Reborn in 78, I made my fortune by working in the mountains, supporting three families on my own.

Qin Dajun responded and gathered up all the wild rabbits and mountain goods.

Zhao Lei looked down at the disheveled group on the ground, his tone icy: "I hope this will teach you a lesson. If you dare to set foot on Qingfeng Mountain again and provoke us, next time it won't be as simple as just getting a beating."

Ma Guohua gritted his teeth, filled with resentment but dared not utter a single harsh word, and could only nod repeatedly.

Zhao Lei said no more, and led Qin Dajun and his group around, gradually disappearing into the mountains and forests.

Once the footsteps were completely out of earshot, the five people on the ground finally dropped their pretense, and their groans and howls echoed through the forest.

"Ouch...ouch, that hurts so much..."

In the past, they were the ones who bullied others and ran rampant in the village. Today, they are the ones who have been catching eagles for years, but they have ended up getting pecked in the eyes by the eagles.

Besides the excruciating physical pain, the pent-up frustration and anger in my heart made my chest feel heavy and suffocated.

Apart from Chen Gouzi, who was injured in the thigh, the other three henchmen slowly struggled to sit up from the muddy ground, their bodies aching terribly with the slightest movement.

One of them moved closer to Ma Guohua: "Third Brother, are you alright?"

Ma Guohua lay on the ground panting for a long time: "Give me a cigarette, let me catch my breath."

The group hurriedly searched their bodies, only to realize that all their money and valuables had been taken.

Fortunately, the few clumps of discarded cheap tobacco were still on the ground. After searching for a while, I finally found a cigarette that was still in relatively good condition.

He lit the cigarette with a famous match and held the crumpled cigarette to Ma Guohua's lips.

Ma Guohua took a deep drag, exhaled a long cloud of smoke, and only then did he regain his senses. With the help of his two underlings, he struggled to his feet.

"Damn it, I never expected to be defeated by a bunch of youngsters today."

On the other side, Chen Gouzi was also helped to stand up. He tore open the fabric of his trouser leg, and blood was still gushing out from the cut on his thigh. The blood flowed down his calf, soaking the trouser leg red.

He was in so much pain that his jaw was chattering and his face was deathly pale.

"Third Brother, are we just going to let this go?"

Ma Guohua, with a half-smoked cigarette dangling from his mouth, dared not move the two deformed fingers on his right hand. His face was covered in bruises, and his eyes were filled with suppressed rage, yet he was also wary of the ruthlessness of Zhao Lei and his group.

"What else can we do but let it go? This is the middle of nowhere, if we really cause a scene, we'll be the ones who suffer. Let's remember this debt and settle it with him later."

Chen Gouzi tore off a strip of cloth from his trouser leg and hastily wrapped it around the cut on his thigh, barely managing to suppress the seeping blood, still filled with resentment.

"Boss, this can't just be left like this! I've never suffered such a loss in my entire life! That's Zhao Lei, right? A hunter, carrying a rifle without even firing it, yet his fists and feet are so powerful, even you couldn't take him down?"

These words stung Ma Guohua's face, making him lose face.

"Dog, don't underestimate this guy. I reckon he's trained; his moves are fast and ruthless, completely unlike the fighting style of ordinary farmers."

Several of his underlings nodded in agreement.

"That's right, Third Brother. Usually when we deal with the villagers, even the strong ones, they hesitate to fight back and dare not use their full strength. But this Zhao Lei, he doesn't hold back at all. He really seems to be trying to kill us."

Chen Gouzi still felt lingering fear when he thought of Xiaopingtou's fierce appearance.

"And that short guy with the buzz cut, he's a complete mad dog! He came up to me and started hitting me with a wooden stick, then pulled out a knife and tried to stab me in the thigh. If Qin Dajun hadn't stopped him in time, I would have lost my life in this mountain today."

Another henchman, still shaken, whispered, "Brother Gou, the other side is so reckless. Why don't we just let it go? After all, we were the ones who went up the mountain to steal the snares and started the fight first. We're the ones in the wrong."

Chen Gouzi immediately retorted sharply: "No way! We're always the ones bullying others, we're not the ones who get beaten up for nothing! Next time, just avoid that short-haired guy, that madman is really capable of hurting people, but the rest aren't that scary."

Ma Guohua frowned, his right hand's deformed fingers throbbing with pain at the slightest touch, suppressing the anger surging within him.

"Let's not get carried away with words for now. Let's write this down, go down the mountain to recover from our injuries, and come back to settle the score with them after some time."

The five wounded soldiers helped each other up and stumbled down the mountain, groaning with each step.

During the chaotic fight, fists and clubs rained down on them, and everyone was kicked a dozen or twenty times.

Some areas appeared to be intact on the outside, but were severely injured inside; some even had one or two broken ribs.

The group, covered in dust and looking utterly defeated, slowly disappeared into the other side of the forest.

Meanwhile, Zhao Lei and his group had already won and were heading back.

Throughout the entire fight, only the roughneck was surrounded by two people at the beginning, took a few punches to the face, and was left with several bruises.

The rest of the group had a numerical advantage. Zhao Lei held off Ma Laosan, the strongest fighter, while Xiaopingtou quickly subdued Chen Gouzi. The remaining three thugs were of mediocre skill and were soon scattered.

Most of them had sore hands from punching and covered in mud, but hardly any serious injuries.

Qin Dajun carried a heavy backpack filled with the wild rabbits and game he had captured, as well as the money and various tickets he had just found. His face was full of joy.

"Brother Lei, today's battle was exhilarating! Those guys from Ma Laosan should be too scared to cause trouble at Qingfeng Mountain again."

The man with the buzz cut walked to the side, still not having fully calmed the anger in his chest, and remained silent. Zhao Lei glanced at him and spoke up to remind him.

"Little Flathead, we're lucky today that Qin Dajun stopped us in time. In the future, if we encounter any trouble, we should avoid using knives as much as possible. Once someone dies, none of us will escape, and it's not worth it."

The man with the crew cut replied in a muffled voice, "I know, Brother Lei. I just acted impulsively."

Zhao Lei nodded, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

Today, we not only taught the thugs who came to cause trouble a lesson, but we also really tested the abilities of Qin Dajun and his gang.

They are bold and aggressive, but there is also the risk of losing control. In the future, we will be more aware of how to use people.

The group chatted and laughed as they walked down the path they had come from towards the foot of the mountain.

The old-fashioned steel rod, hidden in the grass, still sat safely in its original place.

Qin Dajun's mind was still replaying the scene of the fight on the mountain. He vividly remembered Zhao Lei's head-on confrontation with Ma Laosan, his fists and elbows striking down Ma Laosan, and his flying kick that knocked Ma Laosan to the ground. He was filled with sincere admiration.

He couldn't help but ask, "Brother-in-law, did you used to practice martial arts? You were really good at fighting just now."

Hearing this, Xiaopingtou, Liu Erwa, and the others nearby chimed in.

"Yeah, Brother Lei! You went head-to-head with Ma Laosan, and the fight was evenly matched. We didn't even have a chance to step in and help."