Genshin Impact: The Road to Reversal

Hong Tao smiled bitterly and said, "Yes, I don't deny that, but if it weren't for this cruel order, who would be willing to embark on this path?"

"Oh, is there something behind this?" Kuang Dao asked pretentiously.

"Huh, is that what you want to hear?" Hong Tao said, folding his arms. "Well, it's not a secret anyway. You're right. Before joining the brigade, I was indeed a bandit for a few years, but before that, I was also an ordinary farmer like those ordinary people."

Hong Tao was born in Hongjia Village in Linhui. He yearned for life in the city and left his mother to struggle alone.

Because of his strong physique, he often transported goods at the harbor, and then worked as a escort for the local escort agency.

It is not easy to work in the escort agency. Since valuables have to be transported frequently, it is inevitable that they will be intercepted by bandits or pirates whether on water or mountain roads. In order to protect himself, Hong Tao gradually mastered some skills.

After three years of being a monk, he lived on the edge of a knife and licked blood day after day. Although he was not well-off, he had earned a lot of money. But when Hong Tao returned to the village with his hard-earned wealth full of expectations, what he found lying in front of him at home was his mother's tombstone.

"Nah... Mother!"

Hong Tao's voice was trembling. He could not believe that his mother, who always had a kind smile on her face and waited for his return at the door, had left him forever.

He slowly knelt in front of the tombstone, and dropped the bag containing the reception desk to the ground. He clutched the soil tightly with both hands, as if he could grasp the warmth that had disappeared.

At this time, the villagers rushed over after hearing the crying. When they saw Hong Tao, they were shocked and embarrassed.

"Hong Tao? You're back?"

"Village chief, what's going on? My mother, how could she be like this?"

"It's a long story. After you left the village for the city, a family named Zhao suddenly moved in. They were extremely wealthy, but they abused their power to bully others and commit evil. We've all suffered greatly. Just three months ago, the bandit Zhao set his sights on your family's few acres of land and forcibly seized it. Your mother refused to confront him, but was instead beaten by his servants..."

"Three months ago? If that's the case, why didn't you report it to the police?"

"We reported it. We've been reporting it to the government for the past three years, but Zhao, the bandit, took advantage of his wealth and power to bribe local officials, so we... well, it's because we, the lower class, can't afford the taxes the government demands."

"Taxes? Yes, I have them! These Yanbi are what I've painstakingly saved over the past three years. If they want the money, let them take it. As long as it helps redress my mother's injustice..."

"At that time, I thought that as long as I could come up with enough money, I could convince the government to punish the bandit Zhao. But I was wrong. After three years away, the 3500 Yan coins I saved with great difficulty were not even one thousandth of what the bandit Zhao extorted from others for his evil deeds." Hong Tao lamented. The atmosphere around him was extremely heavy at this time.

Kuang Dao folded his arms and said, "I do want to see that. It's perfectly normal. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many people who harbor hope for their fate, only to end up in despair."

"Then what? We can't just let it go like this, right?" Kuang Dao continued to ask.

"Of course, my mother died at their hands, so how could I let them go? After losing the case, I was not only penniless, but also slandered by the criminals, leaving me covered in wounds. Sickened by rage, I grabbed the axe I usually used to chop wood at home and, despite the villagers' dissuasion, went to Bandit Zhao's house!"

That night, Hong Tao did everything he could to get revenge!

Unexpectedly, the Zhao bandit was cunning and knew that Hong Tao would not give up, so he placed secret guards outside the mansion. The moment Hong Tao sneaked into the mansion, he was surrounded by Zhao's soldiers.

Two fists cannot beat four hands. Knowing that it was futile, Hong Tao could only grit his teeth and fight to break out of the siege.

The sky was dark, the moon was invisible, and soon a torrential downpour began. He was seriously injured, his exhausted body stumbling along the muddy and wet mountain road. Heartbreak and exhaustion overwhelmed his senses, and soon he lost consciousness...

"When I opened my eyes, I found myself trapped in a small space by someone I didn't know. I heard noises outside, not only the sound of rummaging through boxes, but also heavy thumping."

At that time, Hong Tao wanted to come out to find out what was going on, but when he looked back, he found that his hands and feet had been tied up by someone.

A moment after the voice ended, the lid on his head was lifted. Because his hands and feet were tied, he could only lean back and slowly move his body to sit up. When he sat up, what caught his eyes was a sad scene.

White silk, incense sticks, and paper money scattered on the ground. Yes, this is a mourning hall, and he happened to be lying in a coffin in the mourning hall.

He looked around. The incense and candles fell on the table and went out. The offerings were scattered on the ground. It seemed that they had just been destroyed. A group of villagers in white clothes were standing at the door. At this moment, they were all looking at him with fear.

"Are you awake?"

The man next to him asked.

Hong Tao looked to his left and saw a man standing next to him. He was from the same village as him - Hong Tai.

After communicating with Hong Tai, Hong Tao realized that he was oppressed by the bandit Zhao just like himself, and his relatives also died at the hands of the bandit Zhao because their land was occupied.

Then, Hong Tai took out another wanted poster with Hong Tao's portrait on it and the official seal.

That's right, the bandit Zhao joined forces with the government to capture Hong Tao, but as luck would have it, the seriously injured Hong Tao was met by Hong Tai who was about to hold a funeral for his family.

The two men are from the same village and both lost their families due to the oppression of the bandit Zhao. These experiences made them decide to join hands.

While Hong Tao was recovering from his injuries, Hong Tai secretly gathered the villagers who had suffered from the oppression of the Zhao bandits. Hong Tao, drawing on his experience in the city, taught them how to use traps and how to deal with thieves.

They had been preparing for a long time and had waited for a long time. Finally, the opportunity for revenge came.

On New Year's Eve, in order to celebrate the New Year, the bandit Zhao invited many officials and bandits who he usually colluded with, including the officials who were in a lawsuit with Hong Tao.

That night, Hong Tao sneaked into Zhao's house first with a sharp axe in hand. In order to attract attention, he made a big fuss, then pretended to be defeated and escaped.

On the way, the county magistrate and all the soldiers kept chasing until they ran into a bamboo forest.

In the bamboo forest, Hong Tao cleverly hid himself and led a group of officers and soldiers into the trap.

what--

"There's a trap!"

As soon as the words fell, wailing and screaming sounds rang out one after another. They wanted to escape, but there were pits everywhere around them. If they fell into them, the bamboo spikes below would pierce their chests. If they didn't do this, they would be pierced by the bamboo spears and turned into hedgehogs.

That's right, this is a trap tailored for them by Hong Tao. He knows the strength of these officers and soldiers too well. Many of the villagers are farmers. Although they are weak, they will inevitably suffer when facing well-trained officers and soldiers. So in order to target them, he set up this good show to lure the snake out of its hole!