Chapter 14: The Establishment of Order

The young man seemed to know the fat one's temperament well and paid no mind to his excuses, speaking directly, "Snake Fang, what do you think about today's midday banquet? Don't tell me you don't want to test the depths of Group Nine."

After several days, Hu San's exploits had become widely known. There were many newcomers in the mountain village where Hu San had been that day, and as they were distributed among the various groups, naturally, they spread word of his deeds. There may have also been others with motives, fanning the flames, so within this region, Hu San and his Group Nine were famed far and wide.

Recently, it was common for members of the First Division to bully those in the Second Division, but never did such incidents occur with Group Nine. This alone showed Hu San's formidable deterrent power.

Yet, as the saying goes, seeing is believing. Those who hadn't seen him in person simply couldn't accept that a mere child could possess such strength. Thus, conspiracies and undercurrents began to stir.

The two meeting now were clearly a reflection of this.

Fat Snake Fang slowly emerged from the thicket, sprawling his bulk onto a large stone, grumbling, "So what if we test their strength? Hu San's reputation is so grand—if his real power is even a tenth of what's rumored, he's not someone we can contend with. If you want to die, go alone; why drag me into it?"

The lean youth, Man Shi, seemed to have expected this response. He sneered, "I've tested the strength of all the leaders in Group Sixteen of the Second Division, except for Hu San. Only the two of us can truly compete; the rest are no challenge. I don't believe you don't want to be the leader of the entire division."

"Even if Hu San is formidable, so what? Does he dare to kill? To seize food, you need a team, and he's just one person—how much can he do?"

"The midday banquet is our chance. Why not join forces and test Group Nine's weight together?"

Snake Fang seemed tempted by this, though hesitation remained. He shook his head, "Let's see when the time comes. Dan Yue, Xiang Bao, and Lei Ming from Group Nine aren't pushovers either. Facing those three, it's hard to predict victory or defeat. But I suspect many will share our intentions."

The lean youth knew the fat one's nature; such an answer was as good as agreement. He said no more and slipped out of the dense woods.

"Not dare to kill? Is that true? Is it necessary?" Watching Man Shi vanish, Snake Fang muttered softly, then gave a long yawn.

Meanwhile, within Wolf Fang Fortress, a dust-covered bandit stood atop a huge stone, gaze narrowed, directed toward the valley behind the mountain.

After a while, a cruel smile curled at his lips. "Hu San, eh? Thanks for retrieving half the manual from Zhang the Longbow."

"They say you're so powerful you nearly have three heads and six arms. But in reality, didn't you rely on traps to take down Zhang the Longbow?"

"Though there will be blame from over there, this manual is now truly mine. Heh, I'll see what level you've reached. Here, there are no traps for you to use."

Unbeknownst to him, in these few days, Hu San's body had undergone a profound transformation. With newfound strength, Hu San was now tenfold more formidable than the version that relied solely on skill.

Had this man known, he wouldn't be smiling—but there are no 'ifs' in this world. Everything marches forward at its own pace, unhurried, unforced.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Three distant chimes echoed through the mountains. The young bandits, having labored all morning, howled and rushed madly toward the grand field.

On the way, groups converged, their leaders exchanging glances, making last-minute preparations.

Everyone knew today's midday struggle for food would usher in a new era—though, of course, that era was meaningful only to them.

Before long, teams gathered at the once-empty field—each a group, forming ranks like a parade ground. Here, every team tried to display their strength; none wished to hide it, for those who did risked utter destruction.

No matter how many schemes had been plotted, when the moment arrived, only one thought remained: to seize enough food, at least not to go hungry.

Especially those groups who had little harvest that morning—leaders and members alike stared bloodshot-eyed at the center of the field, ready to fight anyone who dared block them.

Besides these teams, some had other schemes, but none anticipated that their target—Group Nine—was nowhere to be seen.

"Did Group Nine abandon the midday struggle for food?"

Questions arose among the leaders, but as time passed, the arrival of bandits with carts, the aroma of food, and the restless atmosphere gradually erased these doubts, focusing everyone on the prize before them.

