Chapter Three: Awe

The cold wind swept across the plain at night, making the flames in the campfire flicker uncertainly.

Shu Yi sat quietly by the fire, with Xu beside him, wagging his tail and gnawing on a meaty bone.

Not far away, two Blazing Birds perched lazily in the branches, preening their feathers. Their presence had ultimately confirmed Shu Yi’s identity.

Originally, Shu Yi had let Red and Green fly on their own to avoid arousing suspicion, but now there was no need for such caution.

When the bandits realized the target of their ambush was the very boy who had recently slain Abulite, they completely lost their earlier bravado.

Now they lay sprawled on the ground, casting terrified glances at the youth calmly roasting meat by the fire.

“My mood is rather good tonight,” the boy finally spoke.

His face was wreathed in a joyful smile, yet the sight of it sent chills through every bandit present, as if they were looking at the face of a devil.

Indeed, Shu Yi’s mood was genuinely good. Though the appearance of the bandits had forced him to reveal his identity, they had, unwittingly, done him a great favor—they had helped him comprehend a new combat technique.

During the day’s battle, when Shu Yi had used Elemental Condensation and Windstride, a sudden inspiration led him to channel the wind upon himself. The result was a combat skill akin to a tornado.

This was distinct from the Tornado spell, which was a fifth-level spell used by mages for ranged attacks. The tornado Shu Yi created with Elemental Condensation and Windstride could only aid his own maneuverability. By making himself the eye of the storm and drawing the wind elements around him, he maximized the force of the wind. The spinning and shifting wind not only blurred his figure, confusing his opponents’ sight, but also accelerated his approach, forming an unpredictable attack path. Supplemented with martial techniques, this became a unique offensive style.

When evading a bandit’s spinning attack, Shu Yi even used the upward force of the whirlwind to hurl himself into the air, dodging the strike and completing the final step of his new technique.

He named this set of attacks “Gale Strike.”

Unlike Void Slash, which was nominally a combination of magic and martial arts but in reality used them sequentially, Gale Strike intertwined spellcasting and swordplay simultaneously.

In terms of sheer power, Gale Strike might not surpass Void Slash, but in blending magic and martial prowess, it was a step further. Most importantly, since Gale Strike used basic spells, its mana consumption was minimal, granting him greater endurance in combat.

In contrast, Void Slash required potent support from Xu or the aid of potions to sustain.

This bandit attack had inadvertently allowed Shu Yi to make a significant breakthrough in merging magic and martial arts, which put him in excellent spirits and even made the bandits somewhat more pleasing to his eye.

Beyond helping him advance in magic and martial integration, the bandits offered another unexpected boon—a brilliant idea suddenly occurred to him after subduing them.

He realized he could use these men for his own purposes.

After all, like himself, the bandit gang were outcasts from imperial law, rejected by the state.

If he was to challenge the law and the machinery of the empire by force, there were no more suitable recruits than bandits, thugs, ruffians, and outlaws.

It was a sad truth for Shu Yi—those who would follow him in the future would, by necessity, be thieves, rogues, murderers, and fugitives. In the early days of building his power, he could only rely on such people.

Yet, undeniably, this was a practical idea.

Moreover, the Bilias Mountains were notorious for rampant banditry. The empire’s army had no time to clear them out, and even if they tried, it was futile—bandits were like weeds in the spring, always sprouting anew. The criminal investigators were even more hampered here.

To gain a foothold here would mean establishing his own base of operations.

At present, the Lance Empire was focusing its search on a lone youth. Shu Yi realized that after the Xiangye City incident, merely changing his hair color and appearance was no longer enough to evade the Department of Law and Politics; he needed further concealment.

Hiding amid a crowd was, without doubt, an effective move.

Additionally, Shu Yi had another longstanding ambition, one he had never been able to realize for lack of opportunity. Now, it seemed, the chance had come.

For all these reasons, he urgently needed to organize a force of his own, and bandits were the best candidates…

Thus, after releasing the carriage, he began to plan the details of his next steps. Clearly, the Bilias Mountains could no longer be merely a place to search for Electra’s laboratory.

As he pondered his plans, the bandits remained his captives for most of the day, until dusk arrived.

Now, after announcing his good mood, Shu Yi addressed the bandits: “You must admit a fact. Earlier today, I considered killing you all, but I changed my mind. You should consider yourselves lucky—for a devil who kills without blinking, such rare mercy is not easily won.”

