The journey of eating in the wind and sleeping under the stars was incredibly tough, but Zhou Yuan managed to gain from it.
After three days of travel, his running ability finally became a skill, allowing him to gain benefits even while on the move.
[You have comprehended 'Swift Step', mastering a life skill.]
[Swift Step, Lv1 (1/10)]
[Effect: Power originates from the waist, strength reaches the feet, endurance is nurtured while walking, speed increases while running.]
The most direct impact of acquiring the Swift Step skill was that Zhou Yuan's movement speed increased, but its greater value lay in its ability to nurture endurance.
At this point, Zhou Yuan already possessed three life skills: Food Supplement, Rest, and Swift Step, along with two attack skills: Mountain-Splitting Strike and Spear Thrust.
Yet he was still not satisfied, collecting numerous small dry branches along the way and breaking them to finger-length to practice throwing.
"Shi Tou, stop throwing branches at me. If you're idle, collect more firewood so we don't have to search for it at the next post station."
"Big Huang Uncle, bear with it. The small branches don't hurt when they hit you. Just think of it as me playing around with you."
"Qiaoxi Squad Leader, are you practicing your eyesight, trying to learn archery?
Let me tell you, once you learn archery, you can't return to the village. Those who can draw a bow and shoot arrows are elite soldiers, and the military won't let you go until you're old and weak."
The bailiffs leading the group were surprisingly easygoing in the wild, without any random beatings or scolding of the laborers.
If something happened, they would usually inform the squad leaders of each village and let them handle it.
Zhou Yuan could see that they were worried about causing trouble among the villagers and deliberately left the management conflicts for the villagers to resolve internally.
As a result, these bailiffs got along very well with Zhou Yuan and often gathered to chat after getting familiar.
"I'm young and strong, and now leading the laborers, I probably can't avoid being drafted into the regular troops.
I might as well learn some skills and become a well-treated sharpshooter."
"I see, the military values bravery and archery. If you can draw a strong bow and shoot accurately, you'll surely receive support from your superiors."
"But let me advise you, many people want to use sharpshooting and bravery as a stepping stone.
Bravery relies on passion, but sharpshooting depends on talent. It's hard to surpass your peers with just hard practice."
"Thank you for the advice. I won't force it; I'll try and see."
Martial skills can boost courage, and with courage comes a clear disposition. The bailiffs looked at the spirited young man before them and suddenly felt that this young man might truly not return. Visit novelping . com for the full chapter.
Ambitious people of humble origins might either perish on the battlefield or struggle through life, arduously advancing.
"Let's move quickly. Dusk is approaching, and it's hard to sleep well in the deepening cold of the wild. It's better to reach the post station as soon as possible."
The group chatted and laughed, finding joy amidst hardship. Most talked about their family farms, while a few expressed their aspirations for the military.
Only the bailiffs knew that without some courage and martial spirit, serving in the military was worse than performing labor service.
After all, the military camp was filled with fierce fighters, where strength spoke louder than words—the weaker you were, the worse off you'd be; the stronger, the better.
Zhou Yuan walked on one side of the group, looking at the bustling villagers, knowing these people were the most likely to become his team.
Auxiliary soldiers served for three years, regular soldiers for ten. Even if these villagers were all auxiliary soldiers and not regulars, they would still serve in the military for three years.
These people were his fellow villagers. As long as he became the strongest among them, they would naturally gather around him, ready to follow his lead and serve him.
"Bang, bang, bang..."
Just before nightfall, Zhou Yuan and his group finally reached the next post station.
However, the post station's gates were tightly shut, and there were no lights. The bailiffs had no choice but to knock on the door.
"Why are you so late? Come in, but there's no food left. There's hot water, though, so make do with that."
An old station guard opened the gate and led the bailiffs into the courtyard.
"Why are you alone? Where are the other station guards?"
"The other station guards ran off long ago. I can't run with these old bones, so I might as well eat this official food until I die."
After letting everyone into the courtyard, the old station guard closed the gate and moved a thick wooden stake to block the door.
"Our post station doesn't keep lights on at night and closes the gates at dusk. Once you're in the courtyard, don't go out.
There are bears around here. They may not be as big as the northern grizzlies, but they're still fierce.
Have your strong men keep watch at night. If a few old or young ones get snatched away, it'll be a big problem."
"With so many of us, unless the bears are truly blind, how dare they come looking for food?"
"Heh, you're wrong. It's because there are many people that it's easier to find food.
Those bears are cunning, often appearing in groups of five or six. They'll snatch one and run. If you chase them, they'll ambush you halfway."
The old station guard's words sent chills down the bailiffs' spines. This post station was built in the wilderness for transit purposes. If wild beasts attacked, there'd be nowhere to hide.
"If wild beasts harm people and disrupt the post station, doesn't your county office do anything about it?"
"What can they do? As soon as the soldiers arrive, the beasts run away. Once the soldiers leave, the beasts come back. Sealing the mountains and roads would take too much effort; it's better to just block the doors."
The post station had limited rooms, and squeezing a hundred or so people onto straw mats on the floor was barely manageable. However, the twenty or so wheelbarrows had to be left in the courtyard.
The villagers weren't foolish and quickly moved the miscellaneous items and dry food from the wheelbarrows into the rooms.
"I've said all I can. Be careful at night, and don't blame me if anyone gets hurt."
The old station guard wobbled back to his room, leaving a group of bewildered villagers.
"Shi Tou, what should we do? We might not fear those beasts during the day, but at night, it's a different story."
The men from Qiaoxi Village instinctively handed the decision-making power to Zhou Yuan, letting him, the nominal leader, make a decision for everyone.
Zhou Yuan gestured for them to be quiet and turned to the bailiffs with a question.
"Chief Bailiff, can I borrow your iron spear? Wild beasts don't pick their prey, so we can't all sleep. We need to leave a few brave ones to keep watch."
"Sure, take it if you want. If you can actually hurt a beast, you can keep it."
In a place where wild beasts roamed, the bailiffs didn't have the courage to keep watch, but they were bold enough to lend out a couple of weapons.
With their help, Zhou Yuan not only obtained an iron spear but also organized a night watch team armed with sticks and machetes.
The other strong men were also prepared. At a moment's notice, they would grab their weapons and drive away the beasts.
The cold moon and brilliant stars cast a faint glow, making the night less murky and pitch-black.
Zhou Yuan and the night watchmen hid in a large room, peering through the windows to keep a close eye on the courtyard.
Around midnight, the watchmen started to feel drowsy, yawning and tearing up.
"They're here, six bears."
"Where? We don't see anything."
"Sound the gong and wake everyone up. If we can't scare them away, we'll have to fight for our lives tonight."
Zhou Yuan's vision differed from the other men. He saw six health bars rapidly approaching the post station's walls.
Among them, two health bars had words above them.
[Level 3 Forest Crescent Bear]
"They even have levels. They should provide experience, right?"