Two more days passed.
Seven days had now passed since the time their grand-uncle had mentioned.
In those seven days, Chen Nuo and Chen Yong had made no move.
Chen Li, on the other hand, was operating with great fanfare, creating quite a spectacle.
By now, many in the village had flocked to his side.
The reason, of course, was obvious.
Chen Li's following continued to swell.
He now had seventeen or eighteen people with him.
Besides the young men of his clan, there were also two or three hoodlums who used to run with him.
However, who could have known that he, who now appeared so glorious and seemed to have already become the Clan Leader, had his own troubles?
...
Coiling Snake Mountain.
The mountain wasn't huge, but it wasn't small either. It was the largest mountain in all of An County and even had a minor reputation throughout Liu Shui Commandery. But it was not a good reputation.
While its resources were reasonably plentiful, the depths of Coiling Snake Mountain were teeming with venomous snakes year-round. There were even poisonous Exotic Beast serpents that could spew toxic Fog. Naturally, no one dared venture deep inside. Relying only on its outskirts, the mountain could only be considered barren.
'So, we can't go deeper, but the game in the outer areas has started to migrate. We've seen noticeably fewer animals these past two days, and there are so many of us now... Should we go in just a little further?'
Chen Li looked at the cheerful young men behind him, his heart wavering.
Food?
Fame and fortune?
Danger?
All sorts of thoughts intertwined in his mind.
Suddenly, a bit of a commotion arose from the group.
"Brother Li, my ma asked me to give this to you. Thank you for letting my family eat meat. We don't have to sell little Ya anymore." A tall, thin man whose ribs were showing, his face still a bit boyish, came over, speaking in a fawning and grateful tone.
He took two eggs from inside his shirt.
The eggs were still warm.
Chen Li looked at the boy's underfed appearance and suddenly smiled. He accepted the eggs without ceremony. "Good lad. Stick with Brother Li, and I'll make sure you all have food to eat!"
"Yeah!"
"Brother Li is mighty!"
"Follow Brother Li, and we'll all eat our fill!"
"It's gotta be Brother Li!"
"I'll introduce my little sister to Brother Li when we get back."
"..."
The group of young men chimed in one after another, their words full of praise for him.
The smile on Chen Li's face grew wider. The cautious, fawning gazes of the crowd made him feel smug. 'So this is what it feels like to be admired. It's wonderful.'
At that moment, he made his decision.
'Food is everything!'
'I will be the Clan Leader!'
The direction Chen Li led them in shifted slightly.
After they had walked a while longer.
"Brother Li."
A man with a somewhat gangster-like air crept up from behind.
"What is it, Jiang Bian?"
Jiang Bian was one of the outsiders who had been running with him for years.
For various reasons, he hadn't chosen them before, picking his own clansmen instead. But now that he had taken in so many clansmen, he didn't mind bringing these guys back in.
"Brother Li, there's something... I don't know if I should say it."
He put on an act of loyalty, mixed with a look of unease.
"Go ahead and speak freely. I'm listening," Chen Li said, his eyes flickering.
"Alright, Brother Li. I'll say it, but please don't blame me."
"Fine, just say it."
"Brother Li, the way things are going, you're definitely going to be the Clan Leader. But... there are some things that need to be dealt with early. Take Chen Yong, for example. He's always only listened to Chen Nuo. If Chen Nuo doesn't die, a warrior like Chen Yong will never listen to you. When that time comes, he'll be a hidden danger!"
?
!!!
Chen Li's pupils contracted.
This was the first person to say such things to him in all these days.
'Did he have a point?'
'He did!'
He knew better than anyone about Chen Yong's strength. Back when he used to run around with Jiang Bian and the other hoodlums, they were unmatched in Chen Manor. But then they ran into Chen Yong and got knocked senseless with a single punch.
He had even seen an enraged Chen Yong once smash a shallow dent into a large tree with one punch!
How terrifying was that!
A man like that, who didn't respect him and had always looked down on him...
Jiang Bian continued, "Brother Li, I have some laxatives at home. Chen Yong is always starving... Don't worry, it's not fatal... And as for that Chen Nuo, it's hard to make a move on a Physician's family, but they still need to eat...
"Brother Li, those who achieve great things must be ruthless!"
Chen Li understood what Jiang Bian was suggesting.
"..."
To be honest, he was tempted.
After all, he knew how simple-minded yet fierce Chen Yong was.
And the threat Chen Nuo posed to his ambition of becoming Clan Leader was very real.
But...
The rough texture of the Wooden Bow in his hand seemed to be telling him something.
This bow... His grand-uncle had paid to have it made for him.
Would his grand-uncle, who had dedicated his entire life to the Clan, want to see this?
A complex look flickered in Chen Li's eyes.
"..."
"..."
Jiang Bian fretted silently at his side. 'What is this boss of mine hesitating for? It's not like this is the first time we've harmed someone. This time it's your competitor, so what the hell are you wavering for?'
"That won't be necessary. Don't mention this matter again," Chen Li said suddenly.
His gaze fell upon the bow in his hands, his eyes swirling with an emotion Jiang Bian couldn't comprehend.
"I am going to be the Clan Leader. I've never heard of any Young Clan Leader who would harm his own clansmen over a threat that hasn't even begun to sprout."
"I, Chen Li, may not be a good person, but I don't want to use such insidious methods against my own kin. I still remember, when we were children, Chen Yong's father would bring us little trinkets every time he returned from a trade trip. Spinning tops, wooden kites, lotus lanterns... He's the one who gave me my favorite little slingshot."
"And Chen Nuo's father, Uncle Shui Sheng, has helped me twice. All I know about styptic herbs, Uncle Shui Sheng taught me."
"A man can't forget his roots. What's more..."
"I don't need to resort to such tactics. I, Chen Li, am a capable man."
"I will crush them fair and square, so that our grand-uncle can pass the position of Clan Leader to me with peace of mind. If they still refuse to obey then, well, that will be the time to act."
"But for now, I will not do such a thing!"
Chen Li's gaze was resolute, his words filled with determination and confidence.
He looked at Jiang Bian and warned him.
"Jiang Bian, you never said any of this."
"And I never heard it."
With that, he gripped his Wooden Bow, turned, and continued forward.
Behind him,
Jiang Bian's head was bowed, his eyes filled with resentment.
'A man who isn't ruthless can't stand firm. Chen Li, are you really fit to be a leader or not?! Idiot!'
'You're the boss of a bunch of hoodlums like us. We all know what you're really like, so why pretend to be all sentimental and righteous...'
'Damn it! If, if I were the boss...'
But alas, no matter what Jiang Bian thought, it couldn't change the fact that he was just a powerless underling.
The group began to advance into the depths.
Of course, as a Hunter from a long line of hunters, Chen Li was ultimately wary of the depths of Coiling Snake Mountain. Therefore, he decided they would only venture in a little deeper.
Yes.
'He'd just rub up against the entrance, not actually go inside.'
In the jungle, leaves rustled, and sunlight filtered through layers of branches, painting mottled patterns of light and shadow on the ground.
Long, thin, black shadows flickered past and vanished.
...
Chen Manor.
Chen Nuo's home.
Chen Nuo gazed at the harvested oyster mushrooms, his eyes glinting with anticipation.
"This is the seventh harvest."