Someone shouted, and the previously noisy crowd fell silent. Nearly a hundred pairs of eyes were fixed on the returning hunting team, or more precisely, on the prey they were carrying. One, two, three, four... no, the one Chen Fan was dragging made it five prey!
Oh my goodness, when did the stockade have such an incredible harvest?
A collective gasp echoed through the crowd, and Wang Ping, trembling, muttered, "I hope I'm not dreaming."
"I'm certain you're not," Zhao Feng replied with conviction, his expression void of any doubt.
Zhang Ren, standing nearby, couldn't hide his astonishment either. Could this remarkable bounty be attributed to Chen Fan once again? It appeared so; there was no one else but him.
As the hunting team drew nearer, smiles beamed on everyone's faces. Crossing the suspension bridge and entering the stockade, they gently laid the prey on the ground.
"Today's harvest is exceptional, thanks to Xiaofan," Liu Yong exclaimed, giving the ground a playful swipe with his foot.
Hundreds of eyes shifted to Chen Fan in unison.
"Wow! Brother Chen Fan is incredible!" More than a dozen children stared at him in admiration, their eyes sparkling like stars.
Even young Chen Chen, among the children, looked at his older cousin with admiration.
"I brought back so much prey last time, and this time it's even more—several times more," remarked another villager. "He truly is the savior of our village."
Tears welled up in the eyes of some of the elderly folks as they shared in the joy.
Meng Yu, who was part of the onlooking crowd, smiled like a blooming flower.
"Uncle Liu, don't say that," Chen Fan responded with a mix of amusement and seriousness. "Today's success is a result of everyone's efforts."
Liu Yong and the others were briefly taken aback but soon joined in the laughter. They had indeed put in a great deal of hard work hunting the antelopes, but it was Chen Fan's intervention when they encountered Lijiazhai that had saved the day. Without him, it was unclear how much of their haul would have been reduced to ashes.
However, Chen Fan preferred to keep the details of the encounter to himself. Revealing what had happened might not be in everyone's best interest.
"We plan to take these prey to Songjiabao to exchange for food and salt. After the exchange is complete, we will distribute it among everyone," Chen Guodong announced with a smile.
The villagers readily nodded in agreement, with no objections in sight. Some of them had gone without salt for several days.
"There's also an important matter I'd like to share with you all," Chen Guodong added, addressing Gujiazhai's request to join them.
Suddenly, like a stone dropped into a placid pond, the news created a ripple of shock.
"What? People from Gujiazhai want to move here?"
"Is that true? This is rather unexpected."
"It's a good thing, though. With more people, we'll have greater strength. The hunting team will be safer."
"Exactly, and it'll enhance our village's defenses against those with malicious intentions."
In this post-apocalyptic world, not only were ferocious beasts a threat to small settlements, but some audacious individuals resorted to looting as well. After all, robbery was a quick way to obtain resources.
In the past few years, many villages had fallen victim to such attacks. Although incidents had decreased in the past two to three years, they still occurred, especially during the scarce prey season, such as winter.
However, concerns lingered.
"But, Gujiazhai has quite a few people, doesn't it?"
"I heard it's similar in size to our village, or perhaps a bit smaller. Still, with so many people coming at once, can we provide enough food?"
Wang Ping and others exchanged worried glances. While welcoming newcomers was a positive development, the practicality of accommodating them raised valid concerns.
"Everyone, please be quiet," Chen Guodong interjected, clapping his hands to silence the discussion. Once the commotion subsided, he continued firmly, "I've already given them my word. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, they will move here tomorrow. I hope we can all cooperate. From now on, we will be one village, one community."
The villagers displayed a range of reactions, with some expressing excitement and others maintaining a solemn silence, their faces etched with concern.
"As for the prey, don't worry. Chen Fan's archery skills speak for themselves. Gujiazhai also has someone nearly as skilled as Chen Fan; he can draw an eighty-catty bow, and his archery is extraordinary," Chen Guodong assured them, casting a meaningful glance at Chen Fan.
"That's right," Chen Fan confirmed with a nod. "His name is Gu Ze, and he's around my age. He's quite remarkable."
Upon hearing this, the atmosphere suddenly hushed, and one could hear a pin drop. Wang Pingping and the others held their breath, even Zhang Ren displayed a look of astonishment. They were well aware of Chen Fan's talent, so for Gu Ze to receive such praise from him was no small feat.
"Yes, everyone, rest assured that once the people from Gujiazhai arrive, our village's life will only improve," reassured Chen Guodong.
"That's right, no need to worry," chimed in Liu Yong and the others.
They didn't say it out loud, but they were all thinking the same thing—Gu Ze was an awakened individual. With this addition, the hunting team could expect even greater success in the future. So, what was there to worry about?
Chen Guodong and his companions exchanged knowing smiles. The matter was settled, and they only had to await Gu Jianghai and the others' arrival tomorrow. In terms of housing, the village had more than enough to accommodate everyone. In its prime, it could house three to four hundred residents, but today, with only about a hundred people remaining, there was plenty of space.
As night descended, the village was filled with laughter and the aroma of food. Everyone was eager for the promising days ahead, especially with new faces joining them tomorrow.
Chen Fan was famished, consuming about three to four catties of meat on his own. At the third level of Body Tempering, his appetite had noticeably increased.
It was a positive development, considering that increasing potential points had only two avenues at the moment. One was the system's daily allocation, which was now just a minor bonus. The other was food consumption. Currently, it was beast meat, and the more he consumed within moderation, the more he'd grow.
Eating nearly four catties of ferocious beast meat had boosted his potential points by 40.
"Aren't you full yet?" Chen Fan's mother chuckled. "If not, I can cook more."
Although she had eaten over ten catties of meat during dinner, she still felt a twinge of hunger in her muscles. Without being full, where would she find the strength for martial arts practice or hunting?
"Mom, are you full?" Chen Fan inquired with a burp, ready to eat more if offered.
Yin Fang smiled and then looked at their son, Chen Chen. "Dad, Mom, I'm full," Chen Chen replied with a satisfied expression, patting his round belly.
"Dad, how about you?" Chen Fan turned his gaze to Chen Guodong.
Chen Guodong nodded. "I'm full too."
"In that case, let's rest for a while and then practice martial arts," Chen Fan suggested with a smile.
"Martial arts practice?" Yin Fang appeared surprised, glancing between Chen Fan and Chen Guodong.
Chen Guodong was momentarily caught off guard before bursting into laughter. "Xiaofan, you almost made me forget. Alright, I'll practice martial arts with you later. I'll also call Uncle Liu and the others."
"Sounds good," Chen Fan agreed with a smile.
The members of the hunting team had spent the day on their hunting expedition, and it would be ideal if they returned in the afternoon. If they were less fortunate and returned at night, martial arts practice would have to wait until then.
They planned to start with the hunting team, followed by the children, and eventually the women. Most of the village's residents were warriors, and despite the hardships, this was a necessity.