Today's meal was different. To train this batch, Wolf Heart Fortress had put in real effort; meat was served at midday.

Though only a little, meat was meat—more prized than grain. Several vats of rich broth added to the allure, their fragrance wafting from afar.

The bandits ignored the newcomers crowding the sides, quickly unloading the food and withdrawing as they had in the morning.

With their departure, the atmosphere grew ever more tense. When the bandits vanished from sight, tension peaked.

"Boom!"

No one knew which group struck first, but suddenly the mood erupted, a tangible explosion of energy, followed by a surge of running bodies.

Shouts, curses, cries, and screams blended together. Leaders who had tried to restrain their teams abandoned their plans, joining the fray.

At that moment, the grand field became a boiling cauldron. Except for a few elite squads that retained some fighting force, the rest were scattered and shattered.

At the edge of the battlefield, Hu San led his team out, unable to suppress a cold smile. "I really overestimated the youth's discipline—this is nothing but a rabble!"

He glanced at Dan Yue, Xiang Bao, and Lei Ming. Their squads had some commotion as well; clearly, the rabble included not only those on the field but also their own.

The three flushed, hurriedly cursing their men. With Hu San overseeing and fewer people to manage, order was quickly restored.

"Same as this morning. You three each lead ten elite guards to protect the flanks; the rest move supplies."

With a low command, Hu San took the lead, charging ahead like a spearhead, plunging into the heart of the chaos.

Perhaps by coincidence, or perhaps by fate, the first group Hu San led his team against was Snake Fang's Second Group.

Amid the confusion, Snake Fang's group was now down to about forty, clustered around him. They had hoped to profit from others' conflict, but now faced an assault from Group Nine.

Watching Group Nine charge like a tiger, with the thin youth at the front, Snake Fang gritted his teeth. "Hold them off! I refuse to believe Group Nine can break through such a thick wall!"

But reality was harsh. As the two teams collided, Hu San showed no fancy fighting skill; he simply stretched his arms forward, expanding his chest, and brushed aside two Second Group members who tried to approach.

With strength surpassing ordinary adult bandits, these youths were utterly unable to resist, rolling away like gourds.

With Hu San as the spearhead, Dan Yue, Xiang Bao, and Lei Ming quickly followed through the breach, widening it even more.

Snake Fang barely had time to react before Hu San floored him with a single punch. His vaunted strength was child's play before Hu San.

When he came to, his so-called squad had already been pierced through.

With Group Nine successfully breaking through the Second Group, their members' anxiety vanished, replaced by soaring morale.

United in purpose, under Hu San's leadership, Group Nine drove straight through the human wall, breaking through countless ranks to reach the food.

Soon, as other leaders stared in shock, Group Nine members began sweeping up supplies with abandon. Anyone who dared contest them faced the three mighty lieutenants of Group Nine under Hu San's command.

The battlefield fell eerily silent for a moment, all attention drawn to Group Nine, though it caused no ripple among them.

After gathering enough food, Group Nine, under Hu San's orders, withdrew by another route, smashing several unlucky groups along the way, before finally returning to their quarters.

This time, Group Nine had cut across the entire field, from one end of the sea of people to the other—a small miracle.

At the corner of the arena, the Third Chieftain and the Scarred Commander chatted idly. Witnessing the scene, the Third Chieftain smiled, praising, "Hu San really is impressive. That flanking maneuver by Group Nine was beautiful. I suspect the other groups have all been thoroughly intimidated."

"Indeed. From now on, the order of the Second Division is established. All that's left is to add a few outstanding teams as helpers. We should've expected as much—given Hu San's talent, this challenge was never beyond him!"

The Scarred Commander nodded in agreement.

The Third Chieftain looked toward the First Division, shaking his head. "Looks like they still need some time. Never mind. Let's return to the fortress. Besides the situation at Tianya Fortress, there's also this; I'm sure the Grand Chieftain will be concerned. It's time we reported to him."

"Quite right!" The Scarred Commander agreed wholeheartedly, though a hint of pride appeared on his usually calm face. It seemed he'd won this round.