Since the mysterious disappearance of the first batch, a few more false fire alarms ensued and nearly a hundred people successively disappeared. When the several leaders returned to their senses, there were only over fifty people left in the Black Dragon Swarm!

  “From this moment on, pay no attention to any situation that arises until tomorrow noon!” the bandit leader finally issued an order, a decision that she never wanted to make since, in her opinion, it could be considered cheating.

  It was unknown if this order rendered Bai Xiaofei helpless as he no longer made any moves after. In this way, the bandits carefully waited until dawn.

  Being highly strung all night, everyone’s energy had bottomed out by dawn, and along with that were their stomachs. The first thing they did was have a big meal, and everyone never felt so… revived.

  However, not long after the meal, Bai Xiaofei swaggered in with a crowd of people. In addition to the original ten, there were more than two hundred people following him dejectedly.

  “Are you here to throw in the towel?” The Second Leader frowned at how straightforward Bai Xiaofei was to walk directly toward them.

  “No, on the contrary, I'm here to tie up the loose ends.” Bai Xiaofei looked at the alert bandit leader with a smile, and a small cloud of purple mist appeared on his finger. “This is highly toxic and can kill you upon contact. I could have put it in the water you use to cook food, but we are not mortal enemies, so I chose a laxative. You should feel it about… now.”


  As soon as those words dropped, the sounds of rumbling echoed, and those who had ‘luckily’ remained covered their stomachs almost at the same time.

  “Of course, in order to prevent you from repudiating my victory, the laxative works quite strongly, so I can only say sorry to you. The toilet is over there. I counted that there are only twenty…”


  Before Bai Xiaofei finished his words, the several dozen people in front of him had rushed out like crazy. Since their supposedly missing companions were standing behind him intact, it was enough to prove that he wasn’t a mortal enemy. As for what really happened, they certainly didn’t have the heart to care at the moment.

  The medicinal effect of the laxative lasted through the whole day. When Bai Xiaofei saw the several leaders again, their faces were deadly pale.

  “Well, what do you think of my strategy?” Bai Xiaofei looked at the bandit leader with great interest, his tone annoyingly nonchalant.

  “I agreed to the bet and so I’m willing to admit defeat, but I want to know the details of what you did,” replied the bandit leader, her voice still weak.

  “It's actually quite simple. I was pretty sure you would find a reason to quarantine the camp after I left. However, you seemed to forget the ten people you provided who can’t be more familiar with the Black Dragon Swarm. First, I made sure that they would help me with utmost sincerity, and then I started to wear you down in terms of energy and physical strength. Then, once you lowered your guard, I handled your people little by little. Finally, I dropped the laxative, and you had grown too tired and hungry to notice anything unusual. On the whole, what I did was simply set a trap. It was you who jumped right in.”


  After explaining, Bai Xiaofei paused a little before he added,

  “In fact, you already lost from the moment you agreed to give me ten people. Even if they had been old and weak, it would at most trouble me a little.”


  Having completely convinced the several leaders, Bai Xiaofei stood up.

  “Alright, that's it. I have to go back and continue to be a contestant. When you are ready, take your people to wait for me near the capital. I will find you then.”


  He then headed out. When reaching the door, he suddenly stopped and turned around. “By the way, I don't know your name yet, Chief.”


  The bandit leader hesitated a little before uttering, “Ye Qingtong …”


  “Until the imperial capital, Sister Qingtong. I believe that you won’t go back on your promise, right?” Laughing merrily, Bai Xiaofei then disappeared from their sight.

  There was a long silence after he left before Ye Qingtong broke it.

  “Have our people pack up tomorrow. We are going to the capital!”


  Interestingly, the other five leaders showed no fear for the place where they had regarded as a tiger den in the past. Instead, they even felt faint expectation - for the kind of change that Bai Xiaofei had said he would bring about!

  ……


  “My Lord, he has been gone for over a day. I don’t think he’s coming back. We can't delay our journey any longer!”


  Near dusk, Ye Xi's guards came to urge again.

  Ye Xi had been hearing the same words no less than ten times, and every time her answer was to wait. This time, however, it seemed that there was really no more point to wait.

  “What's the hurry? Aren’t there like several hundred people? Just relax, my Lil’ Bai will definitely come back,” Tan Xin casually said, not a hint of worry could be seen on her face.

  “Why do you have so much faith in him?” asked Ye Xi. She really couldn't wait any longer.

  “Because he is worthy.” Tan Xin smiled and quietly looked in the direction of the Black Dragon Swarm. She asked for nothing, as long as Bai Xiaofei didn’t bring back a girl with him this time …


  “We’ll wait until the sun goes down!” Ye Xi decided. She clenched her jaw and sat down again, looking in the same direction as Tan Xin.

  As long as Bai Xiaofei returned, it meant the road through the Black Dragon Swarm had been opened, which was enough to make up for the lost time.

  ……


  Slowly, when the whole motorcade was on the verge of erupting in impatience, Bai Xiaofei finally appeared at the end of the road.

  “See, I said it’d be fine,” Tan Xin said before appearing in front of Bai Xiaofei in a flash and started sniffing him. “Alright, no scent of women.”


  Her conclusion nearly made Bai Xiaofei vomit blood. I walked straight into the battlefield all alone, and this is what you’ve been worried about?!

  “Of course not. I went to a bandit lair, not a brothel.”


  After patting Tan Xin's head, Bai Xiaofei went straight to Ye Xi.

  “Mission accomplished. We can set out now.”