Chapter 10, On the Road

He waved his hand to signal the hunter to tidy up the prey, concealing his feelings of disgust as he said: "Wu Keshan truly deserves to be the top marksman in this division. In my opinion, it would be impossible to find another archer as formidable as him in the entire Lingxi region. This bow and arrow can be kept by Wu Keshan; consider it a reward from me."

The wails in the thatched hut gradually became weak and feeble. An elder sighed and said to the clan leader, "Every time we have to kill a few, they are all women capable of bearing children, it is truly a pity"

In the great forest, there are no ready-made roads. To ensure sufficient game, it is also not feasible to crowd everyone together. Therefore, the entire army is organized into 3 platoons, divided into left, center, and right teams, advancing in parallel at a distance of approximately two to three hundred meters apart. The teams cannot be too far apart in the forest, otherwise, they would be unable to communicate in a timely manner, and if attacked by either people or wild beasts, they would be unable to support each other.

Hulan Shan, responsible for driving the carriage, chimed in: "This creature is only half-grown, but the demon crystal inside and the horn on its head are rare items. Selling them within the borders is truly worth their weight in gold"

The West does not discriminate against the Dwarves as much as the East does. Under the leadership of the great Orc royal family, most of the Orcs, Beastmen, and Humanoids united to establish the great Orc Empire. Humans have suffered several devastating defeats at the hands of the Orc Empire, which naturally makes them hesitant to discriminate against the people of the Empire. This time, the esteemed guests have come specifically to the East to assist the oppressed Dwarves in defeating the humans and turning them into slaves

The unfortunate marten's eyes had become a pair of blood-filled sockets, causing Ouyang to feel waves of nausea. However, he also knew that such a demon beast was quite valuable; even a small creature like this, with its fur, crystals, and horns combined, would be worth at least several dozen pieces.

However, as more and more humans appeared, the beast finally felt fear. The most accurate archer, Ukshan, drew an iron arrow and, taking advantage of the beast's leap towards a large tree, shot an arrow. The beast happened to jump to a height around the shoulders, and the arrowhead pierced through its left eye and exited through the right eye, protruding out significantly. The remaining force of the arrow made a loud "bang" as it lodged into the trunk of a nearby oak tree. The prey only managed to let out a brief "squeak" before its limbs twitched like a nervous reflex and then fell limp. The lighter body swayed slightly in the wind, resembling a small flag planted in the tree.

The crowd erupted in cheers for Ukeshan. This arrow proved that he had reached the pinnacle in terms of strength, accuracy, and timing. Ukeshan stepped forward, shook the arrow feathers, and then with a sudden force, pulled the arrow out from the tree. Kneeling before Ouyang, he presented the prey with both hands and said, "This servant offers this item to you, my lord. Unfortunately, this beast has not yet matured; its hide is only enough to make a collar for you."

Wang Hongguang, the merchant, always wears a smile and does not engage in disputes with anyone. Song Wenmu, on the other hand, shows no interest in hunting or warfare; his participation in expeditions feels more like a formality. In his interactions with Ouyang, he positions himself as a junior. As a result, although Ouyang is a newcomer among the ranks, he has already been informally recognized as the temporary commander of the more than one hundred members of the left team.

This tribe originally had over 100 members. After the arrival of distinguished guests, two small tribes of the Di people joined, and now the number of members has exceeded 200, making it the most powerful tribe in the area. With the iron weapons bestowed by the guests, the chieftain has even begun to dream of unifying all the tribes in the Western Regions.

However, General Huang Qian was not as anxious as he was. He had already made it clear that this expedition would also include hunting along the way, so even though a day had not yet passed and they had not traveled far, most of the soldiers had already carried back a few rabbits or pheasants. These small animals may not be worth much, but they serve as a good supplement during the march. Everyone had brought ten days' worth of rations, and General Qian and the armored soldiers had also prepared enough provisions for all to last three days, which should be sufficient. However, in military campaigns, provisions are of utmost importance; saving where possible is wise, and eating more meat is also beneficial. Everyone had brought ten days' worth of rations, and General Qian and the armored soldiers had also prepared enough provisions for all to last three days, which should be sufficient. However, in military campaigns, provisions are of utmost importance; saving where possible is wise, and eating more meat is also beneficial

The patriarch, with his incomplete teeth and a voice that leaked air as he spoke, chuckled, "As long as we break a few more barbarian tribes, there will be plenty of women to go around, not to mention..." The green-skinned creature threw the female corpse out, and two wolf-like werewolves immediately pounced on it, tearing into it, causing blood and flesh to fly in all directions

Without a doubt, the most excited one was Wukeshan. With such a fine bow and receiving such praise from Paijia, he could very well go back and ask Paijia to help him find a wife. If it weren't for Hulan Mountain behind Ouyang desperately signaling him to keep quiet, Wukeshan would have almost howled again. After managing to hold it back, he stole a glance at Ouyang's expression, knowing that if he really did howl, he would at least receive 20 military sticks as punishment.

In the evening, Hamuhua utilized the advantage of his keen sense of smell to locate a bear den. Several individuals ignited pieces of bark and tossed them into the den. Before long, a furious roar was heard as a large bear sprang out of the tree hollow. The seasoned hunters waiting at the entrance simultaneously released their arrows, all of which were war bows with iron tips, and they all struck true, easily bringing the bear down.

