It was an ordinary morning, just like any other, and the Hu's bandit group was enjoying their breakfast and preparing for their day's plunder. By "work", it means banditry. This particular group of bandits is led by Hu Zhao, a 3rd stage of Qi condensation realm practitioner. Hu Zhao, with his bald head, muscular physique, long beard, and ferocious face, epitomized intimidation. His right hand, the only female member of the group, was named Lian. She had achieved the cultivation level of the 1st stage of Qi condensation realm. The rest of their ranks were filled with mortal goons or underlings.

Although Hu's bandit group only had two cultivators, and they were just at the 3rd and 1st stages of Qi condensation realm, which might be considered bottom feeders amongst cultivators, they were local tyrants to mortals. Their notoriety spread far and wide in the surrounding areas.

Their hideout is located far deeper in the forest, well-hidden amidst dense trees and in a concealed location. During their operations, they venture to the edge of the forest, where they camp not too far away from the main road. The location at the edge of the forest doesn't house many dangerous wild animals or even spiritual beasts, allowing them to slightly relax their guard while waiting for their prey: passing travelers and merchants.

They have scouts hiding at the tops of trees, keeping a watchful eye out for incoming prey. As they eat, drink, laugh, and banter, suddenly, they hear a rustle from the nearby bushes, and a silhouette of a man emerges from behind the tree lines.

"Who's there?" one of the bandits calls out, drawing his weapon and getting into a battle stance.

The sudden visitor, in what appears to be a man in a full body armor, speaks in a foreign language while slowly approaching the camp.

"Stop right there!" another bandit shouts. "Who are you, and what do you want?"

"@#%$ #@$^ %#^&#%# @#%&*$%" the mysterious visitor responded, his voice garbled and in an unknown language. At the same time, he made a series of complex hand gestures, trying to convey his intentions non-verbally.

"Do you not understand our language?" asked one of the bandits, narrowing his eyes in suspicion and aiming his bow at the stranger who continued to speak in an unknown language.

"Boss, do you think he's a cultivator who's come to capture us?" whispered one of the bandits, his eyes darting nervously between the stranger and Hu Zhao.

"I can't detect his cultivation at all," Hu murmured thoughtfully, squinting at the armored figure. "Either his cultivation realm is far beyond mine, or he's simply a mortal. Considering that armor, he must have some kind of extraordinary background." After a brief moment, he commanded his men, "Lower your weapons."

With an authoritative presence, Hu Zhao stepped forward, his gaze steady on the visitor. "Greetings," he said while cupping his hands. "How may we assist you?"

A bandit by his side leaned in, whispering, "Boss, he doesn't understand our language."

Hu Zhao coughed, a hint of red tingeing his cheeks, showing a rare moment of vulnerability. "Ah, of course."

Then, without warning, the visitor produced a peculiar artifact. It was square-shaped, seemingly made of an unfamiliar material, and with a press, it lit up and began to project a series of moving images onto a nearby surface. The vividness and clarity of the images astounded the bandits. They had never witnessed such technology before.

The surroundings lit up with depictions of distant galaxies, unknown celestial bodies, and scenes that portrayed the visitor's journey and perhaps, his origins. The device, clearly a marvel of some advanced civilization, captured the complete attention of the group, particularly Hu Zhao and Lian. The bandits murmured among themselves, their faces a mix of awe and bewilderment.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Hu Zhao, leaning slightly forward, asked with evident intrigue, "What sorcery is this?" He didn't fully grasp the nuances of what was being depicted in the images or understand the mechanism behind the tool's function, but he was undeniably impressed. To him and his bandits, this artifact seemed no less than a legendary treasure.

From the side, Lian, the only woman in the group and with a spear resting gracefully in her hands, pointed to herself and simply said, "Lian." The visitor, catching on, pointed to himself and responded, "Orion."

The bandits exchanged glances, trying to piece together the limited information they had about the man called Orion, he continued using gestures, images, and the few words he had picked up, trying to convey his situation. He drew a simple map on the ground with a stick, marking his starting point and then his intended destination, the nearby village.

