Chapter 58: A Clash of Wills
Chapter 58: A Clash of Wills
Survival in this world is a difficult struggle...
Hu Ma woke up one morning, silently contemplating the need to learn a new skill. It was a thought that had been gnawing at him, entangled with a myriad of concerns.
At least he was fortunate to have the Blood Nourishing Pills from his grandmother to sustain him, and the mutual support of the reincarnated souls. Without these, what fate would befall him?
Perhaps, Second Master was the best example of what could happen.
He didn't dwell on such chaotic thoughts, focusing instead on quickly mastering a new technique to save himself.
After mulling over various possibilities, he took out the piece of meat Second Master had given him. He grabbed the waist knife Zhou Datong had left on his bedroll and carefully cut off the tip of the dried meat, a piece roughly the size of a baby's fist. He wrapped it in a clean cloth, tucked it into his shirt, and quietly left the room, hiding the rest of the meat.
He wasn't sure what this piece of meat was, but he knew it wasn't Blood Elder. After all, he was now something of an expert on Blood Elders. Even an old miner like Second Master probably hadn't seen as many as he had eaten.
But since Second Master had specifically warned him about it, it must be something extraordinary. The massive, bloated flesh mountains weren't limited to the black, white, green, and blood varieties. There were many rare and peculiar types, often highly sought after by experienced miners.
Outside, he found Zhou Datong in the courtyard, chopping hay to feed the horses. He whispered his plan to him.
Zhou Datong's eyes widened in surprise, then his face lit up with joy. "Brother Hu Ma, you're finally ready to take them on?"
Hu Ma motioned for him to be quiet, smiling. "Did you expect me to act?"
"No, but I couldn't stand being bullied anymore."
Zhou Datong continued, "Those scoundrels, following that young master from the Xu family, have been bullying us. They won't let us, from Big Sheep Village, help Red Lantern Lady with the night patrol. We're just made to feed the horses, chop wood, and heat water for the boss, treating us like servants."
"I can't do anything about it, so I've been enduring."
"But I know your character, Brother Hu Ma. If you've been holding back this long, you must be planning something big!"
"..."
"Talking nonsense?"
Hu Ma felt uncomfortable with his words. "I'm not some bad person..."
But Zhou Datong ignored his protests, rushing off excitedly.
As evening approached, the sun set, and the lanterns were lit in the courtyard. The apprentices assigned to the night patrol were waiting, but Young Master Xu Ji from the Xu family hadn't emerged yet. His two henchmen, however, were lounging by the well, legs stretched out, lazily pointing at Li Wa and a few others who were trying to join the patrol.
"You want to join us on the night patrol? Not impossible," one of them said, grinning.
"But when you return, you know what to do, right?"
"Go to the third house on the town street, the one with the black door and the wine flag. Knock on the door, buy a pound of wine, and ask the boss to wrap up some pig's head meat for us."
"We'll drink together tonight and teach you some manners. How does that sound?"
"..."
The eager apprentices nodded eagerly, not daring to refuse.
At that moment, Zhou Datong sauntered over, his hands behind his back, and looked at Li Wa. "Brother Li Wa, how much money did your father give you to buy meat for others?"
"..."
Li Wa, from Big Sheep Village, blushed and stammered, "Brother Datong, don't say that. These past few days, Brother Hu Zi and the others have really taught me a lot..."
The two henchmen, seeing Zhou Datong's question, narrowed their eyes suspiciously. "What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing, nothing..."
Zhou Datong hastily smiled. "I was just wondering if I could join you?"
Hearing this, their faces softened, and they grinned at him. "So, you want to buy us some wine too?"
"Sure!"
Zhou Datong reached into his chest, saying, "Take a look at this."
It was already getting dark, and with his mysterious, smug demeanor, they assumed he had something good. They leaned in, only to find his hand empty. Then, without warning, he slapped them both across the face.
"I'll buy you..."
Zhou Datong, having landed the first blow, immediately turned and ran. "I'll buy you a slap to eat!"
"Damn brat..."
These two henchmen, who had come with Young Master Xu Ji, held a high status in the village, acting arrogantly. None of the new apprentices dared to defy them, let alone strike them. They were furious, jumping off the grinding stone and chasing after Zhou Datong with fists raised.
Zhou Datong ran quickly out of the village, shouting, "Help, they're beating someone!"
"It's a matter of life and death!"
"..."
