Chapter Forty: The Decision

"Is it really okay to just kill them like this?" Liu Quan asked with some concern.

The bandits of Hat Mountain were notorious far and wide. If Scarface’s words were anything to go by, they would never let the matter rest!

"If we let him go, aren’t you afraid he’ll bring the bandits to slaughter the village?" Qin Zhen’s single question made Liu Quan awaken as if from a dream.

Indeed!

Scarface was no ordinary villain. Having suffered such a loss, how could he possibly spare the little fishing village?

"Liu, take some men to Golden Sands Beach and clear it out," Qin Zhen said, his tone cold and indifferent. "We can’t allow any of Scarface’s men to go warn the others."

Qin Zhen couldn’t gauge the true strength of Hat Mountain; the longer he kept them in the dark, the more time the fishing village would have to prepare. Every day the bandits remained unaware was another day gained.

"I understand," Liu Quan replied solemnly, nodding before leading his men toward Golden Sands Beach.

At that moment, Chen Shu approached and asked, "What should we do next?" There was a sharp gleam in his eyes.

"How’s the trap-laying going on the western side?" Qin Zhen inquired.

Ever since he’d learned of the bandits’ plundering from Hat Mountain, Qin Zhen had begun making preparations. He didn’t know when the bandits would come, but it was inevitable. Once the villagers to the west fled, the bandits would have nothing left to loot and would expand their reach.

It was a twisted but predictable food chain.

"They’re more than enough," Chen Shu grinned. "My traps might not catch much game, but they’re more than capable of catching a few men."

"In these coming days, Uncle Chen, I’ll need you to take the village guard on more rounds," Qin Zhen said.

The village guard was the fishing village’s eyes. At the first sign of bandits or thieves to the west, Qin Zhen would know immediately and could make his plans.

"We’ll certainly follow your lead, but what about the other villagers?" Chen Shu said meaningfully.

His words gave Qin Zhen pause. He looked up at the villagers gathered at the wharf.

Moments before, when their own people were bullied, these honest villagers had all been fired up, blood surging, and had rushed out with Qin Zhen. Now, however, with the heat of the moment gone and the realization they had killed someone sinking in, the villagers were uneasy and lost.

Fighting bullies was one thing.

Fighting bandits was something else entirely.

Qin Zhen immediately understood Chen Shu’s implication, and couldn’t help but regard him more highly.

He nodded slightly in gratitude, then walked into the crowd and called out in a clear voice: "Today, every one of us had a hand in the death of Scarface! The bandits of Hat Mountain are ruthless and will never let this go! If you trust me, stand with me to resist the bandits and defend our home!"

"I can’t promise anything else, but I vow this: if the bandits come, I, Qin Zhen, will be the first to stand and fight! I’ll die before any of you!"

Qin Zhen’s virtue and courage were well known among the villagers. In just a few words, he steadied their shaken hearts.

"What’s there to fear?" Li Han bellowed in his booming voice. "We all have two legs and one backbone! We’ve got repeating crossbows and spears—if it comes to a fight, we’ll see who really should be afraid! If the bandits don’t come, fine; but if they do, we’ll fight them to the end!"

"Exactly! We finally have a few good days—if anyone tries to bully us, we’ll stand up to them!" others echoed.

In truth, the villagers didn’t really need much encouragement. They knew in their hearts.

Before Qin Zhen arrived, everyone ate dirt to fill their bellies and wore rough hemp clothes. If it wasn’t bullies, it was the officials making their lives miserable. Where was their dignity then?

Now, not only could everyone eat their fill, but every meal included meat, and their clothes were new and clean. Every household had a little money saved up too—a thing they wouldn’t have dared to dream of before.

All of these blessings had come with Qin Zhen’s arrival, built up bit by bit with their own hands.

If anyone dared try to take that away, they’d chop off his hand!

Seeing the unity among the villagers, Qin Zhen felt a deep sense of satisfaction.

There was true strength in unity.

When they returned to the village, the entrance was crowded with people.

News that Qin Zhen had fought Scarface spread quickly, and the villagers cheered, proud and vindicated! But the laborers from other villages looked anxious and sighed heavily.

"Scarface isn’t someone ordinary people can provoke. The fishing village has brought disaster on itself this time!"

"The bandits of Hat Mountain aren’t to be trifled with. What are we going to do?"

"I’m afraid we won’t be able to come to the fishing village anymore…"

"If you’re afraid of Scarface’s revenge, you’re free to leave. And there’s no need to come back to our village in the future," Qin Zhen said bluntly. He didn’t tell the villagers that Scarface was already dead, only that he’d been driven off.

That way, if the bandits came looking, he’d still have room to maneuver.

Many chose to leave.

The once-crowded village gate quickly became deserted.

"How could they do that?" Liu Yan’er said indignantly.

They’d come to work and make money, flattering and begging for the opportunity, but at the first sign of trouble, they ran even faster than anyone else!

"Seeking benefit and avoiding harm is human nature. They’re just here to earn a living, not to risk their lives," Qin Zhen said calmly.

It was only natural for outsiders to leave. Even the villagers themselves would feel fear when faced with mountain bandits.

But they themselves could not leave—their roots were here. Becoming refugees would be no better than dying.

"If only the villages all around us would stand together against the bandits! There are so many of us—could we really be bullied by mountain thieves?" Li Han said, frustrated by their lack of courage.

He truly felt these people were too weak!

Why didn’t they dare fight the bandits?

"People will help whoever wins. Once we defeat the bandits, more and more will join us," Qin Zhen replied, eyes narrowing as he turned to Liu Quan.

"Liu, take a few men and come with me to the county town."

Coastal County.

After many days, stepping into the county town again, Qin Zhen felt a surge of mixed emotions.

Because the yamen officers were as corrupt as ever.

"Stop! What’s in the cart?" Even before they reached the gate, several guards approached and blocked their way.

"It’s me, Qin Zhen from the fishing village, the hero who killed the bear!" Qin Zhen was no longer the ignorant child he once was. He deftly pulled out a few coins and handed them to the officers.

"It’s just fish we caught in our village. We’re bringing them into town to sell," he said with a smile.

"Ah, it’s you! I remember you!" The lead officer pulled back the cloth covering the cart, and his eyes lit up. "It really is fish!"

Sensible as ever, Qin Zhen pulled out several fat sea fish and handed one to each officer. "Thank you for your hard work, gentlemen. Freshly caught sea fish—please, take one each!"

Liu Quan pulled a face. "Zhen, these fish are expensive. Each one is worth seventy or eighty coins at least—are you just giving them away like that?"

Qin Zhen was having none of it. "The officers work hard to keep us safe. What’s a fish? Brothers, take as many as you like. If you enjoy them, I’ll bring more next time."

"Now that’s a young man who knows how to speak!" the lead officer grinned. "We’ll gladly accept, then!"

With the fish in hand, the officers became much more cordial, and waved them through without further hassle.

As they were about to leave, Qin Zhen asked, "By the way, do you know where Head Constable Chen is?"

The officer laughed. "Old Chen? Try the brothel. If he’s not there, he’s probably in some young lady’s boudoir."