"Damn, why did I forget that detail..."
He had arrived in a large space fitted out with 3 small wooden houses.
On the left side were several dark entrances leading to the depths of the cave.
Seeing the dilapidated state of these houses, there was no doubt that the bandits weren't staying here.
Seeing the people living here, Maxi's gaze was sombre.
In front of him were many won with lean bodies and sunken faces, their clothes virtually non-existent.
If their eyes didn't blink, Maxi would think they were just corpses.
Not far from them, too, were malnourished children who looked on with fear but also curiosity at Maxi and his group of rcenaries.
Everyone had co out of the houses after hearing the noise caused by the fighting.
In all, Maxi could quickly count that there were 5 won and a dozen children.
"Really, a beast in human form, how can anyone be so cruel?" expressed Maxi angrily.
His words were heard by the rest of the rcenaries, who said nothing, but their expressions were not pretty.
However, their impression of their leader increased slightly.
"Anyway, who's the son of a bandit here?" asked Maxi aloud with boredom.
He rembered well the promise he'd made to Romain the bandit, and he intended to fulfill it.
The children looked at each other, then one of them struggled to his feet.
But before Maxi could say anything, all the children stood up, staring at the blond man in front of them in bewildernt.
Maxi tapped his forehead lightly with his palm in annoyance.
So of the rcenaries smiled.
Shaking his head slightly, Maxi clarified his request.
"Whoever has a father nad Romain, stand, the rest sit."
A 7/8-year-old girl with short hair stood, calmly looking at Maxi.
"I killed your father," Maxi said simply, looking at the little girl.
In this world, he had no ti for moods. His main objective was always to beco strong enough to at least protect his family in the real world.
And Maxi guessed she'd soon discover the truth, so he might as well tell her straight out.
The little girl blinked several tis, but answered nothing.
"He made promise to take care of you," Maxi continued.
"But you still have the freedom to choose.
"Either you join the rcenary troop that killed your father and beco logistics personnel or even a warrior."
"Or I'll give you 10 gold coins and a sword and you can leave here on your own."
"So what do you want to do?" questioned Maxi without a hint of warmth.
The little girl remained silent for a few seconds.
The children beside her and all the rcenaries looked at her.
The atmosphere was heavy.
Many of the rcenaries had blood on their clothes and weapons.
An ordinary little girl would have run away long ago at this sight.
Yet she showed no sign of shyness.
"I...I..."
"I...I'd like to...argh."
The little girl wanted to speak, but she couldn't get the words right.
Maxi frowned.
"Peter, go give her so of your water."
"Yes chief!"
After Peter had given her so water, the little girl's face turned a little redder.
The other children looked at her enviously.
"I...I'd like to join you..." she finally replied, looking directly at Maxi.
"Okay, you'll be responsible for washing our rcenaries' clothes from today onwards." declared Maxi.
He turned and pointed to one of the 6 new rcenaries in charge of logistics.
"You'll take care of this little one and teach her everything she needs to know."
"Yes chief!"
Maxi nodded in satisfaction, then turned to leave.
"Laura, Organ, now show the way to riches!" he ordered with a happy face.
Seeing his back, the remaining won had no particular expression, but the children were surprised.
They knew that no matter how good or bad this man was, if they stayed in this cave they wouldn't survive more than a few days.
Organ and Laura inadvertently looked at each other, each with a puzzled look, but they quickly understood each other.
"Yes, boss! Follow us," replied Organ energetically as they headed deeper into the cave.
So of the rcenaries looked pityingly at the won and children, but only shook their heads and avoided the unfortunates' gaze.
This was also the case for the rcenaries from Quessoi, but whether Andrew, Peter, Terry, Jas or Izo, each wisely chose to remain silent.
For the newly recruited rcenaries, however, this was not the case. They knew these won and children.
One of them gritted his teeth and ran to Maxi.
Seeing one of their forr bandit colleagues do this, several of them felt an impulse deep in their hearts and followed him.
They soon arrived in front of Maxi.
