All Heavens Strategy Game

The next morning.

Su Ming got up early.

He stood in the quiet courtyard, letting the chilly breeze caress his body, practicing "Xingyi Root Stance" while pondering how to deal with the wolf pack.

Things have changed.

If it was just the initial plan to "drive away" the wolves, he did come up with several ways.

For example, fire can be used to create continuous smoke and noise by lighting campfires on the edge of areas where wolves often roam.

Alternatively, create numerous obstacles with strong odors, such as strips of cloth or bundles of straw soaked in the urine of wild animals or special herbs, and place them on the main paths down the mountain for the wolves to interfere with their sense of smell and movement.

They even went so far as to forcibly climb the mountain and try to scare away the wolf pack.

These methods might temporarily disturb the wolf pack, making them uncomfortable and causing them to stay away from human activity areas for a period of time.

However, driving away and exterminating are two completely different things.

To drive them away, simply make the wolf pack feel that the place is dangerous and uncomfortable, and they will retreat on their own.

Extermination... especially the complete annihilation of a wolf pack led by a wolf king, consisting of more than a dozen wolves, requires not disturbance, but absolute power, meticulous traps, and the efficiency of killing with a single, decisive blow!

It can be said that this is a life-or-death struggle!

This requires more sophisticated equipment, and even more... unconventional methods.

"My gear is far from good enough; I need better gear, but that costs money..."

money.

This word appeared in Su Ming's mind with unprecedented clarity and urgency.

Purchasing sharper spare weapons, custom-made arrows specifically for dealing with large beasts, and perhaps some secret medicines for dealing with wolf packs, special materials for preparing powerful baits or poisons... all of these require money.

The money he had earned from selling hides and hunting deer had already been used to buy black horn bows, medicines, daily necessities, and to supplement his family's income, and there was hardly anything left.

Now that I'm short of money, I'm afraid I can't even afford a few decent meals, let alone these "luxury goods".

Should we borrow from Village Chief Su Dashun?

The thought had barely crossed his mind when Su Ming immediately nipped it in the bud.

Impossible.

The village chief and the villagers went to great lengths to keep the news of the wolves eating people from him, for fear that he, in his youthful impetuosity, would go into the mountains to seek revenge.

If they knew he was not only going, but also preparing weapons for a big operation, they probably wouldn't have just kept it a secret; they would have locked him up at home.

The hunting of wolves must be carried out in secret.

The fewer people who know, the better; ideally, only you should know.

"Money... How can I get a sum of money in a short time without anyone noticing?" Su Ming frowned.

Suddenly, a thought struck him, and a somewhat blurry figure flashed through his mind.

This person might be able to help me.

But should we ask this person for help?

Su Ming was caught in a dilemma.

Hesitation lasts only a moment.

Time was of the essence; the wolf king's injuries wouldn't wait for anyone, and he had to act quickly.

Without further hesitation, Su Ming turned and went into the house, put on an old coat, and walked out of the house alone towards the most secluded corner at the west end of the village.

Finally, they arrived at the gate of a rather secluded mud-brick courtyard.

Su Ming stood in front of the crooked wooden door, took a deep breath, raised his hand, and gently knocked on the door.

"Thump, thump, thump."

The sound carried far in the quiet snowy weather, sounding somewhat abrupt.

There was no movement inside for a long time.

Just when Su Ming thought no one was there, or that the other party was unwilling to open the door, a faint rustling sound came from inside, followed by the soft sound of the door latch being slowly pulled open.

"Squeak—"

The wooden door opened a crack, revealing a face that was indistinct in the dim light. Dry, yellow hair hung down, obscuring most of the face, but a birthmark could still be seen at the corner of the eye.

A pair of eyes, unusually bright in the darkness, peered at him with utmost vigilance through the gaps in her hair.

"Who?" The voice was clear and crisp, unique to a young girl, but it was very low, with a hint of barely perceptible tension.

"It's me, Su Ming." Su Ming tried his best to make his voice sound calm.

Ugly Girl Cui!

That's right, Su Mingdao's method was to borrow money from Cui Chounu.

Firstly, although Cui Chou Nu seems clumsy and aloof, based on her previous interactions, her behavior and the "spirituality" she displayed at a certain moment suggest that she is definitely not an ordinary person. How could someone fleeing disaster not secretly leave some money to prepare for a comeback?

