Chapter 071

As Yu Su expected, three days later, the people from Da Shu Village arrived with great momentum.

"How many people have come?" Yu Su asked.

The scout replied, "They've brought over a hundred people, led by the village chief and shaman of Da Shu Village. I saw Yu Da and Yu Xiong among them."

Others were particularly infuriated, considering Yu Da and Yu Xiong as traitors.

"If we had known, we should have killed them," Yu Meng angrily remarked.

Lu Yan glanced at him. "It's not too late now."

Yu Meng was momentarily stunned, then realized, "You're right."

...

Da Shu Village people were cunning. They obtained a lot of information about Yu Village from Yu Da's family and planned to bypass the front of Yu Village to directly raid the salt field.

However, they didn't consider that even if they seized the salt field, they would still have to face the pursuing Yu Village warriors. Moreover, they couldn't navigate the misty forest.

"What a bunch of fools," mocked the people from Yu Village.

"Stop laughing. Da Shu Village people are coming. Lord Yu Su said this battle is to test the results of our recent training. We can't disappoint him," reminded someone nearby.

The team leader turned back and glared, "No underestimating the enemy. Anyone who makes a major mistake due to underestimating the enemy, I'll break his legs!"

Now no one dared to chat casually; everyone prepared vigilantly.

When the people from Da Shu Village arrived, someone in the front reported. Each small team rushed out from their ambush points according to the pre-arranged tactics.

"Brothers, charge!"

"Kill these bandits trying to steal the salt field!"

Da Shu Village people were caught off guard, suddenly surrounded by the ambush. They immediately became chaotic.

"Ambush! Be careful!"

However, they lacked trained warriors like those in Yu Village and a capable leader. Soon, they were scattered like loose sand.

Though the numbers were initially similar, the victory heavily favored Yu Village. Da Shu Village people, once dispersed, became headless flies, unable to put up any resistance, losing thoroughly.

Jian Yunchuan calmly directed each small team, capturing the scattered Da Shu Village people.

Soon, the group from Da Shu Village was tied up like zongzi, helpless.

"Su'er, how should we deal with these people now?" Jian Yunchuan asked Yu Su.

The suggestion from Lu Yan and others was to kill them. This group harbored ill intentions and would be a menace if spared.

Yu Su replied, "No rush. Let them sunbathe for a while. I need to attend to the injuries of our own people first."

After using a major Healing Art, Yu Su managed to stop bleeding and promote healing where needed. For the severely wounded, a simple bandage and a bowl of Purple Cloud Herb and Dark Crow Soup would do the trick.

The Da Shu Village people, left under the scorching sun, watched Yu Village rapidly recover their strength, eyes wide in fear and astonishment.

Were these still human beings?

Was that young shaman from Yu Village a man or... a god?

The people from Da Shu Village were terrified. If Yu Su cast a curse, they might all spit blood and die.

"Why didn't anyone tell me how terrifying the shaman of Yu Village is?"

"If we had known, we wouldn't have come. I don't want to die."

"It's all the village chief's fault!"

The village chief of Da Shu Village felt like vomiting blood upon hearing this. When he proposed raiding the salt field, these people had greed in their eyes. Now, they blamed him because their plan failed?

Blame should be on Yu Da!

This information was crucial, and he was kept in the dark.

Also, those formidable warriors from Yu Village—the Da Shu Village people didn't know about their training. They thought no matter how powerful, Yu Village couldn't compare to them. Now, Yu Village managed to capture them within the time it takes an incense stick to burn!

Yu Da's eyes reflected despair; he knew he was finished this time. Yu Su wouldn't spare him.

So, no matter how fiercely Da Shu Village's chief glared at him, he had no reaction."This really infuriated the village chief of Da Shu Village.

When Yu Su came over and someone was about to untie him, his first reaction was to pull out a dagger, rush towards Yu Da, and stab it into Yu Da's heart.

"You..."

Before Yu Da could even shout, he ran out of breath, collapsing weakly.

Seeing this, Yu Xiong angrily shouted and charged towards the chief of Da Shu Village. The chief pulled out the dagger, stabbing it into Yu Xiong's chest.

As the dagger was pulled out, blood splattered everywhere.

This scene happened too quickly; many people hadn't reacted yet and only saw the chief of Da Shu Village stabbing Yu Da and Yu Xiong to death.

The chief of Da Shu Village, indifferent to the reactions he caused, threw away the dagger, walked up to Yu Su, knelt down on one knee, lowered his head, and said, 'Respected Lord Yu Su, I am willing to lead the entire village to submit to Yu Village. Please forgive our previous disrespect.'

