Chapter 4: To Not Be Born Is to Die

At the moment when the Longbow Bandit hesitated, unsure whether to kill Hu San outright, the third chief coughed and stepped forward, surrounded by the bandits. He declared, "Enough, I am aware of this matter. This boy dared to flee on his own—his death is not to be pitied. Anyone who tries this again will end up like him."

"This is settled. There are still several villages ahead where we must conscript men. Everyone, move out at once—do not delay the chief's important business!"

Hearing this, the Longbow Bandit had no choice but to suppress his murderous intent, no matter how unwilling he was. The third chief, being a skilled fighter, was not someone a mere bandit like him could challenge.

Yet he wasn’t worried about Hu San escaping. In this dark night, surrounded by fellow thieves, he would have plenty of chances to crush a young boy like him. It simply wasn't worth offending the third chief over it.

He cast Hu San a vicious glare that clearly said, "You're dead," before retreating into the ranks. The bandits then kicked the terrified youths on the ground to their feet—those with a poorer reputation, like Hu San, got a few extra kicks for good measure.

Soon, the convoy moved on. The boys, jittery and alarmed, were penned in among the bandits, watching them with frightened eyes, terrified that any displeasure would again bring fists and boots upon them.

In light of Hu Er's tragic end, even those boys who had originally intended to sneak away in the darkness abandoned their thoughts of escape. Though the group remained anxious and uneasy, no further disturbances occurred.

Hu San glanced surreptitiously in the direction of the Longbow Bandit, reaching back to rub his backside, where he'd received several heavy kicks. The pain still throbbed, and he was sure ugly bruises had formed.

Clearly, these bandits were cronies of the Longbow Bandit. Yet Hu San didn't care about the pain; his concern was for his very life.

He didn't know why the Longbow Bandit hadn't struck nor why the third chief had chosen to let matters rest, but Hu San understood well: among these bandits, the youths were at the very bottom. For a hardened brigand, there were countless ways to kill them—some open, some insidious—but all had one thing in common: once set in motion, none of them could be resisted by defenseless boys.

In other words, once the Longbow Bandit made up his mind and the group settled down—perhaps tonight, perhaps at the next stop—it would be Hu San's end.

"I need strength!"

He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails broke the skin, and blood welled up, yet Hu San felt nothing. Never before in his life had he so desperately longed for strength or understood its meaning so clearly. In that instant, something within him changed forever.

Under the threat of death, though he was still a mountain village boy, the heart of a true survivor began to awaken within him.

What he needed now was a chance to grow stronger. Should such an opportunity arise, he would seize it with all the desperation of a drowning man clutching at a reed.

In this moment, his childishness fell away. A steely resolve surged within him, and as if sensing something, a faint flash of purple lit up his chest for an instant before vanishing.

"Third Brother, do you think we can survive this?" whispered Lin Hu, the little chubby boy, sidling up to Hu San. Lin Hu knew about Hu San’s relationship with Hu Er, and by daring to speak to him at such a time, he showed his loyalty.

Perhaps it was youthful innocence, or perhaps the third chief's promises had comforted him, but Lin Hu truly counted as a good friend.

Despite the upheaval, Hu San could now easily distinguish Lin Hu’s sincerity from the wariness of the other boys. But his mind was elsewhere, so he merely nodded absently and replied, "As long as we keep our heads down and stay quiet, it doesn’t look like they really mean to harm us."

Outwardly calm, Hu San’s mind was churning with plans, desperately searching for any chance to survive.

Lin Hu looked at him with admiration, as if reassured. He wanted to say more, but noticing the anxiety beneath Hu San's composed expression, he wisely fell silent.

In Lin Hu’s mind, having just lost his second brother, Hu San must be devastated. He remembered how heartbroken he was when his pet chick died years ago; if animals could grieve, how much more so could people?

He assumed Hu San was suffering terribly, unaware that compared to the crisis at hand, Hu San’s peril was far deeper.

As the group marched on, a sudden piercing whistle came from up ahead.

"Stop!" barked the third chief. Amid the restless whinnying of horses, the entire column halted at once.

