"Squeak"

The door of the tavern was pushed open, and Xie Feng and three others walked in.

The tavern owner, who was napping on the counter, looked up and said in surprise: "Huh? Why are you here at this time? Did you not eat at noon?"

Xie Feng said: "We are not here to eat or drink, we are here to meet people."

The tavern owner asked: "Who?"

Xie Feng said: "Mercenaries."

The tavern owner smiled and said: "What a coincidence, this time is one of the quietest times in the tavern. Not to mention the mercenaries, there are no customers... I don't think there will be any in other taverns. How about you guys come back in the evening?"

Xie Feng thought deeply: "It's too late, we are leaving soon."

The tavern owner asked cautiously: "What's so urgent? Are you seeking revenge?"

Xie Feng said: "Save people."

The tavern owner asked in surprise: "Has anyone been kidnapped?"

Xie Feng said: "Yes, it's a whole village."

"A village..." the tavern owner whispered, and then suddenly realized: "Could it be Shiba Zumo?"

Xie Feng smiled and said: "You are quite well informed."

The tavern owner said nervously: "Feng Xie, I don't mean to pour cold water on you..."

Xie Feng interrupted: "Wait a minute, just saying this proves that you are going to pour cold water on me next, right?"

The tavern owner was stunned for a moment, and then said: "Let's just think of it like this. I'm telling the truth - even if you travel to the entire Dukuba, you won't be able to find more than twenty mercenaries... Twenty is still very ideal.

Yes, it’s not bad if you can find ten. And the bandits of Shiba Zumili are said to have more than fifty people. Isn’t this killing an egg with a stone? Besides, I haven’t heard about Feng Xie, you and Shiba Zumili.

The people in Murray are friendly... Oh, I almost forgot, you are the one who solved the problem of the living dead."

At this time, a voice in the tavern laughed and said: "If you really hire soldiers to rescue Shiba Zumo, you will definitely fail in vain, and you may even lose your life."

Everyone looked around and saw that at a table in the corner of the tavern, the troubadour Dante was lying on his stomach as if sleeping. At this time, he happened to be lying down and looking at Xie Feng and the others.

"Dante?" Xie Feng asked: "Why are you here?"

Dante replied: "Is it strange for a homeless person like me to rest in a tavern at noon?"

Xie Feng said: "What did you mean by what you just said?"

Dante said: "Even Chief Mondhari and hundreds of regular soldiers were unable to repel the bandits and ended up losing the battle. What's the use of hiring ten or twenty mercenaries?"

Xie Feng said solemnly: "The battle is not about numbers."

Dante smiled and said: "That's right, then you won't even need those ten or twenty mercenaries."

Xie Feng wondered: "What do you mean by this?"

Dante said: "Since Shiba Zumo's bandits were able to repel Chief Mondhari's hundreds of soldiers, it proves that they are not an ordinary mob. They are organized and commanded. Then they must have someone."

Watch out. Do you think they might allow an armed force to storm into the village? Once they discover you, they will definitely be prepared. If there is a head-on fight, do you think you have any chance of winning?"

Xie Feng said: "Indeed, is there anything you can do?"

Dante smiled and said: "There is a way, but it may be a bit dangerous - no soldiers, no weapons, pretend to be passers-by or people visiting relatives, so that you can sneak into the village. Those robbers are only looking for money, there is no need to embarrass them.

A person who seems to have nothing to do with you - the most they can do is search you and take away your valuables."

Xie Feng frowned and said: "It is indeed easier to sneak into the village that way. But what's the point of doing this? Even if we enter the village, we can't do anything without soldiers."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk..." Dante laughed a few times and said, "Isn't there a small group of people besieged on the nearby mountain? There are about thirty of them. With their strength, they are enough to repel those bandits."

Xie Feng also smiled and said: "It's a pity that the team was besieged on the mountain just as you said. Let alone repelling the bandits, they can't even get down."

Dante said proudly: "It depends on who is the commander."

As he spoke, Dante, who was leaning on the table, sat up straight and exposed the table - there was a map spread out on the table, a topographic map of Shiba Zumo.

Xie Feng looked at the map a few times, then looked at Dante a few more times, and said with a smile: "I don't know, you can still fight."

Dante smiled and said: "I don't know how to fight, so I can still be a little clever."

Xie Feng asked: "But how can we go up the mountain and contact that team?"

Dante said: "Let's talk about this later. Depending on the specific situation, there will always be a way."

Xie Feng nodded, and then said: "So, are you willing to go with us?"

Dante said: "Originally, I planned to go alone."

Xie Feng said: "Oh?"

Dante said: "Because there are some things I want to confirm... Let's not talk about it for now. You want to save Shiba Zumo, right? Let's go together, but you have to listen to me - of course, we also

You can act independently, but I think your survival rate will be higher if you follow me."

