The Human Emperor (200-400)

C339: Danger!

"The bunch that came this time seems to be particularly familiar with our inner workings. The hidden sentries we usually put up for security issues were wiped out clean, and even the traps were bypassed or dismantled without any trouble at all.

"Thus, many of our men were killed without even putting up a fight. Honestly speaking, I never thought that there could be a military commander who possesses such a deep understanding of our means. Such a situation has never happened before.

"On top of that, they were very thorough as well. Soldiers would be positioned at all key locations to eliminate any escapees, thus often resulting in a complete wipeout. This has caused a huge panic amongst the bandits, and more than a dozen bands have chosen to seek refuge with us. Most likely, more will be arriving in the future. On this aspect, this incident does have its own benefits to us."

The middle-aged man smiled. There were two sides to every coin. It was due to the huge threat laying before them that the Iron Cloak Highwaymen were expanding at a rapid pace. At the current moment, it was already one of the strongest bands along the Silk Road.

Unlike most bands, the Iron Cloak Highwaymen accepted all groups that sought refuge with them. Typically speaking, accepting so many different powers should have threatened the legitimacy of the chief's leadership.

However, the chief of the Iron Cloak Highwaymen, Iron Cloak Li, was no ordinary man. Through the effective use of the fear tactics and rewards, he was able to instill absolute loyalty in every single one of his followers.

Under his skilled leadership, he swiftly integrated the new members into his organization, allowing it to grow swiftly without any issues.

Perhaps in the near future, just as what military strategist Zhou An had said, the Iron Cloak Highwaymen might just be able to become the dominant power on the Silk Road.

"... But chief, even though those soldiers have done us a great favor, we mustn't let our guard down. Judging by their speed, they should be arriving in our territory in a few days' time!"

"Of course, it's only right for officials to arrest bandits. However, the bandits won't simply wait idly for their deaths. Have you looked into how many people they have, and how strong their forces are?" A chillingly sharp glint shone in Iron Cloak Li's narrowed eyes as he spoke.

Those who were familiar with him would know that he was already concocting a scheme in his head.

"I have asked the bandits who have managed to get away, and I sent some men to investigate the various marks they left behind in their camping grounds. Based on my estimates, there are around eighty to ninety of them, and they are all True Martial realm experts. The commanders leading them are likely to be the recruits from the Three Great Training Camps.

"This operation is likely a collaboration between the royal court and the military to temper their recruits using us bandits and highwaymen," the middle-aged man analyzed contemplatively, stroking his beard.

"The recruits of the Three Great Training Camps?" Iron Cloak Li frowned. Even as an outlaw, he still knew a thing or two about the newly established training camps near the capital. As the Sage Emperor deposited great hopes on them, they were the biggest project of the royal court in recent years.

"That is indeed a little troublesome. If we kill those recruits, we might bring the royal court's rage upon us," Iron Cloak Li mused.

The recruits of the Three Great Training Camps were expected to become pillars of the nation's military in the future. If it happened that a highly-valued recruit was among them, killing him could spell trouble. After all, no bandits or highwaymen could possibly stand against the might of the royal court.