55 The Destitute Old Farmer

The old farmer in the courtyard saw one lively chick in the straw basket trampled to death by the man sitting in the chair. He immediately threw himself to the ground, wailing in anguish, “My precious, how can I go on living? Please, sir, don’t step on it anymore~! Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it.”

The shifty-eyed, mouse-faced NPC sitting in the chair burst into triumphant laughter, crossing his legs. “You old fool, if I don’t show you my power, you’ll never submit. Now you see how formidable I am. Get up, have a couple cups of tea, and in a moment, you’ll come back with me.”

The downtrodden farmer hurried to his feet, clutching the straw basket tightly, afraid the thugs nearby might snatch it from him.

The shifty-eyed NPC handed an empty teacup to the tea table beside him, and the thugs scrambled to pour him tea.

...

Outside the little courtyard wall.

The players exchanged confused glances, unsure of what was unfolding inside.

Zhan Xiaobai mused inwardly—was the shifty-eyed NPC just now subduing the old NPC farmer? That was quite unusual.

Young Hero of Spring and Autumn watched for a long while. Seeing the thugs in the courtyard remain still, he grew impatient and asked, “Boss, what now? Should we lure them out and take them down one by one?”

Zhan Xiaobai thought it over, then shook his head. “No, let’s wait a bit longer. Eliminating all forty or fifty of those thugs would take too much time. And the NPC just mentioned returning somewhere; they might leave soon. We’ll act when the opportunity arises.”

He jumped down from the wall, and the others followed, leaving only Shadowless to keep watch on the courtyard.

Wutong remarked curiously, “Do you think that strange old farmer inside, with his basket of chicks, could be a special kind of farmer? Not one who plants crops, but only raises chickens?”

Young Hero of Spring and Autumn replied, “I think that’s quite likely. Ordinary farmers only have a hoe; I’ve never seen one with a basket of chicks before.”

The group debated animatedly, “That shifty-eyed NPC looks pretty smart; I wonder what his background is. He’s so scrawny—not likely to be strong in combat.” “Could he be a strategist-type NPC?” “Not sure, why are those thugs so afraid of him?” “Maybe he’s a quest NPC?” “Is that possible? He’s a hostile NPC—hostile NPCs actively kill players. There’s no way to get a quest from him; even getting close will get you killed by the thugs. It’s impossible.”

A few minutes later, Shadowless, still watching from the wall, whispered down, “There’s movement inside. The NPC, the farmer, and several thugs are coming out!”

Everyone quieted instantly.

Zhan Xiaobai instructed Shadow Squad to follow and investigate, while the rest hid behind the courtyard to wait for news.

Soon, Shadowless returned alone, reporting happily, “Boss Xiaobai, the NPC and the farmer have left the deserted courtyard and headed west, with seven thugs in tow. I’ve got the other Shadow brothers tailing them. The rest of the thugs are staying in the courtyard.”

Everyone was delighted—it was a golden opportunity.

Zhan Xiaobai grinned, “Let’s go, brothers. If we capture that NPC, we’ll find out what he’s up to.”

A group of twenty or so left the abandoned village, following Shadowless toward the NPC. After about a mile, they spotted the shifty-eyed NPC swaggering down the road with the farmer and the thugs. The farmer trailed behind, dejected, clearly unwilling.

The seven thugs wielding battered axes were formidable. Even with Zhan Xiaobai’s group of twenty skilled players, they dared not act rashly, lest someone get hurt or sent back to the village.

Zhan Xiaobai quickly devised a plan. If they could split up the seven thugs, they could kill them more easily.

He said, “Let’s use divide-and-conquer tactics. Shadowless, take a brother and circle ahead to block their path. Shout insults to anger the NPC and force him to send thugs after you. Run as soon as they chase you—I estimate at least two or three will pursue. The rest, Blood Wolf Squad, Snow Leopard Strike Team, Light and Shadow Squad, each take on a thug. I, Wutong, and Bloodthirst One will handle one thug. Young Hero and the remaining three from Shadow Squad will take the last. After we finish off these thugs, we’ll help Shadowless. That way, we’ll avoid casualties. Let’s move!”

“Alright!”

Shadowless, taking one teammate, quickly slipped through the roadside grass to get ahead and block the NPC’s path.

The remaining twenty-three moved through the grass on either side.

Shadowless and his brother lay in wait. When the NPC and his group drew near, Shadowless jumped out and shouted at the shifty-eyed NPC, “Hey! You there with the beady eyes! Do you know who your grandpa is? Get over here, kowtow twice and beg for mercy, and maybe I’ll spare you! Otherwise, I’ll turn you into mincemeat!”

Such insults would have no effect on ordinary monsters—their AI wouldn’t comprehend—but on the shifty-eyed NPC, it worked perfectly.

The NPC, enraged at Shadowless’s brazen taunts, blew his moustache in fury and roared, “I... I’m furious! Get him, chop him up!” he shouted to the thugs.

Three thugs immediately leapt forward, axes raised, charging at Shadowless and his companion. They were delighted their plan worked, and ran off, leading the thugs far away.

Now, only four thugs remained by the NPC and the farmer—better than expected.

Seeing the opportunity, Zhan Xiaobai signaled.

Blood Wolf, Snow Leopard, and Light and Shadow squads simultaneously sprang from hiding, attacking three of the thugs head-on. Young Hero, Bloodthirst One, and the three remaining Shadow Squad members tackled the last thug. Five against one, the melee quickly turned chaotic.

The shifty-eyed NPC was stunned by the sudden upheaval, shrieking as he stumbled backward. The farmer, equally terrified, huddled on the ground clutching his basket of chicks, trembling, eyes squeezed shut.

Quick-witted, the shifty-eyed NPC immediately realized he had fallen into a trap and tried to flee. But before he could take a step, he ran straight into someone and fell again in fright.

That someone was none other than the relaxed Zhan Xiaobai.

Zhan Xiaobai stepped on his hand, and the shifty-eyed NPC screamed in pain, begging for mercy.

“It hurts! Don’t step... go easy, please! Spare me!”

Zhan Xiaobai smiled calmly. Stepping on you is still lenient; if you don’t answer my questions honestly, I’ll split you in two. He feigned carelessness, saying, “Ah, pardon me—didn’t mean to hurt you. By the way, brother, what’s your name, where are you from, and where do you live?”