By the banks of Gougou Lake, many people had already rolled up their trouser legs and jumped into the lake to catch fish.
"Haha, what a big crucian carp! It must be delicious and fragrant when roasted!"
"Hey, Brother Li San, just lend me your fishing net, and I'll share half of the fish with you if I catch any!"
"Oh, look, there are toads in the grass!"
"......"
The earth dragons had not appeared for a long time, which delighted the disaster victims.
They set up tents by the lake and lit bonfires, preparing to spend the night there.
Some even carried wood, intending to build a small boat and go to the center of the lake to fish.
"Village Chief, this isn't quite right, is it?"
Yun Erman followed behind the village chief, wrinkling his nose. "They haven't even killed a single earth dragon yet, and they're planning to stay here and not leave!"
Gougou Lake belonged to Dashui Village.
If these disaster victims overfished, they would eventually deplete all the fish.
The village chief tucked his pipe into his waist and said with his hands behind his back, "Let them fish; it's better than them ruining our crops!"
"Autumn harvest is just around the corner. Who doesn't want to fill their rice and flour bins!"
Although he said this, his heart was pounding.
Where had those earth dragons gone?
What if they suddenly appeared and attacked people!
His strategy was to kill all the earth dragons first, then go up the mountain to hunt wolves.
"It's time for dinner, let's go back!" The village chief walked back with a sigh.
In the main hall of the Yun family.
"Old man, I have something to tell you!"
Gu Shi was feeding little Xi Tian steamed egg custard. Seeing Yun Laotou enter the room, she called him over.
Yun Laotou was curious. "What is it, old woman? Is the second daughter-in-law causing trouble again?"
A few days ago, Liu Cuirong suddenly clamored that she missed her mother and sister.
She wanted to go out and search for them.
No one in the family agreed.
Liu Cuirong cried endlessly.
Finally, Yun Erman beat her, and Liu Cuirong quieted down.
Gu Shi put down the spoon, took out a piece of wood from her embrace, and handed it to Yun Laotou. "Take a look!"
Yun Laotou took it and was shocked. "This... this is agarwood?"
"Hush!"
Gu Shi made a shushing gesture and whispered, "Our daughter just found this!"
Yun Laotou's eyes widened, his expression stunned. "Where... where did she find it?"
"By the banks of Gougou Lake."
Gu Shi recounted how she and her daughter went to dig for wild vegetables.
Yun Laotou listened and rubbed little Xi Tian's head. "Our daughter is truly blessed with continuous good fortune!"
"Today, Gougou Lake was crowded with people. The entire lake shore has been turned over several times by the disaster victims."
"They only caught a few buckets of river crabs, but no one has ever heard of anyone finding agarwood."
His sweet baby was simply miraculous!
"Old man, my daughter and I also saw a foundation by the shore."
Gu Shi frowned, lost in thought.
Yun Laotou was surprised. "No one has dared to approach Gougou Lake for years. Where did this foundation come from?"
Even before the earth dragons appeared, he hadn't heard the village chief mention anyone building a house by the lake.
"I think this matter is quite strange."
"Then shall I go ask the village chief?"
"Let's not go!" Gu Shi stopped him.
The fewer people who knew about this, the better.
Little Xi Tian ate the fragrant and glutinous steamed egg custard and let out a small burp.
Actually, her parents' worries were not unfounded.
Her intuition told her that the earth dragons and the foundation in Gougou Lake, as well as the wolves in the mountains, were definitely related to the agarwood.
"Daddy, Mommy, eat custard!~"
Little Xi Tian clumsily scooped a spoonful of egg custard and offered it to Yun Laotou.
Now, the family had five more laying hens, and the eggs they laid every day were saved for little Xi Tian.
There were already thirty to forty eggs saved in the bamboo basket.
Yun Laotou slurped down the custard, his face full of smiles. "Our daughter is truly lovable!"
He mused, how wonderful it would be if the family had five or six daughters.
The next morning, as soon as little Xi Tian woke up, she heard a bombshell:
Someone by the lake had been bitten to death by an earth dragon.
The village chief was organizing people to go and hunt them.
Yun Erman picked up his sickle and rushed out. "Haha, you damned beasts, you've finally shown yourselves!"
He had guarded the shore all day yesterday and hadn't even seen a shadow of an earth dragon.
"Second Brother!~"
Little Xi Tian grabbed Yun Erman's trouser leg, her big eyes filled with glistening moisture. "Baby... wants to go too!"
For some reason, she had a bad feeling.
Only by accompanying her second brother to kill the earth dragons would she feel at ease.
"Oh, good sister, you absolutely cannot go. That beast is terrifying!" Yun Erman coaxed her.
"No!" Little Xi Tian pouted, tears welling up in her eyes.
Crying was the most effective trump card.
No one in the family dared to make her cry.
Yun Erman's expression froze, and he felt heartbroken.
"Good sister, even if second brother takes you, Mom and Dad won't agree!"
"Wah, wuwuwu...!"
Little Xi Tian opened her mouth and cried loudly, her cries echoing through the Yun family courtyard.
Yun Laotou and Gu Shi rushed over. "What's wrong, daughter?"
"Erman, did you bully your sister?" Yun Laotou reprimanded.
Yun Erman looked innocent. "Sister wants to go with me to kill earth dragons, and I didn't let her, so she cried!"
Alas, he was so wronged!
"Wuwuwu...!" Little Xi Tian's eyes turned red from crying.
She was saving her second brother!
Please, Mom and Dad, let her go!
Gu Shi took out a handkerchief and wiped her daughter's tears.
She knew that little Tian Bao had always been sensible and wouldn't cry for no reason.
"Then... then let Tian Bao go with you!" Gu Shi said after a moment of thought, adding with concern.
So, Yun Erman, carrying a basket with his sister inside and his sickle in hand, set off.
As soon as they left, Xiao Jinheng and Kong Xingzhu also walked out of the courtyard.
"Is the little village child going to the lake again?" Xiao Jinheng said with a hint of annoyance, riding his big black horse.
He had intended to visit the lake, but as soon as he stepped out, he saw a certain little village child.
If people didn't know better, they would think he was a stalker.
Little Xi Tian nodded. "Mhm!~"
Xiao Jinheng rolled his eyes and said with a wicked grin, "Little village child hasn't seen an earth dragon yet, right?"
"That thing has sharp teeth and orange eyes. If you see it, don't be so scared that you cry!"
Little Xi Tian: "......"
You stinky brat, you're asking for a beating!~
This baby has ridden elephants, kissed lions, and touched sharks.
What is a mere earth dragon?
"Not scared, not scared!~"
Little Xi Tian turned her small body in the basket, not looking at him.
She wasn't afraid.
Kong Xingzhu laughed. "Sweet baby is divine and omnipotent, she can definitely eliminate all earth dragons!"
As long as the little girl was cute, she was the best.
Cuteness is justice!
"Thank you, Brother Kong!~" Little Xi Tian beamed a big smile.
Xiao Jinheng glared at Kong Xingzhu, feeling a bit depressed.
Good heavens, Commander Kong, who are you on the side of?
When they arrived at Gougou Lake, the earth dragons had already hidden.
A corpse lay on the lake shore.
Its neck was bitten off, and it had died a painful death.
"Everyone be alert, don't be distracted. Those fishing, stop for now and come ashore quickly!"
The village chief shouted loudly.
However, as soon as he finished speaking, an earth dragon suddenly sprang out from the reeds.
It charged directly at Yun Erman...