The henchmen, already angry, were even more enraged. They wanted to beat him, and now they had the perfect excuse.
Hu Ma stepped out from behind the wall, blocking Zhou Datong's path.
"What's going on? You want to start a fight?" Hu Ma asked, holding up a hand to stop him.
Zhou Datong immediately replied, "They told me to buy them meat tonight, or they'd beat me up."
Zhu Zi and Liang Zi, hearing this, felt both embarrassed and angry. "Move out of the way," they demanded.
"He was the first one to strike, and everyone saw it."
"..."
They had guessed that Hu Ma, being quiet and reserved, was likely the leader of the group from Dayang Village. They usually refrained from bullying him, but now that he had become a target, they couldn't hold back their anger. They shouted for Hu Ma to move aside, ready to attack.
"How dare he fight back against you?"
Hu Ma didn't budge, smiling. "Was it a misunderstanding?"
"This big slap mark on my face, a misunderstanding?" Zhu Zi retorted, growing more irritated. He suddenly turned and grabbed Li Waizi, who was following behind them. "Was it a misunderstanding?"
Li Waizi, feeling extremely awkward, never expected things to escalate this way. Seeing everyone's eyes on him, he became nervous.
He slowly lowered his head and, after a moment, whispered, "It was indeed Datong who struck first."
As soon as he said this, Zhu Zi and Liang Zi tried to push forward again, and Hu Ma's expression grew serious.
Zhou Datong, seething with anger, jumped up behind Hu Ma and shouted at Li Waizi, "Drop the 'Brother' part. Call me Zhou Datong. I don't have a brother like you, and you won't be welcome in Dayang Village anymore."
"Feeling cocky, are you?"
This only further enraged the two henchmen, Hu Zi and Da Long. They were wary of Hu Ma but felt they had the upper hand. One of them pushed Hu Ma, while the other swung a punch.
Hu Ma didn't know their backgrounds, but he had observed them during their training sessions. He knew they were skilled. Since Zhou Datong was here because of him, he couldn't let him get hurt.
He stepped forward and used the move taught by Er Ye, the "Banging Hammer," to block their attacks. He felt the heavy force of their punches and, with a slight step back, redirected the energy outward.
The techniques taught by Er Ye were not as flashy as those taught by Mr. Wu, but they were highly effective. The "Banging Hammer" could both block and counter. If the opponent's force was stronger, it could be deflected backward. If it was weaker, it could be used to strike back.
Before Hu Zi could react, he was sent flying, crashing into the other henchman. Both of them tumbled to the ground, dazed and unable to get up.
The onlookers, who had gathered to watch, were stunned.
First, they hadn't expected Hu Ma to be so strong, easily knocking down the two henchmen.
Second, they knew that while these henchmen weren't significant, they were part of the group led by the young master, Xu Ji. Everyone in the manor feared Xu Ji, and Hu Ma was now challenging him openly.
"Rustle, rustle..."
Amid the chaos, the sound of running feet filled the air as more people gathered to watch.
"Is there going to be a fight, Hu Ma and Datong?"
A few voices called out, and it was Zhou Liang and Zhao Zhu from Dayang Village who had heard the commotion. Seeing Hu Ma and Zhou Datong surrounded, they quickly grabbed a stick and a pitchfork and rushed over to help.
But when they arrived, they saw Hu Ma and Zhou Datong standing unharmed, while the two henchmen were still on the ground. They were momentarily stunned.
"Breaking the rules and fighting in a group? Do you all want to be kicked out?"
Just then, a cold voice cut through the noise. Xu Ji, with a stern face, had arrived on the scene.
Seeing him, everyone was startled and quickly lowered their heads, denying any involvement.
Even Zhou Liang and Zhao Zhu instinctively hid their weapons behind their backs.
Xu Ji, though he had only been there for a short time, had become the most influential person in the manor. Despite his status being the same as everyone else, no one dared to look him in the eye.
"That's extortion and violence," a voice said. Hu Ma pushed through the crowd and stepped forward, standing his ground. "Is that following the rules?"
Xu Ji, seeing Hu Ma, was taken aback for a moment. His face then turned dark, and his eyes, with their distinctive white rings, fixed on Hu Ma, making the air around them feel colder.
Hu Ma remained calm, meeting his gaze without backing down.
Not far behind, Little Hongtang quietly peeked out from behind the wall, her eyes wide as she stared at the wooden sword at Hu Ma's waist.
Squish...
(End of Chapter)
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