Chapter 33

"Did Fatty really say that?" Sai Laohu looked at his sister Sai Diaochan in disbelief.

"Hmph, it's just that this dead fatty is so infuriating, even daring to set two conditions for me. Who does he think he is!" Sai Diaichan huffed angrily. After leaving the small building where Fatty lived, she had found Sai Laohu alone and told him everything Fatty had said to her. In her subconscious, she knew that Fatty's words made sense, but getting food was no joke. Yang Yun and Liu Kongkong had led many brothers down the mountain and returned empty-handed, losing over thirty brothers. How could three people, as Fatty suggested, manage to get food?

"Besides, who knows if those words are just Fatty's hindsight? We'll only know if he has the real skills when we see them." Sai Diaochan added.

"Sis, you have a point." Sai Laohu nodded. To have reached his position, leading three hundred people and becoming the largest bandit leader in Qingzhou, he had to have some skills. However, the shortage of food in the bandit camp was truly urgent. Just like soldiers need food to fight, if his brothers went hungry, they might desert and disband. This was not an exaggeration but a stark reality.

Going up the mountain to become a bandit was all about having food to eat. How many people had sold their children or themselves just to fill their bellies?

"But, we can't let this dead fatty try, can we?" Sai Diaochan sighed slightly. Fatty's marksmanship had impressed her. In the gunfight, she had actually lost. Perhaps Fatty could really get the food.

"Sis, do you remember the Eighth Route Army's Commander Ma?" Sai Laohu asked.

"Right!" Sai Diaochan's eyes lit up after her brother's reminder. "The Eighth Route Army's Commander Ma was so polite to the dead fatty. It made me think of something. Before I knocked out Commander Ma and his men, I overheard the Eighth Route Army soldiers talking. They said the one who led them through the minefield was the dead fatty, and that he alone sniped a Japanese squad, causing over half of the thousand-strong Japanese battalion to be killed or injured, preventing them from advancing. It was all thanks to the dead fatty."

"Exactly. I had Monkey investigate this. Although he didn't dare enter the minefield, he saw the Japanese carrying away many bodies the next day." Sai Laohu nodded, then looked at his sister with a meaningful smile.

"Hey, what are you smiling at?" Sai Diaochan's face turned a bit awkward. She knew what her brother's smile meant and pouted a bit.

"Ahem... Sis, not to criticize, but always calling yourself 'old lady' and wielding weapons like a man, which man would like you? If I were in your shoes, I'd be the same as that fatty." Sai Laohu chuckled.

"Fine, if they don't like it, I won't marry them!" Sai Diaochan retorted.

"Ha, that's not good. I've found you a rare gem, one in five hundred years. You can't miss this opportunity." Sai Laohu looked at Sai Diaochan, seeing her not arguing, he smiled and continued, "Not to criticize, but Fatty dared to cross the Japanese minefield, not only surviving but also leading a group of Eighth Route Army soldiers out alive. He single-handedly wiped out a Japanese squad, causing over half of a thousand-strong battalion to be killed or injured. This isn't just skill; it's destiny. In the future, this fatty... no, your future husband, may not become a king, but he will surely be a great man. We must seize this opportunity; if we miss it, we won't get another chance!"

Seeing Sai Diaochan still silent, Sai Laohu knew she was still unsure, so he added, "So, my advice is to be gentler with your future husband. Don't call yourself 'old lady' all the time, and don't throw tantrums. You need to agree to his plan to get food. If he fails, it proves he's a fraud, and you can blame your bad luck. If he succeeds, he's the true leader, and marrying him will make your big brother happy."

"But how can I agree to his two conditions? Should I let him leave the mountain?" Sai Diaochan fidgeted with her clothes, a bit embarrassed.

"How can I let him go? If he can get the food, the bandit camp will be his, and he can do whatever he wants!" Sai Laohu said firmly.

"Big brother, this bandit camp is your life's work. How can you listen to an outsider? Even if you agree, the brothers won't." Sai Diaochan hurriedly said. The old brothers in the camp were Sai Laohu's core group, and it would be difficult for Fatty to take over.

"Didn't the half-immortal say that Fatty is a leader like Li Zicheng? This is a small investment for a big return. I don't care about a small bandit camp. You can rest assured!" Sai Laohu chuckled.

Sai Diaochan frowned, feeling something was off but couldn't pinpoint what. She nodded and listened as Sai Laohu continued, "Sis, go talk to your future husband. When will he go to get the food? What help does he need from me, I'll do it!"

Sai Laohu was genuinely worried. With three hundred brothers, the daily food consumption was staggering. In these times, the people had little food, and even though the bandit camp had plenty of gold and silver, the people couldn't afford to sell their food. If he hadn't been so desperate, he wouldn't have sent Yang Yun and Liu Kongkong to raid the Japanese for food, only to suffer a heavy loss, losing over thirty brothers and still failing to get food. This was a situation he couldn't bear.

Fatty's offer to get food with just two brothers gave him hope. If Fatty succeeded, it would be a win-win situation.

Sai Diaochan returned to Fatty's small house. Fatty was sitting in a chair, drawing with a pen given by Wang Yi. The drawing looked like a bow, and on the floor beside the chair were several stones the size of bird eggs. Xiong and Hou were digging a large pit in front of the house, which would take a long time for just two people.

Fatty had them dig this pit purely to torment them. If anyone slacked off, Fatty would stop drawing and throw a stone, hitting them on the head with perfect accuracy.

"What are you making them dig a pit for? Two people aren't enough to dig such a large pit." Sai Diaochan approached and asked.

Fatty, who had known she was there all along, ignored her and continued drawing. He would stop and throw a stone at anyone who slacked off, hitting them on the head every time.

"Fat Master is bored, is that okay?" Fatty said without looking up.

"Fine, you're bored, huh? I'll find people to help you dig the pit when I get back." Sai Diaochan said.

"Ah, offering help for nothing? You must want something from Fat Master, right?" Fatty squinted his eyes and looked at Sai Diaochan, speaking sarcastically.

"I've discussed your two conditions with my brother, and we can agree to them. If you can get the food as promised, all the brothers in the bandit camp will follow you. But I have one condition: I must go with you!" Sai Diaochan said.

"What?" Fatty was taken aback. She agreed so quickly, and even to the most extreme condition, the transfer of the bandit camp, which he never expected. He had set two conditions, one of which was extremely harsh, hoping she would choose the other. But she chose the harsh one.

However, it didn't matter. Fatty was planning to escape anyway. Helping the bandit camp get food would be a favor to Sai Diaochan.