章節 5: Village Head
"Lin Fan, what are you doing here?"
When Lin Fan entered Uncle Liu's place, Uncle Liu's wife Mei Fong wasn't too pleased.
"I'm here to sell my rabbit skin to Uncle Liu. I can't eat all the meat; I was thinking we could finish them together."
Lin Fan lifted his hand and showed Mei Fong his haul of three wild rabbits.
When Mei Fong saw the wild rabbits, her eyes opened wide with surprise.
This Lin Fan was on the verge of dying just recently.
Now he is able to hunt and provide for himself.
Mei Fong looked up and down carefully at Lin Fan, trying to figure out what had changed.
She couldn't figure it out.
Other than looking much livelier, with Lin Fan's white and pale face now gone, he was still looking just as thin and frail.
Her thoughts were then interrupted by a cheerful voice.
"Wow! More meat!"
Liu Han jumped around and exclaimed with excitement when he saw the rabbits.
"Liu Han, behave yourself. Lin Fan, you take a seat first, I'll make some rabbit stew and process the rabbit skin for you."
Mei Fong shooed Liu Han away and softened her attitude toward Lin Fan.
She doesn't really hate Lin Fan, just that it was tough on her own family when Uncle Liu helped Lin Fan.
"Lin Fan, you are here. You've got more rabbit skins for me?" Uncle Liu asked when he entered the house.
"I've got three today."
"Three? You are getting better at it. Here are three copper coins for the skins."
Uncle Liu smiled and passed three copper coins to Lin Fan.
He was genuinely happy for Lin Fan.
If Lin Fan continued this streak, he would be able to get a wife and settle down soon.
When dinner was ready, they sat down together and feasted on the rabbit stew with some porridge.
"Eat slowly, don't drop the food all over the place."
Mei Fong wasn't pleased as she hit Liu Han's hand with her chopsticks.
Uncle Liu sighed, shook his head and said, "If I make enough money, I will send him to school. It's the only way out for us poor folks."
"Only way out, there's no other way?" Lin Fan asked.
He has vague memories about powerful sects, but the teenager living in this village couldn't know much.
Uncle Liu was startled when he heard Lin Fan ask his question.
He paused for a few moments, then proceeded to reply, "You can join a powerful sect, learn their techniques and be one of the respected martial art fighters."
"Martial art fighters... how powerful are their techniques?" Lin Fan pondered and asked.
"I don't know much; heard they can destroy a rock as tall as me with one punch. You can ask the village head's son, Ho Ming. He is preparing to join one of the sects, Qing Feng sect."
"Thanks, Uncle Liu. I will ask Ho Ming about the sects."
Uncle Liu, seeing Lin Fan's enthusiasm, wanted to persuade Lin Fan out of it.
He looked at Lin Fan seriously and said, "Lin Fan, it's better to just settle down, have a family. Being a martial art fighter is dangerous, it's not something we can do as lowly villagers. Not for us to fight our destiny."
Lin Fan nodded silently.
He wasn't so keen on having a family and living happily forever.
From what he has experienced so far, this place isn't for the weak.
The only way to ensure survival is to become strong and terminate those who stand in your way.
Right now, he already has Housekeeper Lee to deal with.
His next step is to upgrade his physique and get into the Qing Feng sect.
That should get Housekeeper Lee off his back, and he can learn the techniques from the sect to become stronger.
...
Next day.
Lin Fan didn't go straight to the open fields.
He ventured into the woods where the thugs lay to rest.
Best for him to ensure that no bodies were left around.
Without any incriminating evidence, Housekeeper Lee can't pin the disappearance of the men on him.
Lin Fan doesn't really know how powerful the Tan family is, better for him not to go all out against them for now.
"Looks like the beasts had a great buffet." Lin Fan sighed out in relief.
There were no traces of the thugs left.
He quickly left for the open fields.
It wasn't a good sign that the beasts have ventured so close to the borders of the woods.
Winter is coming, these beasts must have been desperate for food to sustain themselves through it.
Lin Fan decided to inform the village head about it, and make use of this chance to ask Ho Ming about joining the Qing Feng sect.
The hunt for the day went well, Lin Fan was able to catch four wild rabbits.
With the haul of the day, Lin Fan went back to the village.
On his way back, he noticed there were small groups of people wandering towards the village's edge.
These people, scantily dressed, were skinny with ribcage bones showing.
They eyed the rabbits in Lin Fan's hands with hunger.
Lin Fan drew out his axe to warn those with bad intentions and hastened his pace.
None were brash enough to try.
"They must have run away from their village, unable to pay for the autumn harvest tax."
Lin Fan thought to himself as he left the wanderers behind.
...
"Village head, are you home?"
Lin Fan shouted outside the village head Ho Fu's house.
The house was much bigger with white walls and green tiles.
A vast difference from Lin Fan's wooden hut.
A few moments later, an old man with a pipe in his hand opened the wooden door.
Seeing that it was Lin Fan, he smiled and motioned Lin Fan to come in.
To Lin Fan's surprise, Ho Ming was also in the house.
Ho Ming, with his stout figure, closed his eyes, sat down with his legs crossed.
Lin Fan figured Ho Ming must be practicing some techniques he had learned.
"Why are you here?" The village head asked.
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