932

Chapter 932: Drawing Salary for Nothing

Editor: Henyee Translations

Rong Shenning was initially confused and turned around to look, only to be terrified out of his wits at the sight of a black bear. “There’s a black bear! Why didn’t you say anything?”

Yi Chuanchuan cursed loudly, “Did we even have a chance to tell you? You started screaming the moment you arrived. Everything was fine until you forced us to flee. Even if the bear eats you, it’s only what you deserve!”

The black bear trotted behind them, occasionally letting out a terrifying roar.

The three ran desperately, but climbing a mountain was truly exhausting. With a black bear on their heels, they soon ran out of steam.

Yi Chuanchuan looked back at the bear only five or six meters away and screamed, “Help!”

Jiang Zhanglin suddenly said, “Aren’t you skilled in martial arts?”

Yi Chuanchuan replied, “I am, but I don’t have a weapon.”

Jiang Zhanglin asked, “Where’s your weapon?”

Yi Chuanchuan helplessly said, “It’s on the carriage. I don’t often resort to physical confrontation, so I don’t usually carry my weapon with me, that’s why I didn’t have it just now.”

Picking up a stone, Yi Chuanchuan turned and threw it at the bear, “Stop chasing us!”

The stone hit the bear’s head, causing it pain that, far from slowing it down, only made it speed up in anger, cementing the grudge.

Yi Chuanchuan screamed, “Ahhh!”

Rong Shenning cried out in panic, “Run faster, the bear is catching up!”

Jiang Zhanglin, being more of a scholar, gradually fell behind due to exhaustion. “I thought I was going to survive this, but I’ve encountered an even greater danger. If I get killed by the bear, don’t tell people I died like this. Say I fell off a cliff, at least leave me some dignity.”

Yi Chuanchuan stopped and ran back a step, pulling Jiang Zhanglin along, “If we die, we die together!”

Adversity shows true friendship. Jiang Zhanglin was surprised that Yi Chuanchuan came back for him. “No need, solving the problem with one death is enough.”

He broke free from Yi Chuanchuan’s grip, unable to run any further.

Yi Chuanchuan dragged Jiang Zhanglin upwards, “Don’t give up until the last moment.”

At that moment, Rong Shenning, who had been leading, ran back to help Yi Chuanchuan pull Jiang Zhanglin.

Yi Chuanchuan was shocked, “Why did you come back?”

Rong Shenning replied irritably, “Should I have just watched you get eaten?”

The three continued to run for a while longer, but now the bear was only a meter away.

Suddenly, Jiang Zhanglin’s ankle was grabbed by the bear, and he was pulled backward. Yi Chuanchuan and Rong Shenning, caught off guard, leaned back, almost rolling down the slope. Fortunately, they grabbed a nearby tree, preventing them from falling down the mountain.

Rong Shenning yelled, “Help! Help!”

Just then, an arrow shot through the air, hitting the bear right in the head. The pain caused the bear to let go of Jiang Zhanglin’s ankle.

Yi Chuanchuan looked around gratefully, “Who? Who shot that arrow?”

There was no response.

Rong Shenning suddenly relaxed, “It must be the shadow guard sent by General Tang to protect us, don’t worry.”

Yi Chuanchuan, still frightened, said, “Why didn’t they come out sooner?”

“Probably had some orders,” Jiang Zhanglin reasoned, realizing the underlying cause. If they knew someone was secretly protecting them, they wouldn’t have seen their true character.

Another arrow flew, hitting the bear in the heart. The bear slowly lost its strength and rolled down the mountain.

Hearing the commotion, Du Zhaolin, sword in hand, followed up the trail. Unexpectedly, the rolling bear came his way, and he had to quickly dodge to avoid being carried down with it.

“Are you all okay?” Du Zhaolin shouted up the mountain.

Rong Shenning replied, “We’re fine.”

Du Zhaolin breathed a sigh of relief, “Good, good…” He slowly climbed towards the peak.

After the bear chase, the three had already climbed halfway up the mountain and were now sitting there resting, completely drained.

Du Zhaolin joined them, sitting beside them, “That was close!”

“It was close,” Yi Chuanchuan took his sword in hand, pointing at the bear, “Let’s take that bear and sell it, have a good meal for once!”

Du Zhaolin rarely agreed with Yi Chuanchuan, “Can a bear fetch a good price?”

Rong Shenning nodded, “Yes, at least several dozen taels.”

They discussed the bear for a while, then, feeling somewhat recovered, they began to climb toward the peak.

Climbing with difficulty to the top, Jiang Zhanglin pulled out the map from his clothes and compared it with the surrounding landscape to ascertain their location.

