I made it three steps toward the cave entrance before I snapped, "aaaakkkhh."My fist slammed into the nearest rock. Once then twice until the stone cracked and my knuckles split open with blood running down my fingers.
"FUCK!"
The word echoed across the mountain and my bandits looked up from their fire, startled but I didn't care. I punched the rock again and pain shot up my arm — good, at least the pain was real and at least that was something I could feel.
"Boss?" Scarface Liu's voice came from behind me."You alright?"
"Get the fuck out."
"Boss, your hand—"
"I SAID GET OUT!" I spun around and he took two quick steps back with hands raised.
I stood there breathing hard with my fists clenched. They were all staring at me like I was crazy—and maybe I was.
There was no escape, never—I was going to be here forever dying and resetting while watching these fucking heroes kill me over and over and over—
"NO"
I cut that thought right there and took a deep breath. Then another.
I needed to think — the rage was still there inside me burning my chest like hot coal but I forced it down and pushed it into a box in the back of my mind.
Anger was useless — anger makes you sloppy and you make mistakes just like I did right now. I looked down at my bleeding knuckles and the pain was already fading since in a few hours it'd be healed, Foundation Establishment cultivators recovered fast.
"Boss?" Scarface Liu tried again now in a low voice.
I turned to look at him and then at all of them — they were watching me like I might explode again.
"I'm fine, go back to what you were doing."
They hesitated, then slowly returned to the fire.
I walked back into my cave and sat down in my chair while the system screen was still floating in my vision — I sighed in relief since I still had chances.
[RESPAWN COMPLETE ]
[DEATH COUNT: 75]
[NEXT CHOSEN ONE ARRIVAL: 6 cycles]
"Six months." My eyes narrowed.
******
Ping…..
A notification woke me from my dreamless sleep.
[CHOSEN ONE HAS ARRIVED]
[Chen Wu - Level: Foundation Establishment (Early Stage)]
[Time until arrival at Crimson Blade Mountain: 36 hours]
I sat up slowly as the calm morning light filtered into the cave — six months had passed.
I opened up this chosen one's profile.
[Chen Wu]
[Age: 16]
[Background: Orphaned at age 8, left outside a small temple, raised by monks who taught him basic cultivation and moral principles. Recently joined a sect and was sent out into the world to "experience life and grow stronger."]
[First real combat experience: killing an adult lighting wolf.]
[Core Desire: To prove himself worthy. To make his master proud.]
[Core Fear: Failure. Disappointing those who believe in him.]
A temple boy who lived among monks and they took care of him, mmm, This one could work and I had a perfect plan, exactly for him.
"Heh." With that thought, my gaze shifted deeper into the cave
Three months ago, I had captured a merchant during a night raid and dragged him into the old prison cells. Which had existed long before my bandit camp. I locked him inside and fed him just enough to keep him alive.
He'd screamed for weeks and begged, offering me everything he owned. And I accepted his request gladly." Your life is what I want…."
By the third month he was completely broken with hollowed eyes and barely reacted when I came to feed him.
Perfectly according to what I wanted him to be.
.......
Chen Wu arrived at noon and I watched him from the cave entrance — young, handsome with energy in every movement as his sword hung at his side and robes gave the presence of a gentleman.
My bandits spotted him and immediately started shouting. Scarface Liu grabbed his weapon and the others formed up looking threatening.
I also stepped forward already wearing a dark robes with the hood up that covered my whole face leaving only my eyes visible.
"Are you the Crimson Blade Bandit Lord?" Chen Wu asked confidently.
"I AM kakakak," My voice came out different— deeper and harsher than my real voice.
He drew his sword. "Then, it's perfect!"
Not wasting time talking with this righteous fool, I shouted at my bandits."ATTACK." and sprinted towards Chen Wu.
Aggressively my sword came down hard and he barely blocked in time, the impact made him stumble back
He raised his eyebrow as if he hadn't expected this level of attack and my bandits rushed toward him from the sides. Chen Wu spun to defend himself and blocked Scarface Liu's strike then ducked under another attack.
But Chen Wu didn't panic or run away — instead he was fighting back just as I had expected.
When Little Feng got too close Chen Wu's sword flashed out and caught him across the chest — and Little Feng went down actually woundend.
However Chen Wu didn't stop and pressed forward, his sword came at me in a series of quick strikes. I blocked them but each impact jarred my arms.
Even though we had the same cultivation stage, he was stronger and faster than me as the system was already boosting his skills.
So, I gave ground, retreating toward the cave entrance making it seem like I was being forced back….and I really was.
Chen Wu cut down another bandit then another as his blade work was getting more confident with each exchange
"Surrender!" he shouted at me. "You can't win!" — and he was right so I bolted into the cave tunnels. I knew these tunnels perfectly and took the turns without hesitation running deeper into the mountain while behind me I could hear Chen Wu stumbling occasionally and slowing down to check his path.
But he didn't give up and kept following me — exactly what I wanted.
I ran until I reached the chamber next to the prison cells then slipped into the narrow side passage I had prepared earlier — nothing more than a thin crack in the rock leading to a small hidden space.
A few seconds later, Chen Wu's footsteps echoed into the main chamber.
"Where are you? Show yourself, you coward."
Ignoring him I moved quickly in my hiding spot stripping off the dark robes — underneath I was wearing plain merchant clothes.
Then I waited while Chen Wu searched the chamber. I could hear him moving around looking for another exit.
"I know you're here," he muttered.
And when he turned his back I made my move and slipped out of the hidden passage moving silently into the cell where I'd kept the merchant — the man was slumped in the corner barely conscious.
unlocked the cell door as quietly as possible but the hinges creaked slightly.
Chen Wu spun around. "Mmm—"
However I was already inside the cell — I grabbed the merchant who was too weak to resist, already wearing the same dark robe with his face covered.
The merchant let out a weak, confused sound, and I shoved him against the cell bars, positioning him so he was half-visible from outside, making it look like he had been injured and was now leaning on them for support.
Then I backed into the corner of the cell staying in the dark and changed my posture into that of a scared man.
.
.
"Found you,"