Chapter 163: The Sneaky Men from the Stone Houses
Over time, Xiao Yi had grown significantly, and its ability to dig through stone and earth had become much faster compared to when they first arrived in the wilderness.
Especially when digging surface-level channels, it could adjust direction upon encountering rocks. As long as the general course was correct, progress was swift, and digging through loose soil was far easier than chiseling through stone.
Xiao Yi told Yu Luo that it could connect the valley to the distant river within two days.
In response, Yu Luo rewarded it with ten large cabbages, making Xiao Yi happily purr as it munched on its treat.
Just as Yu Luo was about to leave, she suddenly noticed a group of men from the stone houses in the distance.
They were peeking in her direction, occasionally taking hesitant steps forward, only to pause and retreat.
Their suspicious behavior immediately put Yu Luo on alert.
She grabbed her crossbow, her eyes narrowing as she called out sharply—
“What do you want?”
Her shout echoed, startling Ye Jiamei, who was still lying in bed inside the cave.
She jumped up immediately, forgetting her shoes, and ran outside, crossbow in hand, ready to fire.
“What’s going on?”
She scanned the area, her initial panic fading into a deep frown.
“I don’t know,” Yu Luo said, keeping her gaze locked on the sneaky men. “They’ve been watching our cave for a while now. Maybe they think most people are out working, and they’re looking to rob us?”
Upon hearing this, Ye Jiamei’s expression darkened.
Without hesitation, she raised her crossbow, taking aim at the approaching figures.
She was ready to fire.
Seeing this, the distant men panicked, their hands shooting up as they shouted desperately—
“Wait, wait! We mean no harm! Don’t shoot!”
“We’re just looking for work, like the others!”
Yu Luo saw the genuine fear in their eyes.
She quickly grabbed her mother’s crossbow, lowering it slightly.
“Wait,” she said calmly. “They might really be looking for work.”
Ye Jiamei, however, remained skeptical.
“They waited until your father and the others left before approaching? That doesn’t sit right with me. Sounds more like they think we’re easier to bully.”
“Maybe,” Yu Luo admitted, “but they could also be afraid of Father and the others. Think about it—we wiped out a hundred men from the Wanli Gang. These guys live right nearby—they saw it all happen. Of course, they’d be nervous about approaching.”
“Fine, fine,” Ye Jiamei sighed, lowering her crossbow.
“But you’re too trusting sometimes. If they try anything, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Yu Luo just grinned, amused.
Who was she to talk?
Ye Jiamei used to be the kind-hearted fool who always helped people without question.
Turning back to the men, Yu Luo spoke sharply—
“You overheard our conversation, didn’t you?”
At this, the group of men flinched.
Clearly, they hadn’t expected to be called out so directly.
Their scruffy, unkempt appearances made them look half-wild—beards overgrown, tangled hair coated in dust, and clothes so tattered that the exposed cotton stuffing had long turned black with grime.
Even though the days were warmer, they still wore patched-up winter coats and straw sandals.
Compared to the newly exiled group, they looked far worse off—like beggars.
One man hesitated, then gave a bitter laugh.
“…Alright, I’ll be honest.”
He exhaled sharply, looking a bit ashamed.
“A few days ago, we saw people carrying big bags of goods from your cave, so we got curious. We didn’t know if you were just sharing food or if you had some kind of special deal. We’ve been living here for years, but now it looks like you’re settling in, too. Since we might all be stuck here together, we wanted to learn more about you. So… we might have eavesdropped a little.”
Another man quickly added—
“Please don’t take it the wrong way! We didn’t mean harm—we just wanted to know if you’d let us work for food like the others. We’ve suffered enough because of exile—we just want a normal life.”
A third man chimed in—
“We saw how organized you are, how you found caves right away, how you have so many supplies—we could only envy you. So now that you’re hiring people, could we work for you, too? We don’t need high wages—just some salt, some rice, some warm clothes.”
Yu Luo and Ye Jiamei listened in silence.
Surprisingly, these men were very honest about spying on them.
Yu Luo could tell that desperation had driven them to take the risk—hope was a rare thing in exile.
If there was any chance of survival getting better, they’d seize it.
“I see,” Yu Luo finally said.
“Alright. You can work. But I won’t tolerate laziness—if anyone tries to slack off, you’re out.”
The men nodded eagerly, eyes bright with relief and gratitude.
“I’ll pay ten wen coins a day,” Yu Luo continued.
She pointed to a patch of land about a hundred meters away.
“You’ll dig a reservoir there.
Minimum size: one mu (around 670 square meters).
Depth: ten feet.
How long will it take you?”
The men’s eyes lit up—
They’d expected rejection, yet now they had work!
“Three days!” One of them blurted out.
“If we have proper tools, we’ll finish in three days! But we’ll have to find a way to waterproof it.”
Yu Luo raised an eyebrow.
“Ten wens (copper) a day—isn’t that too little?”
She deliberately tested them, offering the lowest possible wage.
To her surprise, the men looked overjoyed.
“No, no, it’s more than enough!”
“We’re grateful you’d even hire us!”
“We’ll work every day—just ten copper is fine!”
One of them hesitated, then nervously asked—
“B-But once we earn silver, can we buy food and supplies from you like the others?”
Yu Luo’s heart tightened slightly.
She nodded firmly.
“Yes. Anyone who works for me can buy from me.”
The men visibly relaxed, some even looking emotional.
But Yu Luo wasn’t done.
“However,” she said, her tone firm,
“Today is a trial day. Meaning, you work for free. Not a single coin. Are you still willing?”
