Chapter 57

In no time, a table full of delicious food was prepared. There was cured meat, freshly roasted oily thighs, a thick and fragrant meat broth, and several pieces of bright green plant tubers. The tubers, unknown to him, were cylindrical, peeled, and served in a stone bowl. A bite revealed their sweet and crunchy texture.

Zhou Lu had never tasted such food before. He chewed and smacked his lips, finding it tender, juicy, and extremely refreshing.

Zhou Lu was so hungry that he began to devour the food on the stone table like a whirlwind.

E’ertu and the old brothers sat around the table, watching with great interest. They were deeply gratified to see this fat man eating voraciously.

"That demon bone chain..." E’ertu asked cautiously, "Can I take another look at it?"

Zhou Lu was fully focused on the delicious food. For a food lover like him, a sudden feast after being hungry for so long was the happiest thing in life. He casually nodded and handed the demon bone chain on his wrist to E’ertu.

E’ertu's face was filled with excitement as he took the chain with trembling hands and carefully examined it. As long as he knew the old chief was safe, he was relieved. Once this fat man was full, he would ask in detail about the old chief's whereabouts. Even if the fat man was a bit simple, he would surely get the information.

He passed the chain around to the old brothers, who were excited to see it. Finally, it was passed back to E’ertu. He took a deep breath and, with great reluctance, handed the chain back to Zhou Lu.

"You can keep it if you like." Zhou Lu didn't take it, still gnawing on the thigh of some unknown demon beast, his hands greasy. "After all, Grandpa gave me a lot of things."

"Are you giving it to us?"

E’ertu was taken aback, and the other brothers' faces lit up with joy. However, after a moment, E’ertu, with a twinkle in his eye, firmly handed the chain back to Zhou Lu.

"No, little brother, you might not know what this chain represents." E’ertu's voice was solemn. "Years ago, the old chief personally established strict mountain rules. The first rule is that whoever holds this chain must be obeyed as the chief. This rule is the first of the ten mountain rules, and anyone who disobeys it can be killed by all the mountain people."

Zhou Lu was stunned.

E’ertu continued, "After the old chief went missing, I became chief without this chain, making my position illegitimate. I once swore an oath under the mountain rules: first, to find the old chief and bring him back safely to the mountain. Whoever achieves this will automatically become the chief. Second, to search for the demon bone chain. If anyone holds this chain and appears in our mountain, I will step down and let them take my place. All the brothers can bear witness to this."

E’ertu's face was weathered, and he sighed deeply. "Little brother, today we finally see this chain again. From the moment you showed it, the mountain rules automatically took effect. Now, I am no longer the chief. I believe the old chief entrusted the mountain to you by giving you this chain. You must keep it safe."

E’ertu earnestly placed the chain in Zhou Lu's greasy hand, then curled his fingers to help Zhou Lu grip the demon bone chain firmly.

The other brothers were stunned by these words.

What kind of ridiculous mountain rules did Niu Tou Mountain have?

Who would become chief just by finding a chain? How could hundreds of brothers on the mountain be willing to serve such a person?

The third leader, with his bulging eyes, was about to stand up and ask, but the second leader silently grabbed his collar and gave him a stern look. The third leader, puzzled, finally sat down and turned to look at E’ertu and the fat man. Suddenly, a glimmer of understanding appeared in his eyes.

He realized that E’ertu's leg was injured, and he felt the burden of being chief was too heavy.

And who was this fat man? He had knocked away Hunter Wuzhu's knife with a crossbow and kicked the second leader of Sha Fengjiao unconscious with one foot. From his abnormal strength and ruthless techniques, this fat man was at least a sixth-stage Tu Man Xin Jing warrior. Such a strong person was at the top of the food chain in the wilderness. Plus, the giant crossbow on his back was practically a divine weapon.

If the fat man became the leader of Niu Tou Mountain, wouldn't the mountain flourish?

E’ertu was fabricating a lie, trying to bring a strong person into the mountain.

The third leader, though a bit rough, was not stupid. Realizing this, he felt both heartache and relief. If they could get the fat man to support Niu Tou Mountain, it would be better than having E’ertu struggle on.

Zhou Lu was taken aback, wiped his greasy hands on his clothes, and looked at E’ertu with a sly smile. "Oh? There's such a rule? Why didn't Grandpa tell me?"

E’ertu hurriedly said, "The old chief must have wanted to wait until you were strong enough before coming to the mountain. He might not have had time to tell you." E’ertu's expression became serious. "Little brother, this is a rule set by your grandfather Kusuru. Since you have this chain, the mountain is now yours. The lives of these brothers are in your hands!"

Seeing E’ertu do this, the other brothers felt a lump in their throats.

"You're lying to me," Zhou Lu said with a sly smile. "You just want me to be your leader to bolster Niu Tou Mountain, right?"

E’ertu was taken aback, speechless, his face a mix of panic and embarrassment. This fat man looked foolish and sometimes seemed a bit crazy, but he was actually as cunning as a fox. Trying to deceive him? He could see through their tricks at a glance.

"Damn, he was just pretending to be stupid," E’ertu thought. "This isn't a pig; it's a weasel covered in chicken feathers."

E’ertu was stunned for a moment, then finally pleaded with a red face, "Little brother, how could I lie to you? It's all true. We don't know where the old chief is, but if he comes, he will surely agree with our decision. Niu Tou Mountain is your grandfather's life's work. Little brother, we do see your great strength. Please help us."

Everyone's eyes were filled with longing.

"Do you want me to be your leader?" Zhou Lu smiled foolishly, raising an eyebrow. "If I become your leader, will you all listen to me?"

"Of course we will." The old brothers were excited, seeing a glimmer of hope. As long as this fat man stayed, they would have a leader.

"Hmph..." Zhou Lu sneered. "Do you think if I become your leader, your mountain will be saved? Dream on."

Suddenly, the loot cave fell silent.

E’ertu and the others looked grim, their hearts sinking. They had been too anxious, grabbing at any straw for hope. But now, calming down, they realized that if the people from Sha Fengjiao escaped and returned, a large group of bandits would soon come to seek revenge.

They had hundreds of people, and even with the fat man, it was like a drop in the bucket. It wouldn't make a difference.

Even if they could repel the bandits from Sha Fengjiao, the deadline was approaching, and there were over two thousand people from Hei Hu Mountain. If they came to slaughter the mountain, would Niu Tou Mountain have any hope?

The fat man looked like a simpleton, but his mind was much clearer than theirs. E’ertu was drenched in cold sweat, remembering the old chief's expression when he killed the leader's family and spoke to him in the firelight.

At that time, the old chief's face was filled with sorrow and helplessness. E’ertu finally understood the沧桑 (cang桑) (saga) behind it. The old chief must have been trying to tell him: being a bandit has no good end.

But it wasn't until today that E’ertu understood this.

Was it too late?

E’ertu finally sighed deeply, ready to give up everything.

At that moment, he heard Zhou Lu say with a sly smile, "However, if you really listen to me, I have a great opportunity for you. Do you want to hear it?"

"What is it?"

The brothers looked up in surprise, but after hearing Zhou Lu's words, they were all stunned like statues.