A robust goblin with green skin and tusks emerged from the thatched hut, dragging a woman's foot as if he were pulling a dead pig, pulling out a corpse of a woman whose face was pale and completely unclothed.

In the evening, the first noteworthy prey appeared. It was a weasel approximately one foot in length, with a horn over 2 inches long on its head, and its fur was pure white, while its eyes were blood red. This was a demonic beast capable of wielding ice magic. When Ouyang saw it, the creature was crunching on a rabbit frozen into a block of ice, devouring it voraciously along with its bones and skin. It seemed completely unafraid of humans; upon seeing the humans surrounding it, it raised its head and hissed, threatening the hunters.

About one hundred miles away from the expeditionary force, a Diqiang tribe is holding a banquet to celebrate their victory over another barbarian tribe. This is the third banquet since the snowfall began. The first banquet was held to welcome distinguished guests, where the chieftain hosted a reception to show loyalty on behalf of the entire tribe. The subsequent two banquets were in celebration of the successful conquest of the hostile tribe with the assistance of the guests, resulting in a significant bounty of people, children, cattle, sheep, grain, and goods. The once impoverished tribespeople were now willing to sacrifice over a dozen sheep to roast over the bonfire.

Ou Yang belongs to the Left Team. The other two members of our team are Song Wenmu, who is a 7th rank officer, and the other is Wang Hongguang, a 6th rank officer, who is a chubby man with a constant smile. He was once a small merchant traveling between the mainland and the western regions, and somehow he became infatuated with a foreign woman. After bringing her home, he showered her with affection, and within three years, she bore him two sons. With the status of a mother being elevated by her children, the woman often lamented about her family who were still enslaved as border guards. Unable to resist her pleas, Wang Hongguang gave up his business, took his money to purchase a position as a border officer, and even brought her family to live in his village.

Everyone was filled with joy, and this great bear, this time, was indeed a gain. The bear skin, bear paws, and bear bile, which are valuable, must be submitted. However, this great bear can yield at least 150 pounds of meat, and everyone can have a good year with their share. Moreover, the bear den, once tidied up, is warm and comfortable, much better than sleeping outside in the icy cold, making it a perfect resting place for the lord at night.

At this moment, the flag bearer following Wang Hongguang is the younger brother of that young lady. By rights, he should be considered Wang Hongguang's brother-in-law, but no matter how much the ace treats him well, he has not achieved any notable merits and can only remain in the status of a slave

Isn't it also not a waste

Ouyang Ming and the others continued to advance, while Wukeshan hurriedly got up to make way. On the sled, Hulan Shan took out a dagger and began to process the prey. As he skinned it, he quietly said to Wukeshan: "We, the scholars of the brigade, do not appreciate your raucous howling. Even if you cannot help yourselves, you must endure; otherwise, not only will you face the military punishment, but if you get injured, it could delay our march and cost you your life"

In fact, what Ouyang dislikes the most is the kind of action led by General Huang Qian, which is named as an expedition but is essentially a hunting trip. He always feels that if it is an expedition, it should be swift and decisive; it is not too late to go hunting after completing the mission. This kind of stop-and-go approach lacks any sense of urgency in battle. However, everyone wants to go hunting, and he cannot afford to offend the majority.

Even a simpleton can discern that Hu Lanshan's words are for his benefit. Wukeshan replied softly, "Uncle, thank you very much this time. I am a foreigner and do not understand these matters, so I hope you can guide me from time to time. When I return this time, I will bring two fat rabbits for your family."

Then Old Hu looked around and saw that Pai Jia had already walked far away, and he whispered, "Have you seen He He Li howl during this hunting trip? It was only because his Han wife reminded him. From now on, you must be more vigilant; do not do anything that Pai Jia dislikes, otherwise, even your archery skills will not save you"

Hu Lanshan could not draw the bow and had no firearms. Upon seeing the new commander arrive and wanting to go hunting, he had been looking for an opportunity to improve his relationship with several brave men in the village. Thus, he explained: "You all used to resent me for collecting your grain, but you do not know that this is the law of the Empire. How could an old commoner like me dare to defy it?"

The Han people refer to all those who look different from themselves as "Di." According to the esteemed guest, in the distant West, their own tribe refers to those who resemble humans but possess certain animal traits, such as beastly claws, ears, horns, or tails, as "beastified humans." The esteemed guest's own race, which exhibits even more pronounced animal characteristics, is referred to as "beastmen," including races such as lionmen, minotaurs, and worgens. Additionally, there are humanoid beings that differ greatly in appearance from both humans and beasts, such as ogres, goblins, and those green-skinned goblins (earth goblins) who are currently tormenting female slaves.

According to the description by Takarai, the objective of this expedition is approximately a three-day walk from Anxi Town

A piercing scream echoed from the grass hut where the enslaved women were held, as several green-skinned tusked attendants brought by the esteemed guests vented their desires upon the female slaves. The able-bodied men of the tribe gathered around the fire pit, eating roasted lamb while listening to the screams, discussing which female slave had the fairest and most delicate skin, with bursts of laughter occasionally rising from the crowd

A low gasp arose from the surrounding crowd, as everyone knew that the composite bow and iron arrows were lent to Ouyang by General Huang Qian, and they were to be returned after use. Not to mention the iron arrows, just the bow alone is worth 2 dollars in Lingxi. Now, to reward Wukeshan with just a single sentence is practically a step towards prosperity.