The bandits’ base was indeed very hidden; this group had their stronghold in the forest located in a cave that looked like a bear’s hibernating den, a place where most people wouldn’t choose to rest.
Passing through the passage, Laine surprisingly found it quite spacious inside, clearly reinforced by the bandits. Torches hung on the rock walls, and the sounds of dining and boisterous game playing echoed from within.
"You go knock," Laine smiled while gripping the little leader’s neck. Noah could tell that if he dared to say anything else, his neck would be crushed in an instant.
"Boss, it’s me, I’m Noah, open the door!" The little leader knocked on the door, and it was easily opened.
"Noah? Why are you back?" The bandit leader saw Noah return with his head down, looking quite puzzled.
"Bo... Boss, I..." the little leader trembled as he led a few people inside.
"What do you mean, you? Why are you back? Didn’t I tell you to monitor the camp at the foot of the mountain?!" The bandit leader shouted angrily.
"I’m the one looking for you."
The newcomer seemed uninterested in wasting words with the bandit leader; he swung his Warhammer mercilessly toward the bandit leader.
"Traitor!" The bandit leader instantly realized there was a traitor among them. He kicked the table up, rolled sideways, dodging Laine’s attack as all the food and soup splattered towards Laine, who sidestepped, and it all splashed onto the little leader.
"Traitor! Traitor! Noah has betrayed us, brothers! Kill this Knight!" the bandit leader roared, getting back up and grabbing a Long Spear from the wall, throwing it directly at Laine.
Laine casually caught the flying Long Spear and threw it back behind him, impaling a bandit through the chest, pinning him against the wall with powerful force.
The bandit desperately tried to pull out the Long Spear stuck in his chest, but his efforts were in vain, and after a painful struggle, his body pinned to the cave wall gradually became motionless.
"Yes, that’s him, he’s the boss’s right-hand man, we usually call him ’Second’!" the little leader screamed. Realizing his predicament, he shouted to Laine, "Lo... Lord Knight, I’ve fulfilled your demand! Goodbye!"
With that, Noah grabbed a Long Spear and ran madly towards the outside.
The bandits were stunned and frozen by the sudden change, standing still in their places.
"Get him! What are you standing there for!" the bandit leader screamed madly. "Do you want this Knight to kill us all?"
"If I were you, I’d run quickly because I’m only planning to kill him. If you all run in different directions, I can’t possibly split myself and chase you down, can I?" Laine said, pointing his Warhammer at the bandit leader, squinting.
"...The boss is finished! Run!!!" shouted some unknown bandit, and all the bandits scattered, running frantically outside. Laine didn’t stop them, and within two minutes, only the bandit leader and Laine were left in the cave. Official source is N0veI.Fiɾe.net
"What made you people become bandits?" Laine asked, slowly approaching with the Warhammer.
"The land is gone, the house is sold, should I just wait to die at home?" The bandit leader retreated step by step. "You parasites of the state, you took my land, my property, and now you come to take my life?"
"Ah, you’re all the same. You take everything from the farmers; the land is ours, but the crops are yours; the river is ours, but the fish caught are yours." The bandit leader gradually calmed down, knowing he stood no chance against a Knight, especially after seeing the White Wolf Badge.
"So your way of revenge is by taking the lives of innocent travelers and caravans, stealing their things? Your things are gone, so you’ll rob others?" Laine remained unmoved.
The bandit leader’s story might be tragic, but in what era haven’t there been exploitation and oppression? Just because he couldn’t survive? Does that mean the ones he killed deserved it?
What kind of logic is that?
"Ha!" The bandit leader suddenly lunged forward, his Longsword aiming at Laine’s elbow, but Laine just blocked it, sending the Longsword flying. Their strengths differed too much; Laine could take the bandit leader’s life anytime he wanted.
"Tell me, what’s in the mountains? I might consider sparing you," Laine said.
"You... you mean it!" The bandit leader seemed quite agitated.
"There’s a group of goblins on the other side of the mountain; they have over twenty wolves and more than thirty spearmen." The bandit leader’s back was already against the wall.
"Uh, there’s supposedly a very large silver wild boar with tentacles roaming around here, but I’ve never seen it."
"Good, anything else~" Laine seemed satisfied with the two pieces of information he received, releasing his grip on the Warhammer, stroking his chin, looking intrigued.
"And... go to hell, scum!" The leader pretended to be in deep thought, then suddenly drew a dagger from his chest and lunged at Laine’s chest.
The dagger had only half come out when the bandit leader’s wrist was grabbed by Laine, and with an unbeatable force, the dagger was reversed and stabbed into the chest of its wielder.