**The Maiden Raid**

The sun had barely cracked the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the rolling hills and verdant forests that stretched as far as the eye could see. The air was crisp and clean, filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers and the distant chirping of birds. Young Jian, a novice member of the notorious White Wolf bandit gang, stirred from his slumber, his heart racing with a mix of excitement and trepidation. Today was the day he would embark on his first-ever village raid. Jian had heard the tales of his fellow bandits, stories of pillage and plunder, of riches seized and women taken. He had always been drawn to the thrill of the unknown, the rush of adrenaline that came with living outside the law. But as he dressed in the dim light of the camp, his hand trembling as he tied his sword belt, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had been growing inside him. The White Wolf gang had been on the move for days, tracking a small village nestled in the heart of the valley below. The village was said to be prosperous, its people wealthy and unsuspecting. Jian's stomach growled with anticipation as he made his way to the gathering point, where the rest of the gang was assembling. Their leader, the fearsome Wu, stood tall, his piercing gaze sweeping across the group. "Today, we take what is ours," he declared, his voice dripping with malice. "We will ride in, swift and silent, and claim the riches of this village for ourselves." The gang roared in agreement, their faces set with determination. Jian felt a surge of adrenaline course through his veins as he mounted his horse, his heart pounding in his chest. The ride was short, the village coming into view within hours. The gang descended upon it like a storm, Jian following close behind the others. Chaos erupted as the villagers scrambled to flee, but the White Wolf gang was too quick, too ruthless. Jian's role was to help round up the villagers, to herd them towards the village square. It was there that he spotted them – a small family of Chinese women, huddled together in fear. The mother, a stunning woman with curves that seemed to go on for miles, caught his eye. Her two daughters, younger and equally lovely, clung to her sides. In the heat of the moment, Jian found himself taking charge of the family, binding their wrists and leading them away from the chaos. As the raid came to an end, and the gang began to gather their spoils, Jian couldn't shake the feeling that he had stumbled into something much more complicated than he had bargained for. As they rode back to the gang's hideout, Jian found himself growing more and more anxious. He had never been one for the rougher side of the bandit's life, and the thought of what lay ahead for the women – for the mother and her daughters, who now sat quietly behind him, their eyes fixed on his back – filled him with a sense of unease. What would Wu expect of him? Would he be forced to...? Jian pushed the thought aside, his mind racing with doubts. He had always been told that the spoils of war were his to claim, but as he gazed down at the women, he couldn't help but wonder if he had the stomach for it. The hideout came into view, and Jian's heart sank. He knew that his life was about to change in ways he couldn't yet imagine. The mother and her daughters sat quietly behind him, their fate – and his – hanging precariously in the balance.