Chapter 108: Encountering Robbers and a Half-Orc Bodyguard.

They had not been robbed while traveling through barren mountains and wilderness, so why had they encountered bandits now, on a broad, well-traveled road so close to a major city?

Ilio released Shu Li and explained, “Otto City is a major city in the western part of the Dalia Empire. The nearby mountains are rich in crystal ore, so many skilled miners and refiners have gathered there. With merchants constantly traveling back and forth, bandits are naturally drawn to the area.”

The bandits were clever.

There was less risk in the remote wilderness, but there was also little profit to be made. They could lie in wait for ten days or half a month without finding anything valuable, making the effort hardly worthwhile.

The main road to a large city, on the other hand, saw plenty of travelers. The bandits could do business every day and reap enormous profits. The only drawback was the greater risk of losing their lives. But if they pulled off a successful raid and seized enough money, jewels, and beautiful captives, they could sell everything and spend the next six months or even a year living as freely as gods.

“Are the bandits really allowed to run rampant like this?” Shu Li frowned.

“Do you mean the authorities in Otto City?” Ilio pushed open the rear door of the carriage and leaped down with ease.

“Yes!” Shu Li took his hand and jumped to the ground, looking around.

The robberies were happening near the city itself. Surely its authorities should do something about them. Otherwise, if banditry continued unchecked, the city’s own interests would ultimately suffer.

After a day of observation, Shu Li had gained a general understanding of the other world’s level of development. It resembled the ancient era of his original world.

Yet even in ancient times, the authorities of his original world would send troops to eradicate bandits. Here, they had simply allowed them to multiply, grow into organized groups, and prey upon passing travelers.

Wasn’t their ability to govern far too poor?

Ilio lowered his head and gazed at the Little Fairy’s innocent face. “The Dalia Empire is an ancient nation with more than two thousand years of history. It is currently one of the largest powers on the continent. Aisha must have told you that the larger a country becomes, the more corruption it harbors. The rich grow richer, while the poor grow poorer. For the sake of money and personal gain, those in power become ruthless, exploiting the people at the bottom without restraint.”

“Some submit and endure their suffering until they grow numb. Others cannot accept their fate and would rather fall into banditry and embrace the darkness than return to a life of misery and oppression.”

“Even if the lord of Otto City wished to change the situation, he would lack both the authority and the power to do so.”

“In a country where royal authority reigns supreme, a city lord holds an empty title. Unless the city is under enemy attack, mobilizing its army would be tantamount to rebellion.”

Shu Li was astonished by his explanation.

When Aisha taught the cubs general knowledge, she sometimes mentioned the histories of the continent’s various countries. However, the lessons were limited and never explored the subject in depth. They could not compare to experiencing it firsthand.

After a day of observation, Shu Li had realized that ordinary humans lived difficult lives.

The villages were poor and underdeveloped, food was scarce, and the people’s lives were wretched. Song-and-dance troupes traveled from place to place, earning money through performances. If no one hired them, they might not know where their next meal would come from.

Most importantly, anyone traveling across the continent from one city to another could encounter bandits on the road.

Just as they had now.

Shu Li followed Ilio to the center of the gathered troupe and stood with them as they faced more than twenty bandits.

There were both men and women among the bandits, and every one of them carried a weapon. Their leader was a tall, broad middle-aged man with dark, muscular arms. A massive iron hammer rested on his shoulder. His expression was savage, his gaze cold as he eyed the troupe leader like a predator watching its prey.

Simu was still wearing her dark red, form-fitting dress, boldly displaying her impressive figure. Despite the bandits’ lecherous stares, she showed no fear.

Two burly men stood on either side of her, confronting the bandits with an imposing air.

“Boss, we’ve hit the jackpot! The jackpot!” The skinny man beside the bandit leader greedily surveyed the troupe. “Those carriages look expensive. There must be treasure hidden inside them. And look at all these beautiful women! One, two, three, four...twelve! Boss, there are twelve beauties! There’s a child too, and a young musician. Just imagine! If we sell the lot of them, we’ll be able to live it up for half a year!”

The bandit leader snorted. “Don’t celebrate too soon, Skinny. Can’t you see those four big men?”

