Lily Qi instantly flared up: "You little bandit, how dare you try to rob this lady hero! Take my sword!"
The next moment, Lily Qi charged at Song Yan again, brandishing her longsword.
Song Yan didn’t fight back, just kept dodging. After over a hundred moves, Lily Qi was already exhausted and sweating. She grew suspicious—how could this little bandit dodge so many attacks? Clearly, he was a rare expert. She started to feel a grudging respect, jumped aside with her sword, and said, "Little bandit, you’ve got some skills. If you’re willing to give up evil and embrace good, I’ll spare your life. How about it?"
Song Yan, wanting to tease her, curled his lip and said, "You think that three-legged-cat kung fu of yours could kill me?"
Hearing Song Yan call her skills 'three-legged-cat kung fu,' Lily Qi was enraged again: "You really don’t know what’s good for you, little bandit! I was going to spare your life, but since you’re so clueless, don’t blame me for being ruthless!"
As soon as she finished, Lily Qi charged with her sword again.
But Song Yan didn’t want to keep tangling with her. He stepped forward, flicked his finger against the sword, and Lily Qi felt a powerful force surge through the blade. She instinctively let go, and her jeweled sword flew off to the side.
Lily Qi was stunned—how could this little bandit flick away her treasured sword? Was his martial arts even stronger than hers?
Thinking this, she jumped in fright and looked at the little bandit, only to find him eyeing her with a wicked grin.
"You... what are you planning to do?"
"Didn’t I tell you? I’m robbing you." Song Yan deliberately put on a fierce face. "Hurry up and hand over your silver, or I’ll strip you naked and hang you at the stronghold gate to bake in the sun for three days and nights!"
Lily Qi shivered at Song Yan’s threat: "You don’t follow the rules of the jianghu!"
"Heh, lady hero, get real—this is a bandit den, and I’m a bandit. Why would I care about jianghu rules? Hurry up, hand over the silver, or I’ll start stripping you!" Song Yan rubbed his hands and gave an evil grin.
Lily Qi instinctively backed away two steps, face crumpling: "I don’t have any money!"
Song Yan sneered: "How could you not have money? You’re riding a fine horse and wielding a gem-studded sword—don’t tell me you’re broke. Lie to me again and I’ll really start stripping you!"
Lily Qi was nearly in tears: "I’m not lying! I gave all my silver to beggars on the road."
"Just my luck!" Song Yan cursed under his breath. Suddenly, an idea struck him. With a wicked grin, he said, "Since you don’t have any silver, I’ll just rob the person. From now on, you’re the fire-tending maid of Clearwind Stronghold!"
Hearing Song Yan wanted her to be a fire maid, Lily Qi tried to muster her courage: "No way! How could a top expert like me be a fire-tending maid?"
"If you won’t be a maid, what do you want to be? The head chief’s wife?" Song Yan snapped.
"No, I don’t want to be the chief’s wife, and I don’t want to be a fire maid either!" Lily Qi waved her hands frantically.
"Hey! That's not up to you! If you keep talking nonsense, I'll strip you naked and hang you at the gate for three days!" As he spoke, Shawn Steele stepped toward Lily Qi, a wicked grin plastered across his face.
"Don't strip me! I'll do it, I'll do it!" Lily cried out in terror.
"That's more like it!" Shawn nodded with satisfaction.
Lily secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but thinking about how the governor's pampered eldest daughter had become a fire maid in a bandit den left her feeling miserably wronged. Tears welled up in her eyes.
"No crying! If you cry again, I'll strip you!" Shawn threatened again when he saw her.
"I'm... I'm not crying!" Lily hurriedly wiped away her tears.
Just then, Shawn waved to Burt "Bull" Bolton in the distance. "Bull, come here."
"Y-y-young Chief, w-what do you need...?"
Shawn cut him off with a wave. "Enough, take this fire maid to the kitchen and explain our stronghold's rules to her!"
"Yes, sir!"
Burt nodded, then walked over to Lily and said, "Y-y-you... come with me!"
Shawn couldn't be bothered with Bull's stuttering; just listening to him was tiring. At that moment, the dozen or so old, weak, sick, and disabled bandits who'd been hiding in the shadows finally stepped out, staring at him with strange, puzzled, and delighted looks.
Old Stick and Sam Wu especially were racking their brains—they couldn't figure out how the young chief's injuries had suddenly healed, or how he'd become a third-rate martial artist overnight.
Though both men's martial skills were lacking, their eyes were still sharp.
That red-clad girl might have had no real fighting experience, but her swordplay was impressive. Shawn had dodged with ease, and in the end, flicked her sword away with a single finger.
That kind of strength was probably already at peak third-rate. In terms of pure martial skill, he was even stronger than the late chief Victor.
"Old Stick, Sam Wu, why are you two staring at me? What, did flowers grow on my face?"
"Y-young Chief, are you really our young chief?" Sam Wu asked, feeling he could no longer see through him.
"Nope," Shawn shook his head.
The two men's expressions changed instantly. "Then who are you?"
Shawn smiled, "I’m Shawn Steele. From now on, I’m the chief or head boss of Clearwind Stronghold!"
Hearing this, Old Stick and Sam Wu realized Shawn was joking. Knowing the young chief now had peak third-rate strength, they bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Head Chief!"
The others followed suit, loudly shouting, "Greetings, Head Chief!"
"Everyone, get up!" Shawn raised his hand.
"Thank you, Head Chief!" everyone echoed together.
Shawn nodded in satisfaction. "Uncles, although our stronghold is in trouble now, I promise you’ll soon be living well again!"
"But Head Chief, we’ve run out of food in the stronghold. No one’s eaten all day!" Sam Wu suddenly interjected.
Hearing this, Shawn remembered that three days ago, the Black Tiger Stronghold guys not only broke his legs but also stole all Clearwind’s money and grain.
These past few days, everyone’s barely filled their stomachs with wild vegetables. Now, all the nearby weeds have been dug up, and since this group is old, weak, sick, or disabled, they don’t dare venture into the beast-haunted woods.
So now, the stronghold is completely out of food.
Thinking this, Shawn said to everyone, "Don’t worry. I’ll head into the woods and catch some game!"
"Head Chief, isn’t that a bit improper? You’re our leader—how can you go yourself? Why not let me and Sam Wu go instead?" Old Stick suggested.
"Enough, you two just rest! I’ll be back soon!"
With that, Shawn strode out of the stronghold and headed straight for the woods.
Half an hour later, Shawn reappeared in the stronghold, carrying five wild rabbits, three pheasants, and a small deer—more than enough for everyone to eat their fill.
Seeing the Head Chief return with so much game, everyone’s faces lit up with joy.