Favored by Liu Gang

"Let's get closer and take a look."

The six people quietly crept forward.

Before long, the six people arrived behind Zhao Han and discovered that Zhao Han was indeed hunting.

He was staring at a wild wolf about half a person's height, holding a chopping axe, ready to strike.

"Hah!"

"Whoosh!"

"Awooo..."

The flying axe was thrown and hit its mark.

The wild wolf struggled on the ground, bleeding profusely, in great pain.

Zhao Han stepped forward, swung his firewood chopping knife, and easily slit the wolf's throat. His movements were decisive.

The others were quite surprised. This new gang member had extraordinary skills; he was not simple at all.

"Now I'll have wolf legs to eat again," Zhao Han said with a smile.

He then looked at his panel. Ten Wolf Slash was two-tenths complete, with eight more to go.

If he took down two or three a day, he could finish in about three days.

Black Wolf Fist had reached Mastery. Even if he wasn't in the Muscle Refining Realm, he wouldn't lose to a Skin Refining Realm leader like Liu Gang.

"It's a shame I don't have Five Taels of Silver. Otherwise, if Snake-Style Deft Hand also reached Mastery, my strength would stack up even more."

"Clap, clap, clap!"

Suddenly, the sound of clapping came from the woods.

Zhao Han immediately turned around vigilantly, only to see Leader Liu accompanied by five ordinary gang members who looked somewhat familiar.

"Leader Liu, what are you...?" Zhao Han asked, astonished.

"Good, good, good. I remember your name is Zhao Han, right?" Liu Gang asked, not answering directly.

"Leader Liu, your subordinate's name is Zhao Han."

Liu Gang smiled and said, "Don't be nervous. Your flying axe skill is excellent. Even an ordinary Skin Refining Warrior might die if ambushed. Where did you learn it?"

"Reporting to the leader, your subordinate used to go hunting in the mountains with my father. My father was skilled with the bow and arrow, and I learned flying axe."

"Not bad, not bad," Liu Gang said with a smile, while patting Zhao Han's body parts with his hand.

His body parts were found to be quite tough and solid, with a slight rebound force.

This was a sign of impending Skin Refining.

"Eh, you're about to break through to the Skin Refining Realm!" Liu Gang exclaimed in surprise.

"Reporting to you, Leader, I used to practice some crude martial arts with my father, and I've also done hard labor in the Mine Tunnel for a long time. It might be related to that," Zhao Han lied.

"Hmm, very good, very good. You're still so young, a promising seedling. It would be a waste of talent to keep you helping in the kitchen. Are you willing to work by my side?"

Liu Gang showed his intention to recruit him.

Zhao Han was a little surprised. He hadn't expected that just throwing a Flying Axe and killing an Alpha Wolf would catch Liu Gang's eye.

If he fully revealed his strength as a Skin Refining Warrior, he might be taken into his confidence. Of course, he might also become a target.

As for revealing the Black Wolf Fist, Zhao Han didn't have the guts for that yet.

"Your subordinate is willing to follow Leader Liu. As long as Leader Liu gives the word, your subordinate will not hesitate to go through fire and water," Zhao Han put on a look of facing death unflinchingly.

This was an opportunity, and he had to seize it.

"Good, you'll be by my side from now on. As for your work in the kitchen, I'll promote another Mine Slave to do it," Liu Gang said, his face beaming with joy upon hearing Zhao Han's words.

Zhao Han put on an expression of dying for his benefactor: "Thank you for your high regard, Leader Liu!"

"Hmm, it's fortunate that I can hand in this Wild Wolf."

"Little Zhao, I won't take advantage of you. According to the market price, wolf meat is forty wen per jin. This wolf must be nearly fifty jin. Here's two taels of silver as a meeting gift. Keep it safe."

Zhao Han didn't stand on ceremony and directly took the two taels of silver, tucking them into his clothes.

The other four ordinary Gang Members looked on with envy.

They didn't receive such treatment for the prey they hunted.

Clearly, this was Liu Gang deliberately trying to win Zhao Han over.

