Nile was focused on the runes, which read
[System initializing— 20%]
'Shit.... Shit, this will take forever.'
'By the time it reaches 100% I might say farewell to the world. My only hope is useless now. I need to do something. Think... think of a way. I can't wait for the system, hoping once the system reaches 100% my life will turn 180 degrees.'
Nile's mind races to find a solution, but he doesn't show any reaction on his face. His eyes keep staring at the nothingness.
One of the bandits kicked the young master, who was sleeping, waking him up.
"Oi Fatty, wake up, it's time to go. If you don't wake up, I'll drag you by horse."
Nile and the young master didn't have the luxury to eat anything in the morning. The bandits ate some dried jerky meat.
Right after waking up, they were set to go to their destination.
The bandits tied Nile's wrists together behind him, looping the rope several times before tightly knotting it. The young master received the same treatment. After that, another thick rope was wrapped around their waists, linking the two captives together so that neither could escape or move without pulling the other. The bandits bound them like livestock.
Two bandits mounted on their horses and rode ahead of Nile and the young master, setting the pace. Behind them, the bandit boss and another rider rode their horses. The bandit boss held the rope loosely in his hand. This rope was connected to the captives' waist ropes. Every time Nile or the young master slowed down, the rope was jerked sharply, forcing them to stumble forward to match the rhythm of the horses.
"Come on, move you damn pigs," one of the bandits shouted.
Surrounded by the bandits, their wrists bound and their movement restricted, escape was impossible. All they could do was walk. His mouth was dry, stomach was rumbling from not having eaten since morning. Nile continued to walk.
The young master looked at the bandits and cried out.
"Give me some water, or else I might collapse and die. I know you don't dare to hurt me. Because my father is the Golden Merchant."
One of the bandits sneered.
"Should we give it a try if we don't dare hurt you. Boss, how about we cut one or two fingers off him and send them to his father?"
The young master got scared and took a step back.
The bandit boss ordered his man.
"Give him some water."
The young master looks happy.
"C-Can I get something to eat also?"
The bandit boss looked at the young master, intimidating him.
"Fatty, gave you an inch, and you try to take a mile. Don't push your luck"
One of the bandits took out his waterskin. He poured the water on the mouth of the young master from his horse.
The young master signalled with his head at Nile to have some of the water.
A bandit riding near the boss leaned closer.
"Boss... why are we treating this fatty so well? Compared to other people we have captured before, we have them suffer, and we don't even feed them. We even cut some of the body parts of the captured people and sent them to their families to get the ransom faster. We are treating this fatty so well. Why, boss?"
The boss snorted.
"Because his father is the Golden Merchant".
"Golden Merchant, so what?"
"You idiot, what do you know. If we hurt him, we will be chased down."
"We're already chased, so what's the difference?"
"We are being chased because we captured his son. And he knows we will not dare hurt his son. I'm planning to shift our base after we get our ransom. But if we hurt his son, we will be hunted down to the ends of the world. Do you want to run for your life until you die, even if you have lots of money?"
Nile walked up near the young master, where he was drinking the water.
The bandit had no reason to give the water to Nile, he still gave water to him. Maybe he was amused by them, or maybe he was not so heartless.
The bandit poured the water into the Nile's mouth.
Nile took a big gulp of water down his throat. This was the first thing that had entered his stomach since morning. It was like pouring water down at dried lane which had drought.
Seeing Nile gulping down water so much, the bandit yanked back the waterskin and kicked Nile.
Thud
"That's enough, you greedy pig."
Nile wiped out the water on his lips.
'It hurts, but it is worth it. I don't think I'll have another chance like this anytime soon.'
***********
The sun shone on the horizon. Dusk was approaching.
Nile walked the whole day. His legs were blistered. He has been walking the whole day, along with a few stops for some minutes.
They stopped at a cliff wall that formed a shallow overhang—just enough shelter to camp for the night.
The bandits put down their luggage.
Nile looked around the environment.
Nile had been thinking about how to escape the whole time he was walking, and he had already made up his mind.
After looking around, his gaze turned toward the bandits analyzing them.
He thought of all sorts of plans.
'I thought of jumping from the cliff and into the river like in the movies. But I don't think I can do that. There is no water below, only forest. On top of that, the cliff is high. I doubt I'll survive if I jump from it.'