Of course, everyone had noticed these little movents, but no one had tried to stop them.
Firstly, if these bandits wanted to do sothing dangerous then, let alone hit Maxi, it would be nice if they could still stay alive after a sword thrust.
Secondly, and also the main reason, most of the rcenaries were relatively young and wanted to save these won and children.
Maxi stopped, but said curtly:
"I already know what you want. But we're a group of rcenaries, not a group of bandits. So please don't talk to about taking these won and children with us."
This directly stopped the breath of both the forr bandits and the rcenaries behind Maxi.
However, the first to run did not admit defeat as he gritted his teeth and replied:
"To be honest, these won have been completely destroyed by our...forr comrades. But these children still have a future ahead of them!"
Maxi smiled slightly inwardly, but outwardly he wore a very cold expression.
"So do yourself a favor and put these won out of their misery. But we're not an orphanage or a charity, these children will have their own destiny in their own hands."
Maxi didn't stop there as he turned and shouted:
"That goes for everyone here too, need I repeat that you are rcenaries from now on! In the future you'll see scenes far more awful and pitiful than today!"
"Every ti we have to save everyone? With what money can I ask you?
"Let's imagine we save hundreds of won and children, can you imagine how much food hundreds of people eat every day?"
"And we'll have to lug them from battlefield to battlefield every ti?"
"And what if our future enemies kidnap these children? Have you thought about that?"
Maxi swept his gaze over the crowd behind him, but no one dared reply.
He turned back to the bandits, most of whom wore bitter expressions in the face of this reality.
"If you understand, move!" ordered Maxi furiously.
The forr bandits moved aside, except for one who remained standing, eting Maxi's eyes.
Maxi found it surprising that, after such a situation, a forr bandit was still standing up to him.
"They used to tell at school that ordinary bandits were all cowards, but it seems there are still exceptions," Maxi thought happily, despite his expression.
In reality, Maxi ca very close to the forr bandit, and just as their faces were about to et, Maxi whispered in a very slow but dry tone:
"Move...from...there!"
But the forr bandit didn't move an inch.
"If food is a problem for these children, I'll use all my inco to pay for food for these children," he replied firmly.
Maxi opened his mouth to speak, but the forr bandit cut him off directly.
"If you're afraid they'll slow us down, I'll train them to develop their physique every day, even if it ans shortening their life expectancy!" he shouted in a deafening voice.
His courage and determination impressed the rcenaries.
"If you're worried about them being a weak point, I'll train them as soon as possible to beco warriors with no fear of death! That way, if they're ever captured, they'll kill themselves imdiately!"
The bandit's voice was muffled after he had given his all to utter these few sentences, but his expression retained a steely determination.
Maxi remained silent, prolonging the strange atmosphere.
"What's your first na?" Maxi asked calmly.
"Irus, Chief" replied the forr bandit briskly.
Maxi suddenly lifted his leg, then, with intense montum, threw it towards Irus.
*crack*
Several of the bones in Irus' abdon were shattered as he flew so ten ters.
His landing a few monts later was just as painful, as his skin rubbed against the ground.
As many people looked on in shock, the person who had been speaking so forcefully the mont before found himself spitting blood on the ground the next.
Maxi slowly retracted his leg.
"Irus, can you still hear ?" Maxi questioned loudly.
The forr bandit, barely regaining his senses, heard Maxi's voice.
"I hear you, Chief.
"From now on, you'll be in charge of the nine children left here as you see fit."
Irus, who was spitting blood, was extrely happy to hear these words.
"Thank you, Chief!" replied Irus contentedly, but still spitting blood at the end of his sentence.
"However, you'll have to stay with the saber-toothed group until each of these children grows to adulthood. During this ti, you will receive no wages from the saber-toothed tigers unless you perform a ritorious act."
Irus thanked Maxi once again for his kindness, despite his seemingly heavy punishnt.
Maxi passed his gaze to the forr bandits who had accompanied Irus.
"As for you..."
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