Chosen by Liu Gang

"Let's get a closer look."

The six of them crept closer.

Before long, they came up behind Zhao Han and saw that he really was hunting.

He was staring at a half-man-high wild wolf, a woodcutting axe in his hand, poised to strike.

"Take this!"

"Whoosh!"

"Awooo..."

The flying axe sailed out and struck its target.

The wild wolf writhed on the ground, bleeding and in terrible pain.

Zhao Han stepped forward and swung the Firewood Chopping Knife in his hand. With ease, he slit the wolf's throat, his movements utterly decisive.

The others were rather surprised. This new gang member had impressive skills. He was no ordinary man.

"That means wolf legs for dinner again." Zhao Han grinned.

Then he glanced at his status panel. Ten Wolf Slash was two kills in, with eight more to go.

At two or three wolves a day, he could finish in about three days.

With Black Wolf Fist at mastery, even without reaching the Muscle Refining Realm, he wouldn't lose to a Skin Refining Realm leader like Liu Gang.

"Too bad I don't have five taels of silver. Otherwise, I could master Snake-Style Deft Hand too, and my strength would stack up even more."

"Clap, clap, clap!"

Suddenly, applause rang out from the woods.

Zhao Han immediately turned around, on guard, and saw Leader Liu with five ordinary gang members who looked vaguely familiar.

"L-Leader Liu, what brings you..." Zhao Han stammered.

"Good, good. I remember your name is Zhao Han, right?" Liu Gang asked, ignoring the question.

"Leader Liu, this subordinate is Zhao Han."

Liu Gang smiled. "Don't be nervous. Your flying axe skills are impressive. Even an ordinary Skin Refining Warrior might die if caught off guard. Where did you learn that?"

"Reporting to the leader, I used to go hunting in the mountains with my father. He was skilled with a bow, and I practiced throwing axes."

"Very good, very good." Liu Gang smiled warmly as he patted Zhao Han on various parts of the body.

He found him sturdy and solid all over, with a faint spring to his flesh.

It was a sign he was on the verge of refining his skin.

"Hey, you're almost at the Skin Refining Realm!" Liu Gang exclaimed.

"Reporting to the leader, I practiced a few basic techniques with my father, and I also did hard labor in the Mine Tunnel for a long time. Maybe it's because of those things." Zhao Han lied.

"Mm, very good. You're still young, and you've got the makings of someone worth cultivating. Keeping you in the kitchen as a helper would be a waste of talent. Would you be willing to work at my side?"

Liu Gang made no secret of his desire to recruit him.

Zhao Han was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected that throwing an axe and killing a wolf would catch Liu Gang's eye.

If he showed the full extent of his Skin Refining Warrior abilities, Liu Gang might take him into his confidence. Of course, he might also become the bird that sticks its head out and gets shot.

As for revealing Black Wolf Fist, Zhao Han didn't have the nerve.

"This subordinate is willing to follow Leader Liu. Just say the word, and I'll go through fire and water without hesitation." Zhao Han put on a look of fearless devotion.

This was an opportunity. He had to seize it.

"Good. From now on, you'll work at my side. As for your kitchen-helper duties, I'll promote another mine slave to take them over." Liu Gang's face lit up at Zhao Han's answer.

Zhao Han looked ready to die for a kindred spirit. "Thank you for thinking so highly of me, Leader Liu!"

"Mm. As it happens, I can turn in this wild wolf."

"Xiao Zhao, I won't shortchange you. At the market rate, wolf meat goes for forty copper coins a pound. This wolf must weigh close to fifty pounds. Here are two taels of silver as a welcome gift. Take it."

Zhao Han didn't stand on ceremony or refuse. He took the two taels of silver and tucked them into his clothes.

The other four ordinary gang members watched with envy.

The prey they brought back from hunting had never earned them treatment like this.

