Chapter 75: Deceived, the People Have Fled and the House Is Empty

As soon as these words were spoken, it was as if light had pierced the darkness. The people in the room no longer trembled; instead, they all turned to the young man, hope blazing fiercely in their eyes. Some, emboldened, even stood up, eager to leap past the youth and rush out—they yearned for freedom too deeply.

With a thunderous bang, the youth slammed the heavy door shut from outside. The sound of fists pounding on the door erupted within, mingled with a chorus of desperate pleas.

“Let us out!”

“Help us!”

Canghai remained unmoved by the wailing inside. He clasped his hands and smiled. “Brother Junhan, it’s not that I refuse to let them out now, but you must understand—this is the home of the bandit chief. If I release these people, won’t the bandits outside realize I’ve kidnapped their leader?”

Chu Junhan’s face was cold and grim. “And so what? We’ve already acted—why not let them go?”

If she hadn’t misjudged what she saw just now, there was even a baby among them. Now that things had come to this, should the bandits come charging in, what would become of those locked inside?

Canghai sighed softly with an awkward expression, his tone earnest and persuasive. “I got in here by pretending to be brotherly with the bandit chief. If his men discover I’ve kidnapped their leader…”

“Oh, I see,” Chu Junhan finally understood. She had thought Canghai and his group had forced their way in, but it turned out they had used cunning! “No wonder the bandits outside seem unfazed by their chief’s capture. Second Brother, that’s quite a clever strategy—my admiration.”

Canghai let out a breath, his heart finally eased. “Brother Junhan, you are truly perceptive. Once this is over, I will find a way to get them out.”

The two exchanged a knowing smile, each harboring their own intentions.

Soon after, one of Canghai’s guards stumbled in, fell to his knees, and began to kowtow before the youth. “Young Master… I lost the target…”

Canghai’s face darkened. He kicked the man, cursing under his breath. “Useless fool…”

Chu Junhan stood to the side, watching the spectacle, tilting her head with her hands behind her back, amusement dancing in her eyes as she observed the master and servant.

Being regarded as a monkey in a play by a mere child, the guard’s face flushed crimson. He tugged at Canghai’s trouser leg, embarrassed. “Young Master, I have something to say to you in private. Might I borrow a moment?”

“Your word alone suffices, Brother Canghai.”

The youth glanced at Chu Junhan, who simply looked up at the sky, feigning ignorance.

“Come on, if this isn’t important, I’ll skin you alive. A grown man and you still lost him!” Canghai grumbled as he followed the guard out, who could only nod repeatedly, hunched over in a show of utmost deference.

Outside the courtyard gate, with a wall between them, the dynamic between master and servant shifted at once.

The guard’s face broke into a triumphant grin. He pulled a silk handkerchief from his pocket, within which was wrapped a torn scrap of parchment. “Young Master, I got it.”

Canghai glanced around warily, snatched the fragment like a thief, and didn’t even have time to look at it before lowering his voice. “Where’s the person?”

“He’s being held up by our brothers—he won’t break free anytime soon. Should we deal with the kid inside…” The guard drew a finger across his throat in a silent gesture.

The youth hesitated, recalling the child’s gaze from earlier, then shook his head. “Once we withdraw, this place will be exposed. Someone else will deal with him. Let’s go!”

The two slipped away, one after the other, the courtyard behind them shrinking into the distance.