Chapter 161 - 56: A Thousand Sails Set Forth
With a tangible and achievable next step in sight, Kawashima Tsumi was visibly excited, and the morale of the bandits soared to new heights. The hall quickly returned to its previous state of boisterous revelry. The clinking of glasses, the playful banter of dice games, the sound of food being chewed, dice rattling in ceramic bowls, men shouting and cursing, women laughing flirtatiously—every sound intertwined into a chaotic symphony that filled the air.
Kawashima Tsumi made no effort to stop the commotion. Instead, he wrapped his arms around two flamboyant courtesans and joined the raucous crowd, shedding any semblance of a leader's demeanor. After all, the life of a desert bandit was one of licking blood off the blade's edge, living for today with no guarantee of tomorrow. They were all outcasts seeking freedom and unrestrained joy. If the brothers couldn't eat, drink, and play to their hearts' content, who would risk their lives for him?
As the moon climbed higher into the night sky, the banquet descended into a mess of overturned dishes and spilled drinks. After a surge of hormones and dopamine, the crowd gradually quieted down, having eaten their fill, drunk their share, and played to exhaustion.
It was then that someone began to hum softly—a low, coarse, and wild voice, akin to a lone wolf howling at the moon in the distance. The song they sang was the Desert Bandits' Song, unique to their kind. One person started, and soon, everyone joined in, transforming it into a grand chorus:
I go, and so do you, to the desert's heart to seek a way through.
No father, no mother, no ties to bind, no farewells to mind.
A lover's longing, a bitter goodbye, dreams of reunion under the night sky.
Farewell to youth, to the home I knew, dust and scars mark the path I pursue.
A man of honor, a man of pride, laughter hides the tears inside.
High dunes, cold winds blow, sword in hand, I watch the geese go.
The Kunrei Plains stretch far and wide, humble huts fade as I decide.