"Got lost, eh?" one of the bandits remarked with a smirk.

Another added, "A lone traveler, that's unusual. Especially in these woods."

Lian, with a thoughtful expression, asked, pointing towards the drawn map, "You wish to go...village?"

Orion nodded earnestly while pointing towards the direction of the village, "Village. Go."

Hu Zhao's eyes momentarily gleamed with a sinister intent, but it was gone in an instant. With a feigned warmth, he flashed the friendliest smile he could muster. Using a welcoming hand gesture, he motioned for Orion to come closer. "Friend, why don't you join us for a moment to rest? The village you're seeking is not too far from here. There's no need to hurry. Have you had your breakfast yet? We may not have anything too fancy, but you're welcome to share what we have."

Orion gives a nod and a thumbs up then walk to them. Hu Zhao, trying to exude a friendly demeanor, pointed to a small wooden stool by the campfire, indicating for Orion to sit. "Orion. Sit. Here," Hu articulated each word slowly and deliberately, emphasizing with hand gestures to ensure the message was clear.

A series of fragmented communications followed, primarily relying on hand gestures. What astounded the bandits was Orion's rapid pace of learning. In a short span, their interactions had evolved, allowing for a slightly more fluid conversation.

"Boss, do you think he's from a wealthy family who somehow got lost in the forest?" Whispered one of the bandits.

Hu Zhao squinted, observing Orion's attempts to communicate, then replied in a hushed voice, "Quite possible. Maybe he got separated from his group during some adventurous journey through the forest. And it seems that he's not a cultivator. It's our lucky day. This prey voluntarily walks into our clutches. He surely carries a lot of money, just look at that armor! So exquisite. We can also kidnap him and demand a hefty ransom from his family." The thought of ransoming a rich man and the potential loot made Hu's eyes gleam with anticipation.

The atmosphere was jovial and welcoming. Many of the bandits were engrossed in eating, drinking, singing, and occasionally striking up small conversations with Orion. However, in a discreet move, Hu Zhao signaled one of his underlings. The latter chuckled and announced, "Haha... Sorry, nature calls!" before disappearing into the nearby bushes.

But what Orion failed to notice was the underling's covert action. Emerging from the bush, he stealthily approached, axe in hand, positioning himself right behind the unsuspecting guest. Hu Zhao, witnessing this, casually picked up his drink, sipping it with a malevolent grin.

Suddenly, with a swift motion, the underling struck the back of Orion's head with the blunt side of his axe. The force of the blow was such that Orion was propelled forward, crashing face-first to the ground, motionless.

After some time had passed with Orion still unmoving, one of the bandits asked, "Is he dead?"

The man with the axe responded, "I don't know, but I hit him with everything I had. Even with that helmet on, the shock alone would be enough to knock him unconscious."

"HAHA HAHAHA... That was too easy!" exclaimed one of the bandits, wiping tears from his laughter. "He looks so out of touch with the real world. The way we fooled him so easily, he's probably some pampered rich young master who's barely set foot outside his mansion!"

"Exactly!" another chimed in, "Who knows? He probably still wets his bed... HAHAHA!" The bandits continued to laugh wantonly.

Amid the ruckus, Lian's voice cut through sharply and commandingly, "Enough chatter. Start stripping him of that armor and check his belongings. And don't forget to take that artifact that can display images." Lian remained seated in the corner, her spear resting beside her. Her demeanor was one of indifference; she had seen and been part of many such incidents in the past. This unfortunate soul's plight hardly captured her interest.

"Hehehe... aye ma'am," one of the bandits smirked, flipping the armored man's motionless body with ease. Another bandit crouched down, attempting to remove the intricately designed shoes, while a third tried to open the helmet.

The third bandit's face broke into a wicked grin as he fiddled with the helmet. "I wonder what face is hiding under this fancy helmet."