All Heavens Strategy Game

The heavy wild boar was carried into Sishui Village by four men, who were making a lot of noise.

The sky was completely dark, with only a few houses showing faint light from their windows and a few pine torches flickering in the cold wind at the village entrance for illumination.

The first to notice the commotion were several teenage children and women from the hunter's family, who were anxiously watching from the village entrance.

As the outline of the enormous wild boar gradually became clear in the firelight and snow, gasps of surprise erupted.

"They're back! The village chief and the others are back!"

"What are they carrying? My goodness...it's a huge wild boar!"

"It's Su Sanlang! Su Sanlang is back too! He's alright!"

"A wild boar?! It really is a wild boar! Alive... no, dead!"

The shouts were like pebbles thrown into calm water, quickly creating ripples.

The villagers, who had been huddled indoors to keep warm, rushed out wrapped in thick clothes when they heard the news that "the wild boar" and "Su Sanlang is alright".

Soon, the village entrance was surrounded by people, men, women, and children, all with expressions of surprise, curiosity, and disbelief on their faces.

In the firelight, the wild boar's grayish-yellow, ferocious body, its tusks stained with mud and blood, the horrifying gasp between its brows, and its empty eye sockets were laid bare before everyone. Gasps rose and fell from the crowd.

"Shunfa, you're really amazing! You must have shot that wild boar dead, right?" An older woman exclaimed, her eyes wide.

Su Shunfa was one of the best hunters in the village.

This time, only Su Shunfa brought a hunting bow into the mountains, because wild boars can only be killed with arrows.

It is only natural that Su Shunfa killed the wild boar.

Many people looked at Su Shunfa with admiration.

This time, they went into the mountains to find someone, but not only did they find the person, they also managed to hunt a wild boar along the way. They truly deserve to be called the top hunters in Sishui Village.

Even Su Shunfa's wife couldn't help but raise her head, thinking how amazing her husband was.

But instead of showing a happy expression, Su Shunfa looked embarrassed, sniffed, and explained:

"Without the trap, I wouldn't have been able to handle the wild boar. This boar wasn't hunted by me or the village chief; Su Sanlang hunted it himself. The four of us just helped him carry it back..."

Upon hearing this,

Many people were stunned and didn't react.

"This...this was really all done by Su Sanlang alone?" A middle-aged man squeezed to the front, his eyes wide, and couldn't help but reach out to touch the wild boar's bristles, which were as hard as needles. He quickly withdrew his hand as if he had been burned.

"Grandpa Da Shun, Brother Lao Nian, is it really him alone?" someone asked the hunter carrying the pig.

Su Dashun and Su Laonian were already panting heavily, and the hot sweat on their foreheads evaporated into white vapor in the cold air.

The two men put down their sticks, rubbing their aching shoulders. They exchanged a glance, and Su Laoyan, panting heavily, nodded emphatically: "I saw him dig out of the snow with my own eyes! He was all alone, with just a slingshot and a wood-chopping knife."

"A slingshot? A machete?" The crowd murmured.

"You can kill such a big wild boar with a slingshot and a machete? Old Yan, you're not kidding us!"

Old Su wiped his sweat, his voice filled with astonishment and lingering fear: "Why would I fool you? Look at those pig's eyes! Both eyeballs were blown out by pebbles!"

"That accuracy, that ruthlessness... I've never even heard of anything like it in all my years, let alone in our village!" He pointed to the wound in the wild boar's eye socket, which looked particularly gruesome in the firelight.

All eyes turned to the horrific wound, and another low gasp escaped their lips.

"God... blind them first, then kill them?"

"What incredible eyesight and steadiness that takes! Wild boars aren't wooden stakes; they charge and ram!"

"I remember helping Wang, the landlord at the edge of the village, control his pig for the New Year two years ago. That pig only weighed a little over 200 jin (100 kg), but when it went berserk, four or five strong men couldn't hold it down, and one of them even got injured! And that was just a domestic pig that was fat and strong and didn't have much of a wild nature!"

A villager who had once worked there gestured with lingering fear, "That wild boar, wasn't it at least ten times more ferocious? How...how did Su Sanlang manage that?"

Questions, shock, and awe filled the crowd.

Many people turned their attention to Su Ming, who was standing quietly to the side, holding a squirrel and a cloth bag in his arms.

The boy was still thin, and his face remained calm in the flickering firelight, as if the heated discussions about him around him had nothing to do with him.

This composure beyond his years added an air of mystery to his demeanor at this moment.

"Hiss... Do you guys think Su Sanlang could really be..."

