However, after the wealthy merchant made his promise, no one present dared to fight the monster to the death, at least, the bodyguards were unwilling.
As the saying goes, no one is completely fearless, and that included Feng Yang.
Without the help of the bodyguards, the few servants the merchant had brought were no match for the Golden Demon. Helpless and forced by the situation, the merchant had no choice but to give up his wealth.
He waved his hand, looking pained, and said, "Alright, take it. As long as it gets rid of that monster."
Since the wealthiest merchant had agreed, the other passengers naturally followed suit, taking out their money. The coins were placed into the merchant's chest, which was then carried by a bodyguard and presented to the Golden Demon. This represented the entire wealth of the caravan.
Seemingly sensing that no one had any more money to give, the Golden Demon picked up the treasure chest and prepared to leave.
However, the golden demon's actions made Feng Yang, who was standing nearby, feel uneasy.
The golden demon wasn't human. According to the bodyguards, the monster's craving for money was simply an obsession from its previous life. It was said that the golden demon could survive without food, as monsters born in the 'worm-infested area' needed no sustenance. So why was it taking all the money? For a monster, hoarding currency was completely useless.
Thinking this, Feng Yang slowly moved closer to the wealthy merchant and whispered, "Why is that monster taking the money?"
"Oh, right!"
Reminded by Feng Yang, the wealthy merchant suddenly realized the problem. Something was wrong with the golden demon.
The merchant summoned his servant and, pointing at the golden demon, said, "Stop it! That thing is definitely suspicious."
The golden demon's first reaction upon seeing money should have been to eat it all. Therefore, the golden demon carrying the treasure chest away was clearly acting out of character.
At the wealthy merchant's command, his servants immediately rushed forward, swords in hand, and surrounded the golden demon. The servants were terrified of the monster, but unlike the bodyguards, they could not disobey their master.
Fighting the golden demon would, at most, result in their deaths, and their families might even receive a reward. If they became runaway slaves, however, they would not only be wanted by the authorities but their families would also be punished.
Surrounded by the servants, the golden demon froze as if terrified. Even its skinless face showed a hint of fear. After a standoff of two or three seconds, the golden demon finally broke. It threw the chest to the ground, immediately knelt, and begged for mercy: "Don't kill me!"
This dramatic turn surprised everyone present. Monsters generally do not speak, and they certainly never beg for mercy from humans. Clearly, this golden demon was a human in disguise. It was unclear how this person had managed to stuff coins into his mouth without revealing the trick, but his impersonation had fooled the entire caravan.
"That bastard!" Seeing this, the wealthy merchant was furious. He cursed and then shouted at his servants, "Kill him!"
These servants, who had been hesitant to face a monster, were now fearless against a kneeling, unarmed human begging for his life.
Seeing their resolve, the imposter grew even more terrified. He turned to Li, the head bodyguard of the caravan, and roared, "Boss, save me!"
...
The scene instantly became awkward.
Hearing the 'Golden Demon's' cry, Li was speechless. Because of that idiot's "Boss," their scheme had been completely exposed.
In that moment, almost everyone in the caravan understood that the golden demon was in cahoots with the bodyguards.
The bodyguards had disguised one of their own as a monster to rob the caravan. If word got out, it wouldn't just be a question of whether the escort agency could continue operating, the government in this world was extremely sensitive about monsters and evil spirits. If the authorities learned of this, the bodyguards would likely face imprisonment.
If the imposter hadn't exposed him, Li could have found a way to 'accidentally' let him escape later. But now, to prevent the truth from getting out, the only option was to kill everyone to silence them.
Not only was head bodyguard Li speechless, but the other passengers also realized the crux of the matter. Clearly, a fierce battle was inevitable. This desolate wilderness was an ideal place for murder and body disposal.
Some quick-thinking individuals, before the escorts could even act, fled in different directions. Feng Yang was among them.
Meanwhile, the bodyguards didn't hesitate. Before some passengers could react, head bodyguard Li drew his long sword and struck first, killing one of them. He wasn't the only one to launch a sneak attack; his men were also perfectly in sync, as if this was not their first time doing something like this.
Originally, there were eleven bodyguards present, along with thirteen passengers and servants. After the bodyguards' sneak attacks, four servants lay dead. Only nine opponents remained.
The situation was now completely under head bodyguard Li's control. The bodyguards were all trained in martial arts and, having traveled extensively, possessed considerable combat experience.
Bodyguard Li knew that even if everyone scattered and fled, survival would be difficult. This was especially true for the obese merchant; his bulky body meant he would be hacked to death before he could get far.
Thus, to save his life, the merchant dropped to his knees without hesitation. He begged for mercy, "Don't kill me! Let me go, I promise I won't tell anyone, I swear a solemn oath!"
As he knelt and begged, tears streamed down his face, devoid of any dignity befitting a man of his status, displaying utter humility.
Thud!
However, the merchant's plea was answered by Bodyguard Li's long sword. The merchant's head rolled to the ground.
Simultaneously, Bodyguard Li shouted to the men beside him, "After them!"
Without hesitation, the eleven bodyguards split into eight groups and chased after the fleeing passengers.
…
The bodyguard Chen Xingwu moved swiftly through the forest, having been in pursuit for nearly five minutes. This puzzled him.
After all, the man he was chasing, though he carried a long sword at his waist, had incredibly smooth skin and no calluses on his hands. Clearly, such a person was either a wealthy young master or a frail scholar. Judging from the man's shabby appearance, he was undoubtedly a poor scholar.
The problem was, even though Chen Xingwu had already infused his feet with 'strength,' granting him speed far exceeding that of ordinary people, he could only just keep pace with the scholar.
This was outrageous.
"Why was this guy so fast?"