After expressing this, Gu Jianghai felt somewhat embarrassed.
Anyone with a discerning eye could see that, despite the Chen family village's small population, their combat capability was formidable. They returned from hunts with bountiful rewards.
On the other hand, what about their own group?
Finally, they managed to secure some prey, but it was snatched away on the way back. Fortunately, they encountered the people from Chenjiazhai by luck, but the disparity was evident.
So, on the surface, bringing their villagers into the Chen family village seemed mutually beneficial. In reality, they were seeking protection.
But they had little choice.
Their village lacked young and middle-aged individuals. Every winter, starvation was a looming threat, and this year wouldn't be any different. Merging into the Chen family village, even if they couldn't feast, they could at least have enough to survive the hunger.
Moreover, Chen Guodong had a good reputation and was trustworthy.
The atmosphere turned heavy.
The folks from Gujiazhai anxiously awaited the outcome.
Gu Jianghai's suggestion was met without objections.
If they could merge into Chenjiazhai, it would be a momentous joy.
But what if the other party refused? After all, they had to consider their own situation, with dozens of elderly, young, and weak individuals waiting back at their village.
Indeed.
Including Chen Guodong, they were thrilled upon hearing this. The Wei brothers had left, taking a couple of people with them. The hunting team currently needed more manpower.
Gu Jiazhai and their addition would address this pressing issue.
However, when considering the dozens of people from the other party's village, hesitation set in.
Their own village already had over a hundred people to feed. The five prey they had brought back would sustain them for a while, but adding dozens more mouths would strain their resources.
The atmosphere remained somber.
The hearts of Gu Jiazhai's group sank.
Gu Jianghai's smile was fading. He glanced at Gu Ze beside him.
He hesitated about whether to disclose their situation. Their current strength might make them appear unimpressive to the people of Chenjiazhai.
However, at that moment, a young voice chimed in.
"Dad, I think you should agree."
Everyone's gaze immediately converged on Chen Fan.
"It's him!"
Gu Jianghai and the others were elated.
Their impression of Chen Fan surpassed that of anyone in the Chen Family Village. They never expected him to agree to their proposal.
Then, shock swept through them again.
What had he just called Chen Guodong? Dad?
He was Chen Guodong's son?
Chen Fan took it in stride and explained to everyone, "Currently, our village is short on young and middle-aged men, especially experienced hunters like Wang Ping and Zhao Feng. Although they are strong, they lack experience and need to be trained. This will take time. The addition of Uncle Gu and the others can help meet this urgent need."
"Xiaofan is correct," Liu Yong chimed in, and they had also considered this point. "It's just..."
"Uncle Liu, I understand your concerns. Are you worried there won't be enough food with more people?"
Chen Fan smiled faintly. "I don't think there's reason to worry. With an increasing number of hunting teams, the likelihood of bringing in more prey is high. More people mean more strength."
Everyone nodded.
It wasn't necessarily Chen Fan's words that were convincing; it was the person who said them that inspired confidence.
"Guodong, since Xiaofan agrees, we have no objections."
"Yes, Brother Gu and the others wish to join us, so we should agree."
"Xiaofan is right," someone stated directly.
Chen Guodong nodded, smiling at Gu Jianghai. "Brother Gu, have you made up your mind? If you're sure about this, then we welcome you to join."
Is it really that simple?
Gu Jianghai and the others were a bit taken aback.
They had expected some deliberation and discussion, with the majority ultimately swaying the decision. However, the young man among them had spoken a few words, and the people of Chenjiazhai had unanimously agreed.
"Jianghai, wake up."
The man next to him tapped him, urging, "Why are you hesitating? Hurry up and agree!"
"Yes, Jiang Hai, don't waste any more time; he might change his mind."
Gu Jianghai snapped out of his reverie and quickly replied, "Brother Chen, we've thought it through. We're willing to join your Chen family village. From today on, there will be no Gu family village."
"Yes, we're all from Chenjiazhai."
Several people shouted excitedly.
Gu Ze blushed slightly, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Hahahaha, alright, alright, from now on, we're all part of the same village."
Chen Guodong was also elated.
Liu Yong and others nodded with smiles.
From now on, with more people hunting, the pressure would be significantly reduced in case of danger. Furthermore, fresh blood had been injected into the village, making it more vibrant.
Of course, these newcomers would need to work hard; otherwise, supporting so many people would be challenging.
"Brother Chen, is this young man your son?"
Gu Jianghai smiled and asked, looking at Chen Fan.
"Yes."
"He's certainly grown up to be a fine young man."
Gu Jianghai sighed, "Many of us suppressed our anger at Li's village, but this young man single-handedly defeated them all. It's astounding."
"Yeah, pulling a hundred-catty bow."
"Over ten times in a row, that's extraordinary."
The other men showered him with praise.
Chen Fan smiled at them, but his smile froze when he noticed Gu Ze on the far right. The latter appeared somewhat unconvinced.
A young man, and yet not normal, he mused to himself.
"That's right, Xiao Fan is our best."
Chenjiazhai and the others beamed with pride upon hearing this.
Chen Guodong couldn't hide his smile and modestly added, "Brother Gu's son is impressive, considering his age, he's probably around the same age as Xiaofan. Can't he also draw an eighty-catty bow? We can't."
As Liu Yong said this, their eyes sparkled.
Indeed, this young man was impressive, wasn't he? Most of the credit for Gu Jiazhai's resilience was likely attributed to him.
It's just that Xiaofan stole the spotlight, and they hadn't noticed it until now. With their strengths combined, life in the village should improve significantly.
"Brother Gu, if our assumption is correct, your son is also a warrior, right?"
"At Body Tempering Level 1?"
They asked with curiosity.
"This…"
Gu Jianghai hesitated and then stood up, his expression somewhat uneasy.
Gu Ze lowered his head slightly, appearing embarrassed as he accepted everyone's praise.
"What's the matter?"
Chen Guodong wondered, "Did I say something wrong? If I offended you, please forgive me."
"No, no, no, no."
Gu Jianghai waved his hands repeatedly. "No, no, you're right. Ozawa can draw an eighty-catty bow. In fact, there's another hidden aspect."
"Another secret?"
Hearing this, Chen Guodong and the others exchanged puzzled glances.
What could it mean?
Was this young man still harboring a secret?