My lord, spare his life!

The hiding place of this Eastern bandit group was very well concealed.

Half a day passed before Zhang Yang could vaguely detect the slight movements of living people. After traveling for another quarter of an hour, and with the light from the cloth shifting twice, the Eastern Bandits finally arrived at their temporary camp. As soon as they dismounted, the cloth was torn away.

Zhang Yang glanced around.

There are no fewer than thirty people with yellow names in the temporary camp.

Everyone was clad in light armor, both men and women, and they appeared to be around twenty or thirty years old. However, Fan You had said that as long as one cultivated stellar power and could communicate with heaven and earth, while not guaranteeing eternal youth, it would certainly delay aging to the greatest extent possible. Some looked to be thirty, but in reality, they might be in their eighties or nineties. These men and women were tall and imposing, all in full armor and ready for battle: "The general has returned."

The young military officer's tone remained indifferent.

"During your absence of half a day, has anything unusual happened at the camp?"

Another female deputy stationed at the camp clasped her hands in a fist salute.

"Reporting to the General, everything is as before, there is nothing unusual."

The young general nodded, ordered his horse to be led away, gave a brief instruction, and then went to his tent to rest. The rest of the men dispersed to recuperate. With this order, the others breathed a sigh of relief, their tense nerves relaxed, and they began to complain of hunger.

"Right Vice-Minister, is there any food?"

"It's already been warmed up; you can eat it when you get there."

The camp was relatively safe. The returning Dongfan bandits removed some of their armor to lighten their load, leaving only a few pieces to protect their vital parts, and happily went to eat. The female deputy, known as the "Right Deputy," noticed the two incongruous figures.

She asked, "Who are these two?"

"We rescued them from the jaws of death. These two siblings have a tragic past, so the general brought them back." The deputy who had accompanied the army earlier was serious this time and didn't say anything like "bringing back the two siblings to reward our brothers and sisters." "Everything else is fine, but that young man is a lustful devil. If his 'Star-Descending Calamity' takes effect, remember to have him tied up and thrown into the water."

Lustful demons are not common among the vengeful spirits, but people encounter all sorts of demons as they live long enough. This band of Eastern bandits had naturally dealt with lustful demons before and knew all too well what it meant for them to fall into depravity. Group sex was only a relatively mild form of their condition.

"Why did you bring that lustful devil back?" The right mate sighed, one hand on his hip, and then asked, "And what's with that woman?"

Their general actually disliked contact with the opposite sex.

The women in the camp were only accepted because they had some backbone and weren't afraid of death. Zhang Yang's appearance was too outstanding. Even in her dirty refugee clothes, she couldn't hide her beauty. She also had a cool and aloof temperament, which would cause him to object.

Besides, these traits could also attract covetousness and even lead to contention. The Right Vice-President really didn't want to test human nature; what difference was there between taking in this woman and putting meat right in front of a predator's mouth? Could he really expect a predator to suppress their humanity and truly remain unmoved by temptation?

The deputy left said, "I already said we're siblings."

One comes with one free.

The right vice-president, however, did not think so.

He countered with, "When do you think the general has shown such kindness?"

Left Deputy: "..."

He was speechless. His family's general was a truly ruthless and unique figure. Even as a supporter, he had to admit that the general might lack a "heart." As a second-generation member of the Eastern Barbarian Army, the general adhered strictly to the Eastern Barbarian Army's beliefs. He was a ruthless man who would even launch a mutiny to kill his father and mother due to differences in beliefs, and who would hang the heads of all his brothers and sisters on a flag overnight.

The old general and his numerous wives and concubines had worked hard for over a decade, yet he strangled most of them in one fell swoop, leaving only a handful like stray cats and rats in the gutter, constantly on the run, becoming his occasional objects of amusement. Even his deputy felt a pang of pity.

Left Deputy: "Perhaps the general has reached the age required?"

They were at the prime of their lives, full of vigor and vitality. Surely a military family member couldn't spend his whole life practicing martial arts and indulging in killing and playing with birds?

The right deputy sneered, "You said that to his face?"

Left Deputy: "Hehe, I don't have the guts."

Regardless, the people had been brought back, and the Right Vice-Commander had to carry out orders to settle them properly. A clay pot sat over a campfire, simmering with meat porridge. Fan You felt a slight unease at the sight of meat porridge and didn't dare to start cooking.

"This meat porridge won't also..."

The right deputy said, "Don't worry, drink it. There won't be any problems."

They broke away from the Eastern Barbarian Army because they could not accept cannibalism, and for other reasons: "This is roe deer meat from a mountain hunt. If you haven't eaten for a long time, drink some, but don't drink too much to avoid upsetting your stomach."

Eating too much after being hungry for a long time can easily lead to problems.

Fan You was finally relieved.

The right deputy asked him, "How many levels of calamity have you descended from among the stars?"