Secondly, and most importantly, she had almost no connection with the village, no close relatives, and kept her mouth shut. Even if she guessed that Su Ming borrowed money to deal with the wolf pack, she would never have revealed a single word to the village.

If there was anyone in the village who could lend money, Su Ming couldn't think of any better option besides Cui Chou Nu.

"Oh?"

The gaze from behind the crack in the door lingered on his face for a moment, seemingly confirming his identity. The guard lowered slightly, but there was still no intention of opening the door: "Su Sanlang? It's so late, is there something you need?"

Her tone was distant, with obvious wariness.

Su Ming took a half step back to show that he meant no harm, and then solemnly clasped his hands in a salute to the crack in the door: "I apologize for disturbing you. I have come here to borrow some money for an emergency, and I will repay you double in the future."

The ugly woman behind the door was visibly taken aback for a moment, then, as if she had heard a joke, her tone became even colder, tinged with a hint of offense: "Borrow money? You've got the wrong person. Can't you see what kind of situation my family is in? We're struggling to make ends meet, how could we possibly have any extra money to lend? Get out of here!"

As he spoke, the other party closed the door without hesitation.

The sound of the latch falling was clearly audible.

Su Ming stood outside the door, looking at the tightly closed door, and sighed inwardly.

As expected, it didn't work... He wasn't too surprised, after all, his request was indeed abrupt, and it was only natural that the other party, an orphan girl, would be wary.

He shook his head, turned around, and prepared to leave to think of another way.

If all else fails, the only option is to risk going into the mountains to see if we can quickly hunt some valuables, but that's too unpredictable and could easily alert the prey.

inside the house,

Cui Chounu looked conflicted.

Grandpa said that we shouldn't communicate too much with the people in the village, lest we reveal information that shouldn't be revealed, which would harm the whole village.

But are you really not going to help?

She remembered that Su Ming had helped her family before, offering to drive her to the county town to buy medicine and even bringing back medicinal herbs for her...

The other person is kind-hearted and has helped me before, how could I be so heartless?

Although Cui Chou Nu hadn't known Su Ming for very long, she believed he was a kind person and someone with principles.

Such people won't ask for help unless they're completely desperate.

At the end of one's rope?

But his family has enough to eat and drink now, and doesn't need money for important things. Why would he need to borrow money when he's not in that situation?

—Since he's borrowing money, he must have some unknown purpose for it.

"Please help me, he helped me before, and he never mocked me like other people..." She subconsciously touched the birthmark on her face.

Thinking of this,

Mustering her courage, Cui Chounu opened the door. Watching Su Ming turn and leave, she quickly called out, "Don't go yet! There's nothing urgent at your house right now. I want to know... what do you need the money for?"

Su Ming turned around and saw that the wooden door was open a crack, and a thin girl was hiding behind the door, showing half of her face, looking timid.

"Cui Chou-nu is the kind of person who is cautious and doesn't easily make friends. Now that she's willing to open the door and take the initiative to ask, it means she's considering helping me."

"If I don't tell her what I'm going to do, she probably won't lend me money."

Su Ming knew,

At this time, you can't hide it from people.

They genuinely wanted to help me. If I were lying, they would never lend me money, nor would they ever open up to me again as a friend.

—This kind of person will only give others one chance.

He met the pair of clear eyes behind the crack in the door and said frankly, "Buy weapons, prepare medicine, and head into the mountains—to hunt wolves."

The breath behind the crack in the door seemed to pause for a moment.

"Hunting wolves?" Cui Chou Nu's voice was filled with doubt, and a slight, almost imperceptible tremor. "What kind of wolf is worth all this trouble?"

Su Ming's gaze was calm as he spoke slowly and deliberately: "The wolf king, the silver-white wolf king from Little Chongshan."

A very faint gasp came from inside the door.

Even though she rarely went out, terrifying rumors about the giant wolf had already been circulating quietly in the village.

Before she could process the information, Su Ming continued, his voice low but carrying a resolute force: "And its entire wolf pack."

Behind the door, all was silent.

A cold wind swept by, causing the door to sway slightly.

After a long while, Cui Chou Nu's voice rang out again:

"Don't go, you'll die!"

"I will not die."

"You can't beat the wolf king, let alone the entire wolf pack."

"How do you know you can't beat them if you haven't tried?" Su Ming's rhetorical question carried the sharpness unique to young people, but it was not blind arrogance.

