Chapter 1470: Suspected Old Acquaintance
Chapter 1470: Chapter 1470: Suspected Old Acquaintance
"Company Commander Qin’s arrangement is excellent. Shall we follow Company Commander Qin’s lead and take our soldiers to search?" the other company commanders asked in unison.
"Yes." Qin San Lang nodded, and they all rushed out together, spreading across White Wolf Village, beginning their search for valuables within the fortress.
Qin San Lang called Er Ping and Sanping over: "You two take Qigou and Bago down the mountain. First, inform Vice General Fang about the situation here, then go to the Hundred Wolves County government office and find people to come up and deal with the innocent women."
"Understood." Er Ping and Sanping responded, leading the two wolves down the mountain.
The Niu Family’s Da Jin, Erjin, and Sanjin also followed along. Seeing Niu Dabao still standing motionless in the main hall, they hurriedly waved and shouted at Niu Dabao: "Dad, Dad!"
"What are you shouting about? What’s the hurry? I’ll be there soon." Niu Dabao glanced at Qin San Lang and Xie Cheng: "Don’t worry, uncle will share the good stuff with you when I get it."
He gestured to Qin San Lang, who handed him a small map, depicting the location of underground vaults where gold and silver were hidden according to the bandits’ description. Qin San Lang cautioned: "Be careful of traps."
"Hahaha!" Niu Dabao laughed, quickly covering his mouth to suppress the sound, giving Qin San Lang a thumbs up: "San Lang is truly capable. Uncle is leaving—I’ll make sure everything is sorted out smoothly."
Niu Dabao stored the small map, kicked Niu Sanjin closest to him, and shouted: "What are you standing there for? Hurry and follow me. Be smart—anyone who dares mess up will get cut by me. After all, I have plenty of sons!"
Niu Sanjin and the others hurriedly nodded: "Understood, Dad, don’t worry."
Saying this, they followed Niu Dabao and the soldiers, rushing to the underground vaults.
Qin San Lang took out another small map and handed it to Xie Cheng: "You go as well, be careful of traps. You don’t need to take too much; just a little from each box will do. Don’t take silver—take what is worth more than silver."
"Alright." Xie Cheng was delighted. Although his family was affluent, they were far behind the noble families and local aristocracy.
Moreover, they hadn’t even reached the Northwest, yet he was already feeling the burden of supporting soldiers and caring for their families—he had to gather more wealth; otherwise, relying solely on his family’s savings to support the army would be unbearable.
As for the court?
Ha, the military salary was available, but it wasn’t enough to sustain the soldiers, let alone care for their families.
"Let’s go!" Xie Cheng beckoned to his soldiers, also heading towards the underground vault.
Qin San Lang instructed You Ping: "Split your men into two groups. Have one group stay here to keep watch; the other should guard the residence of the innocent women and wait until the county government officials arrive."
He then called out to Hong Dao and the others: "Come with me."
"Yes!" Hong Dao and the others responded, following Qin San Lang out of the main hall.
After exiting the main hall, Qin San Lang did not head directly to the underground vault but instead searched around the vicinity.
After a moment, he found a piece of Eagle Feather on the corpses along the road.
This piece of Eagle Feather was similar to the one he picked up in the main hall—all from Eaglewing.
He recalled a friend once saying that the feathers on Eaglewing were very precious and generally couldn’t be pulled off.
His second brother, being a Demon Lord of Mayhem, specifically pulled feathers from that person’s Eaglewing, which irritated the friend greatly, almost severing ties with him.
But he and his second brother were very close, having grown up together and fought in battles side by side. So, even if his brother pulled feathers from his Eaglewing or stabbed him twice, he wouldn’t break ties with him.
Looking at these two Eaglewing Feathers, Qin San Lang thought of that friend... could it be that he’s still alive and has become a bandit?
"Sir?" Hong Dao saw Qin San Lang staring in a daze for a while and called him, pointing to the Eaglewing Feather: "Is there a problem with this Eagle Feather?"
Qin San Lang nodded: "The ones who looted White Wolf Village should be the ones who left this Eagle Feather."
In recent years, a large bandit group named Eagle Food Gang emerged in the Northwest. The fierce bandits of Eagle Food Gang always left Eagle Feathers as proof when they looted.
This Eagle Food Gang differs from other bandit groups; they have a code and particularly enjoy defying the army and Rongshan Gang, often raiding the Northwest Army or challenging Rongshan Gang—a typical troublemaker.
However, Qin San Lang thought the Eagle Food Gang was not bad.
Doing business in the Northwest with Elder Lei Wu, he knew of Eagle Food Gang’s existence and mentioned it to Hong Dao before coming to the Northwest. Thus, hearing Hong Dao, he said: "Sir, why did Eagle Food Gang destroy White Wolf Village? Aren’t they all bandits? Could it be that Eagle Food Gang is helping us? That doesn’t make sense."
Is Eagle Food Gang helping them?
If it was his friend, a helping hand would be understandable.
But currently, it seems less like help and more like: "It’s likely that White Wolf Village violated Eagle Food Gang’s rules and was used by Eagle Food Gang to set an example."
Past Yongtai Prefecture, the westward road has various bandit groups. Eagle Food Gang wants to become the leader of these groups and cannot allow them too much freedom; they must constantly make their presence known.
"Let’s go, find the goods first." Qin San Lang temporarily set aside Eagle Food Gang and led his soldiers to the underground vault to find gold and silver treasures.
They spent three hours searching White Wolf Village, discovering eight underground vaults and four warehouses, rich with gold and silver treasures, Ling Luo Chaouduan fabric, various weapons, food, horses, mules, donkeys, and carts.
"Hahaha, San Lang, we’ve hit the jackpot!" Niu Dabao was almost hysterically excited, a broad smile on his face: "These bandits are truly wealthy, hiding so many treasures."
Niu Dabao had his three sons and soldiers pack themselves with gold and jewels, brought out several burlap sacks, filled them with gold, jewels, and items more valuable than silver, before moving the warehouse goods out, ready to transport them down the mountain for confiscation.
The other company commanders did likewise, letting their soldiers take a turn first, then filling several bags with gold and silver before moving the discovered valuables out, converging together.
Besides gold and silver jewelry, Qin San Lang also took some ancient books and paintings discarded in the warehouse corners by bandits, paying special attention to rare editions and famous paintings.
Alongside these, he also collected weapons and horses, as well as other livestock and carts.
These were considered military resources, essential and difficult to purchase, worth more than silver.
"San Lang, you’re clever, taking all those horses." Hu Company Commander remarked enviously, wishing he had gone to the livestock pens for horses; now, all those urgently needed and hard-to-get items had been taken by Qin San Lang.
However, Hu Company Commander bore no grudge. Surviving and acquiring such a windfall was thanks entirely to Qin San Lang, and he felt indebted. Otherwise, he might not survive if Qin San Lang got angry.
The other company commanders thought similarly. Though envious, they bore no resentment, instead asking: "San Lang, when will we transport the goods down the mountain?"