Chapter Fifteen: The Chinese—A People Who Must Verify Everything Until Death...

In this turbulent era of chaos, merchants who traveled the land had their own set of survival rules.

Chen Tong, determined to resolve the economic hardships of Black Wind Village, had been tirelessly gathering information from all directions.

Finally, he learned that when merchants faced threats from mountain bandits, they typically prepared three sums of money, arranged from smallest to largest, hoping to use wealth to avert disaster.

If the bandits only sought money, peace could be maintained; only if they insisted on robbing the goods would resistance arise.

Understanding this principle deeply, Chen Tong hurriedly gathered the villagers of Black Wind Village in the Assembly Hall for a discussion.

The group sat around together, expressions varied—some filled with anticipation for the spoils, others wary of the risks involved.

Chen Tong stood in the center of the hall, his gaze sweeping over the crowd as he spoke loudly.

“Brothers, though we are in need of wealth, we must not act rashly.”

“I’ve learned of a custom among merchants—they usually prepare three sums of money to handle situations like ours.”

“We can exploit this to obtain what we need while avoiding deep enmity, so as not to invite the authorities to strike against us.”

Iron Bull scratched his head, puzzled. “Young Master Xie, how exactly are these three sums handled? I don’t quite understand.”

Chen Tong patiently explained, “Iron Bull, here’s how it works. The merchants’ first sum is usually small; they hope to use this to send us away.”

“We’ll take this first sum to show that we only want money and won’t trouble them.”

Wang Hu, impatient, interjected, “But what if the money they offer isn’t enough? Do we just let them go that easily?”

Chen Tong smiled and replied, “Wang Hu, don’t rush. Listen to me first. If the first sum isn’t sufficient, we’ll assess the situation further.”

“If the merchants seem reasonable, we can ask for a bit more, but we must not be greedy.”

“After all, our goal is to solve our economic difficulties, not to fight to the death with them.”

“Besides, if we push too hard, they might prepare to fight desperately. Then we may end up with no more money, casualties, and even greater trouble.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

At that moment, Xie Qingshuang frowned slightly and said, “Brother Xie, you have thought this through carefully. But we must ensure unified command during the operation; there can be no disorder.”

Chen Tong nodded in response, “The Chief is right; this is crucial.”

“I will assign a few brothers to negotiate with the merchants, while others provide support and keep watch.”

“If anything unexpected happens, everyone must act according to orders.”

Zhao Xiaoliu whispered from the side, “Young Master Xie, how do we know which merchants are easy to deal with and which are difficult?”

Chen Tong said, “That requires us to scout ahead.”

“We will send a few sharp-eyed brothers to observe along the merchants’ usual routes, to learn the quantity of their goods, their guards, and their behavior.”

“This way, we will be well-informed and more confident in our actions.”

…

Chen Tong stood in the Assembly Hall, passionately discussing the plan to rob the merchants.

Suddenly, the familiar yet chilling system notification sounded abruptly in his mind.

[ Ding! ]

[ Chen Tong leads the Black Wind Bandits out from the mountain stronghold; this bandit raid will be carried out successfully. ]

[ However, the government troops have prepared a large-scale operation to sweep the bandits in the region. ]

[ Fortunately, Chen Tong and his group, disguised as villagers, can escape this encirclement. ]

[ Ding! ]

[ The host has survived a prophecy for the first time; thus, a beginner’s system gift package is unlocked, activating the ordinary certification system. ]

[…]

Hearing this, Chen Tong was momentarily stunned, then his excitement was instantly replaced by anger.

“Damn your system!”

He shouted, his voice hoarse.

“I’ve been transmigrated to this cursed place, always either being hunted or trying to escape death. I finally come up with a plan to rob merchants, and I still have to be on edge.”

“And now you tell me, a certification system? What kind of damn certificates?”

“I came to the ancient world hoping for some peace, not to keep being a miserable student!”

As he cursed, he paced back and forth, waving his hands wildly in the air as if trying to grab the annoying system and beat it up.

“Damn your system! I’ve been working in the medical field for years—I am proficient in theories and practical skills. What does any of this have to do with certifications?”

“What kind of bullshit medical qualification certificate? Isn’t this just pure torment!?”

“And the explosives expert certificate—there isn’t even a proper chemical factory in this ancient era; where am I supposed to learn demolitions? You’re deliberately making things difficult!”

“You damn system, always spitting out useless prophecies and ridiculous restrictions.”

“I’m busting my ass to give my brothers some hope, and you throw all these useless obstacles in my way.”

“You want a medical license to buy prescriptions, a demolition license to buy gunpowder—why don’t you just tell me to get a god’s certificate and ascend to heaven already!”

Chen Tong’s anger escalated, spittle flying as his chest heaved with heavy breaths. Suddenly, he kicked a nearby stool with a loud crash.

“Bang!”

The stool was smashed to pieces.

“Brother Xie, what’s wrong with you?” Xie Qingshuang was startled by Chen Tong’s sudden outburst, her face full of concern. “Did something go wrong with your communication with the gods?”

All eyes turned to Chen Tong, filled with confusion and worry.

Taking a deep breath, Chen Tong forced himself calm and waved his hand. “It’s nothing. Let’s continue discussing the plan.”

…

After thorough investigation and cautious consideration, Chen Tong chose a busy trade route.

This road wound through the mountains, flanked by dense forests on both sides—an excellent spot for an ambush.

The mountain bandits of Black Wind Village hid tensely yet orderly in the woods.

Concealed behind bushes and large trees, weapons gripped tightly, their hearts pounding faster with the passage of time.

Soon, the clear sound of bells and rolling wheels came from afar—a caravan laden with goods slowly approached.

The horses were well-fed and strong, pulling carts piled high with cargo, tightly covered with canvas.

The bandits’ eyes sharpened instantly as they fixed their gaze on the approaching caravan.

Once the caravan fully entered their pre-set range, Chen Tong suddenly stood and shouted loudly:

“This path I open, this tree I plant! If you want to pass, pay the toll!”