Chapter 167: Defending Earth Village

“Huh???” The twelve people looked utterly confused.

Pei Yu waved his iron sword, putting on a stern face as he declared righteously, “Everyone has a duty to save Earth Village. As aspiring young men, it’s our responsibility!”

“Oh, uh, okay, I guess…”

Still dazed and not understanding a thing, the twelve of them mumbled their agreement, nodding instinctively.

Seeing this, Pei Yu was elated, feeling his ability to talk people into things had just taken another big step forward.

When the flying horse landed, he swung his long legs over and jumped off in style.

Once on the ground, he started rummaging through his things, pulling out six iron swords, six short swords, a crossbow, and a massive iron hammer, then began handing out weapons.

Yuan An and Yun He eagerly stepped up to claim their weapons, and Wu Xingyu also reached out his hand.

Pei Yu looked at his expressionless face and thought, “You can turn people into little kids and beat them up with your fists and feet—what do you need a deadly weapon for?”

But under those pitch-black eyes, Pei Yu chickened out, too scared to say anything, and silently handed him a short sword.

Wu Xingyu weighed the short sword in his hand, testing its swing. He found it easier to use than the long iron sword, though it would be best if he could rewind someone’s age to five or six—at that height, it’d be perfect for splitting open their fragile little skulls.

With a blank face but vicious thoughts, Wu Xingyu casually carried the short sword and strolled toward the people feverishly attacking Earth Village’s shield.

The other twelve, seeing this, followed suit and lined up to get their weapons.

The only two special weapons—the crossbow went to the frail, pale Ming Xiao, while the massive iron hammer went to Ying Hua, the dashing lady from Longteng.

She was a strength-type ability user, usually wielding a heavy spiked club, but it had broken in the last five or six battles on the way to Molan City, and she hadn’t had a chance to find a replacement. This iron hammer was just about acceptable in terms of weight.

Ying Hua hefted it in her hand, feeling somewhat satisfied. This Mr. Pei was actually pretty generous—cold weapons like these were rare on Exile Star.

But the next second, Pei Yu shattered her illusion. “Everyone, go easy with the weapons. I spent days grinding little monsters to collect these. After we finish off those guys attacking Earth Village, you all better return them to me—preferably in perfect condition.”

Yuan An and Yun He rolled their eyes. They knew this guy wasn’t that generous.

The ten people from Molan City, familiar with Pei Yu’s nature, weren’t surprised at all by his words. They just rolled their eyes and kept moving forward.

Only Kui Hai and Ying Hua twitched at the corners of their mouths.

He looks like a big spender, but why is he so stingy? He even wants his weapons back—can’t he just treat it as a labor fee for helping out?

But they didn’t say anything, deciding to just wait and see.

This bizarre Earth Village was even playing a “village defense” game now. That long, blood-red health bar was actually pretty interesting.

Kui Hai watched with great interest, occasionally pulling Ying Hua aside to comment.

Meanwhile, the villagers defending Earth Village spotted Yun Qimu and the others on the plain. Their spirits instantly lifted.

“Look! Village Chief Yun is back! Warriors of Earth Village, defend our home and drive out the invaders!”

Standing at the front, Massa, now looking decades younger after cleaning up, raised his arm and shouted with vigor.

The villagers behind him echoed loudly,

“Defend Earth Village, drive out the invaders!”

“Defend Earth Village, drive out the invaders!”

“Oorah—!”

A group of people, weapons in hand, charged out. With red potions in their pockets, they weren’t afraid of death—they were the brave warriors of Earth Village.

Yun Qimu and her group also picked up the pace, charging forward to launch a pincer attack.

Seeing the newcomers, Blackbeard—protected in the middle of the human group—turned green with envy and glared at Mu Tong. “Didn’t your people say Yun Qimu left Earth Village on business and wouldn’t be back for dozens of days?”

Mu Tong’s handsome, refined face darkened. He turned to Jason, since the information had come from him.

Jason, with his fierce-looking face, was just as confused. “I—I asked around in Earth Village. Village Chief Yun was supposed to be out trading. From here to the nearest Chaos City takes at least eight or nine days on foot. That’s what Chief Blackbeard said.”

Jason felt wronged. He’d only reported that Yun Qimu was leaving; the estimate of dozens of days wasn’t his.

Then he suddenly remembered something. “Ah, I saw horses—they rode flying horses back. That’s way faster than walking.”

“So what do we do now? Do we keep fighting?” The Red Fox tribe chief squeezed his head into the conversation, eyes greedily fixed on the snowy scene inside Earth Village—he couldn’t bear to give up such a good place.

If they took this place, he and his tribe could live in wooden houses, take baths whenever they wanted, and pick fruit to eat.

“We fight, of course! So what if there’s a dozen more people? That Yun Qimu is just a pampered noble lady—what can she do? And those pretty boys she brought back, ha, they’re not even worth one of my fingers!”

Having never seen Yun Qimu fight, Blackbeard looked down on her. Since his scout Lai San hadn’t returned, all his information came from Jason and the others.

Jason was an interstellar pirate, and his stories about how powerful Yun Qimu was—capturing their trackers and cunningly seizing their supplies—Blackbeard only half-believed.

The rest, he figured, was just a pirate who couldn’t even handle a little girl.

So even with Yun Qimu back, Blackbeard didn’t take her seriously. His eyes were full of ambition.

If he could take Earth Village and become its chief, with all the meat and fruit inside, even Caleb from Chaos City would have to beg him for food.

The Red Fox chief chimed in, his greedy eyes shining like a wolf’s.

“Chief Blackbeard is right. We’re fully prepared this time—eight tribes, twice as many people as Earth Village. We’re sure to win!”

“Tribesmen, for fresh fruit and meat, let’s storm in together!”

“For meat! For meat!”

Blackbeard’s group, morale soaring, charged at Earth Village like wolves and tigers.

The two sides quickly clashed in battle.

Only Mu Tong, upon seeing Yun Qimu’s group—especially Wu Xingyu by her side—grew wary, his pupils contracting as a sense of unease grew in his heart."