Skinny laughed arrogantly, not taking the four men seriously at all. “Boss, what good can four big men do? There are twenty-five of us. Half our men would be enough to kill all four.”

“Kill them! Kill them!”

The other bandits raised their weapons and roared, attempting to intimidate the troupe.

Another song-and-dance troupe might already have been trembling with fear, but every member of the Miriya Song-and-Dance Troupe remained calm and composed.

Shu Li lightly tugged on Ilio’s clothes, silently asking whether they should intervene if the troupe could not defeat the bandits.

Ilio patted his shoulder, signaling for him to wait and see.

Given Simu’s experience, her troupe must have been established for at least ten years. If she had traveled all over the continent with so many young and beautiful women but possessed no means of protecting them, the troupe would have disbanded long ago.

The bandit leader raised one hand, and the shouting bandits immediately fell silent.

“Woman, I suggest you surrender without a fight. Otherwise, I’ll let you experience the power of my iron hammer.”

Simu ignored his threat. She raised one slender finger and casually cleaned her ear before saying with contempt, “A pack of hideous failures like you wants to lay hands on me? Go take a look at your reflections in a puddle of piss!”

Without waiting for the bandit leader to respond, she shouted, “Bart, show these blind fools what you can do!”

“Yes, Leader!” Bart stepped forward and approached the bandit leader. Every step he took left a deep footprint in the ground, making the bandit frown.

“Y-You, stay back! I’m warning you!” he blustered.

Bart stopped a meter away from him. The bandit secretly breathed a sigh of relief, believing his threat had worked.

The next second, however, his eyes widened in horror.

“Awooo—”

Bart threw back his head and howled as his burly body abruptly transformed.

He grew larger and taller, and the muscles of his upper body swelled. With several sharp ripping sounds, his clothes split apart. More shocking still, a thick layer of animal fur emerged across his skin. His forehead sloped backward, his jaw jutted forward, and sharp fangs protruded from his mouth. His ears lengthened into points, a thick tail sprang from behind him, and his fingers transformed into razor-sharp claws.

His savage eyes, each as large as a bronze bell, glared at the bandit leader. Opening his enormous maw, he unleashed a deafening roar.

A terrifying pressure struck the bandit leader head-on. Pain exploded through his chest, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. The massive iron hammer slipped from his hand and landed squarely on his foot. Howling in agony, he clutched his injured foot and hopped backward on one leg.

Skinny was already trembling so violently that his knees knocked together.

“Aaaah! A half-orc! It’s a half-orc!”

The other bandits nearly lost their minds with terror. Unable even to hold their weapons steady, they abandoned their leader and scattered in every direction, caring only about saving their own lives.

Shu Li stared in stunned disbelief.

The bearded man was actually a half-orc!

Half-orcs were children born when orcs forced themselves upon females of other races. Their circumstances were usually tragic. Humans did not welcome them, and orcs did not like them. Once they reached adulthood, they were driven out of their tribes.

To survive, half-orcs could only rely on their powerful bodies and extraordinary combat abilities to earn generous commissions.

No wonder Leader Simu was confident enough to travel to the distant royal capital with so many beautiful young women. She had hired half-orcs as bodyguards.

The bandits fled in abject terror, their courage broken before the battle had even begun. The half-orcs had no intention of letting them escape.

The other three burly men roared and transformed into half-orcs at the same time. Moving like bolts of lightning, they extended their claws and mercilessly hunted down the bandits.

“Aaaah—”

The bandits’ bloodcurdling screams rang out.

Shu Li was deeply shaken by the one-sided slaughter.

Most of the bandits were ordinary humans. Apart from a few strong ones who fought desperately to the death, the others were killed in a single strike.

The bloody spectacle was unbearable to watch.

A large hand covered Shu Li’s eyes.

“Don’t look.” Ilio blocked the Little Fairy’s view.

Fairies and Elves were both peace-loving peoples. Unless absolutely necessary, they would never hurt anyone.

The cruelty of the Human World was not something a ten-year-old Little Fairy should have to endure.

Shu Li turned around and buried his face in Ilio’s chest, raising both hands to cover his ears.

Whether he considered himself human or Fairy, he had never witnessed such brutal killing from so close—bellies ripped open, limbs severed, heads cut off, bodies torn apart...