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

Zhao Han had the potential to become a Skin Refining Warrior, and he was young. He might well reach the rank of leader one day and become one of Liu Gang's trusted men.

Showing Zhao Han favor after he reached Skin Refining would be like adding flowers to brocade. Doing it now was like sending charcoal in a snowstorm. The difference was enormous.

With Zhao Han free of heavy labor and Liu Gang's hunting task complete, the group left the woods and returned to the Mine.

It was just a shame that he wouldn't get to eat wolf-leg meat today.

Liu Gang went to report in, while the other five returned to their posts. The news that Liu Gang had taken a liking to Zhao Han spread as well.

When Liu Gang came back from reporting, he brought ten mine slaves to fill the vacancies among the ordinary gang members.

The kitchen needed two new helpers.

There were other vacancies to fill too, especially on the Hall Master's side. He liked tender, smooth-skinned boys.

"Xiao Zhao, come with me. I'll let everyone know you're with me, so no one will dare bully you." Liu Gang smiled and patted Zhao Han on the shoulder.

"Yes!"

Next, Zhao Han followed Liu Gang to the entrance of the Mine, then to the Transportation Department and the kitchen, and even into the Mine Tunnel.

Liu Gang made sure everyone knew Zhao Han was now one of his men.

Wang Dawei, the kitchen cook, was astonished. How long had this kid been here, and he'd already climbed into Liu Gang's good graces?

The others were just as surprised, especially Zhao Da and the rest, who were green with envy and resentment.

"Xiao Zhao, there isn't much work at the Mine right now, and nothing has been assigned to you yet. Stay in the kitchen for the time being."

"When you've got nothing to do, practice Snake-Style Deft Hand and try to reach the Skin Refining Realm as soon as you can. If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me."

"For now, you'll keep sleeping in the communal bunkhouse. Once you reach Skin Refining, I'll arrange for you to move into the elite gang members' quarters."

"Then, every other day, take five men to hunt in the woods to the east. Just hand all the game over to me. If you bring back a lot, or something especially good, I'll reward you."

Zhao Han listened carefully, then immediately nodded and cupped his fists. "Understood, sir."

"Mm, off you go. Keep training."

"Yes!"

Liu Gang was deliberately looking after Zhao Han not only because he had the potential to break through soon, but also because he wanted to free himself from the burden of hunting duties.

With that time, he'd be better off practicing Snake-Style Deft Hand.

With time on his hands, Zhao Han could finally take it easy.

That night, in the communal bunkhouse, Zhao Da and the others were unusually warm toward him, showering him with flattery.

The next day, Zhao Han went into the woods again.

He kindly advised the gang member who had just been assigned to cut firewood to work in the woods to the west.

Those woods were closer to the County Town, and hunters had long since cleared out the wild beasts, making it safer to cut wood there.

That left the eastern woods free for him. With no pressure to gather firewood, Zhao Han took an ordinary chopping knife and some provisions into the woods to hunt wolves.

Today, he killed four wolves.

He ate three of the legs himself. He cleaned and prepared the rest, sprinkled them with salt from the kitchen, then hung them on a tree trunk to dry before turning them into jerky.

The following day, Zhao Han took the five hunters from before into the woods to the east.

Liu Gang had spoken to Zhao Han that morning and told him to stop hunting wolves. The Hall Master didn't seem to like wolf meat. He preferred wilder game, or deer.

Wilder game meant tigers, leopards, wild cattle, boars, orangutans, hippos, and other beasts.

Martial artists needed to eat a lot of meat, especially Li Dalong, who was in the Muscle Refining Realm and needed even more.

Zhao Han grumbled inwardly. This Hall Master sure has a taste for the exotic.

"Brother Zhao, there's a wild boar drinking water over there." A gang member named Wang Liang pointed to a small lake.

A wild boar was drinking there, its rear end facing the six of them.

"Everyone, move slowly."

The six crept forward without a sound until they were fifty meters behind the boar, then studied it carefully.