“Go to hell, you little bastard!” one bandit spat defiantly.

“A spirited response,” Shu Yi remarked with a gentle smile. He snapped his fingers, and Xu sprang to life, alert and eager.

“The left thigh—thick and tender,” the boy said simply and sharply.

Xu lunged, sinking his teeth into the man’s leg and tearing off a chunk of flesh, devouring it voraciously.

The man howled in pain. “Shu Yi Grell! You devil!”

“Exactly,” Shu Yi replied with a cheerful smile. “I am a devil. But for now, I am merciful. My mercy does not mean sparing your lives—it means giving you one more choice: First, you can oppose the devil, and I will have Xu eat you piece by piece, turning you into excrement scattered over this land. Do not doubt his appetite.”

The bandit shuddered. The dragon before him bared its fangs, plainly eager for him to continue his ‘brave’ resistance.

The other bandits could not withstand such psychological torment. They cried out, “No, we’ll take the other path!”

“Don’t be hasty; you haven’t heard the second path yet,” Shu Yi continued, courteous as ever. “Your other option is to be my subordinates. Simply put, the devil’s servants. You do as I say—if I send you east, you don’t go west.”

“You wish!” the bandit roared.

“Right leg,” Shu Yi said coolly.

Xu bit down again, drawing another scream.

Shu Yi seemed to savor the man’s agony, closing his eyes as if listening to sweet music. “How melodious. To be honest, I don’t mind your resistance—at least it lets me enjoy the pleasure of killing you.”

“No! No! We’ll be your slaves!” the remaining bandits wailed in terror.

They had encountered countless ruthless killers, but never one like this youth, who turned slaughter into art and torment into enjoyment.

He was a true, twisted devil.

Watching the bandits submit, a cold gleam flashed in Shu Yi’s eyes.

He owed thanks to the Lance Empire for their slander and publicizing his crimes, for it allowed him to easily establish a fearsome reputation. Bandits were not ordinary folk—they were cruel, cunning, and capricious. To make such men serve loyally, their leader had to be even more ruthless and shrewd than they.

At least, on the surface.

Never believe you can win them over with small favors; money only whets their greed. For such men, fear is a stronger bond than gold, and a cold heart more effective than martial prowess.

Bandits respected not only strength but also decisive killers.

A knight like Lancelot might defeat ten thousand bandits, but he could not command a hundred. His heart was too soft.

Relying solely on skill at killing would only invite a dagger in the dark. No matter how strong you are, if your heart is soft, you only encourage them to turn against you. Only by making them fear you utterly will they obey.

This is the art of ruling the wicked.

Because Shu Yi had spared the carriage’s passengers earlier, his image had suffered; now he had to restore his devilish reputation through doubled violence and cruelty.

Yet Shu Yi knew he could not act like a devil every moment, tormenting others to maintain his ‘prestige.’ Thus he chose another method: the insidious smile, the enjoyment of cruelty as a game, the appearance of a refined gentleman masking a heart of madness. In short, a gentlemanly fiend—outwardly courteous, inwardly monstrous. To cross him would mean a fate a hundred thousand times worse than ordinary victims.

This was the persona Shu Yi now presented to the bandits.

So far, his performance was a success; the bandits were shocked to discover the youth’s heart was colder than they’d ever imagined—even his pet was vicious to the core.

“Now, you’re the last one,” Shu Yi said to the defiant bandit, noting the man’s stubbornness.

He strode over, examining the wounds with interest, and instructed Xu, “Meat torn from a living creature is the freshest. But you shouldn’t gulp it down—you must chew slowly, savoring the taste. You are a higher form of life; how can you eat so coarsely, like lesser beasts?”

Xu listened seriously to Shu Yi’s lesson.

Shu Yi stroked his head lovingly, his tone gentle: “Remember, dining is when a gentleman’s grace is most apparent. As a superior being, you mustn’t eat so crudely; it spoils your image. If you do it again, I’ll have to punish you, understood?”

Xu nodded earnestly.

“A devil! You’re a devil!” the bandit screamed.

The youth was handsome, but his every move, every word, exuded insane cruelty. The man felt as if he were a dish on the table, being considered for consumption.

For the first time in his life, this hardened man felt true terror—death seemed preferable to falling into this boy’s hands.

