SpaceMage

As Ximen Wei looked around at the group, he couldn't help but wonder what the leader of the gang, Long Gen, had planned for them. Was he planning to use them as cannon fodder? Or perhaps sell them to a slave trafficker? And where were the seniors of the gang?

A few minutes passed by, and finally, an old man wearing a dark clan robe appeared. This was Long Gen, the leader of the Long gang. He had appeared out of nowhere last year and started recruiting people, mostly children whose parents had been lost or killed in the war between Western Wen and the Su Dynasty. He provided shelter and food for the children, in exchange for their dirty work.

Ximen Wei couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as he looked at Long Gen. He knew that this journey was going to be dangerous, and he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off about the gang leader. But he had no choice but to follow along, hoping that everything would work out in the end.

Ximen Wei had joined Long Gen's gang a few months ago, and as the gang leader arrived, all of the children looked at him with a respectful gaze. In this harsh world, other gangs did not accept weak, orphaned children, as they were seen as a burden and trouble.

Long Gen stood before the group, his left hand behind his back as he stroked his white beard with his right hand. After eyeing the children for a moment, he nodded and spoke in a gruff voice.

"Good, everyone is here. I'm pretty sure some of you have heard this already, but let me repeat it just in case anyone didn't. The Noble Families of Green Lotus City have teamed up and started cracking down on criminal organizations. As a result, we can't stay here anymore or we'll either be caught or killed. So I've decided to leave the city and head towards the Tang Mountains. I have someone there who will take good care of us. But be warned, the Tang Mountains are a dangerous place, filled with beasts and monsters. If you want to leave, leave now or it will be too late."

Ximen Wei listened intently, his heart racing with a mix of fear and resolve. If it meant that he could start his cultivation journey and eventually return home.

As Long Gen finished speaking, some of the children immediately left after saying goodbye. They knew that their current group would not stand a chance against even the weakest Qi Beast in the Tang Mountains, and they were not willing to risk their lives for nothing.

Others, like Ximen Wei, asked about logistics and food, but the response they received was disappointing. "We'll be going on foot and you children will have to take care of your own food," Long Gen said gruffly.

As Ximen Wei listened to Long Gen's words, he couldn't help but feel a sense of despair. "Going on foot? Taking care of our own food? How are we supposed to do that? We can't even find enough food for the day in the bustling Green Lotus City, let alone outside in the wilderness..." he thought to himself.

Upon hearing this, even more children left, leaving only 11 people remaining, including Ximen Wei, Hou Yang, Jin Bao, and Lao Yaoting. These people had no choice but to leave the city and escape to a faraway place. Their lives were endangered, as they were either people who had escaped from the clutches of the noble families or were unable to live without the support of an organization or gang.

Everyone was puzzled by Long Gen's plan. They had expected that he would somehow smuggle them out of the city, but now it seemed that they would have to leave on their own. How were they supposed to do that? If they left the Criminal District, they would be immediately apprehended by the law enforcers, as escaping slavery was considered a serious crime.

The group of children stood huddled together, uncertain of what to do next. They had always relied on the guidance and protection of their leader, Long Gen, but now he had left them on their own to escape the city. The task seemed impossible - they knew that if they tried to leave the Criminal District, they would be caught by the law enforcers and punished as escaped slaves. The thought of being caught and returning to a life of slavery filled them with dread.

Ximen Wei, the group's second-in-command, tried to think of a solution. "Maybe we can sneak in a merchant's carriage," he suggested, but even he knew that the idea was risky. Lao Yaoting, one of the younger members, looked defeated. "How are we supposed to leave the city on our own?" he asked, his voice laced with despair.

Jin Bao, who had been quiet until now, suddenly spoke up. "I'd rather risk it all than be a slave for the rest of my life," he said, his voice shaking. Ximen Wei knew that the mention of the word "slave" triggered some traumatic memories for Jin Bao, and he couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Lao Yaoting and Ximen Wei both nodded in agreement. "Same," they said in unison.

They turned to Hou Yang, the last member of their group, and asked for his opinion. "I'd rather get caught trying than just await my fate," he said through gritted teeth. With that, the decision was made - they would try to leave the city, no matter how risky it was.

As they were discussing their plan, they heard the sound of fighting coming from a couple of miles away.

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