Fortunately, luck was on their side. Descending from the other side of the peak would take them to the first village of the trading city.

The first village was known as the wealthiest village around the county town. Observing this village would give a good indication of the state of the other villages, though not absolutely.

Jiang Zhanglin looked at his companions, “Can you make it down the mountain?”

“Why don’t we split up?” Rong Shenning suggested tentatively. “You go to the village, and Du Zhaolin and I will take the bear to the county town to sell it. We’ll come to find you afterward.”

Jiang Zhanglin’s mouth twitched. How much did Du Zhaolin love money?

Yi Chuanchuan said, “Why not agree? Leaving the bear there might be a waste if someone else takes it or if it attracts other animals.”

After some thought, Jiang Zhanglin felt that there wasn’t much use for them all sticking together. Splitting up might be better, “Go ahead, handle the bear properly, and come find us immediately afterward. We’ll wait for you in the first village.”

“Okay.”

Du Zhaolin and Rong Shenning happily went their way to deal with the bear, more thrilled by the prospect of selling it than checking out the village.

Jiang Zhanglin and Yi Chuanchuan exchanged a glance and began to descend the other side of the peak.

As Yi Chuanchuan observed the village, he suddenly stopped, “Zhanglin, something doesn’t seem right.”

Jiang Zhanglin also noticed, “At this time, villagers should be working in the fields. Why is there no one around? Could it be another deserted village?”

“Let’s be careful,” Yi Chuanchuan said. “The moment something feels off, we get out of here.”

Jiang Zhanglin nodded in agreement, “Okay.”

…

Du Zhaolin and Rong Shenning carried the bear to the cart and then moved forward, leading the horse towards the county town on foot, not daring to ride the cart.

They weren’t far from the county town and arrived after a short journey.

Standing at the gate of the county town, they looked at the weathered walls and the decrepit gate, Rong Shenning remarked, “Is this the county town?”

Du Zhaolin was equally incredulous, “This is my first time seeing such a rundown county town. Let’s go in and see.”

At the gate, two listless guards didn’t even bother with a routine check, merely standing there, letting people pass through at will.

Du Zhaolin and Rong Shenning led the horse and cart through the city gate, glancing at the guards who seemed to be sleeping standing up.

How could the administration of this county town be so lax?

What was the county magistrate doing?

It was as if he was drawing a salary for nothing!

Chapter 932: Drawing Salary for Nothing

Editor: Henyee Translations

Rong Shenning was initially confused and turned around to look, only to be terrified out of his wits at the sight of a black bear. “There’s a black bear! Why didn’t you say anything?”

Yi Chuanchuan cursed loudly, “Did we even have a chance to tell you? You started screaming the moment you arrived. Everything was fine until you forced us to flee. Even if the bear eats you, it’s only what you deserve!”

The black bear trotted behind them, occasionally letting out a terrifying roar.

The three ran desperately, but climbing a mountain was truly exhausting. With a black bear on their heels, they soon ran out of steam.

Yi Chuanchuan looked back at the bear only five or six meters away and screamed, “Help!”

Jiang Zhanglin suddenly said, “Aren’t you skilled in martial arts?”

Yi Chuanchuan replied, “I am, but I don’t have a weapon.”

Jiang Zhanglin asked, “Where’s your weapon?”

Yi Chuanchuan helplessly said, “It’s on the carriage. I don’t often resort to physical confrontation, so I don’t usually carry my weapon with me, that’s why I didn’t have it just now.”

Picking up a stone, Yi Chuanchuan turned and threw it at the bear, “Stop chasing us!”

The stone hit the bear’s head, causing it pain that, far from slowing it down, only made it speed up in anger, cementing the grudge.

Yi Chuanchuan screamed, “Ahhh!”

Rong Shenning cried out in panic, “Run faster, the bear is catching up!”

Jiang Zhanglin, being more of a scholar, gradually fell behind due to exhaustion. “I thought I was going to survive this, but I’ve encountered an even greater danger. If I get killed by the bear, don’t tell people I died like this. Say I fell off a cliff, at least leave me some dignity.”

Yi Chuanchuan stopped and ran back a step, pulling Jiang Zhanglin along, “If we die, we die together!”

Adversity shows true friendship. Jiang Zhanglin was surprised that Yi Chuanchuan came back for him. “No need, solving the problem with one death is enough.”

He broke free from Yi Chuanchuan’s grip, unable to run any further.

Yi Chuanchuan dragged Jiang Zhanglin upwards, “Don’t give up until the last moment.”

At that moment, Rong Shenning, who had been leading, ran back to help Yi Chuanchuan pull Jiang Zhanglin.

