Chapter 57: Chapter 57 Is it too abrupt?
Someone shouted, and the noisy crowd immediately fell silent.
Nearly a hundred pairs of eyes fell on the returning Hunting Team, or rather, the prey they were carrying.
One, two, three, four—no, there was also the one Chen Fan was dragging—five pieces of prey!
Oh my god, when was the last time the village had such a bountiful harvest?
"Gulp."
Wang Ping swallowed a mouthful of saliva, his voice trembling, "Am I... am I dreaming?"
"N-no, I don’t think so."
Zhao Feng shook his head with a dazed expression.
He was very sure that everything in front of him was real, not a dream.
Beside him, Zhang Ren also showed a look of shock.
Could it be, was it Chen Fan’s doing again? It must be, there was no one else that could accomplish this.
The Hunting Team came closer and closer, each person beaming with smiles.
The team crossed the drawbridge and entered the village. Under the astonished and joyful gazes, they placed the prey on the ground.
"Today’s harvest is not bad, all thanks to Xiaofan," Liu Yong laughed heartily.
"Whoosh" came the sound.
Hundreds of eyes fell on Chen Fan.
"Wow! Brother Fan is amazing!" The eyes of more than a dozen children sparkled.
At this moment, Chen Chen was also among the children, looking at Chen Fan with a face full of admiration.
"Last time they brought back so much prey, and this time it’s even more, several times more."
"He’s truly the savior of our village."
The elders were overjoyed to the point of tears.
In the crowd, Meng Yu also smiled radiantly.
"Uncle Liu, please don’t say that,"
Chen Fan said with a helpless smile, "Today’s big harvest is thanks to everyone’s efforts."
Liu Yong and the others were stunned, then they all laughed.
They did contribute to hunting the antelope, but when they encountered the Li Family Stronghold, if it weren’t for Chen Fan’s intervention, it was uncertain if they would have made it back safely. If they brought back even half the prey, it would have been a great blessing.
However, there was no need to let everyone know what happened afterward, as it wouldn’t do any good.
"We plan to take this prey to Song Family Castle to exchange for grains and salt. Once we’ve exchanged, we’ll distribute it to everyone," Chen Guodong said with a smile.
Everyone nodded repeatedly, naturally having no objections. Some of them had run out of salt days ago.
"Additionally, I have something important to tell everyone."
Chen Guodong then explained the matter of the Gu Family Stronghold wanting to join them.
Immediately, it was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing a great uproar.
"What? The people from Gu Family Stronghold want to move here?"
"Is that true? That’s too sudden."
"Them moving here is a good thing, more people more strength, the Hunting Team will be safer when hunting."
"That’s right, and they can help defend the village, preventing ill-intentioned people."
In this post-apocalyptic world, it’s not just Fierce Beasts that attack small settlements. Some daring individuals also do so, as there’s no quicker way to get rich than through robbery.
In the past few years, many settlements have been destroyed because of this. Although it’s less common in recent years, it still happens, especially in winter when prey is scarce.
However, some people were worried.
"But, there are quite a few people in Gu Family Stronghold, right?"
"I heard their numbers are similar to ours, no, maybe a bit less. But still, can our food supply handle so many people at once?"
Wang Ping and a few others exchanged glances.
Having new people join is naturally a good thing. There used to be three or four hundred people in the village, but over time, people left or died, leaving only some old folks, women, and children.
But all at once, can the village support so many people?
"Everyone, settle down."
Chen Guodong clapped his hands, and once the commotion calmed, he decisively said, "I’ve already agreed, unless something unexpected happens, they will move here by tomorrow. I hope everyone cooperates; from now on, we are all part of one village."
Everyone’s eyes widened, some showing excitement, while others closed their mouths, their faces worried.
"As for the prey, don’t worry. Xiaofan’s archery skills are well-known, and in Gu Family Stronghold, there’s someone almost as good as him who can draw an eighty-pound bow with excellent archery skills." Chen Guodong said, glancing at Chen Fan.
"That’s right,"
Chen Fan nodded, "His name is Gu Ze, around my age, quite extraordinary."
At this, the atmosphere instantly quieted, the silence palpable.
Wang Ping and others held their breath, even Zhang Ren showed a look of shock.
They knew Chen Fan’s talent, and to get such a high evaluation from him, that Gu Ze was certainly no ordinary person.
"Yes, everyone, don’t worry. Once the people from Gu Family Stronghold arrive, our village’s life will get better and better."
"That’s right, rest assured."
Liu Yong and a few others echoed.
It’s not just empty words; they genuinely believed it in their hearts. Gu Ze was an Awakener!
Hearing this, those who were initially worried gradually felt relieved.
Chen Fan said that person was as good as him, which means the Hunting Team could get even more prey in the future than today! What’s there to worry about?
Chen Guodong and others exchanged smiles.
This matter was considered settled. They only needed to wait for Gu Jianghai and the others to come tomorrow. As for the village houses, there were enough. In its heyday, the village housed three to four hundred people.
But now, with people leaving and dying, only about a hundred remained.
Soon, night fell, and the aroma of food and the sounds of laughter filled the village.
Everyone was full of hope for the future, especially since many new faces would arrive tomorrow, filling them with excitement.
Chen Fan had been hungry for a while and nearly ate three to four pounds of meat. Now at the Third Layer of Body Tempering, he noticeably felt his appetite had grown much larger.
But this was a good thing.
After all, there were only two ways to increase Potential Points now: one was the system’s idle mode, which only added a few points daily—not much help anymore.
The other was food intake, especially Fierce Beast Meat—the more he ate, the more Potential Points grew, as long as he didn’t overeat.
Nearly four pounds of Fierce Beast Meat increased his Potential Points by 40.
"Still hungry?"
A woman, seeing this, couldn’t help but smile, "If you’re still hungry, I can cook more."
Although this meal consumed over ten pounds of meat, she felt it was worth it. After all, without enough food, where would the strength to train and hunt come from?
"Mom, I’m full,"
Chen Fan belched. If he could continue eating, he would.
Yin Fang smiled, then looked at Chen Chen.
"Dad, Mom, I’m full too." Chen Chen patted his round belly, his little face full of satisfaction.
"Dad, how about you?"
Chen Fan turned to Chen Guodong.
He nodded.
"Then rest for a while and practice martial arts with us," Chen Fan smiled.
"Martial arts?" Yin Fang looked at Chen Fan in surprise, then at Chen Guodong.
Chen Guodong was startled, then laughed, "Xiaofan, if you hadn’t reminded me, I would have forgotten. Alright, I’ll train with you later. Also, I’ll call Uncle Liu and the others."
"Okay."
Chen Fan agreed with a smile.
The Hunting Team went out during the day. If they could return in the afternoon, it was okay, but if they returned in the evening, they could only train at night.
Starting with the Hunting Team, then the children, and finally the women, gradually progressing until most villagers became Martial Artists.
Though, this would be a bit arduous for someone.