At that moment, Shu Yi calmly tied on a white scarf, sat down beside the man, and opened his backpack. In truth, the pack contained little but a few clothes, but he pretended to pull out bottles and jars, arranging them on the ground. He said slowly, “In my homeland, there’s a famous dish called ‘Screaming Donkey.’ A live donkey is brought to the table, scalded with boiling oil, and then a piece of flesh is sliced straight from its body. The donkey screams in agony, and the diners enjoy their meal to the sound of its cries. The meat, freshly scalded from the living beast, is unimaginably delicious.”

The bandit stared wide-eyed as Shu Yi produced a knife and fork. He was to be the donkey, subjected to such ghastly treatment?

“Unfortunately, I don’t have boiling oil, but I do have spices. This is salt, and this is wine. I’ll have to improvise—perhaps a raw slice. Shall I explain what that means?” Shu Yi eyed him playfully.

“Oh heavens, you are a devil—a real devil!” All the man’s defiance crumbled; he whimpered feebly.

Shu Yi held the knife and fork before his eyes. “Your vocabulary is so limited—can’t you say anything else? …Your final choice: serve me from now on, or become dinner.”

“I’ll serve you!” the man howled.

Shu Yi’s face showed regret. “What a pity. Honestly, I was hoping you’d refuse. A tough man like you must taste excellent… I wanted to make an example.”

The bandits had all collapsed in terror.

No one noticed Shu Yi and Xu exchanging a triumphant glance.

Xu licked his lips, glancing at the bandit with some longing. Unlike Shu Yi’s performative words, Xu truly wished he could devour the man.

Meat imbued with battle energy was especially delicious.

Night had deepened, yet none could sleep.

The golden-haired youth stood beneath a great tree, hands clasped behind his back, his expression cold as stone.

Behind him, forty-six bandits stood trembling.

They had just used the healing potions Shu Yi had bestowed—top-grade elixirs that even nobles rarely enjoyed. Who would have imagined the youth would so casually hand out such treasures?

This not only inspired gratitude, but even greater awe.

Alongside thunderous methods, one must apply gentle policies to win men’s hearts; but always, fear must outweigh favor.

Such is human nature.

A cruel master’s rare mercy is enough to make his followers weep with gratitude; a kind master’s rare severity breeds resentment.

Shu Yi understood this well. That was why, once he had instilled deep terror, he did not hesitate to offer small rewards.

Thus, in half a day, the bandits were utterly subdued.

“Rayle Yesa awaits your command, chief,” said the former leader, Rayle, a battle-scarred warrior whose wounds were the worst, and who was the last to recover. Upon healing, he presented himself with utmost respect.

Gone was his former swagger.

“Call me master,” the youth replied coldly.

“Yes… master.”

“Use an honorific.”

“Yes… mighty and generous master. Thank you for your instruction,” Rayle ground out through clenched teeth.

Shu Yi smiled faintly, turning to look at Rayle.

“Rayle Yesa?”

“Yes, master.”

“Perhaps you can tell me about yourself and your companions. I think it will help us understand each other.” The youth’s tone was gentle, but his will brooked no refusal. The bandits were beginning to grasp this.

“As you wish, my master.”

Like most bandit gangs, theirs consisted of fugitives, thugs, ruffians, and villains. Of the forty-six, over thirty were wanted for murder. Few were local; most were outlaws from elsewhere.

Their former leader Rayle had military experience, but fled after breaking army law. Wandering here, he subdued these men with his strength and became a fixture in the Bilias Mountains.

Their code was simple: might makes right.

Usually, a new leader would kill the old to prevent trouble.

The Bilias Mountains teemed with bandit gangs, large and small. The most powerful was the Wild Wolf Band, led by Brian Buckler.

“There are many bandits in these parts?” Shu Yi asked.

Rayle nodded. “Yes.”

“Who is strongest?”

“Brian Buckler of the Wild Wolf Band. He commands over three hundred men.”

“Where do they stay? What is Buckler’s strength?”

“Black Locust Town, about twenty miles from here. Buckler himself is a seventh-level Oceanic Warrior.”

A seventh-level Oceanic Warrior? Shu Yi Grell was surprised.

Such a person would usually be highly valued by the empire—what could drive him to become a bandit?

Perhaps seeing his confusion, Rayle explained, “Buckler became a notorious fugitive ten years ago, before he reached the Oceanic rank.”

“I see.” Shu Yi considered, then said, “Tell the brothers to return to your camp for the night. In a few days we’ll go to Black Locust Town. But first, I believe you all require some training.”

At this, Rayle had no idea what kind of ‘training’ Shu Yi had in mind.