Chapter 9

"Why would the bandits kill people when all they want is wealth?" Zhang Yu frowned, thinking that there were probably few survivors in Matou Village this time.

"Sir, you don't know. If the bandits on the mountain don't change, we just need to pay the annual tribute on time, and we'll be fine. But if the bandits on the mountain are taken over by a new group, they need to kill some people to establish their authority to collect the annual tribute," Huang Ji explained.

Zhang Yu's expression turned serious, realizing that the bandits on the mountain were also a major threat to his life.

He immediately tightened his legs, and the horse, receiving the command, galloped into the deep mountains without looking back.

At the same time.

In an open area of Matou Village, all the surviving villagers were gathered together.

They knelt on the ground, not daring to lift their heads.

Not far away, the bandit leader, Scarface, was sitting on a stone stool, holding a lamb leg and eating heartily.

At that moment, one of his subordinates suddenly carried out a naked corpse and threw it in front of him.

"Third Brother!" Scarface's eyes widened in shock. He dropped the lamb leg and knelt before the corpse, his eyes red with anger. "Who did this? Who did this?"

He suddenly turned his head and looked at the survivors of Matou Village. "Find out for me. If you don't find the culprit today, I'll make these people bury Third Brother with him."

In an instant,惨绝人寰的惨叫声从马头村中响起，连绵不绝。

一刻钟后。

严刑拷打，终于有了结果。

"杨冠军！以为跑到后山里面去，我就找不到你们了是吧？" Scarface almost ground his molars to dust.

He had come down the mountain today just to establish his authority for future tribute collection, but he never expected it would cost Third Brother his life.

They were all blood brothers, driven to become bandits with no other way to live, and they had agreed to share life and death together.

"I will tear you apart, piece by piece." Scarface looked toward the back mountain, his anger surging.

At the same time.

In the deep mountain camp.

Yang Guanjun was pacing back and forth at the camp gate, occasionally looking up at the path leading into the mountains.

He was really worried that Zhang Yu hadn't shown up yet.

"Brother, is he okay?" Yang Xin asked, her hands trembling with concern.

"He'll be fine! Brother will be fine." Yang Guanjun closed his eyes and shook his head. "He gave us the chance to live, staying behind to cover our retreat. If anything happens to him, then I..."

Before he could finish, a horseman appeared at the end of the path.

"Brother!" Yang Guanjun's eyes lit up.

Zhang Yu had taken off the bandit clothes to avoid scaring everyone when he entered the mountain.

Inside the camp, Huang Ji looked at the simple camp and asked in shock, "Did you build this?"

"Yes, this will be our home from now on. It's up to you to improve the camp," Zhang Yu instructed.

"Yes, sir!"

First, they needed a place to live. Huang Ji immediately started planning, drawing the residential area near the mountain wall.

Then he began directing the young men to prepare the necessary wood, marking lines on the wood with ink, and processing it to form mortise and tenon joints.

This was the simplest wood processing.

While everyone was busily building the residential area, Zhang Yu, with a crossbow, took Yang Guanjun into the forest to hunt.

This time, he handed the crossbow to Yang Guanjun.

"Remember, when shooting, focus and minimize your body's movement to improve accuracy," Zhang Yu patiently taught.

Yang Guanjun was very talented and quickly grasped the essentials.

Although he initially missed frequently due to poor aim, which made him very frustrated, with Zhang Yu's encouragement, his accuracy gradually improved.

Soon, he was covered in wild rabbits.

During the hunt, Zhang Yu set up many traps along the paths the game animals took, saving time in the future and catching more game.

After a successful hunt, Yang Guanjun was still excited as they reached a cliff. Standing high, they looked down at the scenery below.

Yang Guanjun was emotionally stirred.

"Look at this beautiful river. Despite such a magnificent view, the law of the jungle prevails. It's not easy to survive," Zhang Yu said deeply. "Like these rabbits, their chances of escaping your crossbow are slim."

Yang Guanjun looked at Zhang Yu with bright eyes, trying to understand his words.

"In this chaotic world, do you want to be the hunter with the crossbow or one of these rabbits?" Zhang Yu looked directly into Yang Guanjun's eyes.

These words were like a sharp sword, piercing Yang Guanjun's heart.

"Of course, I want to be the hunter with the crossbow. Only then can I control my own fate and protect my sister," Yang Guanjun answered without hesitation.

"If you want to be the hunter with the crossbow, you must work ten times, a hundred times harder, and even risk your life. Are you willing?"

"What's there to be afraid of? Since my parents died, my sister is the only family I have left. She is my life. I come from a poor background, with nothing to lose. What is one life?" Yang Guanjun said calmly.

Zhang Yu just patted Yang Guanjun on the shoulder and said nothing more.

After a walk in the forest, they returned to the camp with a wild mountain goat.

In a short time, the carved wood had piled up.

It had to be said that with a professional carpenter, the efficiency of the work had indeed improved significantly.

Zhang Yu also placed the rosewood he had collected along the way to the side. After eating, he would start making crossbows.

Now, he was not only threatened by the Zhao family but also by the bandits.

Yang Guanjun had killed a bandit in Matou Village, and if the bandits came seeking revenge, they needed to be able to defend themselves.

Preparation is key to going far.

After simply processing the game, collecting the valuable pelts, and cleaning them, Zhang Yu began roasting the meat.

Everyone was busy, and the air was filled with the smell of roasted meat. They worked while constantly swallowing their saliva.

"Work hard, and we'll eat soon," Zhang Yu said, and everyone cheered.

The temptation of meat made everyone work harder.

At noon.

Everyone sat around a bonfire, and the fire was roasting fragrant meat.

Everyone was drooling, even Huang Ji's eyes were shining. Although he was a carpenter with a steady income, eating meat was a rare treat during festivals.

And even then, it was just a taste, a small indulgence. Eating until full like Zhang Yu and the others was something he never dared to dream of.

Zhang Yu was not stingy. He took off a roasted lamb leg and handed it to Huang Ji. "You worked the hardest today, so eat more."