Old Man Yu Disciplines His Son

The Yu family's courtyard walls were reinforced to three meters high and half a meter thick, giving them a solid appearance.

In previous years, such an action might have piqued others' curiosity.

But this year, the Yu family wasn't the only one doing so.

Ox Ridge is a small Settlement, with a total population barely exceeding a thousand. However, due to the increased price of Blessed Land quotas, a full third chose to remain.

And among these three hundred-plus people, ninety percent were truly ordinary individuals who hadn't even reached Fetal Movement.

There was also a small portion, like Old Man Yu or Tiezhu.

Actually, there should have been more people who couldn't afford the Spirit Stones, but the Zhou family's Insect Hunter Team had doubled in size compared to last year.

Several other families also took the opportunity to sign many indentured contracts.

Joining the Insect Hunter Team was dangerous, but the resettlement fee they offered was high, even including a promise that team members could share ten percent of the profits from the insects hunted during the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster.

Take a gamble this year, and as long as they survive, their future days will be easier.

Selling oneself into servitude, however, was safer. During this period, the other party would provide a quota for the Blessed Land. But for the next five, or even ten years, all profits from the cultivated Spirit Fields must go to the other party.

If calculated based on this year's price of fifteen Spirit Stones for a Blessed Land quota, the families accepting indentured contracts would certainly lose money. But they were gambling that the Blessed Land quota prices would return to their previous levels in the future.

Neither choice could be definitively labeled as good or bad, right or wrong. Both were merely desperate decisions made after careful consideration.

During this time, upon learning that Old Man Yu had chosen to stay, some people approached him. Despite his old age, he had at least reached Fetal Movement Major Accomplishment, making him quite useful. However, he refused their offers.

Other than that, everything was normal.

Until this day, when Yu Ershan, with a face ashen with anger, and Yu Dashan, bruised and swollen, returned home.

"Did you get into a fight?"

Old Man Yu asked curiously, but he didn't pay it much mind.

A mere fight was hardly a major issue.

Especially since the entire Settlement had been simmering with tension lately.

"Father, Big Brother wanted to secretly join the Zhou family's Insect Hunter Team, but I stopped him."

As soon as Yu Ershan said this, Old Man Yu froze for a moment, then his expression turned grim. He got up and took a spear from behind the door. This was the very spear Tiezhu had forged.

"Kneel!"

Following Old Man Yu's icy voice, Yu Dashan didn't argue. With a thump, he knelt.

Then Old Man Yu inverted the spear and, using the shaft made of ironwood, struck Yu Dashan's back heavily.

Crack.

Old Man Yu showed no mercy with this blow. The sturdy linen shirt was directly torn open, and a scarlet bloodstain immediately appeared on Yu Dashan's strong back.

Crack, crack!

Old Man Yu, still seething with anger, struck two more times fiercely. A total of three bloodstains were clearly visible.

Yu Dashan, however, was tough. Gritting his teeth tightly, he didn't utter a single sound.

"Do you know why I'm hitting you?"

Old Man Yu asked coldly.

He had held back just now, because the autumn harvest was imminent, and they had to rush to the Blessed Land afterward. Otherwise, if he hadn't held back at all, Yu Dashan, even if not seriously injured, would have been bedridden for half a month.

"I know."

Yu Dashan naturally understood everything, but he didn't regret it.

Because the moment he thought of his father being forced to stay behind for the sake of his three sons, his heart felt like it was being twisted with a knife.

That was a situation where one's lifespan was shortened by at least ten years, and if unlucky, they could be sensed by those ferocious insects and utterly annihilated, leaving no remains.

As a son, how could he feel at ease, watching this happen with his own eyes?

Therefore, he didn't regret his choice, only regretting that he hadn't concealed his tracks well enough and was discovered by his cunning second brother.

"Then have you considered that the chance of you returning alive after joining the Zhou family's Insect Hunter Team might be less than twenty percent?"

Old Man Yu asked again.

"I have considered it. But their Fetal Movement Major Accomplishment can get one hundred Spirit Stones as a resettlement fee. With these Spirit Stones, Father wouldn't have to stay behind, and Second Brother's injuries might have a chance to heal. Third Brother could also eat more Spirit Rice and face less danger when he starts practicing Fetal Movement."

Yu Dashan was merely simple-minded, not truly foolish.

It was precisely because he had thought it through that he made this choice.

For this, he had even delayed until the last moment, not expecting to fail in the end.

"You..."

Old Man Yu, enraged, raised the spear shaft, intending to strike two more times. However, this time he was stopped by Yu Ershan.

"Father, don't actually beat Big Brother until he's badly hurt. In a couple of days, no one will be buying Spirit Rice anymore."

Hearing his words, Yu Dashan glared furiously.

This damn second brother!

If only he had beaten that guy up when he was being disrespectful earlier.

"Alright, I'll remember this beating for now. Second son, tell me what your brother did wrong."

Old Man Yu turned to look at his second son.

"Eldest brother's mistake was underestimating himself and overestimating the Zhou family's bottom line. Father, you said Eldest brother had a 20% chance of returning from joining the Insect Hunter Team, but in my opinion, it's not even 10%.

This year, the Zhou family's Insect Hunter Team doubled in size. On the surface, their strength increased significantly, making it safer.

But in reality, this has also fueled the Zhou family's ambition. They will inevitably be more reckless during the Black Annihilation Wind Disaster, wanting to obtain more.

This will naturally lead to greater casualties.

Therefore, Eldest brother's departure is essentially a one-way trip."

Yu Ershan analyzed calmly.

"Since you knew it was a one-way trip, why did you want to join the Zhou family's Insect Hunter Team before?"

Yu Dashan said indignantly.

"That's because he never intended to come back alive."

It was Old Man Yu who answered Yu Dashan.

"Huh?"

Yu Dashan was stunned.

"Father, last year the Tian family's eldest brother joined the Zhou family's Insect Hunter Team and returned alive. I asked him for details, and combined with my understanding of those insects' habits, even if I went this year, there would be at least a 30% chance of returning alive."

Yu Ershan had to defend himself.

Although he didn't want to burden his family, he didn't have a death wish either. After all, who would want to die if they could live?

It was just that in his opinion, if someone in the family had to make a sacrifice, it should be him.

"Nonsense!

Are you unaware of the rumor circulating from the New Moon Blessed Land?

And you still think you have a 30% chance of returning alive?

Do you take your father for a doddering old fool?

You just said your eldest brother underestimated himself. Haven't you done the same?"

Old Man Yu fired off a series of questions, causing Yu Ershan to fall silent.

"Among you three brothers, you are the one I worry about the most, and also the one I worry about the least. I know you've been smart since you were little. If you hadn't been accidentally injured in your core back then, your achievements now would be no less than your eldest brother's, and you might go even further than him in the future.

Your previous desire to join the Zhou family's Insect Hunter Team was partly because you genuinely thought of the family, and partly to seek an opportunity. But I can tell you clearly now, you don't need to risk your life. Our family has this opportunity!"

"What?"

Yu Ershan looked at his father in disbelief.

Yu Dashan was equally surprised.

Their own family had this opportunity?

How come they didn't know?