered the room.
He scoured the room but found nothing of previous value. It seemed the Second-in-Command had either stashed the more valuable items elsewhere or kept everything in his personal Bag of Heaven and Earth. Ultimately, Min Zhenkang transferred all he found into his own Bag of Heaven and Earth.
After searching the room to no avail, Min Zhenkang left and headed to the Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness.
The Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness was a popular name for bandit hideouts, but true loyalty among thieves was a rare commodity.
Approaching the entrance, Min Zhenkang noted that the hall was marginally better than most places, with just a bit more space.
Inside, a large table dominated the room, surrounded by a row of benches.
At the far end, there was an imposing armchair, draped with fine tiger skin.
Beneath it sat a smaller chair, clearly designating the hierarchy: the grand armchair for the bandit chief, and the lesser one for his deputy.
Finding the vast hall deserted, Min Zhenkang casually perched himself on the edge of the long table.
“Little brother, where have you been these past few days?”
Before long, a man strode into the Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness – the bandit leader himself.
He took his seat in the armchair with an air of authority, while Min Zhenkang settled into the smaller chair beside him.