Gao Wu Da Ming: Starting as a military household and ascending to the rank of Martial Saint

Early the next morning, Yu Shaowu prepared his gear for the climb and set off for Tumen Mountain.

This time, he brought forty arrows, thirty of which were ordinary arrows and ten were grooved barbed arrows, which were stored in two quivers.

There was also a machete and a dagger, for close combat and self-defense.

In addition, he brought three days' worth of dry rations in case he got lost or was trapped in the mountains by wild animals.

These dried rations included dried meat and steamed buns, all prepared by Wan Shi for Yu Shaowu over the past three days.

She also specially wrapped the handles of the machete and dagger that Yu Shaowu carried with a layer of coarse cloth to increase grip strength. She also sewed double layers of cloth onto the knees and elbows of his clothes, which are prone to wear and tear, for better protection.

Although these things may not necessarily have any effect, this is the only thing Wan can do for Yu Shaowu.

In fact, Wan wanted to go into the mountains with Yu Shaowu, but he refused. She could only see her husband off at the door, then move a stool to the entrance, rubbing cotton strips while waiting silently.

As Yu Shaowu walked from his home to the village entrance, some of the soldiers noticed the weapons on his person and were immediately taken aback. They all thought to themselves: So this guy really intends to go to Tumen Mountain to die.

Some people earnestly advised Yu Shaowu not to go and die, while others watched with schadenfreude as Yu Shaowu left.

Yu Shaowu thanked those who offered advice, but ignored those who made sarcastic remarks. After all, some things were simply impossible to explain to them.

This time, we set off before dawn again, but because we were familiar with the route and our physical strength had improved, we arrived at the foot of Tumen Mountain in just one hour.

However, unlike last time, Tumen Mountain seemed unusually lively today. There were several tents every so often along the only way up the mountain.

On the northwest side of the mountain road, near the mountain, several new graves have been added. White banners beside the graves still flutter in the wind.

Further on, a sentry post was set up on the only way up the mountain. Several men dressed in tight-fitting clothes and holding long knives were guarding the main road and chatting leisurely.

Upon seeing Yu Shaowu arrive, one of the men, noticing his youthful appearance, chuckled and said, "Hey, where did this novice come from? Here hunting in Tumen Mountain too?"

Yu Shaowu, though slighted, was not angry. He politely asked, "Why are you all gathered here? Why aren't you going up the mountain?"

The man stepped forward and said, "Just so you know, there's been a wolf plague on Tumen Mountain recently, and several hunters have already lost their lives. A large group of skilled fighters have gathered on the mountain to eradicate the wolves, so unauthorized individuals should not go up the mountain to seek their deaths."

Upon hearing this, Yu Shaowu's heart skipped a beat. He was naturally very wary of the wolf pack on the mountain, and if he could have someone with him, he could be much safer.

So he smiled slightly and said, "Brother, I am also a hunter. Let me go up the mountain; I can lend you a hand."

The man sized him up and sneered, "You, so young and delicate. You're just a virgin, probably not even fully grown yet."

As he spoke, he pointed to the grave mounds not far away and said, "See these? These are the brothers who were killed by wolves. Some of them didn't even have a body found, only some scraps of cloth. If you're sensible, you'd better leave now and stop making a fuss here. When the wolves in the mountains rush out, they'll be the first to bite tender-skinned newbies like you."

"I'm a hunter too," Yu Shaowu emphasized again. "I even went up the mountain a couple of days ago."

The man didn't believe it at all and seemed very impatient. He stepped forward and pushed Yu Shaowu, wanting him to leave immediately.

Before his hand could even touch Yu Shaowu, there was a whooshing sound of an arrow, and the next moment, Yu Shaowu's arrow had already struck the crooked tree not far from the roadside.

The burly man rubbed his eyes. Although he was close by, he couldn't see clearly how Yu Shaowu had nocked the arrow and shot it in those few breaths.

"What do you mean?" the burly man said casually as he turned to look.

Just then, a sparrow was pierced by an arrow and fell straight to the ground from the tree under the burly man's gaze.

This move not only shocked the man who was blocking Yu Shaowu, but also caught the attention of several hunters who were chatting nearby, and they all turned their gazes toward him.

Those who can appear here are all professionals in archery. They immediately grasped the high value of this skill.

In truth, this wasn't Yu Shaowu's full strength. As an exiled official, he needed to keep a low profile to avoid arousing the suspicion of his superiors. After all, he didn't know if Wei Zhongxian or his followers were secretly watching him.

However, even such a casual display is enough to make these amateur hunters stand out.

Faced with these surprised looks, Yu Shaowu said in a deep voice, "I'll make a fool of myself. I've come here to hunt wolves, and I've made ample preparations for it."