'I could try running into the forest at night. But I need to lose my binding first. Even if I lose somehow, their horse can easily catch up to me.'
He continued to think about his escape plan. One plan came to mind, which had high feasibility, but it was also a gamble.
'Yes... I can do that.'
The bandits were preparing to set up their camp and firewood for the night.
Nile made some noise, drawing the bandits' attention.
Nile lifted his tied wrists and made a small gesture- pointing downward, shifting his legs awkwardly, pressing his knees together.
A universal sign for pee.
The bandits paused. One laughed, rolling his eyes, and another scratched his chin.
Finally, one of them jerked his head toward the trees, signalled with two fingers. Another bandit walked behind Nile with a rope tied to Nile's waist. The man followed right behind him, holding the rope like he was walking a dog.
Nile led the bandit towards the forest. He searched for a place with privacy— it was not for modesty, but for an opportunity. He scanned the forest while pretending to look for a place to pee. A few meters deeper, he spotted exactly what he needed.
The bandit spoke to him in a harsh, guttural language he didn't recognize.
"Hurry you pig before I castrate you"
A tree with a dead, thick branch hanging low and within reach.
Nile pointed at the tree with his eyes and then to his tied wrist as if saying- How can I pee with my hand tied behind my back.
The bandit rolled his eyes and untied Nile's wrist, but the rope tied to his waist was kept. He waved his hand as if saying, "Hurry up," and allowed Nile to step behind the tree.
He immediately grabbed the dead branch, twisting and pulling until it snapped off with a soft crack. The dry branch splintered into a jagged point.
'Perfect'
He crouched and covered the wood with fallen leaves, hiding it among the debris. He shifted his feet making a rustling sound to mimic someone adjusting their clothes.
Time passed.
Too much time passed.
The supervising bandit felt irritated, shouted something and came towards Nile. Branches snapped under his boots.
He pulled the rope tied to Nile's waist. Nile stumbled and fell down to his knees.
The bandit laughed— a mocking voice. He grabbed one of the Nile's arms and hauled him up like lifting a sack of potatoes.
The force gave everything Nile needed.
As he was pulled, his other hand clutched the hidden branch.
In a heartbeat, Nile shot his entire body, launching himself like a spring- his whole weight behind the attack. Nile aimed the sharp end of the branch straight for the bandit's throat.
Nile can't win against the bandit in a combat, especially not in a one-on-one fight, and certainly not against someone as experienced as the bandit. The bandit had years of experience—all he needed was a surprise attack and make it count.
Otherwise, he is dead.
The bandit with his years of experience and quick reflexes, shielded his throat with his palm.
Shluck!
The branch stuck on the bandit's palm. Blood dripped down the branch.
The bandit became furious and cursed at Nile and launched a kick to his chest to create distance.
"You piece of shit."
The moment the bandit's legs could even fully extend, Nile lunged forward and drove his knee upward— straight into the bandit's groin.
Thud!
A direct hit.
The bandit let out a strangled cry and collapsed to his knees, both hands instinctively moving to protect his private parts. Tears welled up in his eyes as he gasped for air, spitting curses.
"Ahhhh... You will pay for this."
This was Nile's moment.
Nile snatched the blade hanging from the bandit's belt.
The bandit, choking from pain, raised a trembling hand towards Nile. He seems to know what will happen to him next. He started pleading for mercy, promising something to Nile.
Sadly, Nile couldn't understand.
Nile ignored his plea.
He couldn't understand the words.
He couldn't afford to hesitate, and he couldn't risk reasoning with the bandits.
He stepped forward, grabbed the man by the hair, and in one swift motion—
Shhhk!
He slit the bandit's throat.
Warm blood splashed onto the leaves.
The man fell forward with a thud sound, his body twitching once... his hands covering the wound as if trying to stop the blood flowing out.
Nile stood there, chest heaving, blade shaking in his grip. His breath came in ragged gasps.
His first kill.
Nile killed him for his own survival and freedom.
Nile staggered back, the blade slowly slipping away from his trembling grip.
"I... I... I just killed a man," he whispered.
"A man... with my own hands."
The world felt unreal.
His heart pounded violently— too fast, like it was trying to burn its way out. His breath was heavy as he stared at the body.
Blood was pouring from the bandit's throat like a pushing stream, gushing between the man's fingers as he desperately tried to shut the wound. His eye rolled, wide with terror. His chest was rising and falling sharply.