"Why go?" Cui Chou Nu was very curious about Su Ming's insistence. She couldn't understand why someone would insist on going to their death.

Su Ming was silent for a moment, then his voice lowered, becoming even heavier: "They ate people, including Aunt Stone's only son, Little Stone; they cut off the entire village's way into the mountains. I owe this village so much, I must go!"

"Do we really have to go?"

"I have to go!"

"Would you still go even if I didn't lend you the money?"

"I will go!"

"...You really...aren't afraid of death!" The voice from behind the door carried a complex mix of anger and a slight tremor that she herself didn't understand.

Then, with a "bang," the door was slammed shut, and a series of slightly hurried footsteps came from inside, gradually fading away, seemingly accompanied by a low, suppressed sigh.

Su Ming stood there, his heart sinking slightly.

It seems that it still won't work... Perhaps I was really too hasty.

However, just as he was about to turn and leave again, the dilapidated wooden door was suddenly pulled open a crack once more!

This time, the gap was made a little bigger.

A slightly slender hand, its knuckles roughened by years of labor, emerged from within, clutching something that reflected a soft white luster in the dim snowlight.

The object was shoved directly into Su Ming's hand; it felt heavy, cold, and hard.

It's a silver ingot!

Judging from its size and quality, it probably weighs at least ten taels!

"Take it!" Cui Chou Nu's voice came from behind the door, still carrying a somewhat harsh tone, but seemingly with something else added: "Don't... don't let anyone see."

Holding the silver ingot that still retained the warmth of the other person's body, Su Ming was filled with mixed emotions.

He never expected that this usually quiet and withdrawn girl, who was considered strange by the villagers, would actually lend him such a large sum of money.

He was about to express his gratitude formally.

The voice from behind the door sounded again, this time with an unusual emphasis, and much softer: "Don't call me Cui the Ugly Girl anymore, I have a name."

Su Ming was slightly taken aback, but then he realized that the other party was revealing their real name, which was a rare sign of recognition and closeness.

He said solemnly, "I apologize for my rudeness. May I ask your name, young lady?"

There was a moment of silence inside the door before a clear and low voice came through, a name completely different from the word "ugly woman": "Cui Jinxi, Jin as in cautious, Xi as in tide."

"Jinxi...a good name," Su Ming sincerely praised.

The name does indeed fit the impression she gives off.

"Hmph." A cold, indifferent voice came from inside the door: "Remember to pay me back! You must pay me back within ten days!"

She emphasized the words "ten days".

Su Ming smiled, not unhappy because of the other party's "coldness".

He knew this was the other party's concern for him: He had to repay the money within ten days? He'd better come back alive!

The other person meant "You must come back alive."

"I will come back alive."

"What...what do I care if you live or die?" The voice behind the door sounded flustered, eager to distance herself from the situation: "I just...I just don't want to see those villagers lose all hope. Grandpa said that some debts in life can't be incurred." She spoke the last sentence very softly, as if explaining, or as if talking to herself.

"It doesn't matter if you die, but don't let down so many villagers' hopes. Don't think I'm helping you; I just don't want these poor villagers to be disappointed!"

"it is good."

Su Ming said no more, took a deep look at the wooden door that had been closed again, carefully put the silver into his pocket, turned around and strode away, his figure quickly disappearing into the snowy night.

……

Inside the room, Cui Jinxi leaned against the cold door panel, her fingers unconsciously twisting the ends of her hair.

She peered through the crack in the door at the direction the boy had disappeared, her eyes filled with confusion and bewilderment.

This boy named Su Ming has remarkable talent in martial arts and is sure to achieve great things when he grows up.

He's still young, so he can completely ignore the lives of these villagers and not take any risks, waiting until he becomes stronger before doing so.

But now, for the sake of the poor people who are like "cattle and sheep" in the eyes of these officials, they are willing to risk their lives to plot against the wolf pack.

He chose the most difficult and dangerous path, and he was so determined.

Is this what Grandpa meant when he said, "A wise man knows what to do and what not to do"?

These words inexplicably entered Cui Jinxi's mind.

Recalling the boy's clear and determined gaze just now, she murmured to herself:

"He is truly a kind and good young man."

"I hope... you can come back safely."

She closed her eyes, facing the cold wind and snow, and silently prayed for the boy she had only met a few times, yet who had made her feel equality and respect for the first time.