Chapter 50: Chapter 50
Day four of rationing started with Little Sparrow fainting.
Not dramatically. Just stopped mid-sentence while arguing with Wei Lin about Gerald’s structural analysis capabilities and folded like a puppet with cut strings. Hunter caught him before he hit the ground. The kid weighed nothing. Ten years old and hollow feeling.
"He’s fine," Wei Lin said. Clinical. Diagnostic. "Caloric deficiency induced syncope. His body mass index was already suboptimal. Reduced food intake created energy deficit. Basic biology."
"He fainted because we’re starving," Hunter translated.
"That’s what I said."
Little Sparrow came around quickly. Blinked up at Hunter with confused eyes. "Did Gerald predict this?"
"Gerald’s a rock. He doesn’t predict things."
"He tried to warn me. I should have listened." The kid clutched his rock tighter. Genuinely distressed that he’d disappointed a piece of sedimentary wisdom.
Hunter set him down carefully. Looked around the waystation courtyard. Everyone was working. Clearing debris. Reinforcing walls. Following Han’s methodical instructions. But they moved slower. Weaker. Three days of single meal rations were showing.
Mei sat against a wall. Watching. Too tired to help with the junior division. Seven and a half years old and fading.
His daughter. Looking at him with those too-wise eyes that said she understood exactly how bad things were.
Hunter’s chest felt tight. Not his ribs this time. Something worse.
[LUNA] FOOD STORES: CRITICAL (◕‿◕✿)
[LUNA] CURRENT SUPPLIES: 1.5 days remaining
[LUNA] PEOPLE: 15 For origınal chapters go to novelFɪre.net
[LUNA] RECOMMENDATION: Acquire food immediately
[LUNA] SIDE MISSION STILL AVAILABLE ♥
Not happening, Hunter thought back. We hunt tomorrow.
[LUNA] IF YOU SURVIVE THAT LONG
[LUNA] PEOPLE ARE LITERALLY FAINTING
[LUNA] BUT SURE, STICK TO YOUR MORALS (◕‿◕✿)
Hunter ignored her. Was getting practice at that. Though she had a point. They were out of time. Tomorrow’s hunt needed to succeed or people would start dying. Not from violence. From hunger. Slow. Undramatic. Just bodies giving up.
"Rider approaching." Iron Zhou’s voice cut through the work noise. The old guard pointed south. Professional. Alert despite hunger. "Single horse. Moving fast."
Everyone stopped working. Weapons appeared. Three days of starvation hadn’t killed their paranoia.
Hunter’s spiritual sense extended. Foundation Realm awareness stretching outward. Found the rider. Alone. No hostile intent. Just urgency.
"Scout," Qiu identified. Merchant experience reading the approach. "Advance rider for a caravan. They send someone ahead to check waystation conditions before committing the main group."
The merchant caravan. Two days early. Perfect timing. Terrible timing.
[LUNA] OPPORTUNITY DETECTED! (◕‿◕✿)
[LUNA] SIDE MISSION UPDATED
[LUNA] TARGET APPROACHING
[LUNA] YOU’RE SO STUBBORN
[LUNA] IT’S ANNOYING ♥
The scout arrived minutes later. Young guy. Maybe twenty. Wary eyes scanning the waystation. Saw the work crews. The armed cultivators. The children. His expression cycled through surprise, calculation, caution.
"Waystation’s occupied," he called. Staying on his horse. Ready to flee if necessary. "Didn’t know. Haven’t been through here in five years. Place was abandoned."
"It’s occupied now," Hunter confirmed. Trying to sound official. Legitimate. Not desperate. "Shadow Legion. We’re establishing a base here."
"Shadow Legion?" The scout’s eyebrows rose. "Never heard of you. What sect?"
"Rogue cultivators holding territory?" Doubt. Suspicion. "That’s unusual."
"We killed the Iron Wolves Blood Path cultivators," Qiu interjected smoothly. Merchant diplomacy engaging. "Eliminated the threat in this region. Waystation is safe now. We’re offering shelter and security to travelers. For reasonable fees."
The scout’s expression shifted. Calculation winning over suspicion. "The Iron Wolves are gone? You can prove that?"
"We can show you their graves," Han offered. Tactical honesty. "Forty three victims buried properly. Six cultivators executed. The threat is eliminated."
"My employer will want verification." The scout was already thinking commercially. "Merchant Zhao. He’s been avoiding this route for years because of the bandits. If it’s really safe..."
"Tell him to come see for himself," Qiu said. "First merchant through gets favorable terms. We’re establishing regular service."
The scout nodded. Turned his horse. "I’ll inform Merchant Zhao. He’ll arrive within the hour. If your claims check out, we’ll trade."
He rode off. Fast. Efficient.
Hunter looked at Qiu. "Favorable terms?"
"We need them more than they need us. Negotiating position is weak." Qiu’s merchant brain was already calculating. "But if we can establish credibility, prove the route is safe, they might trade fairly."
"Merchants smell desperation like sharks smell blood. We’re very desperate. They’ll adjust prices accordingly."
"That’s exploitative."
"That’s economics." Qiu shrugged. "We can hope for fairness or prepare for reality. I prefer reality."
[LUNA] ROBBERY IS STILL MORE EFFICIENT (◕‿◕✿)
Hunter really needed Luna to have an off switch.
An hour later, five wagons rolled through the broken gates. Professional caravan. Eight guards. Merchant Zhao leading. Mid forties. Sharp eyes that missed nothing. Experienced trader who’d survived thirty years of dangerous routes.
He assessed the waystation with practiced efficiency. Saw the repairs in progress. The armed cultivators. The hungry people trying to look capable. His expression gave nothing away.
"Merchant Zhao." Qiu stepped forward. Merchant greeting merchant. "Welcome to Shadow Rest waystation. Thank you for stopping."
"Shadow Rest?" Zhao’s eyebrows rose. "That’s new. Place was nameless ruins last I checked."
"Things change. We’re establishing permanent presence here. Offering security, shelter, trade opportunities."
"So I heard." Zhao dismounted. Gestured to his guards to stay alert. "You eliminated the Iron Wolves?"
"We can show you evidence."
Han led him to the grave site. All forty three marked graves. Then to the destroyed Blood Path camp. The cages still visible. The corruption still lingering. Physical proof of what had happened.
Zhao’s expression tightened. Professional trader seeing the cost of evil cultivation. "This is real. You really killed them."
"All of them," Han confirmed. "Blood Path is eliminated in this region."
"That’s significant." Zhao looked at Hunter properly now. Reassessing. "Foundation Realm?"
"And you destroyed twenty one Blood Path cultivators with fifteen people?"
"Fourteen at the time," Hunter corrected. "And yes. We didn’t have a choice."
"Impressive." Zhao’s tone suggested he actually meant it. "Azure Cloud Sect will want to know about this. They’ve been hunting the Iron Wolves for months."
"About that, we’ve already been investigated," Qiu said smoothly. Controlling information. "Sect knows we’re here. We’re operating with their awareness."
Not quite a lie, probably. The sects probably knew about the destruction of the evil cultivators by now. Still, not quite the truth either, definitely. Merchant speak.
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.