An elderly woman lowered her voice and muttered to the person next to her, "Is it the reincarnation of the mountain god? Otherwise, how do you explain it?"

"At eight years old, he could take down a strong man like Da Shan. Now at thirteen, on his first trip into the mountains, when the mountains were blocked by heavy snow, he took down this big guy all by himself with a slingshot and a machete..."

"Let alone a thirteen-and-a-half-year-old boy venturing into the mountains for the first time, even local hunters familiar with the paths of Xiaochongshan can easily get lost and disappear when the mountains are blocked by heavy snow, dying without even knowing how they died..."

Although the words were spoken softly, they were clearly heard by many people in the quiet snowy night.

Many people felt a chill run down their spines, and their gazes towards Su Ming held an indescribable depth.

Recalling his astonishing act when he was eight years old,

And look at his incredible gains today,

The guess that "the mountain god is a reincarnation" originally seemed somewhat playful and exaggerated, but now it actually seemed a bit reasonable.

"Who cares what reincarnation he is!"

A loud voice rang out, filled with barely suppressed excitement; it was village chief Su Dashun.

His profile, missing an ear, was glowing red in the firelight. His chest heaved, but his back remained ramrod straight, his gaze sweeping intently over the crowd.

"The important thing is that this time, our Sishui Village, our Su clan, truly sees hope! For years! We've tightened our belts, scrimping and saving to support Su Ming's martial arts training. What are we hoping for? Isn't it that one day he'll make something of himself and lead us to a better life?"

He walked over to the wild boar, patted its cold body hard, making a dull thud: "Today, this is what it means to be successful! This is what it means to be capable! This boar is the first real reward for our sponsorship... no, for our entire tribe's united efforts in raising it! Did you all see that?!"

The crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted into even more heated discussion. This time, however, the discussion was less skeptical and more filled with excitement and anticipation.

"Yes! Uncle Da Shun is right!"

"There's hope! There really is hope!"

"Well done, Su Sanlang! You're amazing! Our efforts weren't in vain!"

Hearing these words and seeing the renewed hope in the villagers' eyes, the heavy stone that had been hanging in Su Dashun's heart for five years finally fell to the ground with a "thud," turning into a feeling of relief and pride.

He knew that from tonight onward, no one would publicly question his decision, and no one would say behind his back that he had "wasted his time supporting outsiders."

— Su Ming used this wild boar to shut everyone up and solidify his prestige and status in the village.

Su Ming listened quietly, feeling a little more at ease.

These villagers are mostly simple and even somewhat short-sighted, but their support over the past five years has been genuine.

In the past, under the prestige of the clan elders and the village chief, they paid money to support them every month, and no one said anything openly, but in private, many people still complained.

Today, he finally earned his first decent result.

With this record, no one will dare to complain in private anymore.

"This is my first hunt. Such a big wild boar; if I eat it all by myself, it'll inevitably cause gossip, especially since everyone else has been so helpful..."

With that in mind, he stepped forward, cleared his throat, and spoke softly, but the surroundings quickly quieted down.

"Dear uncles, aunts, brothers, and sisters."

Su Ming's gaze swept over the faces, some familiar and some unfamiliar.

"These past few years, thanks to everyone's help, Su Ming has been able to practice martial arts in peace. Today, I've had a lucky harvest. Apart from keeping a little meat for my younger siblings, I'll treat the whole village to a pork feast as a small token of my appreciation."

As soon as he finished speaking, the crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted into a huge cheer!

Free meat!

In this time of hardship and transition, what could be more practical and joyful than this?

Those families with many children and struggling financially were particularly excited.

"Good! Su Sanlang is righteous!"

"Haha, we're getting meat! We didn't even have this much fatty meat during the Lunar New Year!"

"Quick, quick, get a knife! Let's cut it up while it's still fresh!"

Everyone was eager to get their hands on the tools and divide the meat.

Hearing Su Ming make this decision, Su Dashun felt greatly comforted.

"That Su Ming is a grateful guy; he even shared that huge wild boar with someone. I haven't misjudged him..."

Although he did not witness how Su Ming killed the wild boar.

But they also knew how difficult it was to kill a wild boar; it was something that required risking one's life!

The fact that they would give up points shows that they have a pure and kind heart.

"but…"

We can't let him actually split it up.

Su Dashun's eyes flashed, and he grabbed an old man who looked to be about seventy years old in the crowd.

This old man is Su Hongtu, one of the most respected elders in the village, and the most senior person in the village.

