As the first light of dawn bathed the mountain pass, the full reality of the bandit attack came into focus. What had appeared to be a large, threatening force the night before was now revealed as an elaborate ruse. Torches mounted on sticks had been strategically placed, their movement controlled by hidden ropes. Small coal blocks, tucked away in concealed areas, had been ignited to create the illusion of thick fog. Less than thirty bandits were responsible for the deception, each playing their part in a performance that had sent fear coursing through the hearts of their victims.

Hidden in a nearby cave, the bandits dismantled the remnants of their trickery. Metal objects that had been clanged together to mimic the sound of marching soldiers were being packed away. As the cleanup unfolded, Xiao Minho, stood in front of the stolen cargo, her small frame casting a shadow in the soft morning light.

Brother Yuan and Brother Gu, two of the senior bandits, approached the cargo, grinning as they pried open the crates. "As always, since this brilliant plan was yours, you get to choose one item for yourself, but" Brother Yuan said with a chuckle. His voice was gruff but carried a note of respect.

Minho, her expression still that of a playful child despite the cunning she’d just displayed, smiled sweetly. In her soft, almost innocent voice, she replied, “It can’t be something that will fetch a large amount in the market.”

The two bandits exchanged a knowing smile. Brother Yuan gestured towards the items in the crate, and Minho began to sift through the cargo, her small hands carefully examining each piece. The haul consisted mostly of colored glass—beautiful but impractical for the brotherhood’s usual dealings. Yet, it was valuable, and that was what mattered most.

After a moment, Minho’s eyes lit up as she picked out a small, circular piece of deep red glass, no bigger than a coin. Holding it up to the light, she turned to Brother Yuan and said with a delighted grin, “I want this red one.”

Brother Gu, watching her play with the glass, chuckled. “Glass like this is rare. We’ve got quite the haul here, it’ll fetch us a good sum,” he said with a grin. Then, scratching his head, he added, “But I still don’t get why such a small group was transporting something this valuable.”

Minho, uninterested in the larger implications, twirled the glass between her fingers, peering through it as the sunlight refracted in vibrant hues. “Wow, it looks amazing,” she murmured, lost in the beauty of the object.

Brother Yuan, hefting a heavy crate with Brother Gu, called out to her, his voice laced with caution, “Be careful with that, and don’t go wandering into unknown areas.”

As the two men continued with their work, Brother Gu shook his head, still in disbelief. “I can’t believe that little brat’s such a clever mind.”

Brother Yuan grunted in agreement, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Taking her advice was the best decision I ever made,” he admitted, a note of admiration in his voice.

As he spoke, his mind drifted back to the day he had found Minho, a small, fragile four-year-old girl abandoned in the mountain forest. The memory was vivid—how the brotherhood had struggled to care for her when it was difficult enough to feed themselves. He remembered her soft cries during their raids, mourning every fallen brother and sister. No matter how hardened they had become over the years, seeing her sadness always tugged at their hearts.

Every time the brotherhood prepared for a raid, Minho would beg them to return safely, clinging to each person in turn as if her embrace could protect them. When she was a little older, she would throw tantrums, demanding to join the raids. Yet, no matter how insistent she was, they never allowed her to come along, fearing the dangers that lay ahead.

“She used to call herself a burden,” Brother Gu said, heaving the cargo up the hill. His voice carried a faint trace of fondness, softened by the memory of the girl’s younger days.

One of the other bandits looked over in disbelief. “What? She said that? How could she think of herself as a burden? We all loved that little creature she is one of our own.”

The voice belonged to Sister Yang, a striking woman whose beauty endured despite the harsh life they led, thanks to her relentless dedication to martial arts. Her strength and grace were well-known, and her affection for Minho was no secret either.

Brother Yuan, now helping Gu with the cargo, nodded in agreement. “She really did, Sister Yang,” he replied, his tone reflective. “But look at her now—coming up with clever plans that save us from the need for bloodshed. It’s thanks to her that the dissenters, the ones who never wanted her in the brotherhood, have no ground to stand on anymore.”

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Sister Yang, balancing torches and sticks, gave a small, satisfied nod. "True. She's proven herself more than capable. We no longer have to listen to the grumbling of those fools."

But then, her expression darkened slightly as she added, “Still, not everyone has changed their tune. Some of Senior Brother Dao’s men back at the base still harbor the same old grudges.”

Brother Yuan sighed, his face hardening. “They'll come around. Or they'll regret it.” He glanced back at Minho, who stood at the top of the hill, clutching the small piece of glass she had chosen, her dark eyes glittering with satisfaction.

After a full day’s trek, the band of thirty bandits finally reached their makeshift village nestled on the mountain top. A crude wooden board at the entrance bore the name Thunder Sky Brotherhood, swaying slightly in the wind. Inside the village, about twenty more bandits were scattered about, busy with various tasks. Some practiced martial arts with serious focus, others tended to the stolen cattle, while a few gathered around small fires, cooking meals or planting seeds in the rocky soil.

As Brother Yuan and his group arrived, the other bandits quickly rushed to assist, unloading the haul and offering water to the tired travelers. Yuan accepted a cup of water gratefully, wiping his brow as he drank. One of the bandits approached him, eager for instructions.

“Go tell Senior Brother Minfe and Senior Brother Dao that I need to speak with them at the old tree. We’ve got a good haul—and a couple of hostages to discuss,” Yuan ordered, his voice steady but laced with authority.