Fan You: "Double."

The right deputy glanced sideways: "A double-dealer of lust and desire? You've broken your vows?"

Not yet.

The right vice-president's expression softened: "That's truly rare. For someone so young and still a second-level lustful demon to retain virginity is a stroke of good fortune amidst misfortune. Some things are better left unexperienced; once you've tried them, you'll crave them and your willpower will be more easily broken."

This is probably why the general was willing to bring the man back.

The right vice-minister then asked Zhang Yang, "Where is the young lady?"

Zhang Yang: "I have no stars, nor do I have any celestial beings descending to earth."

The right deputy said, "It's hard for ordinary people to survive. Since the general took you in, I can't send you away. Just remember, your appearance doesn't need to be too clean or presentable; it's better for you."

Zhang Yang: "Aren't you guys good people?"

The right deputy was taken aback, then burst into laughter as if he had been struck by a joke. After laughing enough, he suppressed his laughter and said, "Good man, this is the first time I've ever heard someone say something like that. Our branch has another great name, the Hundred Ghosts Guard. We kill without regard to right or wrong; we kill whenever we want."

They haven't set their sights on other places because they're currently relying on slaughtering the Eastern Bandits for supplies, which is more exciting. Once the Eastern Bandits in the Eastern Mountains are wiped out and their food is gone, who knows what the Hundred Ghost Guards will do?

Their knives, when drawn, must draw blood and take lives.

Zhang Yang wrote it down seriously.

"Oh, I see."

The right deputy asked, "Your brother can still operate with the main force, but you'll have to stay in the camp. What can you do?"

Zhang Yang declared confidently, "I can't do anything."

The right vice-president, however, was not surprised.

Only a wealthy family could raise such a fair-skinned and beautiful young woman. No matter how naturally beautiful one is, without proper care, the heavy farm work and housework will hasten her demise. Zhang Yang's hands were completely free of calluses, and her eyes were clear and without any impurities.

Such delicate flowers must be grown in a secluded mansion or inner courtyard.

Right Vice-Minister: "It's okay if you don't know how, but it's not difficult to learn."

As the three talked, unfamiliar eyes frequently fell on Zhang Yang and Fan You, seemingly curious about their backgrounds. The gazes on Zhang Yang were particularly intense and complex, but no one dared to approach and strike up a conversation, as most of these gazes were filled with rejection and wariness.

Strangers are a threat to them.

Zhang Yang said, "Alright, I'll do my best."

Fan You: "..."

He felt a pang of worry for Zhang Yang as he listened.

The Right Vice was taken aback, but Zhang Yang's subtle condescending arrogance only reinforced her image as a pampered rich girl raised in seclusion. A leopard can't change its spots; even the annihilation of an entire family might not completely alter one's nature. Otherwise, wouldn't annihilation become a shortcut to "starting anew"? Most people simply remain incorrigible, stubbornly foolish to the point of being repulsive.

The bandits from the Eastern Frontier had a simple meal before tending to their wounds.

Fifteen minutes later, Eggman finally emerged from his tent.

He still maintained that aloof, expressionless demeanor—truly befitting a player-certified cool guy character. The other soldiers, aside from a few on patrol, all gathered around for a meeting. Fan You pulled Zhang Yang away, preparing to leave and avoid any potential suspicion.

Easter Egg Guy: "No need, stay."

Their meetings with the Hundred Ghosts Guards didn't involve any fancy reports; they had only one core objective—to select a lone Eastern Bandit and eliminate it. This activity was as commonplace as eating and sleeping for them, an essential form of entertainment.

When they broke away, their numbers were small, and they couldn't take much supplies with them. Now, their armor, weapons, warhorses, and provisions all come from hunting. The Eastern Bandits will provide these things for them.

It's a business with no initial investment; you can make a profit in one go.

Zhang Yang said, "I have a question."

The other bandits from the Eastern Frontier were more or less focused on her.

Easter Egg Guy said, "Ask away."

Zhang Yang: "I've heard that the Dongfan Mountains are very long and vast, with complex terrain. People can hide in any nook or cranny. How did you manage to find them so accurately? Even though you can get resources just by attacking them, you still need to find them first."

Easter Egg Guy: "It's very simple."

Outsiders may not understand the Eastern Barbarian bandits, but don't our own people understand them?

They knew exactly where to hide in the Dongfan Mountains and where to store grain. That's precisely why capturing them was so interesting. They would chase their prey into a corner, leaving them to meet their maker with the utmost despair.

This can be considered as the Hundred Ghosts Guards regularly offering tribute to King Yama.

"Can you take me there?"

Easter Egg Guy: "Want me to go?"

Fan You hurriedly added, "Yang Niang also wants to see her enemies brought to justice with her own eyes. It would be best if she could personally avenge them."