He pulled Grandpa Su Hongtu aside and whispered, "We can't let Su Ming give away the pork for free, we can't let him treat us..."

"Why is that?" Old Master Su Hongtu didn't rush to refute, but was very curious about Su Dashun's thoughts. He knew that Su Dashun was a steady person and wouldn't make meaningless decisions.

Su Dashun explained, "Back then, we gritted our teeth and made a rule to support Ming-ge'er's martial arts training. What were we after?"

"Of course, we hope he will be successful, that he will be capable in the future, and that he will be able to help the clan and lead everyone to a better life!" Old Master Su Hongtu chimed in.

"Exactly!" Su Dashun nodded emphatically. "What we're after is the future! The long term! Not just this wild boar and a meal..."

"Human relationships are like the fertilizer in our fields; the more you use them, the thinner they become. Today, Su Mingming is giving everyone meat to eat, and since we are indebted to him, we owe him a small favor, which makes our relationship thinner."

"If we treat each other to meat today, and meat tomorrow, and we keep indulging in meat dishes for a couple of meals, Su Ming will have to repay more and more favors. There will come a time when he doesn't owe us anything..."

"When the village or clan needs Su Ming's help in the future, or when he becomes more capable and we need him to do something important for the village, how much of this favor will be left? Will we still be worthy of his help?"

He paused, letting his words settle in the quiet snowy night: "Besides, no matter how good something is, if you get it for free, over time some people will take it for granted."

"Things that can be bought with money, even if it only costs a copper coin, are still our own. We feel more at ease with them, and we remember them more firmly! Ming-ge'er's abilities and value need to be clearly 'seen' by everyone, and they need to 'pay' a price to 'obtain' them. Only then will they cherish them more, trust them more, and be more willing to follow Ming-ge'er forward in the future!"

These words left Grandpa Su Hongtu and the other elders beside him deep in thought, their eyes gleaming as they pondered them carefully.

Grandpa Su Hongtu stroked his beard, and after a long while, slowly nodded: "Da Shun... you, you've been a village chief for a reason, you've thought long-term. That makes sense. We were just blinded by the smell of meat and only cared about immediate pleasure."

He turned to the other elders, his tone gentle yet firm: "You all heard it too, Da Shun is right... In my opinion, we should do as Da Shun says."

The other elders nodded in agreement.

They may not be as insightful as Su Dashun, but they understand the most basic principles: "favors diminish with use" and "money buys more value."

These days, every favor you make is one less you can afford to lose.

Once Su Ming becomes successful and distinguished himself, he might have already repaid all the favors owed to the village and no longer be indebted to them.

If we really need Su Ming's help in some important matter in the future, he might not be so willing to help.

We're willing to forgo a meal of meat now so that we can have more meat in the future. We've already waited five years, so waiting a few more years isn't a bad thing!

then,

Surrounded by the clan elders, Su Dashun stepped into the crowd and looked at the people who were about to divide the meat, saying:

"Wait!"

A sharp shout cut through the noise.

Everyone looked on in astonishment, only to see Su Dashun standing in front of Su Ming, his face stern, the muscles around his ears twitching slightly, his expression unusually serious.

"Uncle Da Shun?" someone asked, puzzled.

Ignoring the others, Su Dashun turned to Su Ming, his tone softening but carrying an undeniable firmness:

"Ming-ge, we all appreciate your kindness, but this can't be done this way."

Su Ming asked in confusion, "Grandpa Da Shun, why is that? Everyone has helped me a lot, it's only right that we treat them to a meal."

"It should be, and rules are rules." Su Dashun shook his head and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "One thing at a time. The fact that everyone supports you in training in martial arts is a rule set by our clan. It's an investment in your future, for the long term, not for you to come back and treat us to a meal after you kill a wild boar..."

He paused, his gaze deepening, revealing a maturity rarely seen in a farmer: "Favors are like that; the more you use them, the thinner they become. You're treating everyone to a free meal now, it might feel good, but you've used up all the favors you've done."

"What about in the future? When the villagers need you to do more for the village, or when you have more skills and the village faces a major crisis that requires your help, will you still have enough goodwill to rely on? Will you still be willing to lend a hand?"

"I'm not scheming against you, nor am I doing this so that you'll repay us with even greater benefits in the future. In fact, I'm doing this for your own good."

Su Dashun rubbed his head, which was missing an ear, and continued, "Today you hunted a wild boar and ate it for free. If you hunt one next time and don't treat everyone, won't some lazy people complain? And if you treat everyone next time, what about the time after that?"

"Who would agree to be invited every time?"

