CHAPTER 648: CHAPTER 314: AKSE!

"We wanted to ask you that," KIKI directly slapped the table and said bluntly, "Tell us, what’s the deal with collecting tolls for the sand bandits?"

The moment the words were spoken, everyone turned their eyes sharply towards Hu Lushou.

Sun Chang stood aside, still wearing a poker face.

Hu Lushou paused in the act of pouring wine, and with an awkward smile on his face said, "Everyone here knows each other well enough, so I won’t hide it from you, here’s the deal..."

He cleared his throat, sat down on the sofa next to him, and said, "This place is rampant with sand bandits. Recently, they’ve even formed some sort of infamous alliance. It’s a whirlwind of villainy. Countless caravans have been plundered, robbed, they do everything from murder to rape. From my standpoint of upholding justice, I bravely stepped out to vow for..."

"Tell the truth."

Sun Chang suddenly interrupted from the side, without showing any respect for her boss.

Lin Xian looked at Hu Lushou and smiled, glancing at the time on his watch, "It’s almost dark, so don’t waste any more time. I just want to know what this toll fee is about, and if possible, a bit of information on the sand bandits’ movements would be nice."

Hu Lushou’s expression subtly changed: "Actually, it’s nothing complicated. When I arrived here, I ran into the sand bandits. I negotiated with them, saying I could help them collect tolls. Any convoy that pays the toll would be given a specially designated signal device, so that when they head to Quan City, the sand bandits along the route would turn a blind eye, this is the deal."

"So you collaborated with the sand bandits to save your own skin?" Ning Jing said coldly.

"That’s not right!"

Hu Lushou immediately stood up and retorted, "You don’t understand, ever since I reached this deal with the Iron Alliance of sand bandits, the attacks in the Western Desert have decreased by at least 70%, 70% folks! Not saying I should be enshrined, but thanks are surely in order."

Lin Xian laughed lightly upon hearing this and then stood up too, "Regarding the temple, I don’t know, but those sand bandits around Akse probably prepared an iron temple for you to relax in."

After saying this, he gestured to leave.

"Captain Lin, save me!"

Unexpectedly, Lin Xian’s words were barely out when Hu Lushou’s smug expression instantly changed, and he fell to his knees with a thud, appearing begging as he said, "Don’t go, don’t go, I’ll explain, I’ll explain everything, okay?"

"Wow, you kneeled fast enough." KIKI said, surprised.

The others were somewhat astonished at this moment too.

On the contrary, Sun Chang, Hu Lushou’s assistant, wore a disdainful expression of familiarity, as if she had seen her boss kneel plenty of times.

After Lin Xian sat down again, Hu Lushou hurriedly stood up, his expression complicated.

"To be honest, Captain Lin, you might not believe it. I do this not just for money and survival, there’s another aspect—helping those small caravans find a way to live."

Lin Xian looked at him: "Do you believe your own words?"

"They are sand bandits, will they really speak of integrity?" Qian Deli said sarcastically, "Even so, one Blood Essence for five people, you’re capitalizing on calamity."

Hu Lushou sighed, "I know very well that sand bandits are unreliable."

"Then why do you..."

Hu Lushou raised his hand to signal him to finish speaking.

He pushed aside the cup on the low table, revealing a map of Akse, and then pointed at the map.

"Because of the Star Abyss No.5, Haiqu can’t be traversed anymore, so Akse is the key route to Quan City. I know well that one Blood Essence for five people is expensive, and even after paying Blood Essence, those sand bandits wouldn’t hold back much. The major bandit groups nearby mellow down a bit because of the fees they receive, but elsewhere they wouldn’t. They say they’ve formed an alliance, but I scoff, how could a group of post-apocalyptic criminals stick to principles?"

"But the key is, once these survivor caravans converge at Akse, whether they pay a toll or just rest, with so many caravans here, those sand bandits wouldn’t dare harass or plunder given..." he glanced at Lin Xian warily and chuckled, "A lot of people have paid the tolls after all..."

After saying this, his expression immediately became solemn again, "So, for caravans here, whether they pay or not, they can do one thing."

"What thing?" KIKI asked.

"Alliance!" Hu Lushou suddenly slapped the table seriously, "Because those sand bandits only target medium and small convoys, they don’t dare provoke larger ones, so if medium and small caravans unite here, they’d be much safer."

"Oh~" KIKI looked at him with interest, "So what you mean is you’ve provided such a platform, on the surface collecting tolls, but in reality warning passing convoys of bandit threats, encouraging them to huddle together to survive?"

"Exactly!" Hu Lushou clapped his hands, wearing an expression of finally being understood.

Lin Xian looked at him, "We’ve encountered those sand bandits before, involved in kidnappings and looting, their weapons aren’t ordinary either. There’s definitely a large organization backing them. If this is the case, why did they agree to cooperate with you?"

Hu Lushou chuckled, "Sand bandits aren’t stupid, whoever they cooperate with is for benefits. Kidnapping and looting requires violence, but on my side, not a single shot is fired yet they receive profits, if I were a sand bandit, I’d agree too."

"And also," Hu Lushou suddenly leaned closer, his expression serious, "there’s another factor involved."