Easter Egg Guy coldly refused: "No."

He then looked at Fan You: "But you can."

Fan You's performance during the day was commendable; with him around, there was no need to worry about anyone slipping through the net. Separating the two would also make it easier for our side to keep an eye on them; it would be best if they passed several inspections without any problems.

If there are any problems—

That would just be a matter of killing one more person.

"We can keep a few for you to kill."

Fan You: "..."

There's nothing more to say at this point.

The makeshift camp was rudimentary, and since each tent was assigned to someone else, there were no extras for Zhang Yang and his companion to stay in. They had to make do with sleeping in the open for the night. The Dongfan Mountains were rugged and difficult for ordinary people to penetrate, resulting in abundant vegetation and a large number of wild animals. Every now and then, they would find several differently colored spicy snacks with triangular heads, all highly poisonous.

Centipedes and leeches go without saying.

No wonder these Eastern bandits never remove their armor even when they sleep.

Fan You didn't dare sleep either, he was busy catching those venomous snakes for Zhang Yang. If he didn't catch them, Zhang Yang would crush the snakes' heads with one hand and then tie them into knots to play with as a string, and their true identities would be exposed. On someone else's turf, there was no private space, not even freedom to chat.

But one thing surprised him.

His lord arrived at this temporary camp and was surprisingly well-behaved. He neither jumped around nor stirred things up, but sat quietly in a corner with his knees drawn up to his chest, his eyes glazed over. Fan You didn't know that Zhang Yang and his companion were only managing to shoo away the venomous snakes that were crawling towards them. If they did anything else or said anything more, the yellow names on the camp's signboard would instantly turn red.

But will this really make Zhang Yang behave?

That's impossible.

Her system logs would pop up a record every now and then.

Congratulations! You have received "a bowl of leftover porridge".

Unfortunately, the attempt to "steal" failed.

Unfortunately, the attempt to "steal" failed.

Congratulations on receiving a "30-day original flavor footwear set".

Unfortunately, the attempt to "steal" failed.

Since her experience of stealing Ren Shu using "Stealing," she realized that she needed to practice this skill properly. Once she maxed it out, she wouldn't need to be right next to the target when casting it, but rather within a three-zhang radius around herself. Although this range wasn't large, it greatly reduced the chance of being discovered by the target's owner. She secretly used "Stealing" while hugging her knees.

Unfortunately, even at max level, the "Steal" skill isn't very effective, with a low success rate. Each use consumes a lot of Zhang Yang's energy, which players call the "blue bar."

The system logs kept showing one failure notification after another.

Zhang Yang continued repeating the same thing with a blank expression.

finally--

Congratulations on obtaining a "Map of the Eastern Fan Mountains".

Good heavens, it's a map!

This is definitely what she wants!

Taking advantage of his good luck, Zhang Yang tried it again.

Congratulations on winning a "belt".

Upon seeing these two system log entries pop up, Zhang Yang's eyes visibly brightened, but now was not the time to take out the map and examine it closely. She abruptly closed her eyes, pretending to fall asleep.

No matter how well the Hundred Ghosts Guard knew the Eastern Fan Mountains, it was impossible for them to memorize the entire undulating mountain range; they still needed tools. They also had a habit of dividing their forces for hunting, making maps indispensable. Zhang Yang guessed that these maps likely not only marked the course of mountains and rivers but also indicated the approximate location and activity range of their hunting targets.

Having obtained the map means we've achieved half the goal of this trip.

All that's left is to find the target and move their stored grain.

Zhang Yang secretly tugged at Fan You's sleeve, about to give him a subtle signal, when a powerful aura suddenly erupted from Brother Cai Dan's tent, startling everyone in the camp, who gathered around.

"General!"

"General, what has happened!"

Fan You and Zhang Yang also moved forward a little.

A moment later, Eggman emerged from the tent, his face dark and brooding, one hand gripping a sharp blade, the other clutching his waistband. Fan You was stunned by this sight. Zhang Yang glanced at him briefly before looking away, whispering, "Eggman, did you accidentally break a bone while doing your DIY?"

No, the game designers are skirting the line!

What happened to the rule that games shouldn't be risqué?

This game even has players over 30!

The game designers blatantly made it so that the belt of the "Eastern Bandit Leader" Easter Egg Guy could be stolen? Their intentions are despicable!

Fan You: "..."

Although he couldn't understand it, his intuition told him it wasn't good news.

The Eastern Bandits were thrown into disarray by this scene, and no one noticed what Zhang Yang was muttering. She vaguely heard snippets of conversation about spies infiltrating the camp and stealing things. When asked what was missing, Cai Dan Ge's face grew even more grim.

That's his belt!

The belt that suddenly disappeared right under his nose!

??(σ???)σ..:*☆

As for the male lead, don't worry, he'll come along eventually.