Yu Su narrowed his eyes; this chief of Da Shu Village was ruthless and quick-witted, a notable figure.

Unfortunately, such a person was too ruthless and would only bring trouble if kept alive.

He glanced at Lu Yan, who nodded. Lu Yan walked up to the chief of Da Shu Village, quickly grabbed his head, and twisted it!

A cracking sound.

The chief of Da Shu Village's head was twisted off, thudding to the ground.

The bound people of Da Shu Village were shocked, looking at Yu Su and the others with fear.

The chief was killed?

Did they refuse their submission?

Were they all going to be killed?

Yu Su looked at the terrified people of Da Shu Village and spoke, "Do you want to die?"

The group immediately shook their heads, begging for mercy, stating they didn't want to die at all.

Yu Su said, "But Yu Village doesn't keep useless people."

"We are useful! We can do anything!"

"Yes, yes! We can do anything. Just spare our lives, and we'll do anything for you. Please don't kill us!"

Yu Su said, "Not killing you is possible, but each of you needs to state what you're good at."

After a moment of hesitation, someone from Da Shu Village reacted first, loudly declaring, "I can hunt. I am the village's hunting expert and once captured a wild boar with three others!"

Others followed, some saying they could hunt, fish, or identify herbs.

Only the village's shaman remained silent, angrily glaring at his fellow villagers, helpless.

Yu Su had Lu Yan take note of their skills, then approached Da Shu Village's shaman, asking, "How do you want to die?"

The shaman initially looked at him angrily but after a while, said in sorrow, "I want to die in the embrace of the Tree God."

There was a giant ancient tree in Da Shu Village, and the villagers believed that their village flourished under the Tree God's protection. Therefore, they worshipped the Tree God.

Yu Su nodded, "Fine."

He called Yu Meng and instructed him to send the shaman back to Da Shu Village, letting him die in the Tree God's embrace.

"Also, there's no need to keep the chief's family from Da Shu Village."

Yu Meng nodded, taking people to escort Da Shu Village's shaman away.

Besides these two tasks, Yu Meng also needed to control the remaining people from Da Shu Village, waiting for Yu Su's decision.

"Finished recording," Lu Yan reported to Yu Su.

Yu Su nodded, "Prepare a slave contract for these people. Have them sign it."

Lu Yan nodded.

When the people from Da Shu Village heard that they had to sign a slave contract to survive, they became dejected. A few who resisted were dealt with on the spot. The majority chose to sign the contract.

After all these people signed the contracts, Yu Su had Yu Feng take charge of arranging them.

Once Yu Feng led the group of slaves away, Jian Yunchuan walked over.

"Su'er, you've enslaved them all. How do you plan to handle them? It's a big problem to feed so many people. In my opinion, killing half and keeping half would be sufficient."

Yu Su sighed, "We are too short-handed. We can't even form a proper combat formation. In the future, when we reclaim the land east of the river, we'll need more hands. It would be a pity to kill them. Let them work; with the slave contracts, they won't escape. Food won't be an issue; I can manage this number of people."

Jian Yunchuan, hearing his plan, nodded. "Then, spare their lives. However, there's no need to keep the elderly, women, and children from Da Shu Village."

"Women can also work. In the future, tasks like growing and weaving hemp can't be done solely by the women of our village. They aren't three-headed and six-armed; these female slaves can handle these tasks."

"As for the children, they'll grow up and contribute. They aren't a burden."

In Yu Su's view, they were all potential labor.

In Jian Yunchuan's view, this was Yu Su showing mercy.

Lu Yan added, "I'll keep an eye on them. If anyone shows any rebellious intent, I'll kill them."

Jian Yunchuan was taken aback. Lu Yan, being wild, was even more ruthless than him. How could he be so kind when it came to sparing lives?

In the end, it was all because of Yu Su.

Remembering what the chief shaman of Feng City once said—those in power in a city couldn't all be ruthless; otherwise, significant issues would arise—Jian Yunchuan realized that Yu Su had ambitions. He aimed to build Yu Village into a large city like Feng City, and that couldn't be accomplished with a cruel and brutal style.

"Go ahead with your plan. But we can't keep them all. I'll personally take over these slaves; those we can't keep, I'll deal with them myself." Jian Yunchuan said.

Yu Su didn't object. He trusted Jian Yunchuan to handle it appropriately.

"Then, you've worked hard, Father."

"Stop calling me father, let Little Lu accompany me."

Jian Yunchuan called Lu Yan, and they left together. Yu Su had the battlefield cleaned up, returned to Yu Village with his people, and Jian Yunchuan efficiently managed and arranged the slaves.

A little over ten days later, Yu Village's first trade caravan was born."