After saying that, the village chief immediately turned around, struck the gong, and asked the villagers to gather together, as he had something to say.
His resonant voice soon echoed throughout the valley: "Everyone, stop for a moment and have a meeting. We have something important to discuss!"
After a while, the villagers gathered around. The village chief stood in the middle, cleared his throat, and told them everything about sending people to explore the way ahead.
Everyone started discussing it one after another, and their worries were clearly visible.
They looked at the endless and mysterious forest and wondered what dangers were there in the vast forest. What if they encountered some ferocious wild beast or a steep cliff? What would they do then?
But there were also some people whose eyes revealed excitement, and their bodies leaned forward unconsciously, as if they had been waiting for this moment.
They thought that if they could find a way out sooner with their own abilities, then everyone wouldn't have to suffer in these mountains anymore, which would be a great thing.
The village chief looked at everyone talking at once and knew he had to make his point clearer.
So he straightened his chest and cleared his throat forcefully, his resonant voice instantly spreading through the crowd: "Everyone knows that sending people to explore the way ahead is not an easy task, and there are definitely risks.
But there have to be a few brave people who step forward to give it a try, so that everyone can feel at ease. If there are those who are willing to go, please come forward quickly. The village will definitely not treat you unfairly. The village will cover all your food rations while you explore the road!"
As soon as the village chief finished speaking, Su Wenjun stepped out from the crowd in a flash, his movements were quick and decisive.
He patted his chest loudly, his face brimming with confidence as he shouted, "Village Chief, I'll go! I'm young and have plenty of stamina. I can run fast, and I'm sure I can figure out the road ahead clearly, and then come back to tell everyone."
Seeing Su Wenjun so enthusiastic, the young men in the village who were usually strong and healthy could no longer sit still.
Da Hu usually loved to run into the mountains and was quite good at hunting. He also stepped forward and said with a chuckle, "Village Chief, I'm going too!" Then, the very brave Liu Zi was not to be outdone. He took a step forward and shouted, "Count me in! I'm not afraid. I'm just looking forward to finding a way out soon."
After a while, eight people volunteered to step forward. They were all in high spirits and ready to contribute to the exploration.
The village chief's eyes slowly swept over the young people who stood out one by one. Looking at their faces full of determination and courage, his eyes couldn't help but redden slightly.
His voice was slightly choked, and he said gratefully, "Well done, kids! But you must be careful along the way. If you encounter anything wrong, don't try to be brave, just run back quickly, okay?"
Including the round trip time, you will have a maximum of ten days to walk. After ten days, regardless of whether you can leave the mountain or not, you must return. Your safety is the most important thing to our entire village!"
After hearing the village chief's instructions, everyone nodded vigorously in agreement, with a determined look in their eyes, as if telling the village chief that they would be careful.
Then, the village chief quickly fetched a few simple knives from the side and handed them to each of them one by one, saying seriously, "Take them. If you encounter any wild animals on the road, you will have something to defend yourself with."
Then, he asked everyone to take out some of the stored dry food and water, carefully distribute enough for ten days, and asked them to take it with them carefully.
Su Wenjun and the other eight people took the knives, carried their dry food and water, checked their equipment carefully again, and after confirming that everything was packed, they resolutely set out towards the unknown future.
Everyone stood quietly in place, their eyes closely following their gradually receding backs, their eyes full of expectation, hoping that they could find a way out as soon as possible and return with good news; but at the same time, they were also a little nervous, worried that they would encounter some unexpected accidents in the vast mountains and forests.
Everyone's heart seemed to be pulled by an invisible thread, being tugged at by the receding figure.
The remaining villagers also packed up their belongings, with tired faces but hope in their hearts, and set out on the long journey forward again.
Today, many children in Sujia Village were sick, which delayed them for a long time. They did not officially leave until the end of the Chenshi hour.
The village chief had been thinking about this matter in his mind, thinking that because of the delay, he had missed a lot of distance today, and he had to speed up on the road to make up for the lost distance.
So he kept urging everyone and never stopped talking, which made everyone very upset and miserable.
Although there were oxen and mules carrying the heaviest things, a poor family was worth a fortune, and the villagers took all the luggage and food they could carry with them. Therefore, even if they wanted to walk faster, they were powerless.
Look at the village chief again. He walks very fast, as if the wind is blowing under his feet. He doesn't look like an old man at all. If he says he is only 20 years old, I guess everyone would believe it.
The villagers were carrying heavy bags and were exhausted after walking for a while. They could only stop from time to time to drink some water to moisten their throats and relax.
The village chief watched from the side with his brows furrowed into a knot. He knew in his heart that it was really not easy for everyone to travel with so much luggage and food.
But whenever he thought about how long it would take to get out of the mountain, he became extremely anxious, so he couldn't help but raise his voice and urge them: "Everyone, hurry up! At this slow pace, how long will it take to get out?
This mountain is far from peaceful, and there are dangers everywhere. Every moment of delay increases the risk! The sooner we leave the mountain, the sooner we can reach the south, and then we can settle down sooner. Don't dawdle! "
After hearing the village chief's anxious urging, everyone could only look at each other helplessly, their eyes full of helplessness and fatigue, but there was nothing they could do. They could only grit their teeth and continue to move forward.
Su Wenxuan laboriously carried the package in one hand while supporting the already slightly exhausted Yao Qingshuang with the other. She couldn't help but grumble softly, "The village chief is too impatient! It's not like we don't want to walk faster, but everyone is carrying these heavy bags, and this mountain road is not easy to walk on. We really can't go faster even if we want to. It's really frustrating."
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