Chapter 26: The Soaring Bandit Chief

At the foot of the Crimson Pine Cliff, several ancient pines and twisted cypresses stood proudly at the edge of the precipice. Below, a sea of clouds surged and roiled, stretching into a boundless expanse as far as the eye could see. The autumn wind whistled mournfully, sweeping fallen leaves from the mountain forests, scattering them in all directions until they gathered thickly atop the cliff, forming a golden, withered carpet.

A handful of burly, ragged men squatted in a circle atop the leafy carpet, each absorbed in whittling sticks with knives and swords. Scattered beside them lay several animal pelts, fresh from the hunt, their fur still glossy and supple.

These men were none other than Wang Jin and his gang, previously imprisoned by Lin You within the martial court. Sentenced to hard labor, they had been kept here for three days, cutting thorny undergrowth and planting trees day after day. The mountain life was harsh and frugal; though they sometimes managed to catch wild game to supplement their meals, the meager meat was far from enough to satisfy the appetites of seasoned martial warriors. They were used to lives of violence, hard drink, and plentiful meat, and now—forced into drudgery on this remote mountain—they felt only suffocated resentment.

Wang Jin’s face darkened ever further as he brooded, until at last he could not restrain himself and slammed his fist into a nearby boulder, shattering the stone with a crack. The wiry man beside him jumped in fright, quickly setting aside the pelts he was tanning to offer a bitter smile and a word of comfort:

“Boss, be calm! Now is not the time to make a commotion and alert that demon priest. It could ruin your plans!”

Wang Jin paused, exhaled a heavy breath, then growled in a lowered voice, “That damn demon! He’d best not fall into my hands! When I get out of here, I’ll make him pay dearly!”

The others put down their work, wiped the sweat from their brows, and joined in the whispered curses. Yet none dared speak too loudly, for fear that the white fox would prank them again as before.

“Boss! When you get out, you must ask the Prefect to send men to rescue us!” pleaded the wiry man, having finished assembling several sticks and setting them aside, hope shining in his eyes.

“That’s right! I can’t stand another day of this dog’s life! Planting trees every day—damn it to hell!” another man grumbled, venting his frustration by cleaving a stick in two with his steel blade.

Complaints filled the air, and the mood among them grew ever more dismal.

Wang Jin rose, scanning the surrounding woods to be sure they were unobserved, then relaxed a little. In a low, steady tone, he said, “Brothers, fear not! From my observations these past days, this demon priest is clearly a master of arcane formations, which is why we’ve found no way out. But if we go against his methods, his tricks will unravel on their own!”

He was not boasting. Wang Jin had not been made chief of the river bandits on the Golden Sands by Zhang Zongcheng solely for his martial prowess; his quick wit had earned him the role as well. In the days spent chopping firewood, he had observed the lay of the land and devised a plan: to construct a massive animal-hide kite and use it to fly off the cliff’s edge!

Wasting no time, he had quietly rallied his men to build the great kite, and at last, it was nearly finished. The men eyed the assembled kite at their feet, glanced at the sheer cliff behind, and a flicker of doubt crept into their eyes. Could this contraption truly carry a man into the sky? Would they not simply fall to their deaths?

The wiry man hesitated, then said, “It still seems risky, boss. Maybe we should think of something else?”

Wang Jin grabbed the kite, tightly securing the final pelt to its frame, and snorted, “There’s no time for hesitation! Today I’m leaving this cursed place, come hell or high water! If I don’t seize this chance now, escape will be even harder in the future!”

He strapped the kite onto his back, had his men bind it fast with sinew and vines, then turned to them and declared, “Brothers, rest assured! Once I’m out, I’ll report to the Prefect and bring the army to wipe out that demon priest—your deliverance from this misery is at hand!”

His words were full of stirring bravado, and his men were moved to tears.

“Boss, safe travels!”

“Take care, boss!”

“We’ll be waiting for you, boss!”

They gripped Wang Jin’s hands tightly, bidding him farewell.

“Brothers, wait for my return!” Wang Jin’s eyes glistened, his voice choked with emotion as he spoke.

But as he turned away and stood at the cliff’s edge, waiting for the wind, the emotion on his face vanished, replaced by a sneer of deep mockery. Rely on the Prefect of Jinhua to rescue them? Utter nonsense! Their deeds for the Zhang family were crimes enough to warrant a hundred executions each. Now, as captives, they were liabilities, threatening to expose Zhang Zongcheng’s secrets. Wang Jin knew the Prefect would not act rashly while uncertain of the Red Pine Daoist Palace’s strength, but with his own reputation and the Zhang family’s vast interests at stake, he would surely send masters to eliminate them within five days.

This urgency was precisely why Wang Jin had to escape—if he delayed, he might well be buried along with the priests as a loose end! He laughed coldly to himself. With his nearly perfected martial energy, there was nowhere he could not go. Once he escaped, he would vanish without a trace—even the all-seeing Prefect of Jinhua would never find him.

The wind rose.

Wang Jin no longer hesitated. Harnessing the wind, he leaped boldly from the cliff! Channeling his inner energy into the kite, he soared like a giant bird, gliding between the deep chasms and crags.

“Boss, come back and save us!” his men cried from behind, full of hope.

“Hahaha! To hell with it all! I’m finally free!” Wang Jin exulted, already savoring the taste of a life unbound. Hearing their calls, he cast aside all pretense and laughed aloud, “Come back? Stay here and you die for sure! I’m not sticking around—farewell, suckers!”

His face twisted into an expression of utter scorn, grotesque and contorted.

The men on the cliff were dumbstruck. They had toiled for Wang Jin these past days, hoping he would bring help once he escaped. Now, realizing he meant to abandon them, their eyes filled with fury. They erupted in curses, hurling every foul insult they could muster at Wang Jin and his ancestors.

Yet Wang Jin, already aloft on the wind, was beyond their reach. No matter how they raged, they were powerless now.

Unashamed by their shouts, Wang Jin only laughed more wildly. In high spirits, he even broke into a song from an old opera: “If only I had wings today, I’d ride the wind to the ends of the earth—ah, ah!”

The autumn wind howled. Wang Jin soared high, a free man, like a great bird in the sky. But he did not notice, on a crag among the cliffs, a white fox perched serenely on an ancient pine, its tail swaying gently in the breeze. Behind it, dozens of ragged, wretched river bandits watched Wang Jin’s flight with eyes full of bitter hatred.