Traitor of Humanity

Bandits are scum.

Yet, due to a few revolutionary bandits, those kind that rebel against unrighteous laws, steal from the rich and give to the poor, the reputations of all other bandits have, ridiculously enough, turned for the good.

In peaceful countries, plenty of novels feature bandits turning into heroes, and plenty of games have "bandit" as one of the classes on the side of good.

Those people ignore the fact that the original bandits, the bandits that roam the lawless lands even now, are nothing more than plundering scum. Riches and women are their favorite things. As for patriotism and heroism? They couldn't care less.

The Wolfing gang is an active group based outside of Haradur. With their chief being a cultivator of the lesser immortal stage, the Escaping Fatality stage. Their overall power can compare to that of the weakest immortal cities. If it were not for the fact that they were still lacking in their number of late second stage cultivators, they would be able to gain permission from a supreme city to build their own official immortal city.

As of right now, they are still expanding their influence by messing with a number of mortal cities, while not forgetting to send people out periodically to plunder the surrounding villages.

As for why they are just trying to spread their influence instead of outright taking over those mortal cities... Since a long time ago, all mortal cities have been subordinate to one immortal city or another, while immortal cities are subordinate to the cities above them. If it were not for that, the Wolfing Gang would not have hesitated to attack the mortal cities to force their people into submission and to take their riches.

In Haradur City, the Wolfing gang had chosen to work together with the Bilin family, promising the head of the Bilin family a vice-chief position in their gang, and Haradur city to rule over. Of course, after the Wolfing gang had helped the Bilin family take over Haradur city, not only would the Bilin family have to pay them an additional tax away from the eyes of the immortal city that the Haradur city is officially under, which would place a heavy burden on the citizens of the city, the Bilin family would also have to obey the Wolfing gang over that immortal city if and when the two sides fall into conflict in the future.

Thuck was one of the dozens of members of the Wolfing Gang stationed in Haradur city to assist the Bilin family.

Being near the peak of the unforgiving mortality stage, he could only be considered one of the greater grunts back at his gang. And all of them grunts would have to bow their heads to the vice-chiefs and officers at the heroic bearings stage like serfs.

In Haradur city however, while there are still a handful of heroic bearing stage martial artists around, the only ones he would have to act deferentially towards are the two from the Bilin family. As for the other ones, he would just have to avoid them.

Because of his background as a member of the Wolfing gang, all the soldiers of the Bilin family, even those at the same level as himself, would have to be careful not to provoke him. This goes the same for the other unforgiving mortality stage martial artists that the Wolfing gang sent over as well. Thuck quite enjoyed this feeling, as if he had arrived in a vacation home where he was some noble guest.

Late this morning, Thuck and his pals were drinking to their hearts content, when they received a task from the head of the Bilin family. While he felt that the old geezer should not act like he's one of his superiors, especially when he has yet fight a even single battle together with their gang, Thuck had no choice but to follow the command.

Together, a group of them, numbering 20, went around the city square, going through the chore of searching the crowds for a pair of brats, a boy and a girl around 11 years of age, bringing along with them a total of 8 guards. That was all the information on their targets they were given, but it should have been enough.

Eventually, they found them, inside a cafe named the "Blue Wind Cafe".

Through the clear glass windows, they could see at the other end of the cafe, a black hair boy, chatting with a girl with curly blond hair. The boy looks to be around 11, while the girl appears around 12. There was another little girl behind the boy. This one didn't look any older than the other two. Around them were a bunch of grown men in light armor. These men were standing guard.

"Isn't the number greater than we've been told?" One of them said in dissatisfaction. From what they could see, the number of guards there actually numbered up to 14.

"So what, we still outnumber them." One of them shrugged. "All we've got to do is keep the men busy and kill the kid. No need to enter a life and death struggle with them."

"Kill him huh. What a waste. Look at him. He'd clearly make a good boy toy. Should fetch a good amount on the slave market." One of them said with pity. The slave market is quite prominent in this city, and the surrounding ones. In addition, there are plenty of rich men with strange interests.

"Those girls don't look bad either. If we're going to cause a ruckus in the middle of the city, might as well go all out. As usual, we'll kill the males and take home the females." One of them slurped his lips. To bandits like them, girls around that age are already ripe enough for the picking. "Which one do you want, Thuck?"

"Huh? Oh, give me the blon... no, give me the black hair one." Thuck was about to say "the blond one", but he felt something odd as he looked at her, as if she appeared somewhat familiar... The feeling somehow gave him a sense of unease. Thus, he changed his choice at the last minute, and decided to let someone else go nab her while he goes for the other one. It has been a while since he has violated such an immature girl. He was sure it would be quite thrilling to rob her of her purity.

"Got it. Then I'll take the blond." The previous bandit said.

"Look. One of them guards noticed us. He glaring at us too. How scary~" One of them joked. "Let's go kill them!"

"Let's!"