As the bandit hurried off to relay the message, Yuan's gaze wandered, searching for Minho. He spotted her a short distance away, still lost in her own world, gazing through the small red piece of glass she had taken earlier. She twirled it between her fingers, the sunlight casting playful red glimmers on her pale face as she walked aimlessly around. A small smile crept onto Yuan’s face as he watched her, the clever girl who had become an unexpected pillar of their group. With a sigh, he turned and headed toward the old tree.

The old tree was a towering behemoth at the far edge of the village, its thick, gnarled roots snaking across the ground like ancient veins. Reaching at least eighty meters into the sky, its twisted branches spread wide, offering shade and a sense of authority over the surrounding area. It was beneath this tree that the most important discussions of the Thunder Sky Brotherhood took place—a sacred spot for decisions and strategies.

As Yuan approached, two figures stood waiting beneath the tree’s expansive canopy.

The first was Senior Brother Minfe, a man in his mid-thirties with a commanding presence. His physique was lean but muscular, honed from years of disciplined martial arts training. His long black hair was tied back in a neat topknot, and his sharp, angular features gave him the look of a hawk surveying the landscape. He wore simple robes, but the way he carried himself showed that he was no ordinary bandit—his eyes gleamed with intelligence and a quiet ruthlessness. He was known for his tactical mind and ability to stay calm under pressure, often seen as the brain behind many of the brotherhood's most successful operations.

Beside him stood Senior Brother Dao, a stark contrast in both appearance and demeanor. Where Minfe was slender and calculating, Dao was large and imposing, a mountain of a man with broad shoulders and thick, corded muscles. His face was weathered and scarred from years of battle, and his heavy beard added to his intimidating presence. His eyes, though often calm, carried a simmering intensity, the kind that warned others not to cross him. Unlike Minfe’s quiet intellect, Dao led with strength and brute force, preferring action over deliberation. He wore a thick leather vest and trousers, both worn from constant use, with a large sword strapped to his back.

As Yuan approached, the two men turned to face him, their expressions unreadable but alert.

“Brothers,” Yuan greeted with a respectful nod, “we have much to discuss. The haul was good, but we’ve also taken two hostages. I wanted your advice on what to do with them.”

Minfe raised an eyebrow, his sharp eyes narrowing in thought. Dao, on the other hand, cracked his knuckles and grunted, “Let’s hear it, then.”

Yuan began recounting the events of the day, knowing that the decision made beneath the ancient tree would seal the fate of their captives. His voice was steady, but his mind raced through the possibilities as he laid out the situation before Minfe and Dao.

“So, he’s the son of the Cloud Dragon Merchant Group?” Minfe's sharp eyes gleamed with concern, his usually calm demeanor stiffening. “This could be a problem. Killing him would bring the wrath of the entire Merchant Group down on us—they’d send an army to the mountains. It’s fortunate you captured him instead.”

Dao grunted in agreement, his arms crossed over his broad chest. “We can't afford a direct confrontation with them. I think negotiating for his release is the smarter move. Demand a ransom.”

Yuan nodded. “That’s what I was thinking as well.”

Minfe, ever the strategist, rubbed his chin thoughtfully before speaking. “Leave the merchant’s son’s trusted subordinate in Jing Village. Have him Send a message to the Cloud Dragon Merchant Group. Tell them if they want their young master back, they’ll have to pay up—demand fifty gold coins.”

Both Yuan and Dao exchanged startled glances, surprised by the high price. Yuan knew that fifty gold was a bold ask, but Minfe's plan was sound. Starting with a high demand meant the merchant group would try to bargain, but even if they cut the price down, it would still be a significant haul.

“I see your point. It’s easier to negotiate down from a high figure,” Yuan said, nodding in agreement.

Dao grunted his approval, though his eyes narrowed with skepticism. “You brought him here blindfolded, right? And took him through the confusing mountain route?”

Yuan confirmed with a nod. “Yes. He won’t be able to retrace his steps even if he tried.”

Minfe clapped his hands once. “Good. Then it's settled. Now, about the haul from the raid?”

Yuan gestured toward the crates they had brought back. “We got colored glass,valuable stuff. We estimate it’ll fetch at least five gold coins, maybe more.”

Both Minfe and Dao’s eyes lit up with approval. A haul this valuable was a rare find in the mountains, especially for such a small raid. With that kind of wealth, the brotherhood could easily sustain itself for the next month, with plenty left over for supplies.

Minfe smiled, satisfied with the day’s work. “That’ll keep the Thunder Sky Brotherhood well-fed and stocked for weeks.”

Dao, always practical, shifted his gaze to Yuan. “Any casualties?”

Yuan puffed out his chest slightly, his pride evident. “None, thanks to Minho’s plan. We outwitted them without losing a single man.”

Dao clicked his tongue, though it was in approval this time. “Good job.”

Minfe, always quick to give credit where it was due, nodded appreciatively. “Minho’s been a valuable asset to us. That clever head of hers.”

Yuan’s gaze shifted toward the village, where Minho could still be seen wandering around with the small piece of glass she had claimed for herself. A small, satisfied smile crossed his lips. She may have started out as the vulnerable child they rescued, but now, her intelligence and cunning had cemented her place in the brotherhood.

“Well then,” Minfe said, standing tall beneath the old tree’s sprawling branches, “we’ll make the necessary preparations for the ransom. In the meantime, let’s make sure the rest of the goods are secured.”