Zhao Han had the potential to become a Skin Refining Warrior, and coupled with his youth, he might reach the Leader's level in the future and become Liu Gang's confidant.

Waiting until Zhao Han reached Skin Refining to show favor was the difference between adding flowers to an embroidery and sending charcoal in the snow; the difference was not small.

Zhao Han was freed from heavy labor, and Liu Gang had completed his hunting task. The group left the woods and returned to the Mine.

It was just a pity that he wouldn't have the chance to eat the wolf leg meat today.

Liu Gang went to report his task, while the other five returned to their original posts. The news of Zhao Han being favored by Liu Gang also spread.

When Liu Gang returned after reporting, he brought ten Mine Slaves to fill the vacancies of the ordinary Gang Members.

Two more are needed for the kitchen.

Others also need replacements, especially the Hall Master's side; he likes tender, fair-skinned people.

"Little Zhao, come with me. Let everyone know you're my person, and then no one will dare bully you," Liu Gang patted Zhao Han's shoulder and said with a smile.

"Yes!"

Next, Zhao Han followed Liu Gang to the mine entrance, the Transportation Department, the kitchen, and other places, and even into the mine tunnel.

He wanted everyone to know that Zhao Han was following him, Liu Gang.

Wang Dawei, the cook in the kitchen, was quite surprised. How long had this kid been here before he managed to climb onto Liu Gang's high branch?

Others were also extremely surprised, especially Zhao Da and the others, who were filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred.

"Little Zhao, there isn't much work at the mine, and I don't have any assignments for you yet. You'll stay in the kitchen for now."

"When you're free, practice Snake-Style Deft Hand and strive to break through to the Skin Refining Realm as soon as possible. If you don't understand anything, you can ask me."

"For now, you'll still live in the dormitory. When you reach the Skin Refining Realm, I'll arrange for you to move into the Elite Gang Member's room."

"Then, every two days, take five people to the eastern forest to hunt. Give all the game to me. If you hunt a lot and the game is good, I'll reward you."

Zhao Han listened to Liu Gang's words and immediately nodded, cupping his fists. "Your subordinate understands."

"Good, you can go now. Practice martial arts diligently."

"Yes!"

Liu Gang deliberately took care of Zhao Han. Besides Zhao Han's potential to break through quickly, he also wanted to free himself up so he wouldn't be tied down by hunting duties.

With this time, he might as well practice Snake-Style Deft Hand more.

Zhao Han now had time and was idle.

That night in the dormitory, Zhao Da and the others were very enthusiastic towards him, showering him with compliments.

The next day, Zhao Han still headed into the forest.

He kindly advised a new gang member who was chopping wood to go to the western forest to cut.

That area was closer to the County Town, and the beasts had long been hunted by the hunters, making it safer to chop wood.

The eastern side was left open. Without the pressure of chopping wood, Zhao Han took a common saber and dry rations and entered the forest to hunt wolves.

Today, he killed four wolves.

Three of them went into Zhao Han's belly, while the others were processed, washed, sprinkled with salt from the kitchen, and hung on a tree trunk to dry into dried meat.

The next day, Zhao Han led the previous five hunters into the forest to the east.

In the morning, Liu Gang had approached Zhao Han, telling him not to hunt wild wolves anymore. The Hall Master apparently didn't like wolf meat and preferred fiercer game, or fawns.

Fiercer meant needing to hunt beasts like tigers, leopards, wild oxen, wild boars, apes, and hippopotamuses.

Martial artists needed to consume large amounts of meat, especially Li Dalong, who was in the Muscle Refining Realm and had an even greater demand for meat.

Zhao Han inwardly grumbled, "This Hall Master has quite the appetite."

"Brother Zhao, there's a wild boar drinking water over there," a gang member named Wang Liang said, pointing towards the side of a small lake.

There, a wild boar was indeed drinking water, its rear facing the six of them.

"Everyone, slow down."

The six people tiptoed, silently approaching to within fifty meters behind the wild boar and observing it carefully.