Chapter 27: Sand Bandits

The strong wind made the wooden windows whine; no one dared open them. But the light filtering through the cracks told He Lingchuan that it was getting dark outside.

He lay on the covers with his legs crossed, toying with He Chunhua’s Kite Coin. “Dad,” he asked, “who originally developed the use of primal energy? Some say it was taught by gods, others by immortals.”

When inactive, it looked like just an ordinary coin. Who would have thought that a tiny Decree of the State could carry the fate of a nation and the will of its people?

Primal energy was truly mysterious.

“There’s no consensus, and history offers few clues,” He Chunhua said, frowning. “The origin of primal energy is very vague. After all, recorded human history only goes back two or three thousand years, and nations have only existed for a little over a thousand. They say that in ancient times, gods and great immortals roamed the human world, and there were no nations then. It was only after a great catastrophe, when the gods and immortals vanished and monsters ran rampant, that humans had to band together to resist, thus forming nations.”

He took the Kite Coin back from his son. “It was the emergence of the Decree of the State that made it possible for human nations to fight against the demon race. Does it really matter if it was taught by gods, immortals, or discovered by humans themselves?”

After all, cultivators are a minority; most people are born ordinary. How could they fight against powerful demons? At that time, primal energy, generated by the collective will and unity of the people, became a potent weapon for nations to combat the demon race.

From a standoff to a reversal of power, primal energy played an indispensable role. Today, human nations boast far greater numbers and territories than demon kingdoms and demon domains.

“So, no one really knows the origin of primal energy?” He Lingchuan sighed. He then changed the subject. “Dad, why did you insist on going into the desert?”

“Did I have a choice?” He Chunhua also half-lay down. Days of exhaustion made his body feel like it would fall apart the moment he relaxed. “If I refused to comply, Grand Tutor Sun could have me executed by imperial decree.”

“So an imperial decree makes him all-powerful?” He Lingchuan scoffed. “The king’s order also stated we needed to cooperate with the investigation, but didn’t we delay for so long? On the day of departure, you could have easily stalled if you were determined.”

There’s always a counter-measure for every policy; it’s the same in every world.

This boy’s mind had become much sharper than before. He Chunhua closed his eyes and rested for a while before saying softly, “With Grand Tutor Sun present, our chances of returning alive aren’t low. Besides, I always felt there was something strange about this trip to Ancient City Panlong. If I didn’t come to see for myself, I feared great misfortune would follow.”

He Lingchuan’s heart skipped a beat. “How so?”

“I can’t quite say,” He Chunhua shook his head. “It’s just a hunch. I even considered ways to decline, but the unease in my heart grew heavier, and my intuition told me I should still go.”

What he called a “hunch” was essentially a sixth sense.

People at the time valued such premonitions, so He Lingchuan didn’t press the issue. But he still felt there was something odd about it.

Governor He was known for being mature and cautious. Would he really put himself in danger for just a feeling?

But if his father wouldn’t say, how could a son guess?

He Chunhua then said, “Chuan’er, you’ve performed very well on this trip.”

“Oh?” His dad was actually praising him? He Lingchuan immediately perked up.

“Don’t be too polite with Nian Songyu; use your own methods to get information from him. He has the Grand Tutor backing him, and you have me,” He Chunhua’s voice was very low. “But don’t get into a fight with him; you can’t beat him. You’ve handled that balance well.”

“Yes!” It was clear that He Chunhua intended for his elder son to play the ‘good cop’ and himself the ‘bad cop’. His son, with his boisterous and blunt manner, would say everything that needed to be said, and then He Chunhua would step in to smooth things over.

His father could even effectively utilize his son’s unruly and careless nature; indeed, he was well-suited to return to Kite City and navigate its complex politics.

He would never be at a disadvantage in official circles, no matter where he went.

The next morning, the contingent set out again.

Although they were still on Red Cliff Road, travelers in this direction were becoming scarce. Grand Tutor Sun’s contingent finally encountered the second major menace of the Panlong Desert: sand bandits.

