Benjamin Walker looked at Yellow Fox and said, “Who else did you tell about this?”

　　Yellow Fox quickly replied, “I only told you.”

　　“Take me to see Peter Bolton!”

　　Yellow Fox struggled to his feet and impatiently headed outside.

　　Benjamin Walker saw Yellow Fox staggering and laughed, “Have another bowl of porridge!”

　　By evening, Benjamin Walker had returned from outside. He sent his wife and young son back to her parents’ home, then took his eldest son Robert Walker, carrying two loads of firewood, preparing to go to Fugu County overnight to sell the wood.

　　After leaving the village, Benjamin Walker slowed his pace, leading his son off the main road and gradually into the mountains.

　　A bonfire was blazing. Yellow Fox, who had looked like a dead dog that morning, was now sitting behind the fire, wolfing down something, spitting as he talked animatedly to those gathered around the flames.

　　“I killed the donkey from Philip Bolton’s family!”

　　When Yellow Fox saw Benjamin Walker approaching, he grinned and stood up, handing a piece of golden roasted meat to Benjamin Walker.

　　Benjamin Walker handed the meat to his son behind him and said coldly to Yellow Fox, “Did you lure away the swordsmen from the Zhang family compound?”

　　Yellow Fox burst out laughing, “I killed their donkey, Philip Bolton flew into a rage and sent more than a dozen men to Lancao Village to catch me. They won’t make it back tonight.”

　　Benjamin Walker said, “Luring away just a dozen isn’t enough. We only have forty-three men. If we go head-to-head with the swordsmen, we’ll suffer heavy losses.”

　　Yellow Fox said, “As you instructed, big brother, Nancy Young drove Philip Bolton’s sheep into the mountains to hide. By now, Philip Bolton should have discovered it. Don’t worry, he’ll send even more people into the mountains to catch Nancy Young.”

　　Hearing this, Benjamin Walker finally took a piece of meat and started eating. Among the group, aside from Yellow Fox who was talkative, the rest remained silent.

　　Everyone knew that if what they were about to do tonight was exposed and discovered by the authorities, it would be a capital offense.

　　After filling his stomach, Benjamin Walker looked up at the shadowy figures in the firelight and said in a low voice, “Anyone who doesn’t want to do this can leave now. As long as you stay until noon tomorrow, you can go home, and from then on, we’ll have nothing to do with each other!”

　　After waiting a moment and seeing no one leave, Benjamin Walker drew a long knife from the firewood load, cut his palm, and let the blood drip onto the ashes. Smelling the burnt stench from the fire, he spoke in a low voice.

　　“We can’t go on living like this…”

　　Yellow Fox also cut his palm, letting blood drip into the ashes, and shouted in a low, hoarse voice, “My grandpa and my old mother have already starved to death. When I got home, the flour jar was as clean as if a dog had licked it.

　　At Brother Walker’s door, if it weren’t for him giving me a bowl of porridge, I’d be dead too. I’ve already died once—so long as I can fill my belly, I’m not afraid of dying!

　　This time, we’re not fighting for the emperor, not for the landlords, not for the generals—we’re fighting for ourselves!

　　Everyone must listen to Brother Walker. If anyone disobeys and messes things up, I’ll be the first to deal with him!”

　　The group all responded in unison. They were all former subordinates of Benjamin Walker from the old border army, so naturally, they followed his lead.

　　Benjamin Walker coughed lightly and said, “We still don’t have enough men. Once things start, we can’t get bogged down in a hard fight. After breaking open Philip Bolton’s gate, we need to shout and get the people of Zhang Family Village to join in the looting.

　　Only then can we profit amid the chaos, and in the end, throw out his clansman Peter Bolton to take the blame, while we get away clean.

　　This has already been arranged with Peter Bolton, and he’s agreed.

　　Once we get into the Zhang family, we’ll quickly defeat their swordsmen, throw torches and such into their houses to create chaos.

　　Everyone, don’t go for the Zhang family’s bulky stuff—just take the light gold, silver, and valuables, then seize their mules and horses, and while the Zhang family is being looted, we’ll slip away overnight!

　　Is that clear?”

　　The group answered in unison, then continued eating the leftover donkey meat with their heads down.

　　As the night wore on to the third watch, Benjamin Walker wrapped his face with a piece of black cloth, carefully checked the black cloth on his son Robert Walker’s face, and whispered in his son’s ear, “Stay close to me. Don’t leave my side for a single step.”

　　Robert Walker nodded vigorously. It was his first time taking part in such a thrilling robbery, and his heart was pounding like a drum.

　　A group of people silently slipped into Zhang Family Village. At this late hour, in these times of hunger and hardship, the desolate village didn’t even have a dog barking.

　　With Yellow Fox leading the way, they quickly slipped into Peter Bolton’s dilapidated house.

　　Peter Bolton, with a broken leg, sat quietly on a kang. When he saw the group enter, he lifted the bedding, revealing a dark hole.

　　Benjamin Walker took a deep breath and looked at Peter Bolton, saying, “We’re going to help you get your revenge!”

　　Peter Bolton gritted his teeth and said, “Be sure to kill him!”

　　Benjamin Walker nodded, “We’ll make sure his family is ruined!”

　　A smile appeared on Peter Bolton’s face. He tore open his shirt, exposing his thin chest, and said, “Hurry up and kill me, so you can get going!”

　　Yellow Fox drew a dagger, grinning viciously, “I’ll avenge you by screwing Philip Bolton’s wife!”

　　Peter Bolton laughed, “He’s got plenty of wives—just hope you can handle them all!”