"Do you remember the Treasure Hoarders I mentioned before?"
"Yeah…" Jiang Bai recalled Hu Tao bringing them up before—how they frequently roamed ruins in search of treasure.
But as far as he knew, treasure hunting was one thing. Would these people really go as far as robbing passersby?
"Don't tell me they actually prey on travelers too?"
Hu Tao shrugged, not answering directly. Instead, she tilted her chin forward, gesturing ahead. "See those people resting up there? That's them. Why don't you go test it out yourself?"
"Huh?" Jiang Bai followed her gaze.
A short distance away, a few figures—faces partially covered with cloth—were either sitting or lounging around. Their postures were casual, but their presence was anything but reassuring.
"Those are the Treasure Hoarders?"
He had heard of them plenty of times, but this was his first time seeing them in person.
"That's right."
"Most people who turn to banditry do so out of poverty and a lack of education, and the Treasure Hoarders are no exception. They dedicate themselves to digging up and looting treasures, dreaming of striking it rich overnight to escape their poor lives…"
"But more often than not, even if they do find treasure, the ones who joined out of desperation rarely get much of a share. They're stuck at the bottom of the chain."
"And because most of them are uneducated, their moral compass tends to be nonexistent. So when they see someone who looks easy to push around, they won't hesitate to rob them."
Hu Tao seemed well-acquainted with their ways—probably because she'd had her fair share of run-ins with them.
After all, a lone young girl wandering the mountains must have seemed like an easy target more than once.
"So that's how it is…"
With Hu Tao's explanation, Jiang Bai finally understood the nature of these people.
Put simply, they were no different from common street thugs—spending their days scheming and causing trouble instead of doing anything useful.
He pointed at himself, uncertain. "Do I… look like an easy target?"
Jiang Bai—tall, strong, with an eight-pack, absurd strength, and the ability to manipulate elemental energy without a Vision—looked easy to bully?
Hu Tao raised an eyebrow. "Go try and find out."
"Alright, alright, I'm going…"
The confidence he'd just built up with all those self-affirmations vanished in an instant under his boss's intimidating gaze.
"Remember to hide your Vision," Hu Tao reminded him.
Jiang Bai tucked his Vision into his pocket and then strode forward with an air of nonchalance.
With a bamboo basket on his back and dressed in simple clothes, he looked exactly like a wandering herb gatherer—a harmless traveler, no threat whatsoever.
And sure enough, the moment he approached, one of the masked men immediately sprang to his feet.
"Stop right there!"
---
Li Si used to be a miner. He worked deep in the caves of the Chasm until its closure left him jobless.
Even though he received government stipends, he had no skills besides mining. With nothing else to do, he eventually fell in with the Treasure Hoarders.
But even after joining, all he ever did was grunt work. Even when they found treasure, he was always one of the last to get a share.
They had heard rumors that the amber on Mt. Hulao contained precious artifacts, so he and his crew had come in search of fortune.
The problem was, this amber was exceptionally tough—just breaking one piece took them over ten minutes of smashing.
So far, all they had freed from the amber were Hilichurls and wild boars—no treasures in sight.
Then, just as they were about to move deeper into the mountains, one of their own got sealed inside an amber chunk.
Afterward, they spent ages running from a furious wild boar that had been freed from another amber, barely managing to take it down. The only upside? That boar was now their dinner.
At the moment, they were resting, eating their hard-earned meal—until a lone, scrawny-looking herb gatherer happened to wander their way.
One of their sharper comrades immediately jumped out, and seeing the opportunity, Li Si followed suit. No way was he going to let someone else claim an easy mark.
"You took the wrong path," one of them declared.
"Huh?"
The young man they had just cornered blinked in confusion, as if he hadn't fully grasped the situation. He even tried to sidestep them.
Realizing he'd screwed up his intimidation line, Li Si scrambled to fix it—only for another comrade to beat him to it.
"You made the wrong choice!"
The speaker was their group's Pyro Alchemist—the guy responsible for brewing up explosive concoctions. He was also the one who had organized this little expedition.
Li Si wasn't about to interrupt him, so he kept quiet as the three of them closed in on their seemingly timid prey.
"Wh-What do you want…? I-I'm not afraid of you…"
The young man curled in on himself, his body trembling. His voice shook so much that he even stammered.
Li Si grinned. Heh, jackpot. This one's a total pushover.
---
Up on a higher ledge, Hu Tao popped a sunflower seed into her mouth and cracked it open, watching the scene below with great amusement.
"That guy's even acting now… Not bad, his performance is pretty convincing."
Beside her, Qiqi stood silently, completely puzzled.
Why go through all this trouble? If they're bad guys, wouldn't it be easier to just beat them up and be done with it?
Qiqi didn't get it. But that was because she wasn't someone who sought entertainment.
Jiang Bai and Hu Tao, on the other hand? They lived for fun.
The psychological trauma these Treasure Hoarders were about to endure? Not their problem.
And if this experience made them rethink their choices and quit thievery for good—well, that would be a bonus.
---
"Hand over all your Mora and valuables!"
One of the Treasure Hoarders—a burly guy wielding a shovel—slapped the tool against his palm menacingly. His expression made it clear that if Jiang Bai didn't comply, things would get ugly.
Would the timid, poor Jiang Bai accept such a demand?
Of course not!
He answered honestly, "I don't have anything valuable on me. And I barely have any Mora…"
His tone was so sincere it was almost pitiful. At this rate, he might as well strip down to prove he had nothing of worth.
But rather than believe him, the Treasure Hoarders took his words as defiance.
Li Si and his two companions stepped in closer, adding more pressure.
"Enough talking! We know you have something—hand it over!"
The Pyro Alchemist pulled out a vial filled with a volatile chemical, tapping it against his palm. If shattered, it would unleash a burst of flames.
"I really don't… I came to the mountains to gather herbs because I don't have any Mora…"
Jiang Bai tried to explain, but none of them believed him. Instead, his insistence only made them more impatient.
"Enough nonsense! We'll just search you and find out for ourselves!"
---
T/N: 8 pack huh... hehuehue show me wheres proof heuhueh
...
If you're reading this, then you've wandered all the way to the end. I'm impressed. Stories are like wine—meant to be savored, not rushed. So if you took your time? Thank you.
Of course, the real thanks goes to WiseTL—the one who turned tangled words into something beautiful. I just got asked to wrap things up with a ribbon. Hopefully this counts!
If you enjoyed the journey and want to support the person who made it possible, you can find them here:
👉 [patreon.com/WiseTL]
Go on. Be generous. They've earned it.
Until next time—read well, rest often, and maybe come visit me at the Hostess of Fertility sometime.
– Syr ✨