Orders were quickly relayed. Several bandits were assigned to guard the recruits, while the rest gathered at the front of the line.

By the firelight, Hu San saw the scene clearly: a burly man, soaked in blood, was slumped over his warhorse, barely controlling the beast as he staggered forward. Blood dripped from his body like rain.

"What happened?" the third chief demanded, grabbing the rider and yanking him from the horse. The man's already dark face was flushed red in the firelight.

"It—it was the Outlaw Gang from the End of the World. Our brothers were ambushed. All the new recruits were slaughtered. The information must have leaked!" The rider spat blood, his voice fading to a groan. "They have a fighter among them—they’re coming this way. Chief, you must prepare."

With that, his voice faded away, and he stopped breathing.

"The Outlaw Gang? A fighter among them?"

The third chief shook the dead man, then threw him to the ground and turned to his men. "Everyone, get ready and follow me to meet the enemy."

He turned to the uneasy recruits. "As for you, hide in the woods for now. You heard what the enemy does—if we lose, none of you will survive. So keep still, and if any of you tries anything, I’ll slaughter your entire family."

"If I find the numbers don’t match afterward, I’ll return to your villages and wipe out every last one of your kin. Understood?"

With that, he pointed to two bandits to lead the boys into the thicket to hide, then turned to rally his men.

At that moment, the rustle of movement came from the opposite woods. Lying at the edge of the thicket, Hu San watched as dark figures shot forth like arrows, quickly forming a formidable force.

Their leader was a hulking man, rivaling the third chief in size, clad in a martial robe and wielding a pair of judge’s pens. His first glance landed on the third chief and he gave a low laugh.

"So, you’re the third chief of Wolfheart Stronghold, Mo Ke?"

"This time I’ve caught a big fish. Since you’re here, you won’t be leaving today!"

The third chief smirked. He leapt from his horse and replied loudly, "And who might this be? The Death Judge, Pei Xuan? You’re not hiding in the Outlaw’s Den—aren’t you afraid someone will hunt you down like a rabbit?"

The bandits of Wolfheart Stronghold burst into laughter; they knew well the infamous tastes of the Death Judge.

Pei San, for all his strength, was known for his peculiar appetites and unusual preferences, and he was most sensitive to such jibes—especially being called a rabbit.

At these words, his face twisted with rage, a fire flaring in his chest. He snarled, "You brat, you’re courting death! Tonight, I’ll make you regret ever being born."

"Grandfather? Are you even up for the task?" the third chief taunted, his face darkening as he swung his mighty hammer, which hummed as it cut through the air. "Want to eat us? Careful you don’t break your teeth!"

With a wave of their leaders’ hands, the two sides crashed together, and the forest rang with shouts, the clash of weapons, and the screams of the dying.

Blades flashed, blood sprayed, and severed heads flew through the night. Under the light of the bonfire, it was a scene of utter carnage—a gruesome feast.

Hidden in the thicket, the recruits turned pale and hung their heads. Even the most hardened butcher would have felt sick at such slaughter.

Not only the newcomers, but even the two veteran bandits guarding them were unnerved. The enemy was as strong as they were; the Death Judge, for all his unsavory reputation, was a true warrior, matching the third chief blow for blow. The outcome was uncertain.

The other two leaders from each side, though not fighters themselves, were cunning survivors and difficult opponents.

Faced with this massacre, both the new and old hands felt weak, barely able to hold their weapons.

If the third chief and his men were defeated, it was hard to imagine anyone escaping alive.

In the press of bodies, Hu San’s eyes never left the Longbow Bandit.

Things were even worse than he had expected. The Longbow Bandit, with his unrivaled archery and formidable blade skills, was truly among the top ten fighters on the field.

All hope for luck vanished from Hu San’s heart. To be marked by such a man—his survival so far was nothing short of miraculous.

Now, if he wanted to live, he would have to take a chance. And the chaos of the battlefield was that very chance.

Hu San didn’t know what he might gain from this fight, nor whether it would make any difference. But he knew this was the only opportunity he would ever get to escape death.

He didn’t know what he could do with this chance—but that didn’t stop him from making up his mind.

"If I do not live, I die."

It was as simple as that.