In times of chaos and famine, I traded one pound of rice for two royal flushes.

The white-browed tiger not only chose a suitable ambush location, but also a suitable ambush time.

After half of the hunting party had passed the crossroads, the white-browed tiger suddenly rushed out and began tearing and biting at the hunters.

Er Mazi walked in the middle of the group, desperately organizing his men to hold off the ferocious beast in order to survive.

Unfortunately, the scattered hunting party was no match for such a massive beast.

Left with no other choice, Er Mazi led his men to a more advantageous defensive position. After enduring an entire afternoon and most of the night of torment, they finally returned with the rest of their men after the white-browed tiger had truly left.

The losses this time were huge!

Nearly eight hunters died, and almost all of them were wounded.

Even Er Mazi's most prized disciple died tragically at the tiger's mouth; it seemed that individual martial prowess could not bridge the huge gap in size and strength between the two sides.

As soon as the group descended the mountain and entered the village, they saw a crowd of people rushing towards them.

These are all women from the family. Even though the sky was already dark and the cold wind was fierce, they waited here.

A man is the pillar of a family; farming, hunting, and all kinds of physical labor all require a man.

If the man of the house is gone, the family will be destroyed.

Some were relieved that their husbands had returned, while others waited in vain and wept bitterly in the cold wind.

Er Mazi walked through the crowd and saw the woman who had been waiting there. His expression softened slightly.

"At least you knew to come pick me up; you have some conscience after all."

The woman simply lowered her head, but her eyes darted away.

Her husband almost died outside, but she cooked meat at home to nourish her daughter, and even secretly told Qin Shaolang, Er Mazi's mortal enemy, some news.

Thinking back on all these years, she still felt a little guilty.

If it weren't for Er Mazi bringing her food and game, she doesn't know how many times she would have starved to death.

He could only silently tell himself, "This time it was to repay the kindness of saving my daughter's life; there won't be a next time."

That night, the howling wind carried the cries of the villagers.

……

The next morning, Er Mazi dug out his secret stash of money in the back room and invited the hunter, whose injuries were less severe, to drink with him.

Having been tricked by the white-browed tiger and suffering a loss for nothing, the old hunter Er Mazi was extremely embarrassed.

The feud has been made. The next step is to consult with the hunters on how to capture this white-browed tiger to vent our anger and avenge today's grievances!

News of the hunting party's setback quickly reached Qin Shaolang's ears. At that moment, he was curiously observing the thirty deserters that Chu Wu had summoned.

Although these people are nominally deserters, their demeanor shows no signs of desertion.

Not only were they all physically strong, but they also possessed a rare level of discipline.

Although he was still wearing the clothes of an ordinary person, his spirit and energy were completely different.

"This is Brother Qin, who is also my sworn brother. From now on, his words are my words. If I disagree with Brother Qin, I will listen to him."

Chu Wu immediately set rules for these deserters and handed over actual command of these thirty men to Qin Shaolang.

Qin Shaolang nodded slightly, stepped forward to introduce himself, and then spoke.

"The payment for this construction work will probably take a while longer to be distributed, but don't worry, I said I would pay, and I will."

These deserters didn't care at all.

An older deserter stepped forward and said.

"Master Qin, we don't ask for wages, we just want a new identity, after all..."

Upon hearing this, Qin Shaolang understood what they meant.

Being a deserter means living in constant fear wherever you go, but if you can change your identity, being a deserter will no longer be a part of your life.

Even if someone comes with a wanted poster, they can still deny it and claim to be Qin Shaolang's servants. Unless a large number of soldiers arrive, they don't need to worry about being arrested and questioned.

However, this move also carries risks; if these people's identities are exposed, they themselves will also be implicated.

After hesitating for a moment, Qin Shaolang suddenly grinned.

"It's not difficult, but there are a lot of rules for being my personal guard and servant. If you can accept that, I don't mind."

As Qin Shaolang brought out the few rules and regulations he remembered, such as the Three Main Rules of Discipline, these deserters couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

The rules are strict, but if I could change my identity, it wouldn't be unacceptable.

After some internal discussion, they finally decided to seize the opportunity given to them by Qin Shaolang.

Winter is approaching and the weather is getting colder; staying cooped up in the mountains is no longer a solution. The moment the heavy snow closes the mountain passes, most of their food supply will be cut off.

This is dangerous for them.

But with Qin Shaolang, even if things weren't ideal, one could still get money and entrust him to help buy food and other items.

"Since everyone agrees, let's make a roster first. As for the names, you can come up with one yourselves, and I'll register them at the county government office another day."

Qin Shaolang's sincerity was evident, which immediately motivated the thirty men, who worked exceptionally hard while digging the kiln.

While these people were working, Qin Shaolang took Chu Wu to an open space, used tree branches stuck in the ground to simulate the complex environment of the forest, and then practiced tactics with Chu Wu.

Chu Wu was very talented in this regard. After only half a day of practice, the two of them were able to communicate without words, but they still needed to coordinate with hand gestures.

Around noon, Su Jin and Su Tang brought lunch: a large bowl of rice, a large spoonful of lard, a spoonful of soy sauce, and a piece of stewed pork that was cooked until tender. The deserters ate with great relish.

The aroma of that spoonful of hot lard and soy sauce was so enticing that they licked the bowl clean.

As for wild boar meat, it's not as appealing. After all, it's not a domestic pig, and even with lots of seasoning, it still has a gamey smell.

It's just a difference between mild and strong flavors.

Watching Chu Wu eat heartily, Qin Shaolang looked down at the empty bowl in his hand and couldn't help but smile.

Their meal was naturally different from that of the deserters under their command. Su Tang spent an hour shaking the rice with a winnowing basket to remove all the husks, leaving only a bowl of rice with only grains left.

Side dishes served with rice include chicken and wild vegetables, a well-balanced mix of meat and vegetables.

He also had a rare opportunity to eat his fill.

"I'll serve my husband some more rice."

Su Jin stood by the side the whole time, and seeing Qin Shaolang eating happily, she finally felt relieved.

Because she found her own value.

It's a pity she injured her arm; otherwise, she would have been the one to knock off the rice husks today.

Qin Shaolang smiled slightly.

"Please clear away the dishes and chopsticks; eating too much at once can upset your stomach."