“Captain.”

As the captain of the guards approached them, the guards slowly bowed while saluting their superior. Little Levis was intrigued at the sight of so many armed people dressed in the same way, and even more, as the black-haired young man dressed as the captain armed with a big broad sword and an almost full armor looked incredibly powerful from his position.

But as the captain was approaching, he did not miss the boy's existence, and the light cloth man as a frown appeared on his face.

“I presume this is a kid from the villages. Someone take him to the right village. As for the rest of you, back to your positions, Adrian, let's go.”

As though in a hurry, the captain immediately made his way towards the center of the encampment, as in his tent was old Wan, standing left to the back of the top seat in the hall where he was sitting. Two other men were seated next to the captain, and as Adrian and the light cloth man followed and entered, Adrian took a seat. In contrast, the man stood at the beginning of the table, waiting.

“So Adrian, what do you have to report?”

“Yes. The villages that we were unable to make a full support and left their seniors had only dead, no survivors as we found only dead bodies, we have made a fast burial, to which I have to excuse my delay.”

“No need. I had an inkling that this was going to happen. The best we could do with our numbers was a round-up to gather the villagers. Still, their death fell onto us. Now it is clear that they will attack us. And for the scouts, I see only one. Tell me what happened.”

As the captain continued to speak, his eyes fell on the man in front of the table as he addressed him.

“Yes, Captain. The scouting had been a success for the first two days, but as we were approaching the locations of the bandits, we were discovered by masked men, and as we made our escape,--- I have lost sight of my companion. As I returned, I met with the vice-captain and returned with him.”

“So you have a rough location of their base?”

“Yes.”

“Hmmm, this is something, but the death of a soldier is still heavy. Old Wan prepare the remuneration for his closest of kin,”

“Yes, Captain.”

“You can go and rest.”

“Yes, Captain.”

As the scout was making his way out the hall, only old Wan was at Captain's side alongside vice-captain Adrian and two more men. The situation became somewhat tense despite the relaxed attitude of the men.

"We'll lose, won't we?"

"That's to be predicted if we look at their force as a whole, in the case the rank 6 leaders will act."

"Two rank 6? Are the previous reports accurate?"

"I would not deny that. Iron Grip and the one called pervert the two leaders at rank 6, two more ranks 5, several rank 4 and dozens rank 3,2, and 1. In total, there are one hundred ranked cultivators and two hundred regular bandits pitted against us. We'll just be swept away in a typical case, but we can use our defense to our advantage. With better equipment, we can take two bandits each, the only problem is still the two rank 6, and the vast number of ordinary bandits, we can not see to protect every villager with six to one against us. Captain, I suggest we make use of the men of the villagers, give them a short training on how to fight in groups as for the lack of weapons wooden spears are more than enough we can mass-produce them and---."

"No need to say anything. I was already thinking of that as I have made some guards make some. As for the ranks 6 and 5 I alone can take them in a prolonged fight till you end yours, so you can support me until I kill them."

"Captain, that is reckless!"

"No, what was reckless was your decision to come with me when the county wanted to do nothing with this remote place. In any case, the ones to die here are those called to be in hell. So don't fret over minor details."

"Minor detail, you're taking two on your rank and two on a rank higher. How is that a battle plan? It sounds like a bet all day long. You can not be serious."

"Don't worry. It's not like I'm going in without a plan. I have a good understanding of my own limits. That being said, you have your problems. You'll have to take two or more each plus some rank 3. For the formation, keep an equal number in each direction, but be ready to move position in accordance with their movements. I do not expect to capture them, so focus on killing if they do not surrender. I do not want to lose anyone. We'll have to speak to the village chiefs about enlisting everyone who can fight and prepare them. You can relay the plan to your subordinates."

"Yes, Captain."

As the meeting between the captain and the vice-captain ended and they departed, the young man named Rowen turned to the old Wan to ask something, but old Wan beat him first as he began to speak without showing any change in expression.

"I can not protect them. My priority is the young master's safety. I can not be too far away during the fight. I'll kill anyone that will come closer but not leave your side."

As the argument between the young and the old continued inside the central tent, little Levis was being taken to a part of the encampment where his villagers, the younger generation of the Down River, had become the oldest generation, as of the deaths of their seniors.