Dominating Martial King
Chapter 298 - 298 207 February Debating Martial God Machine Request for Subscription_3

298: Chapter 207 February Debating Martial God Machine (Request for Subscription)_3 298: Chapter 207 February Debating Martial God Machine (Request for Subscription)_3 Ji Yuan pursed his lips but still restrained his “Kill Intent”.

Luckily, these thieves seemed to also consider the over one hundred hunters of Ji Family Village and the more than two hundred Ninth Grade Martial Cultivators, so they didn’t dare to go too far.

They searched the entire house, and after finding no surplus grain, they retreated.

Ji Yuan’s expression was cold, but his gaze followed the thieves as they moved.

Through the fence of his house, he could see hundreds of thieves retreating from the courtyards of each household.

They were each carrying rice, holding strings of smoked meats, all with pleased and relaxed expressions, talking and laughing loudly as they left the village.

At that moment, the village was filled with the wailing of women everywhere.

Some were because their family’s valuables had been taken, while others were because the men in their families, unwilling to submit, had been killed by the thieves.

Watching the thieves moving away from the village, Ji Yuan pushed open the door and headed straight to a two-section blue brick courtyard in the south of the village.

It was the home of the village head, Jii Shan.

This man was also the clan leader of their Ji family, and the only Seventh Rank expert of the Ji family.

When Ji Yuan arrived at the courtyard gate, the place was already crowded with people from the village.

All of them had faces filled with sorrow and anger, and the emotions of the crowd were intense.

“Village head, didn’t you say before that the Sheen Family guaranteed that as long as we don’t hand over the ‘blood tax,’ the mountain bandits would no longer trouble us?

What happened today?”

“The whole village was robbed clean, truly ruthless!”

“The Ji Jia family’s Second Son died, and those thieves assaulted his daughter-in-law.

We should never have let them into the village earlier, we should have fought them desperately!”

“Damned immortal, plain and simple!

I said from the start that the Sheen Family’s words cannot be trusted.

Weren’t they the ones extorting our village before, acting like the Sheen Family’s lackeys?

If their words could be trusted, pigs could climb trees.”

“Had I known this would happen, it would’ve been better to just pay the ‘Peace Money’!

Several other villages outside the mountain paid it a month ago.

I heard that the ‘Peace Money’ collected by Master Chu was only a third of what it used to be, much more generous than Liu Dingtang.”

“Not only is the ‘Peace Money’ less now, but a few days ago, West Mountain Hall even started to buy up medicinal herbs and mountain goods, reportedly selling directly to merchants under the Iron Banner Gang, with prices 50% higher than before!”

Some, glaring at Village Head Jii Shan standing at the gate, had eyes brimming with fury.

“Village head, it was you who told us to open the gates, saying that the people of White Cloud Village wouldn’t harm us, what now?”

“Village head, what are we to do now!

All of my family’s food and meat were taken, how are you going to let a family of seven survive?”

“Anyway, we still need an explanation from you, village head!”

“Village head!

You said we shouldn’t offend the Sheen Family, otherwise there’d be endless trouble, but now everyone is struggling to survive.

Moreover, seeing the thieves’ demeanor, I fear they might come again.

Once there is a first time, there will be a second time.”

Ji Yuan’s hands were also tightly clenched, his heart secretly filled with resentment.

During the New Year, he actually considered paying the ‘Peace Money’.

The ‘Peace Money’ collected by Liu Dingtang was indeed a ‘blood tax,’ unbearable for them.

But now, Master Chu was truly benevolent.

The others collected ‘Peace Money’ to ensure their families’ safety, which was only fair.

Not to mention that a few days ago, West Mountain Hall of the Iron Banner Gang had even started to high-price procure mountain goods and medicinal herbs gathered by hunters.

Yet, it was their village head who forcibly ordered all families not to pay the ‘Peace Money’.

And the village gates.

The gates and outer walls of Ji Family Village were very simple; even if they didn’t open the doors, they couldn’t defend them.

Yet, their more than two hundred bows and two hundred men could at least make the people of White Cloud Village apprehensive, having the grounds to bargain with them.

Village Head Jii Shan’s face was somber, and he remained silent.

He knew that the prestige he had built up in the village over decades had crumbled away today.

However, what infuriated and angered him the most was the looting by White Cloud Village.

He thought they were entering the village to trade for food and salt, but they ended up robbing them outright!

What troubled Jii Shan even more wasn’t just their betrayal.

Although White Cloud Village didn’t kill many people today, it looted a great deal of money and grain, plunging many of his clansmen into a dire situation.

“Shut up!”

Village Head Jii Shan snorted lightly, his eyes blazing as he glared at everyone present.

His long-standing authority eventually calmed the clamorous voices around him.

He then let out a long sigh, his voice strained as he said, “Tomorrow, let’s pool some more money.

I will go to West Mountain Town and ask Master Chu, pleading for protection from West Mountain Hall!”

Upon hearing this, people looked at each other, their murmurs buzzing.

“Pooling money?

Where are we going to find any money now?”

“Pleading with Master Chu?

Will he agree?”

“Previously, they sent a courteous accountant, yet we chased him away.

Now we have the gall to beg, how shameless can we be?”

“If Master Chu is willing to help us, even if we have to bankrupt ourselves, I’m ready to raise the money.

I just worry it’s pointless.

If I were Master Chu, not kicking us out would be a kindness in itself.”

“I heard that previously someone suggested sending family members of the West Mountain Hall gang to the Sheen Family, such an extreme move!”

Village Head Jii Shan seemed to age ten years in an instant; he clasped his hands together, “Everyone, rest assured!

This time, even if it costs me my dignity, I will seek West Mountain Hall’s aid.

Don’t forget, we still have people serving in West Mountain Hall.

Master Chu is famously benevolent and just.

As long as we show our sincerity, he will not ignore our plight.”

He sighed inwardly, thinking how could Master Chu possibly refuse?

His goal was to have them, the hunters, completely under control.