Chapter 653 - 200: The Backstabber
Luo Team frowned, looking at Chen Yan, took a deep breath: "You should be a newly arrived bounty hunter at Snow Cliff Pass. Looking at your outfit, your income won’t be very high, and maintaining such a Spiritual Immortal Beast is no small expense. It’s following you, I’m afraid..."
Chen Yan suddenly understood why this person was unlikable.
"Mind your own business," Chen Yan coldly looked at the other person, "My partner, I naturally take care of it myself, no need for you to worry."
Chen Yan’s words fit very well with the temper of many brothers in the Brotherhood. Someone laughed loudly and shouted: "Brother 135 speaks well! Luo, hurry up and get out! A traitor like you doesn’t deserve to stay in our Brotherhood!"
Luo Team’s brows sank, and his eyelids also drooped slightly, yet he still looked at Chen Yan: "I mean no harm, it’s... a few years ago in the Snowfield, during an encounter, the White Beast saved my life."
Upon hearing this, Chen Yan’s expression softened slightly. Thinking for a moment, he said: "It’s my partner, I won’t sell it for any price. However, I can tell you, I will naturally treat it well."
Luo Team nodded, the bald brother said coldly: "Is your speech over? If you’re finished, then get lost."
Luo Team took a deep breath, scanned the crowd with his eyes, nodded, slowly put the hat on his head, turned around, and walked away.
After he went out, there was a few seconds of silence in the tavern, followed by the sound of cursing and swearing.
Chen Yan patted the bald brother who sat down again, poured him a bowl of wine, and pushed it in front of him, speaking in a low voice: "Brother 39, do we... have a grudge against this guy?"
Actually, Chen Yan previously did not really remember which rank this bald brother held, but after this incident, he remembered that the other person ranks thirty-nine.
The bald brother took up the bowl of wine and drank a sip, his tone still somewhat resentful.
But he still intermittently recounted an old story.
This Luo Team, is currently a Hundred Riders General in the Thunder Riders of Snow Cliff Pass.
Under his command are one hundred Thunder Beasts.
Calculating by two riders per Thunder Beast, this man has over two hundred warriors under his command.
If you add logistics and auxiliary soldiers, his personnel probably exceed five hundred.
Within Snow Cliff Pass, he is considered a mid-level officer.
The Brotherhood has rooted itself in Snow Cliff Pass, recruiting comrades, making quite a stir over the years, but actually has always enjoyed good relations with the officials of Snow Cliff Pass.
Even with the Thunder Riders, the relationship is fairly good.
But solely, this Luo Team, is an exception!
According to the bald brother, 39th brother, Luo Team was once a member of the Brotherhood.
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Luo Shang, 37 years old, was once ranked thirteenth in the Brotherhood, known as "13th Brother".
Born a loose cultivator, in the Ascension Realm, one step away from the Celestial Human Realm, but following the path of a Body Cultivator, with considerable mastery in body techniques, and furthermore, his Sword Skill is exceptionally fierce.
Only because he originated from loose cultivation, he lacks the high-end Combat Techniques and Cultivation Techniques that noble family disciples use for cultivation, nor does he have the background to enter the Third Platform, he could only come to a secondary defense town like Snow Cliff Pass.
Ten years ago, he joined the Brotherhood and used to drink large bowls of wine and eat big chunks of meat with the brothers, going out together, wielding his sword to decapitate the Fierce Beast Race’s heads.
He is known for his unyielding and cold personality, not skilled in words, but well-loved by the brothers.
Later...
He betrayed the Brotherhood.
According to the bald brother, it was during an "hunt" outside the border, Luo Shang as 13th Brother, led more than ten Brotherhood brothers out of the border.
On the Snowfield, they hunted Fierce Beast Race, later in one battle, only four returned.
And the brothers who returned alive, gritted their teeth against Luo Shang, explained the truth after returning to the Brotherhood.
The hunt operation was not small, setting a trap and bait, lured many from the Fierce Beast Race.
As a leader for that Brotherhood operation, Luo Shang contacted a squad of Thunder Beast riders for cooperation.
This would be fine — the Brotherhood previously had collaborations with Reconnoitre Army of the Thunder Riders outside the border often.
However, the returning brothers testified, saying Luo Shang liked to brag, sought merit from the Thunder Riders, voluntarily having the Brotherhood’s dozen brothers to undertake the bait role.
Moreover, he did not explain the truth to everyone, but deceived the brothers to stand in front as bait.
After a fierce battle, brothers died or were wounded more than half, but the promised support from the Thunder Riders arrived very late.
Although the battle results were remarkable, later everyone discovered... the delay in support from the Thunder Riders was actually part of the combat plan!
Luo Shang concealed this from the brothers, leading them to the forefront, attracting the fire from Fierce Beast Race, delaying time, allowing more from the Fierce Beast Race to come, so the ambush trap could hold more!
It can be said, he deliberately exchanged the lives of the Brotherhood members for a chance at military success.
Most egregious was his deception.
If he had spoken the truth, the brothers of the Brotherhood would at least have had the right to choose.
But deceiving is equivalent to tricking people into a death trap.
That bloody battle harvested over two hundred Fierce Beast Race heads, but among the eighteen who went out with Luo Shang from the Brotherhood, only four returned alive.
After that return, Luo Shang was accused, becoming the public enemy of the Brotherhood.
Originally, the Brotherhood planned to execute family law, severely punishing Luo Shang.
But Luo Shang, after returning to the city, went directly to the Thunder Riders’ base. Before the Brotherhood could react, Luo Shang had already exchanged the accumulated merits over the years for a squad leader position in the Thunder Riders.
He transformed, becoming a member of the regular army in Snow Cliff Pass, donned a uniform, became part of the official personnel.
Thus, the Brotherhood could not go after him for punishment — if they dared to attack Snow Cliff Pass’s guard, it would be a crime of treason.
Hence, in the eyes of the Brotherhood, Luo Shang became a traitor who sold out his brothers for war achievements, exchanging brothers’ blood for merit, a vile person.