"Gahahaha!" Laughing, all of them barged in. The front door was kicked down, and the windows were smashed. Customers went into panic and fled as these ruffians made their entrance, knocking over table and chairs as they went over to torment a bunch of children.

…

"Become mine, and I will grant you fortune, fame, and power."

Irene stared at the little boy who held out his hand while saying something like that. The boy was standing with his back straight, and his eyes held dignity. The men behind him, and the men behind her, were silently glaring at each other, with their hands touching the hilts of the swords at their waists. In addition, there was a girl looking on anxiously behind the little boy.

Irene took a sip of her tea, put down her tea cup, and then, she gave the most natural reply. "...Are you an idiot?"

If it were a tall and muscular man, dressed in rich clothing, saying something like that, then perhaps she would believe him. But in this case, it's a little boy who looks to be even younger than her. How could she possibly take him seriously?

The boy seemed to disregard her question, or rather, her insult, and as he just took a seat opposite her, ignoring the glares of her guards.

Then, he began yapping.

He asked her various things, like what's her name, which family's little princess is she, what are her hobbies, does she have any recommendations from the cafe's menu, and so on and so forth. Most of these questions, Irene didn't even bother answering. If it weren't for the fact that the boy's guards look a little formidable, she would have already gotten her people to kick him out for disturbing her.

Then, he started arbitrarily introducing himself. His name was Seth, and he came from the Zefer family. To Irene, that's another minus point. She had never heard anything good about that family.

Suddenly, the sound of something falling and windows being smashed entered her ears, and she saw, a bunch of uncouth men, with their weapons drawn, breaking into this cafe.

The other customers fell into a panic, screaming as they ran around overturning tables and causing cups and plates to smash against the floor. The waiters fled to the back, to either call for help, or to escape through the backdoor. In what seemed to be an instant, the peaceful atmosphere inside the cafe turned into one of panic.

Irene frowned.

Compared to the little boy, this new disturbance is many times more annoying.

…

Thuck's unease was proven correct.

"You bunch of thugs, how drag you crash the place where I, Irene Bilin, am present. Go back to whence you came!" The blond haired girl stood up and berated them, right after they stormed the cafe.

These bandits, whom were ready for blood, had now stopped in place. They were stumped.

"Bilin? Isn't that surname..." One of them uttered.

The others entered a daze. "Yeah..."

"What... do we do now?"

Thuck now remembered, where he had caught a glimpse of this girl before.

It was when they had first went to greet the Bilin family's head, after having been sent over to help them in their takeover of Haradur city. The main people that they had communicated with from the Bilin family were the old man, Rook, and his various sons. As for the Bilin family's grandchildren, not wanting to provoke the old man, they did not bother with them.

But just because they wouldn't bother with them, does not mean they could not see them.

It was just that seeing them only once was not enough to solidly imprint them into their memories.

The fact that the girl Irene, announced her name here to drive them away, either means that she treats everyone like this, or her memorization ability is actually good enough to remember them after having seen them just once.

The only reason Thuck could remember her right now, was because her attractiveness back then had managed to leave somewhat of an impression on him.

Thuck, who regained his wits faster than the other bandits, walked up and began to talk. "Miss Irene, please move aside, we are here under your grandfather's orders, to kill that boy." Saying so, Thuck pointed at Seth, who was still sitting at the table so obliviously, not knowing that he's soon to die.

"Him?" Irene looked to Seth. All she could see was a little boy. She became suspicious. "Why would grandpa want to kill a little boy, even if he is from our enemy's family."

"How could I know?" Thuck thought. But instead of voicing his thoughts, Thuck did his best to fake a bow. "Miss Irene, please move aside and let us do our work."

However, he received an unexpected answer.

"...No." Irene shook her head. "I don't believe grandpa would do such a mean thing to a little kid."

Her grandpa was always such a kind person to her. There's no way he would release such an order. This thug must be lying! Thinking that, Irene stood before Seth.

Thuck was shocked. How could this girl have such good memory, yet be so dumb. Look, even the brat behind her looks shocked.

"Bah! Just shove the dumb broad aside and kill the brat!" One of his fellow bandits shouted, and began to move.

This prompted the rest of them to do the same, all of them rushing over towards Seth with their weapons drawn, jumping over fallen tables and yelling battle cries. Thuck was one of them.

The children's guards met the bandits in combat, each of them entering one on one clashes. This left 6 of the bandits free to attack the kids.

One of those 6 reached out his hand to shove Irene aside.

But that was when it happened, a scene that sent a shock through Thuck's spine. He just could not believe it.

A small fist had shot out.

Then, there was a sound as if metal had struck rock.

And the bandit who tried to shove Irene? He was sent flying backwards, through the air and crashing into the scattered furniture and broken dishes.

The culprit who sent the grown man flying, was showing off a victory sign to a surprised little girl.

"...What the f***!" Thuck couldn't help but yell.

…