Chapter 39

Shengnan was found around eight or nine o'clock that evening. The puppy, Fati, had hidden her in some corner on the mountain. If it hadn't heard Xu Dong's call and appeared on its own, it would have been extremely difficult to find her unless a thousand people were mobilized for a thorough search.

After everything settled down, the night in Beijiao Village finally returned to its peaceful and tranquil state. Xu Dong's injuries were neither serious nor minor; it took the equivalent of sixteen people's worth of blood food to recover.

Calculating the gains and losses of this time, Xu Dong wasn't sure if he had gained or lost.

The biggest gain was that he finally broke through the shackles and activated the power hidden in his bloodline, obtaining the extraordinary power of a flesh and blood armor. The other gain was learning a set of martial arts techniques for strengthening the body from Sida.

Another gain was that although his handy iron knife was completely damaged, he managed to obtain a triangular bayonet of even better quality from Sida.

On the loss side, the winter food reserves of Beijiao Village had been completely consumed by the self-defense team members' feasting. In Xu Dong's view, the limited time left for the mission was also a loss.

After weighing the gains and losses, Xu Dong recalled the cultivation method of the Devil Body Blade in his mind. At the level of Awakened, this skill was simple and practical, with considerable power. If martial arts were divided into three to seven levels, this would at least be a mid-level skill. However, he couldn't help but sigh.

After successfully awakening, Xu Dong had a vague sense that, as a non-native life form, his genetic sequence likely lacked the ability to activate the flesh and blood armor. The reason he succeeded was that during his穿越 (穿越 means "穿越" in Chinese, which can be translated as "transmigration" or "穿越" in a fantasy context, but it's not a common English word, so I'll use "transmigration" here), he was forcibly modified by some will with supreme power. Therefore, the power of his flesh and blood armor could not be enhanced through cultivation, except for activating the armor itself.

Having already come to this realization, when he tried to practice the Devil Body Blade and found it had no effect on the flesh and blood armor, he knew his speculation was accurate. As a cliché goes, if God opens a door, He also closes a window.

The appearance of the Vast Ancient Armor greatly enhanced his physical attributes and even more so his innate skills. Thus, as a newcomer, Xu Dong could defeat the veteran Awakened, Sida. Although he didn't know the strength of a two-star Awakened, he was confident and bold enough to face one.

However, the inability to actively enhance this power was the biggest limitation.

Xu Dong racked his brains but couldn't figure out how to enhance his Vast Ancient Armor, so he decided to put it aside for now. After breaking through his own shackles and engaging in a fierce battle with Sida, although his physical strength was replenished, his mental exhaustion was extremely significant.

He slept for six hours. When he woke up, the sky was just beginning to brighten. However, when Xu Dong walked out of Beijiao Bear's house and went to the threshing ground, he found that he was the last one to wake up.

Almost all the villagers of Beijiao Village had gathered at the threshing ground, and the atmosphere was somewhat somber. They were scattered around, occasionally glancing at Beijiao Bear, who had been on watch all night, with looks of wanting to speak but holding back. This unintentional intention made the scene awkward and heavy.

Xu Dong quickly understood what was going on. With the food reserves depleted, how would the villagers survive the winter? They were unwilling to leave their homes, even in the toughest times, they never chose to give up. Now, without food, they felt uneasy and anxious, and most of them couldn't sleep last night. As soon as it was light, they found Beijiao Bear and asked him for a solution.

Beijiao Bear was holding a divine fruit. Given the gravity of the situation, he dared not speak rashly, so he remained silent to avoid saying too much and making mistakes. In his mind, Xu Dong was very good at persuading people, so he waited for him to wake up and handle the situation.

Understanding the cause and effect, Xu Dong deliberately took heavy steps to draw everyone's attention.

First, Xu Dong was the second Armored Warrior after Beijiao Bear, and he was also at the Awakened level. Second, last night, Xu Dong had dragged Sida back to the village like a dead dog, displaying immense power. These two factors combined elevated Xu Dong's status in the villagers' hearts to a level that even Beijiao Bear could only look up to.

