Lin Yuan

Lin Yuan glanced around at everyone and said slowly, "I know Tai Chi."

"Tai Chi? You mean the kind those old men practice in the square early in the morning? All soft and limp, like they haven't eaten enough?" Liu Shan asked incredulously.

"Don't interrupt if you don't understand." Xun Haotian glared at him. "Do you think something soft and limp could knock you flat?"

Xun Haotian came from a family with a long martial arts tradition, so he naturally knew that Tai Chi was not that simple. As one of Huaxia's three major internal martial arts, how could it be nothing but a flashy, useless routine?

It was just that most people either practiced simplified versions that focused on fitness over combat, or simply had not trained enough.

He had once heard his grandfather say that developing Tai Chi's practical combat ability was far more difficult than mastering other martial arts.

First, one needed a true inheritor to teach them personally. Second, one needed exceptional comprehension. Third, one needed to train bitterly year after year.

"Little Brother Lin, let me make this clear first. I'm not looking down on your skills, but if you're relying on your bare hands, they may really be of little use against a wild boar. Wild boars are not only tough-skinned and thick-fleshed, but their bristles are hard as well. Relying on bare-handed techniques alone, I'm afraid you won't gain an advantage and may instead put yourself in danger."

Xun Haotian's words made everyone nod.

Han Housheng had just said that even with a large butcher's knife over a meter long, he could only face a wild boar for three moves. If he could not finish it in those three moves, he would have to run.

With bare hands, it was even worse. Before he could injure the wild boar, he would probably already have been sent flying.

"Why don't you find a weapon too?" Xun Ruobing suggested from the side.

But where could they find weapons now? To reduce their burden, everyone had brought only the equipment they used.

Seeing this, Lin Yuan did not know what to say. He could not exactly thump his chest and declare, "I'm amazing, so everyone can rest easy."

Besides, he had never sparred with a wild boar. Although he was fairly confident in his combat ability now, whether a mule was a horse could only be determined by taking it out for a run.

Everything still had to be tested in actual combat.

Han Housheng coughed, ending the topic.

Then he said, "Since everyone is familiar with one another now, let's plan our tactics."

"Earlier, my brother and I set up a trap in the wild boars' territory. The best approach is to avoid a direct confrontation with them as much as possible and lure them to the place where we set the trap."

After speaking, Han Housheng picked up a stick and began drawing on the ground.

"This is our current position. A few kilometers east of here is the territory of those wild boars."

"We previously set the trap in the southeastern corner of their territory, right here."

Han Housheng drew an X at one spot.

"We'll pass through here as well."

"If we encounter the wild boars on the outskirts, that's perfect. We'll lead them straight here. If not, we'll go a little deeper. As soon as we encounter them, we must avoid lingering and retreat in an orderly fashion while luring them back."

"To ensure that we can maintain order as a group, I designed a formation in advance."

"Shusheng, Haotian, and I will lead the way. Little Brother Zhao and A Yuan will support us from the middle. As for Feigu, Liu Shan, and this young lady, you'll stay at the rear."

"What if a wild boar charges from behind?" Liu Shan asked.

"That's why you'll have to carefully observe your surroundings and familiarize yourselves with the terrain as much as possible before moving forward. Of course, I can't guarantee that there'll be no danger at all. Unless you stay here and don't come with us."

Liu Shan looked hesitant. At that moment, he was already considering backing out, but when he imagined the look Han Fei might have on his face, he held back.

As for Xun Ruobing, she had no intention of staying here and freezing in the open. Deep down, she was full of an adventurous spirit. The reason she had come this time was precisely to see for herself how formidable these wild boars were.

"What do you think of this arrangement?" Han Housheng asked, looking at everyone.

"I think it'll work," Xun Haotian said. "Let's go with this arrangement."

"Good. We'll adapt to the situation when the time comes. Finally, I'll emphasize this once more: if anyone doesn't want to go, you can say so at any time. Don't feel embarrassed about it. After all, no one can guarantee that everything will be safe."

Seeing that no one spoke, Han Housheng said no more and merely instructed everyone to get a good rest that night.

That night, Han Housheng and Han Shusheng took turns standing watch.

After all, they had accepted money from those rich heirs for this trip, and it was no small sum. They had to fulfill their responsibilities.

One by one, everyone gradually settled down beside the campfire.

It had to be said that these rich young men had prepared quite thoroughly. Every one of them had brought a sleeping bag to prevent mosquitoes and other insects from biting them at night.

In the end, only Lin Yuan and Han Fei remained beside the fire.

"A Yuan, when did you start practicing Tai Chi? How come I didn't know?" Han Fei asked curiously.

"What? You want to learn? I can teach you."

