Chapter 3 Chaotic Times
1348 Words
Amidst the chaos, Li Yuan had considered heading straight to the back of the Second Mountain, relying on his mastery of "Intermediate Archery."
After all, in games and novels, leveling up meant the monsters in the next dungeon would be a breeze.
But Li Yuan didn't want to take the risk.
From his memories, he knew Yan Yu had some emergency money:
four hundred coins, or four copper coins.
In good harvest times, four copper coins could buy 40 catties of millet, but now it would be barely enough for eleven or twelve catties.
No, not even eleven or twelve catties.
He'd have to buy those eleven or twelve catties on the black market, which was far and dangerous.
Their only option was the grain shop near Xiao Mo Village.
Unscrupulous merchants hoarded goods, waiting to profit from natural disasters and man-made calamities.
There, four copper coins could only get you seven or eight catties at most.
And seven or eight catties of millet, if eaten sparingly, would be enough for him and Yan Yu for half a month.
Since there was still time, there was no need to go to the back of the Second Mountain now.
Li Yuan glanced at his panel and stats.
At least there was some hope.
"I'll test it out for the next two days and see if I can increase the points I get each day."
Thinking this, Li Yuan glanced at the dried-up stream and decided to go back.
Just then, a "3-5" drifted from the gray forest not far away. Without turning back, Li Yuan turned and ran.
The "3-5" immediately quickened its pace, and a shrill male voice rang out.
"Yuanzi, why are you running?"
Li Yuan paused.
Hearing the voice, he immediately knew who it was.
Qian San, also a hunter, but unlike him, he was tall and strong.
Besides, Qian San had five brothers; strength in numbers was a significant advantage, unlike Li Yuan, who was alone.
Sure enough, a strong man strode over from a distance.
Unlike Li Yuan, the man's face showed no worry; his eyes gleamed, giving off a powerful and aggressive aura.
He clutched a rough wooden crossbow in his right hand, led a ferocious-looking yellow dog on a leash in his left, and slung a machete behind his back.
Qian San ran up and patted him on the shoulder without a word, saying, "Yuanzi, going back empty-handed again? Won't your little wife starve to death?"
Their relationship wasn't that close; his casual manner was clearly a way of controlling him.
Qian San hooked his arm around Li Yuan's shoulder, gave it a casual squeeze, and chuckled, "Tsk tsk tsk, skinny, really skinny, doesn't even look like a hunter… Look at me, if you were half my size, you could go anywhere behind the Second Mountain." He
then looked smug and fell silent, as if keeping him in suspense.
Based on his understanding of Li Yuan, he knew Li Yuan would definitely ask, "What's on the back mountain? Is it good for hunting in winter?" After he finished bragging, Li Yuan might say, "Brother, take me with you!"
However, Li Yuan said, "Brother Qian, my family is waiting for me to come back for dinner."
"Dinner?" Qian San raised an eyebrow, his voice rising several octaves, "What good is the lousy food at your house? Come with me, I'll take you to the back of Erchong Mountain for a good meal and we'll chase that wild boar that chased you last time, haha."
As he spoke, he casually loosened the rope.
The yellow dog immediately ran off like a whirlwind, quite fierce.
After it had run a little further away, the numbers "1-2" appeared above the yellow dog's head, while "2-3" appeared above Qian San's head.
Li Yuan was stunned. Was this a combination?
"Yuanzi, look how fierce my Huangzi is. With it chasing the boar, you and I can block it together, how easy will it be to catch it? Hmm?" Qian San moved closer to Li Yuan's side, glaring at him sideways.
"Brother Qian, I really can't, my injuries haven't healed yet, my back and legs still hurt..."
"Yuanzi, you're not giving me face, are you?" Qian San's expression turned cold.
“It really hurts.”
“Then next time you come up the mountain, if it doesn’t hurt anymore, you can go to Second Mountain with your brother Qian, okay?”
Qian San stared at him fiercely.
“Okay, definitely next time, definitely next time,” Li Yuan hurriedly said.
Only then did Qian San release his hand and point at him with his finger.
Just then, footsteps suddenly came from not far away. The two looked over and saw a thinner hunter.
Qian San then focused his attention on this hunter, pulled back the yellow dog, and walked over casually.
Li Yuan took the opportunity to leave quickly.
He knew what Qian San was thinking.
He probably wouldn’t dare to go to Second Mountain alone, so he wanted to drag someone down with him first. Before going, he boasted so much, but after going, he might just use you as cannon fodder.
Moreover, Second Mountain was a natural good place to “dispose of the body.” After
killing someone and dumping the body, it wouldn’t be long before wild animals would come and drag the body away to eat somewhere.
Even reporting it to the authorities wouldn't help. First, the authorities aren't quick to investigate and prosecute; in this famine year, it's normal for things to be delayed for ten days or half a month.
Even if it's not delayed, the body won't be found even after going to Erchong Mountain.
Even if the body is found, it will have long been eaten by wild animals, rendering the coroner useless. Then, who killed the person—a wild animal or a human? It's impossible to tell.
So, most likely, the magistrate, knowing the person disappeared after Erchong Mountain, didn't even bother to investigate and simply closed the case.
After Li Yuan left, he didn't follow the road but took a detour and returned home.
...
In the courtyard, the door was half-open.
Madam Yan, her buttocks slightly raised, piled the newly gathered firewood in the corner.
She didn't dare go far, only picking up some broken branches under a nearby tree.
Hearing the commotion, she quickly turned around. Seeing the boy's face, she relaxed, a smile of joy and happiness spreading across her pretty face: "Yuan-ge'er!!"
"Yuan-ge'er!"
She rushed over, throwing herself into his arms, as if her heart had finally settled.
"Yuan-ge'er... Yuan-ge'er..."
she murmured softly.
"What's wrong?" Li Yuan asked with a smile.
"I saw wild dogs digging up a corpse. It was just buried a few days ago..."
"That's because it wasn't buried very deep."
"Yuan-ge'er, I'm scared."
"I'm scared too. We didn't catch anything today."
"It's alright, it's alright."
The woman lifted her head from his embrace, cupping his face in her hands, and whispered, "We're both alright, that's good..."
Her features were actually very beautiful; even up close, she exuded a captivating femininity.
"Where did you see the stray dog? Shall we go and kill it?" Li Yuan seemed tempted.
Madam Yan paused, then chuckled, and said, "It's long gone.
By the way, Yuan-ge'er, today I used two large coins to buy two jin of millet, two jin of bran, and two jin of beans. We'll cook them together; that should last us a while..."
"Was anyone seen on your way back?"
"Aunt Wang and her husband were there too. They helped me out; otherwise, I wouldn't have dared to buy so much at once."
The two fell silent...
After a day of suppressed emotions, something seemed to be stirring.
Suddenly, Yan Yu exclaimed.
"Yuan-ge'er, what are you doing?"
Li Yuan's arm was already around her legs, carrying the pretty village girl in his arms, and he strode into the house.
"Yuan-ge'er, the rice isn't cooked yet."
"Yuan-ge'er..."
"Yuan-ge'er..."
The voices faded, replaced by the sweet intimacy of lovemaking, not very sweet.
- Writer
