The next day, news that Liu Yangshan's home had been ransacked by bandits spread through the village.
Some said the bandits had seized a large amount of grain and meat from Liu Yangshan's place.
Others claimed the bandits had stolen plenty of cash from his home.
Still others whispered that the bandits had targeted Liu Yangshan's family specifically as a warning to his brother-in-law, Zhang Jingyang.
For a time, all sorts of rumors circulated in the village, but no one suspected the bandits were imposters.
Hearing the various stories around the village, Liu Tiezhu knew the shots he'd fired last night hadn't been wasted.
After breakfast, Liu Tiezhu continued leading Ergouzi and the hunting dog toward the mountains.
Three hours later, they arrived at yesterday's destination.
They followed the stream upward, and by the time they reached its end, another hour had passed.
The animal bones were gone, replaced by all kinds of strange rocks.
These boulders, some as tall as eight or nine meters and the smallest weighing ten thousand jin, stood scattered around chaotically.
From a high vantage point, it looked like a natural maze.
"This should be the stone cave area Grandpa mentioned," Liu Tiezhu said.
After observing for a while, he and Ergouzi split up to search nearby for a suitable cave to live in.
Guided by the hunting dog, the two spent another hour or so.
Finally, near the end of the stream, they found a cave that could be modified and was fit for habitation.
This cave was formed by five massive stones intersecting.
Five meters behind the cave was the stream, to the left was a dense forest of giant trees, and to the right were various oddly shaped rocks.
The interior space was about two hundred square meters—spacious and with multiple exits.
After modifications, it could house an entire family and allow for quick escape in danger.
Moreover, the cave's surroundings were easy to defend and hard to attack, ensuring the family's safety. It was practically a top-tier refuge.
However, such a large cave wouldn't be easy to modify.
Without professional tools, achieving the desired effect would be difficult.
Of course, one had to take things step by step, and Liu Tiezhu wasn't in a rush.
Besides, the current situation didn't force an immediate move from the village.
"Dog, start a fire and roast some meat. I'll think carefully about how to modify this place," Liu Tiezhu instructed Ergouzi before taking the hunting dog to examine the cave again.
The most critical aspect of the cave was air circulation—this was vital.
For instance, in this climate, if the air didn't flow, a family using a stove inside could easily suffer from smoke poisoning.
Additionally, since the cave had multiple exits, insulation was also key.
He needed to figure out how to use the soil's temperature and humidity to make the cave warm in winter and cool in summer.
After circling the cave a few times, Liu Tiezhu had a rough plan forming in his mind.
By then, Ergouzi had finished roasting the meat and called him over to eat.
After eating and resting for about ten minutes, the sky began to darken.
The two didn't dare linger and headed back with the hunting dog.
It took nearly three hours to get out of the mountains.
Just as Liu Tiezhu was untying the mule to head home, several gunshots made them both freeze.
The shots came from less than ten meters away.
Snapping out of it, they saw a middle-aged man on a horse charging quickly toward the mountains.
Behind him were three burly men.
They rode horses, carrying rifles, and chased the middle-aged man, firing occasional shots.
The middle-aged man's riding skills were impressive—he swayed left and right, deftly dodging the incoming bullets.
Even at a gallop, he could evade bullets, showing remarkable skill.
Liu Tiezhu judged that the man must be a martial arts practitioner.
"What's going on? Bandits fighting over loot?" Ergouzi said.
Liu Tiezhu replied, "The three behind are bandits from Tiangang Stronghold. The one in front probably isn't."
"Look at their clothes—they have insignias."
As they talked, the man in front had already dismounted and rushed into the dense forest on foot.
Seeing this, Ergouzi was baffled.
"What's he doing? Abandoning his horse?"
"Is he stupid? Can he outrun the bandits' horses on foot?"
Liu Tiezhu said, "You don't get it. This is actually the smartest move."
"Once he's in the mountains, the horse's speed becomes a disadvantage."
"Besides, riding makes him too big a target; he'd never escape."
"Abandoning the horse and going on foot is the right choice."
The mountains were full of thick weeds and giant trees.
If the middle-aged man was fast enough to lose sight of the bandits, he could hide in a secluded spot and then find a chance to fight back.
When the three bandits saw the man flee on foot, they split up.
One went to grab the horse, while the other two continued chasing with their guns.
Soon, their figures disappeared into the mountains.
"Dog, you up for checking this out with me?" Liu Tiezhu said.
"Are we going to help?" Ergouzi asked.
Liu Tiezhu replied, "Help? No way. Our target is what's on their horses."
He hadn't hunted in days, and the meat at home was disappearing fast.
Liu Tiezhu planned to snatch some meat from these bandits.
He'd clearly seen that each horse carried several bulging sacks.
Those sacks were stuffed full, surely holding plenty of goods.
"Tiezhu, no need to say more. Let's go kick their asses."
Liu Tiezhu didn't waste words. He retied the mule, loaded his rifle, and grabbed the compound crossbow.
Once ready, he and Ergouzi crept toward where the men had vanished.
After advancing about ten meters, more gunshots rang out ahead.
Following the shots came a burst of wild laughter.
"Dog, that guy's probably been caught by the bandits. Let's hurry."
Liu Tiezhu urged, picking up the pace.
They reached a patch of weeds about seven meters away and stopped.
Looking ahead, they saw the fleeing middle-aged man.
He lay on the ground, his face deathly pale.
His right leg was soaked in blood—he'd likely been shot.
The bandit leader, rifle in hand, aimed at the man's forehead.
"Damn it, Zhang Deshan, run! Keep running, you bastard!"
"Bet you never thought you'd end up in my hands, did you?"
The other two bandits grinned lewdly, slung their rifles over their shoulders, and pulled out pipes for a smoke.
With Zhang Deshan cornered, they no longer needed to stay alert.
"Li Baohai, I'll fuck your whole family!"
"You son of a bitch will die a miserable death. You had a choice to be human, but you chose to be an animal!"
Knowing he was done for, Zhang Deshan let loose, cursing the bandit leader at the top of his lungs.
"Oh, tough talk, huh?"
"Let's see how tough you really are."
Li Baohai sneered and fired another shot into the bullet wound on Zhang Deshan's right leg.
Zhang Deshan's body went rigid, his teeth clenched tight, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.
"Dog, we can't just watch anymore."
"You take out the bandit leader. I'll handle the other two."
"Remember, stay calm, aim carefully, then fire."
With that, Liu Tiezhu aimed his rifle at the head of the bandit on the right.
Ergouzi took a deep breath, steadying his racing heart.
His gun slowly shifted, finally locking onto the bandit leader's chest.