Chapter 40: Escaping the City Through the Tunnel, Fleeing Towards Lanjiang River

Lu Jin bent low, following the river bandits through the underground tunnel for nearly half an hour before finally emerging. When he crawled out, he stole a glance back amidst the chaos and caught sight of the blurred outline of the city walls in the distance.

The river bandits had indeed managed to escape the city. He wondered when this tunnel was built; inside, he’d seen many branching passages, their destinations unknown.

“Hurry up, keep moving,” barked one of the bandits, kicking Lu Jin before he could catch his breath, filling him with silent fury.

There was nothing he could do but keep moving with the group. Ahead, a wide river stretched before them—the Lan River, he realized belatedly, as the roar of surging waters reached his ears.

The bandits led them a little farther, stopping to rest in a low-lying area near the riverbank. Here, the tension eased; the bandits forced the hostages to kneel in the middle and tore off the black cloths covering their eyes. As everyone blinked into this unfamiliar place, fear seized them, while the bandits scattered around to rest.

Lu Jin finally had a chance to observe his fellow captives. Both men and women, though filthy, bore traces of former elegance—none seemed to be of ordinary birth. He surmised these river bandits specialized in kidnapping wealthy families for ransom.

But Lu Jin felt the urge to curse. What was the point of abducting a son-in-law for ransom? Who would pay to redeem a son-in-law? And what use was kidnapping Xiao Bai?

“Damn, we finally made it. The whole city’s searching for us—if we’d been one step slower, we’d be done for!” one bandit said nearby.

Lu Jin was shocked. Who had such influence to mobilize so many people for a citywide search? If only they’d been caught, he might have benefited.

Given his status as a son-in-law and his current predicament, he instinctively excluded himself. Who would bother searching for a useless son-in-law?

“Master, it must be the household searching for us,” Xiao Bai whispered cautiously, sidling up to Lu Jin, clearly more familiar with the Shen family.

Lu Jin scoffed. The Shen family was powerful, but would they truly mobilize for a mere son-in-law?

After enduring half a day’s torment and analyzing the situation with no apparent way out, Lu Jin felt less afraid.

Xiao Bai, watching his master smile foolishly, grew even more fearful—counting on him seemed hopeless.

Lu Jin’s thoughts wandered; his eyes drifted over the bandits, noting that the one seated at the front was clearly their leader, his face obscured by a mask.

Lu Jin tried to approach, but a nearby bandit barked, “Stay put! Move again and I’ll cut you down!”

“Brother, I have something important to discuss with your leader. Are you the leader?” Lu Jin replied.

The bandit was baffled—who was his brother? Yet instinctively glanced at the man in front. Hearing the commotion, the leader turned, surprise flickering in his gaze.

“Brother, I truly have something to say,” Lu Jin called out.

Everyone stared at him; Xiao Bai, kneeling in the middle, was utterly bewildered by his master’s actions.

Lu Jin didn’t mind, waiting for the leader’s response. The masked man nodded, and Lu Jin was hauled over to him.

Roughly thrown down, Lu Jin stood and rubbed himself, edging closer to the leader. The man didn’t stop him—what threat could a frail scholar pose? Still, Lu Jin dared not get too close; who knew what these men were capable of?

Under the moonlight, Lu Jin could make out the leader’s features: lean, with eyes that stood out—not as fierce as the others, but tinged with melancholy.

“Brother, what sort of heroes are you?” Lu Jin ventured.

The man frowned at him as if he were mad—shouldn’t a hostage be terrified? And since when were river bandits heroes?

“Brother, say something. I’ve admired you all for ages, never expected to meet you today…”

“What do you want?” the leader finally spoke, wary.

“Nothing, just that I admire you heroes and yearn for that wild life—drinking from big bowls, dividing gold by the scales. Brother, look at me, could you let us join you?” As a traveler from another world, if he didn’t seize the moment now, when would he?

Xiao Bai, watching anxiously, nearly coughed up blood—was his master truly insane? Why abandon life as a son-in-law of the Shen family to become a river bandit?

The others, even the bandits, were astonished. What kind of person had they kidnapped? Would this one bring them any ransom?

“Oh, you want to join us?” The leader paused, then asked Lu Jin with interest.

“Yes, yes—you don’t know how dull my days are…” Lu Jin began to lament.

“Fine, then go kill him. You two seem pretty close…” The leader cut him off, ignoring his complaints.

Lu Jin: “…”

Xiao Bai, trembling from afar, feared his master’s unstable mind—would he really come to kill him?

Lu Jin hadn’t expected this curveball from the bandit. Damn—what nonsense was this?

“Brother, it’s not that I can’t kill, but that I shouldn’t. Think about it, our reputation in the underworld hinges on loyalty. Without trust, one cannot stand; heroes all the more so. If I killed my own companion, how could I ever walk among heroes again?” Lu Jin spoke passionately, his face full of righteousness.

Leader: “…”

Who said anything about the underworld? They were just river bandits getting by on robbery—what nonsense was this?

“Enough, take him back,” the leader suddenly barked as Lu Jin tried to say more. He looked in the leader’s direction and saw two men approaching, their disheveled attire marking them as fellow bandits.

All that talk had been for nothing—why couldn’t he get an answer?

With no other option, Lu Jin was dragged back, his hopes of improving his situation dashed.

Returning to the hostages, Lu Jin noticed wary glances from those nearby—even Xiao Bai had distanced himself. Pathetic, he thought.

Lu Jin glanced back at the leader, who was now listening intently as the two newcomers whispered to him.

“Up—secure the hostages…” The leader stood after hearing their report.

They followed him upriver along the Lan River, then moved toward the bank. The place was wild, choked with water plants.

The leader led them down a low slope to a broad patch by the water. As Lu Jin reached the river’s edge, he saw several boats emerge from the thick reeds—clearly, the bandits had planned their escape.

“Hurry, get them on board…” someone on the boat shouted to the bandits on shore.

Lu Jin and the others were pushed aboard, forced to squat in the middle of the cabin, surrounded by tattered sacks and boxes.

Lu Jin’s position allowed him to see the bow. Once the bandits had settled, the boat cut through the reeds toward the river.

Lu Jin sat down and gazed ahead; in the distance, lights flickered—whether soldiers or someone else, he couldn’t tell. Surely not river bandits—none would be so ostentatious.

As the boat pressed toward the lights downstream, hope stirred in Lu Jin’s heart.

But were these bandits mad? Were they walking straight into a trap?

As the distance closed, several large ships appeared ahead, their decks ablaze with lanterns.

Damn—that looked like the authorities!