"I'm already this old. Why would I learn this stuff? We live under the rule of law now. No matter how good your kung fu is, one shot will still drop you."

Lin Yuan smiled and did not argue. He merely said, "At least it can strengthen your body."

"Are you afraid of tomorrow?"

"No. I'm actually a little excited."

"Cut it out. Stop bragging. Even if you have some ability, can you really be better than Uncle Han? He can only swing his cleaver three times at a wild boar."

"You're afraid?"

"It'd be a lie to say I'm not. To be honest, I want to stay here, but since none of you said anything, I felt too embarrassed to bring it up."

"If you trust me, then run to me as soon as you encounter danger. I can keep you safe."

Han Fei was half-convinced, but in the end he still nodded.

Just as the two were talking, Xun Ruobing, who had already gone to rest, suddenly walked over.

Her face was flushed, and she looked somewhat anxious, with a hint of awkwardness mixed in.

The two men were both confused by her expression.

Xun Ruobing pointed at Lin Yuan and said softly, "Could you come over for a moment?"

"Me?"

Xun Ruobing nodded.

Lin Yuan did not think much of it and followed her to a corner.

Xun Ruobing moved close to him and said, somewhat embarrassed, "My brother fell asleep. I want to go pee. Could you come with me?"

The reason she had not called Han Fei was simply that she did not have a good impression of him. Several times, she had caught Han Fei staring at her with a lecherous grin.

"Fine. Lead the way. I'll follow you."

Soon, Lin Yuan followed Xun Ruobing to a secluded corner.

"This will do. Turn around."

Xun Ruobing walked a few steps to the side, pulled down her pants, and squatted behind a tree.

With his back to her, Lin Yuan heard the sound of splashing water.

Xun Ruobing felt her whole body relax.

Before long, she finished and was just about to stand up and pull her pants back on.

But at that moment, she suddenly felt as if something was writhing against her back.

A foul, fishy smell suddenly reached her nose.

Then she saw something resembling a tail drop onto her shoulder.

It was a snake!

At the sight of it, Xun Ruobing froze completely. Fear instinctively seized her body, but she did not dare to scream, afraid that the thing behind her would be startled and bite her.

"Lin... Lin Yuan, there's a snake... There's a snake behind me."

Xun Ruobing was practically on the verge of tears.

Hearing her cry for help, Lin Yuan immediately turned around.

At a glance, he saw the snake slowly writhing behind Xun Ruobing.

It was not small. It stretched from Xun Ruobing's shoulder all the way down beside her thigh.

And at that moment, Xun Ruobing still had not put her pants back on, leaving her thigh completely bare.

Xun Ruobing could clearly feel the coldness of the snake's scales touching her thigh.

"Don't move," Lin Yuan said in a low voice.

Xun Ruobing nodded, but she was already on the verge of breaking down. She had been afraid of these slick, bare-skinned creatures since she was little.

Lin Yuan was about two meters away from Xun Ruobing.

He slowly walked over. When he was about a meter away,

Lin Yuan suddenly struck. Afraid that the snake would bite her, he went straight for its head.

By the time the snake reacted, it was already too late.

Lin Yuan grabbed the snake by the head and swung it through the air. Its spine snapped in an instant, and its body went limp before dropping straight down.

He then casually threw it in some direction.

Although the snake had been subdued, Xun Ruobing could no longer hold herself together. She burst into tears.

She even threw her arms around Lin Yuan, completely forgetting that she had not put her pants back on.

Lin Yuan frowned. Before Xun Ruobing could recover, he pushed her away.

"Hurry up and put your pants on. We need to go back."

Only after Lin Yuan reminded her did Xun Ruobing realize that she felt a chilly draft below. Her face instantly flushed red, and she hurriedly pulled her pants back on.

Watching Lin Yuan turn around and walk away,

Xun Ruobing gritted her teeth and could not help stamping her foot.

"Wait for me!"

When the two returned, Han Fei saw that Xun Ruobing looked furious, with the corners of her eyes slightly red. It was obvious she had just been crying.

He gave Lin Yuan a sly grin, leaned close to his ear, and whispered, "Damn, you're something else."

"What are you imagining?"

"You got her into this state so quickly. She even cried, and you're still denying it."

"Damn it, how would I know? I just saved her. Who the hell knows why she cried?"

"You'll have to ask yourself."

"Then there's only one possibility: tears of joy." Lin Yuan analyzed.

Although Lin Yuan's voice was very low, every word reached Xun Ruobing's ears as she sat nearby, sulking.

"Stupid straight man." Xun Ruobing was so angry her teeth nearly itched.

She was seriously speechless at the way this guy's mind worked.