It was far too bloody.

He did not feel sorry for the bandits.

People who robbed travelers every day had probably taken many lives themselves. They deserved their fate.

If the troupe had been robbed today without the half-orcs to protect them, and if he and Ilio had not been present, it was easy to imagine what would have happened to those beautiful young women.

He simply felt sorrow for this world.

Underdeveloped, impoverished, barbaric, cruel, extreme...

Compared to the rest of the continent, the Faerie Forest and the Elven Kingdom were paradises.

No wonder adventurers constantly coveted them, tirelessly invading the Faerie Forest in hopes of seizing its abundant resources.

The screams gradually faded, and the one-sided slaughter came to an end.

The troupe erupted into victorious cheers. Even its most delicate young women were plainly accustomed to such bloody scenes.

Bart returned to his human form and walked over to Simu. “Leader, all twenty-five bandits have been killed.”

Simu slapped his solid chest in praise. “Excellent work.”

The skin beneath Bart’s beard reddened slightly.

Boon darted over like a monkey and nimbly climbed onto Bart’s back. “Bart, you were amazing!”

Bart allowed him to clamber around.

Boon leaned close to Bart’s ear and curled his lip. “Amo is such a coward. He was hiding in his brother’s arms and trembling just now. Honestly!”

Bart lightly slapped his bottom. “Don’t talk nonsense.”

Only people who frequently walked the line between life and death could remain unfazed by such a bloody scene.

Little Amo had obviously never traveled far from home before. There was nothing strange about him being afraid.

Boon stuck out his tongue.

Shu Li’s hearing was keen, so he heard Boon clearly and sighed helplessly to himself.

He had indeed hidden in Ilio’s arms, but he had neither trembled nor felt afraid. He simply could not stomach such a blood-soaked sight.

Ilio comfortingly stroked the Little Fairy’s soft hair.

If not for the curse, why would the little fellow have been exposed to the world’s cruelty so soon?

A ten-year-old Little Fairy was still at an innocent and carefree age. He should have been living without a worry in the world.

After the troupe’s decisive victory, Simu called out an order. They turned the tables on the bandits and confiscated everything of value from their bodies. She had Bart clear the road and throw the corpses to the roadside, then clapped her hands and urged everyone back into the carriages so they could hurry toward Otto City.

The bandits had delayed them considerably. They had to reach Otto City before nightfall, or they would be locked outside the gates and forced to sleep beyond the city walls.

The carriages traveled so quickly that they began jolting violently again. Shu Li gave up on reading, leaned against Ilio’s shoulder, and closed his eyes to rest.

Ilio thoughtfully covered him with a blanket.

The rest of their journey was unobstructed, and they encountered no more bandits. At last, before the sun had fully set, the troupe’s carriages successfully reached the city gates.

Soldiers in iron armor crowded before the massive gates built from enormous stone blocks. Everyone entering the city was subjected to a rigorous inspection.

Sitting in the first carriage, Simu frowned at the sight.

“Mary, were the inspections this strict the last time we came to Otto City?”

Mary shook her head. “No, Leader. There were only two guards at the gate last time.”

Simu narrowed her eyes, remembering the knights who had been hunting a wanted fugitive.

A long line stretched before the city gates. It advanced in fits and starts, moving painfully slowly. People at the back began complaining, especially the adventuring parties and mercenary groups. Growing impatient, they started forcing their way ahead of others. When ordinary humans saw their swords and magic staffs, they could only swallow their anger and step aside.

Shu Li leaned against the carriage window and observed every kind of human behavior unfolding outside. He felt somewhat disappointed. After watching for a while, he lost interest, lowered the curtain, and rested his chin in his hands.

Ilio saw his troubled expression but offered no guidance.

Some things had to be understood by the child himself.

He stretched his limbs and leaned lazily against the carriage wall.

Crack!

Without warning, someone pried open the carriage door from outside. Two dark figures immediately darted inside, then slammed the door shut behind them.

Ilio reacted instantly, shielding Shu Li behind him.

“Don’t move!”

A cold blade pressed against his throat as an unfamiliar man’s low warning sounded beside his ear.