“Well, there are but I have not ended everything, as there is still an even more horrible piece of shit, that you need to be aware of if you think of doing anything.

However, as Zuger was about to mention the last remaining leader, a dark and downcast grimace smile appeared on his face.

“You mean the pervert? There is not much information about him, other than he is the second rank 6.”

“If you can say that.”

As he began to speak, Zuger glanced at the unconscious Square, before looking at the three men in front of him.

“I don’t know how much you know about him, but I’ll tell you everything I know. He came out of nowhere about a year ago, challenging Grip, and ending in a tie with him, after which, the bastard offered him a seat with him. But then—, no it is better to say that he is one of the reasons we are all here, as even if the piece of shit wanted to end things here, he would not have done it this way. As the bigger factor in all of this, Dog,--- well Dou, as it was his real name, change not more than three months after he arrived, as his rank 4 advanced to 5, but the most problematic thing was his personality becoming more violent and brutal, which is the cause of the slaughter for the nearest of villages.”

“Are you sure about that?”

Though in the light of what Zuger was describing, old Wan could not stay silent as he tried to get a firm answer while looking at him attentively, as to ascertain that there were no falsehoods in his words.

“Yes, it might sound strange but Dou was one of the weakest rank 4 captains, but after he was called by the Pervert for a week, he changed into an almost different person, as his rank had risen significantly, despite his mediocre aptitude in cultivation, he would have advanced to rank 6 if he were to not die here. But that guy never came out of his chamber, only asking for captured people and some beast to be sent to him—]

But, as he was almost reaching to the point of his story, he made a sudden break, as his face darkened even more, strange to the others as the feeling he was emitting could not be understood well.

"--- From then on muffled screams began to come from his chamber, creeping, and making even the pieces of trash feel fear and dread, but after two days, Grip had the corridor be blocked with large stone doors to stop any sound from reaching out."

As he was persisting with his narration of the reality inside the bandit hold, the three men's faces become sterner and more focused as it was evident that the pervert was by far more rotten than they had known.

But while the three of them had their own impressions and thoughts about the Pervert, Zuger turned his head towards Square, as he sighed again while starting to speak as his gaze was fixed on his brother.

“This guy is really a fool, not clever at all, slow, and idiotic at times, but he has the best awareness of the situation around him, as well of the people that get too close to him. This is something he had told me when the guy had fought against Grip, “He is dangerous, and he is hiding.”, what he had meant It is obvious, however, his descriptions are always accurate and if he called him dangerous in the presence of Grip, it can only mean he is far more problematic to deal with him, than that piece of shit.”

“---”

“You are done?”

However, after a brief silence, Rowen was forced to communicate with him, as to see if there was anything he wanted to add.

“Hmmm—Yes,— No, as for the appearance of the pervert, he is somewhere between twenty and thirty, and well once you see red, you will understand that you found him,--- I don’t really have any additional information that could help you--- other than the layout of the hold.”

“Can you draw it?”

“Yes.”

Immediately after, Rowen took some paper and drawing pen, then handed it to the cuffed Zuger, that began to scribble numerous wobbly lines over the paper, evident from a lack of writing education, but as the many parallel lines form a serious of numerous corridors with many chambers and halls, the three of them understood that the size of the Bandit Hold was not small at all, in fact, it could be said to be quite the structure if it were to be real.

As Zuger ended his third rough drawing, he offered the papers back, but as Rown was trying to take them he detected resistance as he could not take them without ripping them from the bandit's hands.

“What is the meaning of this?”

“I need you to guarantee some safety and to help my friend, for the information I told you.”

“This is not something I can do an say, as I am just a guard of the Kingdom, I need to be impartial. But if we can validate anything you have said till now, I can speak on your behalf to have a more tolerable sentence.”

[---]

But as the two of them looked into one another's eyes, Zuger let go of the papers as there was absolutely nothing that he could do at this point.

“Alright, I’ll let it be your way. Anyhow, I am most confident of what had occurred on the other side.”

“Captain!”

But as he took the papers, from the former slave bandit. The calling of his guard title, from his behind, shook him a little, as he turned toward Adrian that was looking at him with an intense gaze, making him become a little alarmed, as he had an inclination of what he was about to say.

“What?”

“I want to do a round of scouting, at the bandit base and see if what he has said is true or false, we need to know if there are captives or not.”

“Denied! We can not be confident of his words, even if what he has said it's true, it is more likely that they have yet to leave, and you might find yourself in danger that surpasses your capabilities and die.”

However, the stubborn Andrian did not even blink as he looked intensely at him, mostly out of his frustration of not doing more in the recent battle as he had killed only normal bandits that proved no challenge to him.

“First with the rounds of the villages, now this, are you trying to put yourself in danger?”

“No!”

“Captain, you must not allow such action, and vice-captain, the situation here is too unpredictable and dangerous, with too many variables, his words might be true, but that does not mean, there is no threat to be encountered.”

While the sudden discussion continued, the old man had to meddle in their conversation, as he was taking a hard stance between them.

“Senior Wan, I understand your concern, however, this is something we must do, to ascertain the situation as we can not leave the villagers allowed to be attacked again, nor can we close an eye to those that had been kidnap, unless you yourself desire to personally go.”

But at Adrian's remark and criticism of the situation, the old man began to struggle as his face contorted from anger and frustration.

“I-I can not! I can not leave the young master, nor can I put him in unknown danger.”

But as the old man looked down to the ground, as his role and power did not allow him the freedom to do anything of real use to help the youths before him, making him be, nothing more than a nagging old man, that was always refusing to let them view the world, even if it was for their safety, barring them from the risks of life that would only make them lose the experience they required as cultivators.

“If that's the case, I will go as soon as possible, captain please allow me to go!”

As Rowen looked at Adrian and his desire to do more as a guard, he was finding it hard to refuse as he himself was having the same idea.

“Will any other guards will come here? For a mere thousand villagers in this remote corner that nobody comes!? They don’t want to leave, and moving them will prove difficult. Actually, even if they adapt to the new environment of the forest, so as to be able to make a living in the woodlands, it will take months to years at the earliest.”

But as Rowen looked again at Zuger, he could only sigh, as the position he was in, was really irritating him.

“Sigh, I will allow you to go. However, you will not approach their base, you will only watch from afar, there will be another rank 3 guard and the scout that had previously made the journey. Understood? You are not allowed to take any risks.”

“Yes, Captain!”

“Sigh, I hope what you have told me is true, otherwise I will personally deal with your punishment.”

“I told you, what it is more likely to be the course of actions, that those bastards would most likely take, if you want to go, you must be prepared to go with your life on the line.”

However, at Zuger's reply, Rowen did not respond back, as he knew that already more than anything.

“If that's the case, it is better to prepare and to move, as soon as possible.”

“Alright.”

As the three men left the place he was in, Zuger could only look again at the pale Square and at the two scouts that had awakened in the corner of the dwelling, as they were looking at him in fear.

“Hmmm, this is how it ends, from a slave to a bandit and now a prisoner.”

But just as he was sighing while closing his eyes, a slightly muffled sound of something colliding came from the direction of the two scouts. As he took a look at the disturbance, his eyes widen in shock at the sight that did not make much sense.