"Now you have only two paths before you: the first, you join us and we let you go, the second, all of you stay here today. After all, it's a sparsely populated area with great scenery, an excellent place to bury bones." The leader glanced around, as if he were finding a perfect burial spot for Xu Ke and the young man.
"So which do you want to choose?" The man granted the young man the right to choose.
The young man hung his head, pondering over something. The silence around was deafening, until a gust of wind rustled the leaves, breaking the stillness with a semblance of commotion.
"You better choose quickly. I am not a patient man, and don't think about using this as a stalling tactic. No one is coming to save you. Even if someone wanted to, they wouldn't get here in time. Stop resisting, don't try any tricks, it's meaningless." The man sighed theatrically, as if watching the young man's failed attempt to delay.