Xie Feng turned to look at Comstock and Saint Gianna to see if they had any objections.

Comstock said nonchalantly: "It doesn't matter to me, as long as there is a chance for me to appear." As he said that, he waved his fist into the void a few times.

Saint Gianna said: "Me too." As she said that, she touched the spear on her back.

Dante saw this and said hurriedly: "You can't bring weapons!"

Saint Gianna said: "This is my personal treasure."

Dante said: "At least you have to pretend..."

Comstock said: "How about hiding it inside a bamboo pole and using it as a pole, and then hanging some sundries or something on it, so that it looks more like an ordinary passerby or someone visiting relatives."

Xie Feng scratched his head and said, "What kind of miscellaneous items should I put there? It can't be too expensive, and it can't make the robbers suspicious."

Comstock smiled and said: "I still have a lot of 'Sai Ramen' made, so I might as well take some with me. It wouldn't be a pity to lose that thing, and it's also in line with the necessities of a passer-by."

On the way to Shiba Zumo, Xie Feng hummed a song as he walked: "You are carrying the burden, and I am holding the hand of Saint Gianna."

Saint Gianna followed Xie Feng less than three meters behind and said depressedly: "Why do you have to hold me like this..."

I saw a rope between Xie Feng and St. Gianna, each holding one end of the rope. It indeed looked like Xie Feng was walking with St. Gianna.

Xie Feng said: "Don't be wordy, if you get lost, where can I find you?"

Saint Gianna said: "I'm not a child, how could I get lost?"

Xie Feng sighed: "I would rather take care of a child."

The sky was getting darker, and everyone was getting closer and closer to Shiba Zumo. The outline of the village had gradually appeared in everyone's eyes.

Xie Feng said a little uneasily: "It's been a day. Have the robbers left?"

Dante replied: "I don't think so. Even if they have robbed all the property in the village, they probably won't leave so soon."

Xie Feng puzzled: "Oh? Why?"

Dante said: "If they want to retreat, they will definitely leave their backs to the small team on the mountain, and they will also carry the things they just grabbed. It will definitely be inconvenient. If the captain of that small team is not an idiot,

If so, they would definitely choose to pursue the bandits when they retreated. In the same way, if the leaders of those bandits were not idiots, they would definitely not retreat rashly."

Xie Feng frowned and said, "But it's not an option to remain in a stalemate like this. Don't those bandits plan to leave?"

Dante said: "Just wait."

Xie Feng said: "What do you mean?"

Dante said: "The one on the mountain is a small team, and it didn't plan to fight a protracted war, so it must not have brought much food and water. What I said about waiting does not mean letting them starve to death on the mountain, but let them die of thirst.

After waiting for a period of time, the soldiers will be hungry and thirsty, their morale will inevitably drop sharply, and they will have no strength. Naturally, they will not be able to cause a threatening pursuit. If the bandits are brave enough, they can even kill them directly up the mountain.

Steal all the soldiers' equipment."

"Those people in front of me! Stop!" Suddenly, a shout came from the direction of the village.

Everyone looked around and saw a few people wearing typical desert bandit equipment riding a desert horse and holding spears, staring at Xie Feng and others near the entrance of the village.

Dante immediately said in surprise at a volume that was just right for the other party to hear: "What's going on? Is Shiba Zumo occupied by bandits?"

While they were talking, several bandits on horseback came behind the crowd and formed a siege. One of the bandits who seemed to be the leader asked Xie Feng and the others, "Who are you? Are you from here? What are you doing here?"

Xie Feng complained in his heart: "Who am I, where do I come from, and what do I want to do... Damn it, these three questions summarize the main thinking issues of contemporary philosophy." But he pretended to be very polite.

He said nervously: "I...we are from Shiba Zumo...we usually work...in Du...Dukuba...we made an appointment to go home together today...unexpected...please...may I ask who you are?"

…”

The leading robber smiled and said: "This is such a big news, haven't you heard about it in Dukuba?"

Xie Feng pretended to be surprised and said: "New... news? What news?"

The leading robber laughed and said: "You are slow to get the news - now that Shiba Zumo has been occupied by us, immediately hand over all your valuables and then accept a body search!" After saying this, several people around him

The desert bandit immediately dismounted and approached Xie Feng and others.

Saint Gianna saw this and said in surprise: "Don't touch me!"

The leading robber glanced at Saint Gianna a few times, with a hint of greed in his eyes, and said to the robbers next to him: "I will search this woman myself."

Saint Gianna bit her lip and said: "You dare?" At the same time, she leaned slightly. If the other party really dared to take action, Saint Gianna would immediately rush to Comstock and get the spear disguised as a bamboo pole.
To be continued...