Before he could finish uttering his foul language, a deep, drum-like bang suddenly exploded in everyone's ears!
Everyone's heart skipped a beat in fright. Looking in the direction of the sound, they saw that Xu Kuo had somehow ended up standing in front of a poplar tree as thick as a bowl.
His right fist was now deeply embedded in the rough tree trunk!
The crowd fell completely silent.
Xu Kuo slowly withdrew his fist, his movements utterly devoid of any harshness.
On the sturdy poplar trunk, there was a clear, neatly edged, and inch-deep fist-shaped mark!
Hiss—!!!
A chorus of gasps of astonishment erupted from all around!
The crowd, which had been noisy and indignant just moments before, fell completely silent!
Everyone stared wide-eyed at the fist mark deeply embedded in the tree trunk, then looked with a look of utter horror at the young man who remained expressionless, as if he had merely swatted a mosquito.
Is this...is this even human?!
One punch... one punch can create a dent in a tree?!
My God! If that hit someone...
Fear instantly overwhelmed everyone present!
Li Tie, who was the first to be hit, had long since frozen his mockery and resentment, leaving only a deathly pale face.
Cold sweat streamed down his forehead, soaking his hair, and his legs trembled uncontrollably, making it difficult for him to stand.
But relying on the fact that he had just come out of there and that he had nothing to lose, or perhaps because he was afraid of losing face in front of so many people, he stubbornly refused to collapse.
He instinctively took a half step back, his Adam's apple bobbing violently a few times, before managing to squeeze out a trembling sentence through his teeth, his voice trembling with barely concealed ferocity as he questioned:
"You...you...what do you want to do?! You...you don't mean you want to hit someone?!"
"What...what do you want to do?! You...you don't mean you want to hit someone?! Let me tell you, this is a new society, hitting someone is illegal!"
Xu Kuo's punch just now almost scared the soul out of him.
Xu Kuo curled his lips into a mocking smile and slowly lowered his hand, as if he had just dusted off some dust.
His gaze swept over the terrified faces, and he sneered, "Hitting people? I don't do illegal things. But since you're so stubborn and insist that I'm ruining the land and the seeds..."
He paused, then his voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable air of authority: "Then let's draw up a written agreement and make a bet!"
"A bet?" Li Tie was taken aback, as if angered by Xu Kuo's contemptuous attitude, and shouted maliciously, "What kind of bet?! Tell me!" A bet it is, I don't believe in this nonsense!
Planting corn out of season? Even the King of Hell couldn't grow it if he came along. Let's see how you handle the consequences!
Xu Kuo stared sharply at Li Tie, speaking slowly and deliberately.
"It's very simple. One month, no, half a month! If the sweet corn in my greenhouse can sprout seedlings and grow well after half a month, then I win."
"What if you win?" Li Tie blurted out.
Xu Kuo looked around, his gaze finally settling on the old locust tree at the village entrance. His voice carried clearly throughout the area: "If I win, I have no other demands. This village chief's seat must be mine!"
"What?!!"
"Become the village chief?!"
"Is he insane?!"
The crowd erupted in an uproar! They were even more shocked than when they saw Xu Kuo punch through a tree trunk!
Become the village chief? That kid's got some nerve!
That's the top position in the village!
What right does a mere kid like him have?!
Moreover, the previous village chief was sent to prison by him, and many people who had colluded with the village chief had broken their previous agreements and now harbored deep resentment towards Xu Kuo.
For a moment, everyone was filled with doubt and uncertainty.
Looking at the deep fist marks and Xu Kuo's confident and self-assured demeanor, a chill and inexplicable panic began to spread among the crowd.
What if... what if he actually managed to grow it? This strange phenomenon... who knows, there might be some secret we don't know about...
Li Tie was also stunned by Xu Kuo's earth-shattering bet, but now he was in a dilemma. In addition, the evil fire in his heart was still burning. In a moment of impulsiveness, he straightened his neck and almost shouted it out.
"Fine! I'll bet you! If you really have that kind of extraordinary ability to make this thing grow in half a month, what's wrong with being the village chief!"
"Li Tie! Have you lost your mind?!" An older villager hurriedly grabbed him. "This is no joke! The village chief's position isn't something you can just gamble with."
"That's right, Tiezi! Don't be impulsive!" Another villager who usually got along with Li Tie also advised.
"Get the hell out of my way!" Li Tie shoved them aside, his eyes bloodshot, glaring fiercely at Xu Kuo, then turned to the villagers.
"What are we afraid of?! If he really has that ability and can provide us with fresh corn in winter, that would be a blessing for our village! If he doesn't have that ability, we can expose this fraudster! That way, we won't let him harm our village again!"
He spoke with great enthusiasm, spitting as he urged, "Everyone heard that! He brought it up himself! Let's bet with him! Half a month! If he can't grow it, let's see how he can still have the face to stay in our village!"
Then, Li Tie's eyes darted around, revealing a cunning and ruthless glint as he pointed to the sacks on the ground and the newly turned soil.
“Xu Kuo! What if you lose? Talk is cheap! If you lose, all the land you rented, the dilapidated shed you built, and all the so-called ‘seeds’ you brought, will have to be distributed among the villagers here! So you won’t be wasting this good farmland!”
Upon hearing this, the villagers, who had been somewhat hesitant, immediately brightened up!
Get land for free? And even get some "seeds"?
Although I don't believe it's possible to grow it, it's a real benefit!
"That's right! He lost, so the land is ours!"
"Li Tie actually has a pretty sharp mind when it matters!"
"That's right! Let's bet with him! We won't lose anyway!"
Greed instantly overwhelmed fear and doubt.
"Okay! Let's bet on that!"
"Li Tie is right! We all agree!"
"Xu Kuo, if you lose, don't even think about reneging on your debt!"
The villagers echoed his sentiments, and their gazes toward Li Tie became more respectful.
It was as if they could immediately receive land and property simply by winning this bet.
Xu Kuo looked at the group of villagers driven by greed, a cold sneer playing on his lips.
Foolish, yet realistic, which is just right, saving him a lot of trouble.
He nodded, his expression calm and composed: "Alright, it's a deal. When the time comes, no one can go back on their word."
"Hmph! Whoever goes back on their word is a coward!" Li Tie spat.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