These sand bandits were human, numbering around thirty riders. Most were burly men, riding their horses as swiftly as the wind. He Lingchuan immediately noticed that the muscular men at the front were martial artists, and there might even be sorcerers among them.

The two groups approached each other, meeting head-on. Both paused, startled, sizing each other up.

From their side, assessing the bandits was straightforward. But in the bandits’ eyes, this contingent was uniformly dressed, with light armor, long blades, and standard military weapons, armor, and martial attire. Coupled with the immediately recognizable warhorses, what did that signify?

This was an army!

Marching, bandit suppression, or patrol—what else could an army be doing in the Panlong Desert?

Commoners do not contend with officials, and besides, the army’s numbers far exceeded their own. The sand bandits were genuinely alarmed.

Fortunately, the masked leader of the bandits turned and saw He Chunhua. His eyes lit up, and he spurred his horse forward. “Governor He, we’re just passing through!”

Before they could start plundering, weren’t they just “passing through”? He Chunhua coughed, a little embarrassed. “We don’t have time to suppress bandits today, just make sure you don’t cause any trouble... Are there any other people to the north?”

Grand Tutor Sun and his companion looked at him, then at the sand bandits, and understood.

These two sides clearly knew each other.

“No, not a single soul,” the big man quickly said with a laugh. “We’ll be on our way now, wouldn’t want to delay your important business!”

Just as the sand bandits were about to slip away, Sun Fuping spoke up. “Hold on! You must be quite familiar with the Panlong Desert, aren’t you?”

“Uh, I suppose so,” the big man replied. He noticed Sun Fuping was half a horse-length ahead of He Chunhua, and his demeanor was extraordinary, suggesting he was a person of considerable status. Such people were usually their favorite ‘fat sheep’—after plundering their valuables, they could also be kidnapped for ransom, a two-for-one deal that avoided waste.

However, with Governor He nearby, they couldn’t act rashly.

“How long have you been here?”

“Ten—just a few years,” Situ Han stammered, trying to explain. “We always know when to quit...”

“Then stay.”

“Huh?”

Sun Fuping turned to He Chunhua. “We’re short on manpower; isn’t this perfect?”

He Chunhua thought to himself, two hundred imperial soldiers aren’t enough? But outwardly, he nodded. “Indeed, it’s hard to recruit people in the city.”

Grand Tutor Sun smiled kindly, watching the sand bandits like a weasel eyeing chickens, making them uneasy and eager to flee. Unexpectedly, He Chunhua raised his Kite Coin and gave a slight cough. “Everyone stay! From this moment, Blackwater City officially incorporates thirty fierce bandits of Mount Mang...”

He Lingchuan, standing nearby, counted clearly: “Thirty-two!”

“...thirty-two men, to be assigned to Deputy Captain Zeng Feixiong and serve with the army!”

He Chunhua even listed their salaries and benefits.

The Mount Mang bandits stared with wide eyes, exchanging glances. The bandit leader, incredulous, hesitantly asked, “W-we’re becoming imperial soldiers just like that?”

This was too fake, too much of a game, wasn’t it? These officials certainly knew how to play.

“Precisely!”

“Then, Governor He, where are you headed?”

“At the Grand Tutor’s command,” He Chunhua pointed to Sun Fuping, “deep into the Panlong Ruins.”

Seeing the imperial soldiers surrounding them from all sides, the bandits were instantly dumbfounded. “What?!”

***

Ten li later, the bandit leader Situ Han still felt a bit disoriented. He had checked the almanac carefully before setting out to rob today, so how had he suddenly become part of the regular army halfway through his journey?

He Lingchuan patted his shoulder sympathetically. “Hang in there. As long as you make it back alive, you’ll be eating imperial rations from now on.”

What joy was there in eating imperial rations compared to being a carefree mountain king? But with his men completely surrounded by the Blackwater City army, with nowhere to run, Situ Han’s smile was uglier than a cry, and a chill ran down his spine. “Young Master He, are we really going into the Panlong Ruins? The season of raging sand is almost here; getting trapped in there means certain death!”