When he returned to Nanlian Town, the sky was still dark.

  Mike knocked on the old man’s door.

  Then, the door was opened carefully.

  When the old man saw that Mike had returned safely, he greeted Mike with a face full of joy.

  When Mike entered the house, the old man happily welcomed him.

  “It’s good that you’re back! It’s good that you’re back! How could killing those bandits be more important than your own life?”


  When Mike heard the old man’s words, he deduced that the old man seemed to think that he had run away before he had managed to kill those bandits.

  Therefore, Mike gave a light smile and happily informed him, “Old man! Actually, I’ve already killed all of those bandits!”


  Hearing Mike speak so light-heartedly, the old man actually frowned and rebuked him.

  “Young man, I know you’re doing this for the good of our Nanlian Town, but there’s a limit to this kind of joke!

  “If you single-handedly managed to enter the fort belonging to that group of bandits, I would definitely say that you’re amazing!”


  Seeing that the old man was still in complete disbelief, Mike smiled and took all the treasures he had plundered, out of his backpack.

  When the old man saw the sudden appearance of such a large amount of gold and silver treasures, his face could not help but change.

  Then, he asked, “Young man! Did you really wipe out all those bandits by yourself?”


  Mike smiled and nodded, but remained silent.

  Then, under the still somewhat disbelieving gaze of the old man, he found the gold ring that had been plundered by those bandits from the mountain of gold and silver treasures.

  The old man quickly picked up the gold ring and looked at Mike.

  “How… How did you do it?”


  “Did you really… single-handedly… single-handedly wipe out the whole stronghold of those bandits?”


  In amusement, Mike looked at the old man who was still surprised, and said, “Of course! Old man, didn’t I tell you that I’m very strong? Hahaha!”


  Then, Mike turned his gaze and then asked again, “Right! Old Man, why were there so many young girls in the bandits’ fort? I remember that you mentioned that only the elderly were left in Nanlian town, right?”


  When he heard Mike’s words, the old man sighed helplessly before speaking.

  “Actually, these bandits did not only rob Nanlian Town!”


  “Were there other towns that have been invaded by the bandits?”


  Mike asked.

  The old man nodded.

  “Yes, there is a small village called Condon further north from Nanlian Town. A few years ago, due to an accident, all the men in Condon village died.

  “There’s only a group of orphans and widows left in the entire village. Ever since these bandits started committing crimes, they would occasionally run to Condon village to plunder the women there.”


  “It’s said that the women who were snatched away live a life worse than death every day!”


  “Sigh…”


  The old man sighed in helplessness.

  When Mike heard this, a wave of anger immediately rose in his heart.

  So, Mike asked again.

  “Uncle, do you know how many forts these bandits have in the north?”


  The old man fell into deep thought to ponder Mike’s question. After thinking for a while, he said to Mike, “As far as I know, there are at least four bandits’ forts left!”


  “Four? Why are there so many?”


  Mike asked.

  The old man sighed.

  “Sigh, actually this whole problem was left behind by the Xi Ling Tribe!”


  “Why do you say that?” Mike asked again.

  The old man replied, “Actually, you don’t know this, but ever since the Lieluo Army defeated the southern part of the Empire, our northern area has not been completely liberated!”


  “Lieluo Army only defeated the center of the southern part of the Empire, which is now Xinluo city, and includes the other surrounding towns.”


  “When the mercenaries from the Xi Ling Tribe who had originally been stationed at the mountains in the middle of the northern part of the Empire saw that their own tribe had been defeated, they all sat on the mountains and proclaimed themselves as kings!”


  As Mike listened to the old man’s words, the thoughts of pacifying the rebels in the northern part of the Empire grew stronger in his heart.

  “That’s about it, young man,” said the old man leisurely, as he looked at Mike.

  Mike came back to his consciousness after listening to the old man’s explanation and said, “Thank you for giving me so much information about the bandits, old man!”


  The old man hurriedly waved off Mike’s thanks.

  “No, how can you be the one to thank me? Of course, the whole of Nanlian Town should be the one to thank you!”


  After he had finished speaking, the old man’s wife slowly walked towards him.

  When the old man saw that his wife had recovered, he was stunned and momentarily froze in place.

  “Old man, have you forgotten me?”


  The familiar voice pulled the old man’s thoughts back to the past and he remembered the wife that he knew so well.

  Then, the two of them embraced each other tightly with tears in their eyes.

  Lilian slowly walked to Mike’s side and said to him, “Mike, if only we could be like them when we grow old!”


  When Mike heard Lilian’s words, he looked at her tenderly.

  Then, he held her tightly in his arms.

  When the lingering warmth dissipated, the old man and his wife finally separated.

  Mike turned to him again and spoke.

  “Old man, these are the gold and silver treasures I found from the bandits’ fort in the Nanlian Mountain. I think you should give all of them to the people in the town!”


  The old man quickly waved his hand and insisted, “There’s no need, young man. I know you’re doing this for the good of our Nanlian Town, but you helped us to solve the bandits’ crisis so ye’re very grateful!

  “As for these treasures…”


  The old man raised his head and looked at Mike with a friendly face, then continued.

  “These are what you obtained from the Nanlian Mountain Village. I think you should keep them for yourself!”


  As the old man spoke, Mike took out a large pile of gold, silver, and jewelry from the pile and handed it to the old man.

  Then, he went on to speak.

  “These were originally yours. I’m merely returning them to their original owners!”


  Seeing that Mike was insisting on him taking them, the old man did not resist any more.