The man no longer dared to underestimate Yu Shaowu; in fact, he even admired him somewhat. However, having just reprimanded him, he didn't want to lose face, so he nodded slightly and said calmly, "Hmm, so-so, barely acceptable."

He turned to another hunter not far away and said, "Old Fang, take him up there and tell Sixth Brother that this brother is also good at shooting."

The hunter named Lao Fang naturally knew the significance of Yu Shaowu's arrow just now, and immediately agreed, gesturing for Yu Shaowu to proceed.

Yu Shaowu followed silently behind, chatting with the hunter who was leading the way as they went up the mountain.

According to this hunter, a few months ago, there weren't many wild animals in Tumen Mountain, and certainly not many hyenas. The hunters hunted in the mountains every day, and their catch wasn't much, but fortunately, there was no danger to their lives, and they could barely support their families.

In April of this year, during the early summer season, for some unknown reason, the number of wild animals on Tumen Mountain increased dramatically. At first, everyone thought this was a good thing, but unexpectedly, with the increase in wild animals came an increase in large predators as well.

In particular, packs of wolves that came out of the deep mountains in large numbers have wreaked havoc on many hunters who went into the mountains in just two months.

To solve this problem, ten days ago, a team composed of several experienced hunters and martial artists from the surrounding area officially went into the mountains to hunt wolves. Unexpectedly, the entire team was wiped out, with not a single member returning alive.

Since then, none of the hunters in the vicinity dared to go up the mountain again. Only today, when they had gathered enough men, did they dare to form a team to come here to collect the bodies and pay their respects, while also discussing how to solve the wolf problem.

Upon hearing this, Yu Shaowu secretly felt a surge of relief. It turned out that the days he spent on the mountain coincided with the wolf pack's great victory, when they were dragging those unfortunate creatures deep into the mountains.

He also had some doubts and asked, "Won't the prefect intervene in this situation?"

He held a high position in Fujian and was familiar with some government records. If these wolves were left unchecked and allowed to fester, they could potentially form a beast tide. Once formed, a beast tide could wipe out several nearby villages within days. Historically, there have even been instances where beast tides turned entire prefectures into hell on earth.

Therefore, when a beast tide forms, local officials usually organize warriors and troops to suppress it, which is part of the local government's achievements.

Given the rampant wolf packs in Baode Prefecture, it is only right that the prefectural troops and wealthy households go into the mountains to hunt them down.

The hunter leading the way said, "To be honest, we were sent by Prefect Hu to deal with the wolf problem."

Upon hearing this, Yu Shaowu was immediately taken aback. In this world, the threat posed by the beast tide to the imperial court was comparable to that of locust plagues, droughts, and barbarian incursions, all requiring the court to issue official reports for resolution. Prefect Hu Nan's approach was akin to ordering the people to take hoes and go to war—it was utterly absurd.

Seeing Yu Shaowu's confusion, the hunter explained, "The prefect said that the border war is intense these days. The prefecture cannot spare any troops for the time being, so it is recruiting righteous people from the people. Whoever can solve the wolf problem will be rewarded with 10,000 taels of silver by the prefecture, and their family will be honored and their deeds will be recorded in the county annals."

Upon hearing about the reward of ten thousand taels of silver, Yu Shaowu immediately understood. To put it bluntly, for these hunters, this was a once-in-a-century opportunity that could change the fate of their families. Not taking a chance would be a disservice to their ancestors.

In reality, ten thousand taels of silver isn't a lot. If the imperial court were to send troops to deal with the wolf problem, it might only be enough for provisions. But it would allow people from the lower classes, including myself, to prepare their own food and risk their lives.

It must be said that Prefect Hu Nan had indeed made a shrewd plan.

Yu Shaowu wasn't interested in the honors bestowed upon his family, but he couldn't help being interested in money. Compared to that, how much could he earn selling wild game? Last time, he worked hard all day and only earned a few strings of cash.

To ensure everything went smoothly, he added, "With so many people here, how are we going to divide the money?"

The hunter scratched his head and chuckled, "We hunters who keep watch are paid a fixed amount. It's different for you guys who fight—you get paid according to how many wolves you kill. For specifics, you'll have to ask our leader."

Yu Shaowu couldn't help but ask again, "Excuse me for asking one more question, but since it's all about getting a few cents for killing wolves, with arrows flying and swords flashing without mercy, how can fairness and justice be guaranteed?"

The hunter said, "Brother, don't worry. We've all sworn an oath before Lord Guan. One is one, two is two. With a leader here, no one dares to lie."

Yu Shaowu thought to himself that this leader was quite prestigious, so he asked, "Who is your leader?"

The hunter replied, "Ji Shouyi, the vice master of the Tianxing Martial Arts Academy, also known as Master Ji."