Only one boy seemed a bit hesitant. “Is it safe in the woods? I heard that monsters and demons love to live deep in the mountains and forests. The other day, a Taoist priest came to town. My dad said he wasn’t actually here to catch kids, but to catch demons.”

　　“What’s there to be afraid of?” Eric puffed out his chest. “We’ll all go together and beat those monsters until they’re begging for mercy.”

　　Eric strode forward, the first to step into the forest that the boys knew nothing about.

Chapter Five: Soldiers in Black Armor

　　The ten boys from Wildwood Town and a chestnut horse turned into the forest, full of anticipation for the days ahead. Only after two or three hours did they realize just how unprepared they were.

　　Granny Wind had packed enough dry rations for two people for three days, but in no time at all, the ten boys had eaten everything, treating it as snacks, and none of them felt full.

　　The excitement of leaving home gradually faded. As dusk approached, the boys began to call out for food one after another. Only ten-year-old Baldy even started crying to go home. At this point, Eric was at a loss—food had never been part of his grand plan.

　　Eric had no choice but to temporarily hand over the leader’s position to Jack.

　　Jack assigned tasks: Brian Smith took two people to pick fruit nearby, Bruce Smith took two to gather firewood, Jack himself went down to the river to look for fish and clams, and Grace stayed at the camp with the chestnut horse.

　　Half an hour later, night fell. A small bonfire was lit in the clearing, and the aroma of grilled fish and clams filled the air. Bruce Smith always carried things like salt with him, so he could finally show off his skills. The sweet and sour wild fruits were served as a side dish. Even Baldy forgot about the food at home, declaring this the tastiest meal he’d ever had. Then he revealed a little secret: “Grace has a gapped tooth, just like me.”

　　Baldy wasn’t actually bald. His round face was set with two lively, darting eyes. He hadn’t originally qualified to join Eric’s group, but after he secretly brought a stash of preserved fruit from his family’s grocery store to bribe Eric, and promised to contribute a bag every few days, he was finally accepted as a member.

　　Within this little group, he still hadn’t found his place and often blurted out inappropriate things. This time was no different. Everyone was happily eating when, upon hearing his words, they all turned to look at Grace.

　　Baldy took the initiative to open his mouth and show his gapped tooth, mumbling that Grace was just like him.

　　That’s why he laughed so hard after fighting with Grace, and also why Grace was always so quiet.

　　Grace had just finished half a grilled fish. Her lips were tightly closed, cheeks flushed, and both hands covered her mouth, not letting anyone see.

　　The boys didn’t really understand manners. After half a day together, they were already quite familiar with each other. The more Grace tried to hide, the more everyone stared. Bruce Smith asked curiously, “Grace, your teeth aren’t even all in yet, and your dad already wants to marry you off? Isn’t that a bit rushed?”

　　Grace said nothing, but Eric spoke up: “It’s my dad who’s in a hurry. He invited a fortune-teller from Little Ear Fort, who said my brother’s luck is bad this year and he has to get married in midsummer to ward off evil, so…”

　　“Your brother’s a fool, he’s already unlucky, what’s there to be afraid of?” Bruce Smith asked, puzzled.

　　Eric’s face turned even redder than Grace’s. He said loudly, “He’s my brother. No matter what, he has to stay alive. I just don’t believe the fortune-teller. You can tell he’s a fraud at a glance.”

　　Bruce Smith wanted to say more, but his older brother Brian Smith stopped him. Grace finally spoke, still covering her mouth, her voice a bit muffled. “Actually, it was my father who suggested I get married as soon as possible.”

　　“Why?” Baldy asked, his mouth full of fruit, making his voice even more muffled. “Is your family short on money?”

　　Grace slowly shook her head. “No, my father thinks he’s sick. He’s afraid… I’ll have no one to take care of me.”

　　“Huh? Then why did you run away? I saw you—you jumped on the horse yourself, it wasn’t Jack who pulled you up.” Bruce Smith said, confused.

　　“I can take care of myself,” Grace said stiffly, glancing quickly at Jack. “Besides, my father isn’t seriously ill, just a bit weak and overthinks things.”

　　Baldy swallowed his food, his eyes shining with excitement and a bit of pride. Among this group, he was the most thrilled. “Jack bro, I really admire you. You dared to snatch the bride in front of the whole town! I heard Liu Er telling people he was the one who egged you on, but when the Shen family came looking for him, he didn’t dare make a sound. Haha, it killed me with laughter…”

　　Hearing the praise, Jack blushed a little too, and suddenly realized something: the reason Eric changed his mind and helped wasn’t just to spite his father, but also to compete for “reputation.” Jack glanced up, and sure enough, Eric looked quite unconvinced.

　　Baldy still wasn’t satisfied. His eyes sparkled in the firelight. “Jack bro, how did you come up with the idea to startle the horse? You really gave everyone a scare. My mom hurt her leg in the commotion and keeps complaining about the pain, saying she’ll give you a couple of whacks when you get back.”

　　That’s what he said, but Baldy didn’t hold a grudge at all—he was simply envious.

　　Jack blushed even more, scratching his head. “It just came to me on the spot. When I saw the crowd, the idea popped into my head.”