Chapter 242 - 41: Bone Fragment

Chapter 242: Chapter 41: Bone Fragment

「Black Water Bay.」

The water was calm. By the time Lin Yan arrived by boat with Zhao Tong and a few of his men, Lin Mingye was already at the ferry landing, waving to him.

"Why are you just arriving?"

"When Uncle Shouzhi sent a messenger earlier, I was patrolling the river. That’s what delayed me."

As Lin Yan disembarked, Lin Mingye approached and said, "Uncle Shouzhi called you here. We’ve found the Roving Bandits."

"Where?"

Lin Yan didn’t look surprised. Ever since Uncle Qi and his men had eliminated the Water Bandit Alliance at Broken Dragon Beach, all the other Water Bandits had gone into hiding. At least, that was true for the section of the East River Waters guarded by the Lin Family. The only exception was that mysterious group of Roving Bandits, who were still active.

On the way over, he and Zhao Tong had already guessed that Uncle Shouzhi’s summons was most likely related to these mysterious Roving Bandits.

"Deep in the mountains."

Lin Mingye jutted his chin toward a peak to their left. "These Roving Bandits attack on the river and then vanish. Uncle Shouzhi suspected they were hiding in the mountains, so he posted lookouts. Sure enough, someone was spotted heading up the mountain from the cliffs yesterday. Then, early this morning, the crew of a merchant ship was wiped out right here in Black Water Bay."

"So Uncle Shouzhi wants us to go into the mountains to search for them?"

Lin Yan didn’t bother asking the foolish question of whether it could be the Black Flood Dragon Society.

The incident with the Water Bandit Alliance had made Lin Yan understand. ’These so-called Water Bandits are completely defenseless against the Four Great Clans. The only reason they still exist is that the clans haven’t decided to get serious yet.’

’Therefore, the Black Flood Dragon Society’s strongholds are definitely no secret to the Lin Family.’

"Mhm. Uncle Shouzhi wants each of us to lead a team into the mountains. The moment you spot them, send up a signal flare."

Lin Mingye lowered his voice. "According to Uncle Shouzhi’s assessment, these Roving Bandits aren’t just after money. If we can capture them, we can interrogate them for their true motive. There might be a surprising discovery in it for us."

Hearing this, Lin Yan nodded slightly and followed Lin Mingye to see Uncle Shouzhi.

「At the foot of the mountain.」

Lin Yan’s gaze swept over the assembled men. Besides Uncle Shouzhi, there were five other Blood Exchange Realm powerhouses from the clan. Including himself and Lin Mingye, nearly every Martial Artist the Lin Family had stationed to guard the East River Waters was present. Only a single Blood Exchange Realm expert had been left behind to guard their base.

"Uncle Shouzhi."

"You’re here. Did Mingye brief you on the situation?"

"He has."

Lin Shouzhi nodded. "We’re going to wipe out these Roving Bandits once and for all. You’ll take a team and follow this route."

Before Lin Yan’s arrival, Lin Shouzhi had already planned everyone’s route into the mountain. Lin Yan saw that the others were holding maps, and he accepted the one offered to him with both hands.

"These Roving Bandits are hiding a secret, so try to take them alive. However, your own safety is the top priority."

Lin Shouzhi’s gaze settled on Lin Yan and the others. "The moment you encounter these Roving Bandits, launch a signal flare. The routes I’ve assigned are planned so that the two nearest teams can arrive within three hundred breaths of a signal."

Lin Yan and the others nodded in acknowledgment. They led their respective teams to collect the signal flares, each person taking two and tucking them away safely. After studying their maps, they set off on their designated paths into the mountains.

The mountains near Black Water Bay were remote and untrodden, with no real paths to speak of. Fortunately, the weakest man Lin Yan had brought along was a Third-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artist. They followed the route on the map, and their progress was not significantly hindered.

Lin Yan had his men spread out in a fan formation, keeping several dozen feet between each person. This way, they could support one another without being caught in a trap and wiped out all at once.

Zhao Tong took the lead, his eyes cautiously scanning from side to side.

Lin Yan was pleased with Zhao Tong’s caution. He didn’t rush ahead, but simply maintained the planned pace along their designated route.

’Even if these Roving Bandits are hiding secrets, and even if finding them leads to a surprising discovery like Mingye guessed, I won’t take any unnecessary risks until I know their true strength.’

’Support from the adjacent teams can arrive within three hundred breaths. That might not seem long, but a real fight can be over in just ten or twenty.’

Of course, this didn’t mean Lin Yan was slacking. He paid close attention to any and all tracks in the surrounding forest.

Broken branches, trampled grass, faint scuff marks on the rocks... if anyone had passed through this forest, any trace they left behind would be unable to escape his sight, enhanced as it was by the Black Cicada Heart.

After half an hour, Lin Yan was certain the Roving Bandits weren’t in his designated sector.

’The only other possibility is that every one of these Roving Bandits is incredibly strong, capable of moving through the forest without leaving a trace. If they’re all Blood Exchange Realm powerhouses, then I’ll need to be even more cautious.’

BANG!

Suddenly, a signal flare shot up into the sky from the forest to their left.

Seeing the direction the flare came from, Lin Yan estimated the distance and ordered Zhao Tong and his men, "Let’s go!"

The words had barely left his mouth when he shot forward, covering more than ten feet in an instant as he raced toward the signal’s origin.

Based on his calculations, the team that launched the flare was the one in Lin Mingye’s search area.

He had a good feeling about Lin Mingye.

Lin Yan pushed his Smoke-Stepping Technique to its absolute limit, his figure weaving through the trees like a phantom. He covered the distance that should have taken three hundred breaths in only half the time.

Ahead of him was a relatively open clearing. Several bodies lay on the ground, and three or four Martial Artists stood by, tense and on high alert.