At dawn the next day, a thin layer of mist still covered Qingshanling, and Chen Changyuan and his group had already woken up.
The dew of the night wet their clothes, but also lifted their spirits.
After eating some simple dry food, they packed their bags and prepared to return to the village.
Chen Changyuan looked back at the strange stream and secretly decided in his heart that after the hunt was over, he must come back and explore it thoroughly.
"Brother Changyuan, how do we get there?"
Ergouzi asked while rubbing his sleepy eyes.
Chen Changyuan pointed to a hidden path.
"Let's go this way. Although this road is more difficult to walk on, it will get us back to the village faster."
The group walked down the rugged mountain road, and the branches on the side of the road scratched their clothes from time to time, making a rustling sound.
Chen Changyuan walked in front. Relying on the amazing experience of his previous life, he accurately judged the direction and led everyone through the mountains and forests safely.
After walking for about two hours, they finally saw the outline of the village.
"Finally back!" Xiaoliu shouted excitedly.
However, when they walked into the village, they found that the square in front of the village was crowded with people and very lively.
"What's going on?"
Ergouzi asked curiously.
Chen Changyuan looked closely and saw a simple platform built in the center of the square. Zhou Dazhu was standing on the platform with a big red flower hanging on his chest and a proud look on his face.
The village chief stood beside him, holding a big loudspeaker in his hand, and was talking incessantly.
"A commendation meeting?" Chen Changyuan was puzzled. What was there to commend Zhou Dazhu for?
At this time, the village chief's voice came over:
"...Comrade Zhou Dazhu performed exceptionally well in this hunt, single-handedly killing three adult gazelles. He made a tremendous contribution to the village! Let's applaud him!"
There was a sudden applause from the audience, mixed with some discussions.
"Zhou Dazhu is really good. He actually hunted several yellow sheep!"
"That's right! Now he's famous!"
Chen Changyuan and others looked at each other, feeling a little unbelievable.
They knew Zhou Dazhu's hunting skills very well. He couldn't even catch a rabbit normally, but he was able to hunt a yellow sheep this time?
Most of the time, they were trying to take credit for the few sheep they had stolen.
Before everyone could react, someone discovered Chen Changyuan and his gang.
Immediately exclaimed.
"Oh my God! So many gazelles!" An exclamation broke out from the crowd.
Everyone's eyes instantly focused on Chen Changyuan and his group. They saw that each of them was carrying at least two yellow sheep, which was several times more than Zhou Dazhu's prey!
The crowd suddenly exploded and started talking.
"This...how is this possible?"
"Chen Changyuan and the others are so amazing!"
"Could it be that Zhou Dazhu picked up the yellow sheep?"
Zhou Dazhu stood on the stage, his face turning pale in an instant.
He looked at Chen Changyuan and others with eyes full of resentment.
When Xiao Liuzi saw this scene, he was immediately furious. He quickly walked to the front of the stage, pointed at Zhou Dazhu's nose and cursed:
"Zhou Dazhu, you bastard! You destroyed all the road signs we made, and we got lost in the mountains for a whole day!"
Zhou Dazhu's expression changed slightly, and he said with forced calmness:
"Xiao Liuzi, what nonsense are you talking about? When did I ever take away your road signs?"
"You still dare to quibble!"
Xiao Liuzi pointed at the scars on Chen Changyuan and the others and said, "Look at our injuries. They were all caused by you running around in the mountains and startling the wild animals!"
The square was like a boiling oil pot. The villagers were whispering to each other, pointing fingers, and looking at Zhou Dazhu with suspicion in their eyes.
The village chief was cunning after all. He coughed a few times, picked up the loudspeaker and shouted:
"Fellow villagers! Quiet! Quiet! It's great news that Chen Changyuan and his crew have hunted so many prey! First, have them transport the prey to the warehouse for registration, and then we'll reward them later!"
He walked up to Chen Changyuan with a smile on his face.
"Changyuan, thank you for your hard work! Thanks to you, our village won't have to worry about food and drink this winter! Come on, quickly move the prey to the warehouse."
Chen Changyuan glanced coldly at Zhou Dazhui, whose face was pale. Without saying anything, he just asked Xiao Liuzi and others to follow the village chief to the warehouse.
On the way, Xiao Liuzi asked indignantly in a low voice:
"Brother Changyuan, why didn't you expose that bastard Zhou Dazhu right then and there? He got us lost in the mountains and stole all the credit for our work!"
Chen Changyuan patted Xiao Liuzi's shoulder and said lightly:
"Don't worry, Xiao Liuzi. Zhou Dazhu's little tricks won't fool anyone with discerning eyes. Let's hand over our prey, and the truth will come out. Making a fuss now will only make us look petty."
Although Xiao Liuzi was full of anger, he still followed Chen Changyuan's advice and followed the team forward silently.
Arriving at the warehouse, the village chief looked at the piles of prey and smiled until his eyes narrowed into slits:
"Alright, alright! Changyuan, you guys are awesome! I'll have someone register you right away, and I'll hold a commendation meeting for you tomorrow to reward you handsomely!"
He paused and continued:
"As for Zhou Dazhu...we will also re-evaluate his 'contributions'."
Chen Changyuan agreed calmly on the surface, but he was suspicious of the village chief's attitude in his heart.
This old fox used to praise Zhou Dazhu, but now he has changed his mind and wants to re-evaluate. What is he up to?
That night, Zhou Dazhu hid in his own woodshed, his face as gloomy as the ash at the bottom of a pot.
He secretly gathered a few villagers who usually followed him and said in a low voice:
"Keep today's events to yourself! Just say I hunted those gazelles. If anyone dares to gossip about me, don't blame me for being rude!"
Several villagers looked at each other, and one of them timidly stammered:
"Brother Zhu, this... this isn't good, is it? Chen Changyuan and the others brought back so many yellow sheep, this lie can't be concealed..."
Zhou Dazhu glared at him fiercely and said viciously:
"What are you afraid of? We are determined to prove that I was the one who hunted him! What evidence can Chen Changyuan and the others have? Besides, I have already taken care of the village chief! If you dare to ruin my plan, I will make sure you don't stay in the village anymore!"
He paused, then lowered his voice and said:
"We can even bite back and say that Chen Changyuan and his men's prey came from unknown sources! Maybe they poached it on some mountain! Then we'll see how they explain it!"
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