"Mountain Master Zhou, Lord Hua, try this wine, it’s fragrant."
Pan Mountain Eagle brought over two porcelain bowls, the dark red wine swaying inside.
Zhou Xuan took the wine, slled it, and said to Pan Mountain Eagle, "Why does it sll like rancid oil?"
"Oh, the cork in that broken bottle was wedged too deep, couldn’t get it out, so I smashed the glass neck with a wrench, so glass got in. I found a piece of gauze in the dining car to filter it, maybe that’s why it slls like rancid oil now..."
"..."
Zhou Xuan frowned, "You old rascal, quite handy with stuff, aren’t you?"
Painter slled it and said, "Actually, it’s sesa oil scent... not a big deal... drinkable."
He lifted the bowl and took a large gulp, not because of a craving for alcohol, but mainly thirst.
As the wine hit his stomach, Painter said to Pan Mountain Eagle, "You’re a bandit from Jingchuan Prefecture, now that you’re in Mingjiang Prefecture, lose that bandit aura, and listen more to the teachings of the great professor. If you have any unruly thoughts... consequences..."
"I know, head rolls."
Pan Mountain Eagle lit a pipe, waved his hand forcefully, causing a whirlwind that stoked the fire, burning the tobacco in the pipe vigorously. The fragrant smoke quickly rose and mixed into the wine bowl near Zhou Xuan’s hand.
"Mountain Master Zhou, sll it again, now it has the scent of the human world, and the sesa oil scent is gone."
Zhou Xuan picked up the bowl of wine, took another sll, and found that not only was the offensive oil sll gone, but it had a smoky aroma that blended well with the wine, giving it a unique flavor.
He tasted a small sip and imdiately felt satisfied, saying, "With the smoke mixed in, it’s much better... For a bandit, you’re surprisingly good at serving people?"
"We folks from Mountain Eagle Village aren’t really bandits; we’re all house slaves raised by the Eagle Lord, don’t mind our hunchback, we’re handy. Don’t mind my single eye, I’m especially sharp-eyed."
"I see, so you’re coming with us to Mingjiang, the Eagle Lord..."
"I hope the Eagle Lord will not contact anymore; I’ve changed allegiance."
Pan Mountain Eagle took out another brand new silver pipe, filled it with tobacco for Zhou Xuan, lit it, and handed it over: "When I travel, no matter how urgent, I always prepare a new pipe, so that I can share it with distinguished people."
"Hiss..." Zhou Xuan took a puff, the mountain leaves’ flavor was strong, initially unaccustod, but as it twirled in the throat, the llow taste erged.
He asked, "All the folks in your village, are they all hunchbacked?"
"We’re all people with unfortunate fates, normal from a young age, abducted by the Eagle Lord to the mountains to be slaves. The Eagle Lord, afraid we’d run, let eagles peck at our spines, causing our upper bodies to bend forward constantly, growing up into hunchbacks."
"Is your Eagle Lord that ruthless?"
"Afraid we’ll run is one reason. We mountain village folks are to be sold off later; so high masters don’t live on the ground, they dwell in caves and earth caverns—being hunchbacked makes one shorter, inconvenient outside the mountains but suitable for avoiding bumps in those caves and caverns."
Zhou Xuan understood from here—folk like Pan Mountain Eagle are actually "hunchback slaves," facing a special client group.
"One eagle slave, fifteen thousand Jing Country bills."
Pan Mountain Eagle said, "Those high masters living in caverns and caves are capricious, often without sunlight, their thods unpredictably sinister; anger them, and you might end up dismbered—though I’m an elder at Eagle Village, it’s nominal. If a master fancies , I too must serve, a path of no return."
This last part was Pan Mountain Eagle’s heartfelt voice,
The reason he so readily followed Zhou Xuan was to bid farewell to Eagle Village. Raised from a young age as an eagle slave, he understands one truth too well—hit the dog and you need to consider its owner.
With Zhou Xuan backing him, even the Eagle Lord wouldn’t dare approach with trouble—even Jingchuan Prefecture’s Sun Patrol God calls him "Mountain Master."
"Alright, follow in the future; I lack a fierce one, a pair of eyes around."
Zhou Xuan said.
With guides and those of incense offerings around, he still lacked soone for dirty work, soone ruthless, a "Dark Door" cadre. Walking the path of worshipping gods inevitably involves so ssy deeds, soone had to handle them.
With Zhou Xuan’s words, Pan Mountain Eagle’s face lit up—this ant Zhou Xuan was taking him as a "disciple." He drove an iron awl into the train floor and solemnly declared: "Pan Mountain Eagle drifts through life with the only regret of not finding a wise master; if the Mountain Master won’t abandon, I am willing..."
"..."
"To hold the reins and lead the horse, ready to serve!"
Zhou Xuan finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, "From now on, with , put in so work, you won’t suffer."
"Thank you, Mountain Master."
Pan Mountain Eagle gave an earnest bow, thinking it’s the fate of an "eagle slave"—serving one or another, it doesn’t matter. Besides, Zhou Xuan’s deanor and manner are leagues beyond the Eagle Lord.
"You, truly fortunate."
The Painter patted Pan Mountain Eagle on the shoulder with deep aning.
...
The train stopped at Mingjiang Prefecture’s station. Zhou Xuan alighted, had Bone Elder and City God Disciples, who were maintaining order, carry off the bodies from the train.
The highway robber eagle slaves were lined up, the dead wealthy of Mingjiang Prefecture too were lined up.
Zhou Xuan addressed the still gathered crowd in front of the train station: "What did I say... Everyone in Mingjiang Prefecture is under protection, anyone taking advantage during our difficult ti, I’ll deal with them. However, if you leave Mingjiang Prefecture—no one will protect you anymore, and they could hang you up like dogs slaughtered,
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