Almost the moment Xu Dong appeared, the villagers' eyes lit up with a mix of pride, admiration, and a hint of reverence. The person with the most complex emotions was Shengnan herself. She gazed at Xu Dong's back, and scenes from the past involuntarily flooded her mind.

The awkwardness and blushing of their first meeting;

The longing and worry of their second meeting;

And now, watching him from a distance, basking in the glow of his achievements, she felt a bitter and lost sentiment. She couldn't help but remember her father's words, "Dongzi will never belong to this little corner of Beijiao Village."

The murmurs and whispers finally subsided, and everyone looked at Xu Dong with reverence.

Xu Dong scanned the crowd, his gaze passing over each person, showing respect and emphasizing his authority. After a moment, he cleared his throat and said slowly, "I know you have many questions, and I know you are filled with fear..."

Xu Dong spoke with sincerity, pausing between each word, "You must be worried about how to survive the winter without food; you must also be concerned that offending our neighbors will cause chaos in our lives again."

There is an ancient saying in our country: 'I did not kill Bo Ren, but Bo Ren died because of me.'

This saying is most fitting for the villagers of Beijiao Village at this moment. Why did Sida and his group come? It was due to Xu Dong's provocation. Why were the villagers' food reserves severely depleted? It was due to the arrival of Sida and his group. In other words, the tragedy that the villagers of Beijiao Village were about to face was directly caused by Xu Dong himself.

Not everyone in the world is as smart as Xu Dong, and the villagers of Beijiao Village are not all fools. They understood this very well. Since they understood, how could they not have any resentment towards Xu Dong? However, given Xu Dong's previous actions, the simple and honest people were unwilling to be too critical.

Xu Dong's two consecutive questions hit the core of the villagers' inner conflicts, speaking directly to their hearts without any beating around the bush, making it easy to resonate with them.

Old Man San, who had a bit of resentment, took the opportunity to vent, sighing, "Dongzi, you are now an Awakened adult. Beijiao Village can't hold you, and naturally, our lives and deaths have little to do with you. However, since you've brought up these two issues, Old Man San will play the bad cop and ask you one question—"

At this point, the old man straightened his chest, looking more righteous than usual, "How do you plan to solve the food problem? If you're unwilling, we'll part ways, and our grievances will be even. If you're willing, give us a clear answer. You've never let us down before, and if you make a promise, we will trust you unconditionally!"

Old Man San truly earned respect for his clear understanding and fairness!

When Old Man San spoke, the other villagers' gazes shifted from him to Xu Dong, filled with hope and concern, but also with a sense of resolve, much like Old Man San's upright posture.

Faced with the questioning, Xu Dong was not angry. On the contrary, a surge of admiration and respect welled up in his heart. He immediately recalled how, even in the face of the terrifying mountain guard dogs, the villagers at the foot of Huaiyun Mountain remained steadfast in their commitment to the land. Such precious qualities could not fail to move and warm the heart. Who could remain indifferent?

As Xu Dong recalled these days, he was filled with emotion. When he first arrived, he knew that if he failed to complete the main mission, he would lose the right to continue living. The task of "Beijiao Village's prosperity" seemed completely hopeless at the time, with no idea where to start.

Now, through his tireless efforts, he first eliminated the threat of the mountain guard dogs, then found the key to the mission's success, and finally overcame the final obstacle. It could be said that getting through this harsh winter was not only the wish of the villagers of Beijiao Village but also Xu Dong's goal, which he had struggled through countless hardships to achieve.

Xu Dong, a slow-to-warm person, could not help but feel a surge of emotion at this moment. He raised his hand, and in the bright sunlight, his palm clenched firmly and slowly. Then he declared loudly, "I will not only help you survive the winter but also restore Beijiao Village to its former glory. I swear this by Mondo! If I break my promise, may the heavens strike me down!"

Beijiao Bear, who had been silently observing, was once again deeply impressed by Xu Dong. He couldn't help but think, "This boy is resilient, adaptable, strategic, brave, and skilled at inspiring others. Alas, Beijiao Village is just a small pond, unable to retain him!"

At this moment, a voice suddenly rang out from the crowd, tinged with a hint of mockery and no lack of rudeness.

The voice coldly said, "Who are you, and what right do you have to swear by Mondo? Do you think you are Mondo's envoy on earth?"