Chapter 177: They Have Returned

Although Lin Wenyan led his men to launch several attacks, Gu Zhinan and his followers repelled every single one of them. The terrain of Green Creek Mountain was far too disadvantageous for the attackers. Furthermore, Gu Zhinan's martial arts skills were truly exceptional. Lin Wenyan even wondered, if his father were here, whose martial arts would surpass the other when compared to Gu Zhinan?

For four consecutive days, their offensive plans had ended in failure. Liao Shuxia and the others had also remained stationed there, taking charge of the logistics.

"It has been four days. I wonder how little Gouzi is doing now..." Liao Shuxia sat before the campfire and said with deep worry.

"She will be fine," Zhao Lancui comforted her. "Sangqian is so smart and capable; she will definitely be all right."

"Didn't Sangqian say that the bandit leader has been poisoned? Since she is able to help him detoxify, perhaps the bandits will treat her like an honored guest," Xiao Yawen remarked.

Her original intention was to comfort them, yet even she had not expected that her casual words would turn out to be completely true. Over the past few days, the bandits had all learned that their chieftain was poisoned and that Lin Sangqian could help him cure it. Consequently, they all held her in high respect, even addressing her as "Sister Lin."

Lin Sangqian accepted the title without the slightest bit of modesty, which left Zhang Qianqian utterly infuriated.

Having just finished administering the third session of acupuncture to Gu Zhinan, Zhang Qianqian could not help but say, "Why don't you just surrender? With your extraordinary skills, the authorities certainly wouldn't do anything harsh to you after a surrender. They might even report it to the imperial court and grant you a minor official position."

"A minor official? Do you think I care for such a thing?" Gu Zhinan sneered as he put on his clothes.

"Then do you relish being a bandit?"

"What's wrong with being a bandit? I go wherever I please, free and untethered, and no one can ever tell me what to do!"

"How many commoners have you brought misery upon? Can you even count them?"

"I only rob the wealthy! And I only take a portion each time!"

Lin Sangqian laughed out of sheer exasperation. How could this fellow still speak with such unrighteous confidence?

"Do the wealthy deserve to be robbed by you? Is the money of the rich not earned through hard work?"

Hearing this, Gu Zhinan felt a slight pang of guilt and muttered, "Some of it isn't."

"You even know that it's 'some of it,' which is only a tiny fraction! Earlier, you robbed over a hundred liang of silver from my shop. Return it to me."

"I won't. I've already spent it all."

"It has only been a few days? I don't believe you!"

At that moment, Cheng Biao's voice rang out from outside, "Big Brother, the brothers have pretty much packed everything. It's time to withdraw."

"Alright, understood," Gu Zhinan replied.

"Withdraw to where?" Lin Sangqian asked.

Gu Zhinan stretched lazily and then said, "It's time to leave. That elder brother of yours—what was his name again? Lin Wenyan? He is indeed formidable. He attacked a few times, and I barely managed to hold him off. However, if he comes a few more times, we probably won't be able to hold out."

"So you are fleeing now?"

"What do you mean, fleeing? This is called a tactical retreat!"

Lin Sangqian: "..."

Gu Zhinan continued, "These past few days, I only managed to block your brother thanks to our geographical advantage. Alas, such a capable man is not under my command; what a pity!"

"Then where are you planning to run to?" Lin Sangqian asked uneasily. "Am I coming with you? How am I supposed to go home then?"

Green Creek Mountain was not particularly far from the town. Once she cured Gu Zhinan's poison, she could head straight back home. Yet she could not very well stop Lin Wenyan from attacking the bandits; even if she were not on the mountain, capturing bandits was his bounden duty.

"Of course you are coming with me. The poison in my body hasn't been cured yet!"

"I still think you should surrender..."

"Stop talking nonsense and let's go!"

"Hey, what are you doing? Let go of me! Stop pulling and tugging!"

...

All the bandits on the mountain numbered a little over eighty in total. At this moment, led by Gu Zhinan and Cheng Biao, they were walking down a narrow path toward the foot of the mountain.

Night was already falling, and several men were holding torches. Lin Sangqian was forced to walk beside Gu Zhinan, leaving her no opportunity to escape. Zhang Qianqian followed closely behind Gu Zhinan step by step. Knowing that they were leaving this place, she still showed no intention of returning home.

Lin Sangqian paid her no mind. She could only respect her choice and offer her blessings.

"Big Brother, are you sure there's no problem taking this path?" Cheng Biao asked, holding a torch with a hint of uncertainty.

"Rest assured! Those government constables haven't discovered this path at all. Don't we usually take this way when going up and down the mountain?" Gu Zhinan said carelessly.

Just as Lin Sangqian was about to say that overconfidence was never a good thing, she noticed a few figures ahead. Two people were mounted on horses, followed by a considerable number of men.

Why do they look somewhat familiar? Lin Sangqian wondered.

At that instant, Gu Zhinan spotted them as well. His expression shifted drastically, and he shouted loudly, "Halt!"

The bandits behind him all came to a stop.

Lin Sangqian did not stop; instead, she took a couple of steps forward. When she clearly saw the faces of those two individuals, she froze instantly.

Following that, her eyes grew moist of their own accord.

It was them!

They had returned!

"Lin Sangqian, why aren't you hurrying back..." Gu Zhinan was burning with anxiety, but the moment he finished speaking, he suddenly realized that Lin Sangqian was not a bandit at all, but rather someone forced onto the mountain with him. What on earth was he worrying about?

Finished. How was it that after just a few days, he seemed to have started treating Lin Sangqian as one of his own people?

"Father!" Lin Sangqian cried out, and then sprinted forward.

Gu Zhinan: "Northern?"

What on earth had Lin Sangqian just shouted?

Lin Hongda leaped down from his horse and opened his arms wide toward his approaching daughter.

"Sangqian, as long as you're safe, everything is fine. As long as you're safe."

Heaven knew how terrified and furious he had been when he had just returned only to hear that his daughter had been dragged into a bandit lair! He had wanted nothing more than to immediately decapitate the bandit chieftain.

"Father, you're finally back!" Lin Sangqian hugged him and wept for a moment before straightening up, wiping her eyes, and looking toward the side. "And... Young Master Guan."

Guan Yanqing also dismounted. Perhaps because the torchlight was too bright, his eyes were exceptionally luminous.

Four years had passed, and he appeared even more mature than before. It seemed he had also grown even more handsome. Moreover, he had grown much taller; Lin Sangqian felt that he was now even slightly taller than Lin Wenyan.

"Lady Lin, long time no see."

"It's so wonderful that you've both returned safely!" Lin Sangqian said with deep emotion.

Initially, she had thought the people blocking their path would be Lin Wenyan and the other constables. She had never expected such an unexpected bonus.

Both Lin Hongda and Guan Yanqing had returned!

With the two of them here, Gu Zhinan would likely have nowhere to escape.

Sigh, she had told him to surrender, but he refused. Now that he had been caught, what was to become of him?

Lin Sangqian turned back and saw that Gu Zhinan still wore an expression of unconcealed defiance.

"Brothers!" he shouted loudly.

"Here!" the bandits behind him responded.

Lin Sangqian: "..."

Are you trying to be dramatic right now?

"Follow me, and fight our way out together!"

"We swear to follow the Big Brother to the death!"

"Are you certain?" Right at that moment, however, Guan Yanqing's cold and calm voice extinguished the enthusiasm of the band of outlaws. "You cannot escape. You will only throw away the lives of these brothers of yours in vain."