The bound bandits, still snarling defiance, scoffed at death. Their voices rasped as they boasted of past cruelties, seeking to needle Gu Yangjin even now. She listened only briefly, anger flashing in her dark eyes as each confession reinforced the depths of their depravity. Qiao Zhi watched closely, noting Gu Yangjin's tightening grip on her sword hilt. The valley's hush seemed to hold its breath.
Gu Yangjin stepped forward. Her expression was cold, unwavering. She spoke with clipped precision: "You revel in atrocities. You admit them proudly. There can be no leniency." She let those words settle. The surviving lieutenants, tied and forced to kneel, exchanged uneasy glances, still trying to mask fear with bravado.
