Many people lowered their heads and pondered, thinking about how they might change their ways. If it were someone else coming to their village, they might do what he said: not only demand protection money, but also interfere in other people's internal affairs.
Since they arrived, Pinghe Village has been quietly helping them. For example, they had discussed in private that if this material were in their own village, they would not let others take it away for free. They would try to exchange it for some benefit.
In addition to the previous patrols, they had no obligation to patrol the entire area, but recently they even led a group to patrol the area every day without saying a word.
Thinking about what those villages have done recently, it's like an ungrateful wolf that wants to bite back.
If this happened in their own village, they might actually drive everyone away.
"So what do we do now? How about we go to Pinghe Village together and apologize?"
Village Chief Liu said, "Let's give up on that idea! Pinghe Village definitely doesn't want to see us right now."
"What are we going to do? If we just stay here all day, we risk being dragged away by the wild animals that guard this place if we go out." Hearing the persistent banging on the door outside, everyone became even more worried.
"These animals aren't afraid of people at all. In fact, it sounds like they're calling out to several different animals. When did these animals start fighting side by side like this?"
"There is drought everywhere now, and the food chain of these animals is definitely in crisis. They have no choice but to come down to the bottom to find a way to survive. As for why they can coexist peacefully? Only God knows."
Such conversations occurred in several earthen buildings, but no one had the courage to climb onto the roof to check the situation outside. Instead, everyone huddled in the open space of the earthen building, waiting for dawn.
Many people from Pinghe Village also gathered together, but the atmosphere here was much more relaxed.
Yunqi brought a large bowl of roasted peanuts and placed it in the yard. Everyone was gathered around, peeling and chatting about the villages outside.
"Sister Xiaoqi, are we really not going to help them?" Yun Qiao asked expectantly as she listened to the animal calls coming from afar.
"When did you become so kind, kid? You're just itching to get your hands on things after hearing those shouts, aren't you?" Yunxiang directly exposed him.
Yun Qiao: "Let's not say anything even if we see through it, and I'm not that malicious, okay?"
"They deserve a lesson. Otherwise, if we just let them handle everything, they'll think we owe them everything." Wu Tiancheng said, popping a peanut into his mouth. "These peanuts are really good."
Yunqi said, "They won't be in any trouble anytime soon. Those earthen buildings are built so sturdily. If those animals were to break in, they would be utterly useless."
Yunqi was unable to go up the mountain this time, and was entrusted with an important task. During this period, she was put in charge of some village affairs.
Because the village officials who stayed behind all shirked responsibility, saying they would also go out this time.
There are still some people here who could step up and manage things, but everyone is living a laid-back life right now, and nobody wants to take on any responsibility. In the end, everyone pushed all the blame onto Yunqi.
Wu Shan sat quietly to the side, shelling peanuts, but his eyes kept unconsciously glancing towards the village entrance.
"What's wrong?" Gu Mili, who was sitting next to him, asked casually when she noticed that he seemed a little absent-minded.
Wu Shan shook his head. "It's nothing."
"They've really gone too far this time. They left us in the village to deal with this mess, and now they're probably having a barbecue somewhere out there?" Yun Qiao said, glancing at Yun Qi with an undisguised look of expectation in her eyes.
Yunxiang said, "Who doesn't know that you've been eyeing my sister's cumin these past few days? Do you think my sister is such a stingy person?"
Yun Qi rolled her eyes at him, as if she couldn't tell that they were exchanging barbs. "I'm not that petty. You can forget about it today. We can't have them suffering while we're having a barbecue. The smell would be too much if it got out there."
"We're so far apart, they definitely won't be able to smell it. Sister, dear sister, you just need to provide the seasonings, we'll take care of the rest." Yunxiang wasn't embarrassed at being exposed, and immediately started to act coquettishly.
"But we can't eat in peace either. Once this matter is settled, I'll treat you to a meal." Yun Qi still gritted his teeth and refused to budge.
"Why don't we go and help them solve this today? We just happened to have some meat to add to the dishes." Yun Qiao took the opportunity to encourage Yun Qi.
Yun Qi smacked him on the head. "Yesterday, one of them went missing. Who knows which animal ate him? He might not even be digested yet. How dare you eat that?"
Upon hearing her words, Yun Qiao suddenly felt his stomach churning. He quickly pressed down on his stomach a few times. "Sis, can we not say such unpleasant things at a time like this?"
Yun Qi said, "Did you think the animals we hunted before only ate grass? Who among you knew their previous movements?"
This time, not only Yun Qiao, but everyone else held their stomachs and no one mentioned the barbecue again.
Seeing their reaction, Yunqi shook his head inwardly. These people really hadn't been through any hardship. They might have even eaten their own kind in places they didn't know. In the face of hunger, who would care about such things?
Then everyone changed the subject, chatting about other trivial matters, and even betting on when the people outside would come to ask for help.
After enduring another night, the animals that had been surrounding the earthen building had all left. After waiting quietly for a long time, the people inside finally moved away the clutter blocking the entrance and cautiously walked out.
Looking at the claw marks on the earthen wall, everyone felt even more uncertain.
If it weren't for the severe water shortage in the village, I believe many people would have packed their bags and gone home.
"If they come down every day, no matter how thick our wall is, it will eventually get scratched through." Looking at those claw marks, no one felt confident.
"Instead of living in constant fear, we might as well take the initiative, or we'll be trapped here one day." The speaker was a tall, strong young man, and many others echoed his words, swiftly rushing back to the defenses to retrieve their weapons.
Village Chief Bai watched them without saying a word, but he secretly signaled to his villagers to stop them from getting involved.
The last time the village was bitten by those wolves, many people died of rabies. The village can't afford to lose any more this time.
Many young people from other villages did get involved, but they were quickly pulled back by their families.
In the other two villages, many people stood in the corner watching the farce unfold.
"Looking at them, none of them want to step forward," Liu Huatian said, pursing his lips as he watched the scene unfold.
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