"A small act of kindness can breed resentment, but a large act of kindness can breed enmity!"

"If this leads to conflict and disharmony in the village, it would be a huge loss. I'm doing this for your own good, and for everyone's good, so we can't let this precedent be set..."

He looked into Su Ming's young yet calm eyes, and spoke earnestly and meaningfully:

"Ming-ge, you have a long road ahead of you. This wild boar is proof of your ability, but it shouldn't just disappear as a meal. It should become a reason for everyone to believe in you more, a 'capital' you've accumulated!"

Su Ming was startled.

He instantly understood Su Dashun's deeper meaning.

Distributing it for free may seem generous, but in reality, it's a one-time consumption of the credit and favor.

Paid distribution, even at a low price, builds a longer-lasting and healthier relationship of "exchange" and "trust".

People paid money and got a good deal (fresh meat cheaper than the market price), which made them feel more at ease. Their understanding of Su Ming's "ability" and "value" became more concrete, and their expectations and support for him in the future became more solid.

This is paving the way for his future role as a "leader".

Su Ming said, "Grandpa Da Shun, I've learned a lot..."

"Good that you understand. You'll need to buy more things for your martial arts training. The monthly allowance isn't enough, so you can use the money you earn to buy things for your training..."

Seeing that Su Ming understood, Su Dashun was pleased. He turned to the crowd and said loudly, "Listen up, everyone! We appreciate Su Ming's kindness! But we can't take this meat for free! We'll buy it at half the market price... um, half the market price! Those who are well-off can buy more, and those who are struggling can buy less, or several families can pool their money to buy one portion! In short, we have to spend money! This money belongs to Su Ming!"

The crowd erupted in uproar.

The contrast between free and half-price purchase caused the excitement on many people's faces to fade, replaced by disappointment and grumbling.

"Huh? You want money back...?"

"Half price...that's still not cheap."

"Yeah, it would be so much better if it were free..."

Su Dashun's face darkened: "What? You think it's too expensive? If you think it's too expensive, you don't have to! Go to town and see if they sell meat in this snowy weather, and how much it costs per pound. Also, see if they have wild boar meat this fresh and this fat! Su Ming risked his life to hunt this game, and you're getting it for half price, and you're still not satisfied?!"

"This is already an incredible benefit. Are you all possessed by greedy devils? Are you all so desperate for meat that you've gone mad?"

After he said that, everyone calmed down and thought about it, and they realized that it made sense.

The meat shops in town usually have high prices, but with the roads blocked by heavy snow, it's probably hard to buy such good meat even if you have the money.

Half price is definitely a huge bargain.

Honestly, this is indeed a great reward!

Moreover, several clan elders were cheering on Su Dashun, so for a time no one dared to jump out and resist, fearing punishment under clan law.

"Uncle Da Shun is right! Su Sanlang risked his life for this, we can't just take advantage of it!"

"Exactly! Much cheaper than in town! And the food is fresher too!"

"Half price it is! I'll buy three ounces of meat!"

"I'll buy some too, so the kid can have a little treat!"

The atmosphere became lively again, but this time there was more order.

Su Shunfa and Su Laonian were brought in to take charge once again, with Su Dashun personally weighing the scales, and several clan elders sitting on the sidelines to supervise.

With each swing of the cleaver, the pork, marbled with fat and lean meat, was cut apart, weighed, money collected, and the transaction completed.

The clinking of copper coins mingled with the distinctive pungent smell of the butcher shop, permeating the cold air.

Su Ming watched this scene unfold, seeing Su Dashun bustling about, occasionally shouting to maintain order, seeing the elders' approving gazes, and seeing the villagers accepting the pork with satisfied expressions despite having paid for it…

The slight unease he felt due to the change in plans had long since transformed into deep emotion and enlightenment.

Su Dashun is using all his life experience and wisdom to pave a more solid and longer road for himself.

This bond is far more precious than any wild boar.

He silently walked to the cutting board, no longer mentioning the free distribution, but instead helped deliver the meat pieces, occasionally saying "That's enough" or "Cut some more" depending on how much was purchased.

His calmness and cooperation made the whole meat-cutting process even smoother.

The pork pieces decreased one by one, while the copper coins gradually accumulated in the earthenware jar at Su Dashun's feet.

The queue was getting shorter and shorter, and it looked like they were about to finish distributing the food.

at this time,

The two awkwardly approached the chopping board, the firelight illuminating their faces – one a donkey's face, the other a horse's.

It was Su Dalu and Ma Xiuying, a married couple.