Yi Chuanchuan was shocked, “Why did you come back?”

Rong Shenning replied irritably, “Should I have just watched you get eaten?”

The three continued to run for a while longer, but now the bear was only a meter away.

Suddenly, Jiang Zhanglin’s ankle was grabbed by the bear, and he was pulled backward. Yi Chuanchuan and Rong Shenning, caught off guard, leaned back, almost rolling down the slope. Fortunately, they grabbed a nearby tree, preventing them from falling down the mountain.

Rong Shenning yelled, “Help! Help!”

Just then, an arrow shot through the air, hitting the bear right in the head. The pain caused the bear to let go of Jiang Zhanglin’s ankle.

Yi Chuanchuan looked around gratefully, “Who? Who shot that arrow?”

There was no response.

Rong Shenning suddenly relaxed, “It must be the shadow guard sent by General Tang to protect us, don’t worry.”

Yi Chuanchuan, still frightened, said, “Why didn’t they come out sooner?”

“Probably had some orders,” Jiang Zhanglin reasoned, realizing the underlying cause. If they knew someone was secretly protecting them, they wouldn’t have seen their true character.

Another arrow flew, hitting the bear in the heart. The bear slowly lost its strength and rolled down the mountain.

Hearing the commotion, Du Zhaolin, sword in hand, followed up the trail. Unexpectedly, the rolling bear came his way, and he had to quickly dodge to avoid being carried down with it.

“Are you all okay?” Du Zhaolin shouted up the mountain.

Rong Shenning replied, “We’re fine.”

Du Zhaolin breathed a sigh of relief, “Good, good…” He slowly climbed towards the peak.

After the bear chase, the three had already climbed halfway up the mountain and were now sitting there resting, completely drained.

Du Zhaolin joined them, sitting beside them, “That was close!”

“It was close,” Yi Chuanchuan took his sword in hand, pointing at the bear, “Let’s take that bear and sell it, have a good meal for once!”

Du Zhaolin rarely agreed with Yi Chuanchuan, “Can a bear fetch a good price?”

Rong Shenning nodded, “Yes, at least several dozen taels.”

They discussed the bear for a while, then, feeling somewhat recovered, they began to climb toward the peak.

Climbing with difficulty to the top, Jiang Zhanglin pulled out the map from his clothes and compared it with the surrounding landscape to ascertain their location.

Fortunately, luck was on their side. Descending from the other side of the peak would take them to the first village of the trading city.

The first village was known as the wealthiest village around the county town. Observing this village would give a good indication of the state of the other villages, though not absolutely.

Jiang Zhanglin looked at his companions, “Can you make it down the mountain?”

“Why don’t we split up?” Rong Shenning suggested tentatively. “You go to the village, and Du Zhaolin and I will take the bear to the county town to sell it. We’ll come to find you afterward.”

Jiang Zhanglin’s mouth twitched. How much did Du Zhaolin love money?

Yi Chuanchuan said, “Why not agree? Leaving the bear there might be a waste if someone else takes it or if it attracts other animals.”

After some thought, Jiang Zhanglin felt that there wasn’t much use for them all sticking together. Splitting up might be better, “Go ahead, handle the bear properly, and come find us immediately afterward. We’ll wait for you in the first village.”

“Okay.”

Du Zhaolin and Rong Shenning happily went their way to deal with the bear, more thrilled by the prospect of selling it than checking out the village.

Jiang Zhanglin and Yi Chuanchuan exchanged a glance and began to descend the other side of the peak.

As Yi Chuanchuan observed the village, he suddenly stopped, “Zhanglin, something doesn’t seem right.”

Jiang Zhanglin also noticed, “At this time, villagers should be working in the fields. Why is there no one around? Could it be another deserted village?”

“Let’s be careful,” Yi Chuanchuan said. “The moment something feels off, we get out of here.”

Jiang Zhanglin nodded in agreement, “Okay.”

…

Du Zhaolin and Rong Shenning carried the bear to the cart and then moved forward, leading the horse towards the county town on foot, not daring to ride the cart.

They weren’t far from the county town and arrived after a short journey.

Standing at the gate of the county town, they looked at the weathered walls and the decrepit gate, Rong Shenning remarked, “Is this the county town?”

Du Zhaolin was equally incredulous, “This is my first time seeing such a rundown county town. Let’s go in and see.”

At the gate, two listless guards didn’t even bother with a routine check, merely standing there, letting people pass through at will.

Du Zhaolin and Rong Shenning led the horse and cart through the city gate, glancing at the guards who seemed to be sleeping standing up.

How could the administration of this county town be so lax?

What was the county magistrate doing?

It was as if he was drawing a salary for nothing!