Immortal Travel of Longevity

Chen Changsheng was hauled up the mountain by the gang of bandits just like that.

After his previous kidnapping in the Northwest, he found the routine quite familiar this time.

He didn't resist, struggle, or yell. He simply followed them.

Eventually, the bandits brought him to a cell.

The conditions here were much worse than at Prince Kang's camp.

It was damp, dark, and reeked of urine. Still, it was bearable for Chen Changsheng.

"Stay put and behave!"

They locked Chen Changsheng inside and left.

It was a single large cell. Once inside, Chen Changsheng finally got a clear look at his surroundings.

Most were women. The few men present were already emaciated from starvation, their minds visibly fraying.

"Hey, how did you get caught?" someone asked.

Chen Changsheng answered, "I didn't have any money on me, so they dragged me in."

"Oh..."

"Then you're just like the rest of them."

The speaker was a Plump Girl. Though her frame was stout, her face was thin and drawn, as if she hadn't eaten a full meal in days.

The Plump Girl said, "But don't worry. Write a letter, and maybe someone will come save you."

Chen Changsheng looked at her. "Is that how all of you were brought in? Are you waiting for friends or family to ransom you?"

The Plump Girl said, "Most of the ones who had someone to ransom them are already gone. As for the rest of us, either no one came, or they couldn't afford it."

"Then there are the pretty girls, who don't even get the chance to be ransomed. Dragged in today, sold off tomorrow."

The Plump Girl sighed. "But looking at you, your family must have money. The bandits probably won't make things difficult for you."

Chen Changsheng asked, "If no one comes to ransom you, what happens to you?"

"We just wait." The Plump Girl sighed again. "Sometimes, if they're in a good mood, they might let a couple of people go. If they're in a bad mood, our heads might roll. They've already killed two people..."

"But it also depends on luck."

"If they capture a rich person and we get on his good side, he might be willing to spend a little extra to ransom us out too. One guy managed to get out exactly like that."

She looked at him. "If you get a chance to leave, could you help me out?"

She didn't actually hold out much hope; she was just asking on the off chance.

Chen Changsheng smiled. "Sure."

At that, the others in the cell immediately raised their heads.

"Brother, could you..."

"Please save me. I can work. I can do anything."

"Save me. I know a little martial arts and can keep you safe."

"Young Master, have mercy..."

Seeing the crowd swarming toward him, Chen Changsheng paused. "We'll talk about it if the chance arises," he said.

"Young Master, you must remember me."

"My Lord..."

The Plump Girl glared at the crowd. "Hey, hey, what are you doing? I asked him first."

She was shoved to the back.

She was indignant, but there was nothing she could do.

With a sigh, she quieted down.

Chen Changsheng looked at the people pressing in on him. "Get some rest. As This Chen has said, if there is a chance, I will definitely save you."

The crowd nodded repeatedly, already treating him like their savior.

Chen Changsheng looked at the Plump Girl and waved her over.

She paused and pointed at herself.

Chen Changsheng nodded.

Unafraid, she walked over and sat down beside him.

"How did you end up in here?" he asked.

"I was captured along with my family's young miss," the Plump Girl said. "Later, the master sent someone to ransom her. He probably felt it wasn't worth spending the silver taels on me, so he left me behind."

"I see," Chen Changsheng said. "How long have you been here?"

"About ten days." She sighed. "I wrote a letter to my family too. Even though I was sold to the manor, I still feel like my parents would bring the money to ransom me..."

"And if they don't?"

"Then I guess I die. Or you could ransom me out with you. After that, I'll follow you, if you wouldn't mind."

Chen Changsheng smiled. "Then I'll ransom you out when the time comes."

The Plump Girl blinked. "A guy who came here before said the exact same thing. Skinny helped him a lot, even shared his food. But in the end, the guy left all by himself. Skinny was so furious he cursed him out for ages. Sigh..."

"Which one is Skinny?" Chen Changsheng asked.

"He's dead."

"How did he die?"

"The bandits thought he was too noisy, so they hacked him to death."

"Are the bandits really that ruthless?"

"Tell me about it," the Plump Girl said. "It's best to be careful in here."

Chen Changsheng nodded, then asked, "Do you know roughly how many of them are up on this mountain?"

She thought for a moment. "Quite a lot. When I was first dragged up here, I saw over a dozen. Every single one was holding a blade, and some even had blood on them. It was terrifying."

"Hasn't the Local Government done anything about it?"

The Plump Girl lowered her voice. "I heard someone say they gave silver taels to the Local Government, so they're never bothered."

Chen Changsheng froze. "I heard that the King of Wei governs with the people as his foundation. Things like this shouldn't happen, right?"

"It must happen in secret," the Plump Girl said. "Officials and bandits are in it together. At the end of the day, isn't it all just for money?"

Chen Changsheng fell deep in thought.

"Are you really going to ransom me?" she asked.

Chen Changsheng nodded. "Really."

"You aren't lying?"

"I'm not lying."

"Then I'll believe you."

"Then you'd better hurry," the Plump Girl said. "I'm afraid if they get angry one day, they'll drag me out and chop me up. I'm the biggest, so I stand out the most."

Chen Changsheng chuckled. "Maybe they'll think you're too hard to hack through and pick someone else."

"That would be best." She let out a dry laugh. "Being fat has its perks too."

Chen Changsheng smiled. "Get some rest. We can talk more tomorrow morning."

"Mhm." The Plump Girl nodded. "You should sit further back. Otherwise, if they come to grab someone and see you sitting so close to the front, they might pick you."

"Is that how it works?"

"Yeah."

"Good to know."

The two of them shifted further toward the back of the cell.

It was best not to stand out.

The Plump Girl lay down and fell asleep. Once she was asleep, she wouldn't be hungry anymore.

Chen Changsheng, on the other hand, crossed his arms and pondered how to deal with this gang of bandits. And of course, the Local Government had to be dealt with too.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!