What do you mean by "the game editor has also traveled through time"?

The Huang family.

Standing in front of Xu Shimo was a middle-aged man who began to exchange pleasantries:

"Young Master Xu is truly a man of exceptional talent. Liangzhou has suffered such a calamity; Young Master Xu must have endured much hardship in the Northwest. I wonder how things are going at home? Are your family members well?"

"Third in line," Xu Shimo then shook his head, "There's been no contact from my family."

Huang Ba: "Sanlang, have you remembered?"

"After the robbery, I was kidnapped by a group of monks. Later, I encountered a blue-faced evil spirit. I managed to escape, but the terrifying appearance of that evil spirit lingered in my mind, which is why I forgot many things."

"However, while recuperating in the village recently, I've been thinking about quite a few things."

After learning about the toad swallowing the city, Xu Shimo had already prepared a story.

The toad swallowed the city, and the Buddhist sect took the opportunity to save people, thus completely dispelling any doubts about his identity as a Taoist.

As for being ranked third, that corresponds to his real world, but the ranking method is different here. Xu Shimo has two older sisters above him, so according to the ranking here, he should be called Dalang. Thinking of this, Xu Shimo couldn't help but think of his family members, and his feelings were complicated.

Huang Ba, without suspecting anything, then whispered:

"It's a pity that Sanlang is all alone and will probably be classified as a vagrant—I heard that next spring, the county magistrate will conscript laborers and gather vagrants to dig canals."

Yunzhou is a mountainous region with many rivers, so the news about the canal construction is probably true. Moreover, it's not exactly a secret, so it's normal for the news to leak out beforehand.

But... what does this have to do with me? I'm already planning to rebel and become a bandit on Liangshan Mountain, who cares about this!

Let's deal with the bandit crisis first.

Xu Shimo asked with a smile, "Aren't the warriors of our Great Wei included in the conscription?"

"Warrior?"

Huang Ba's eyes widened: "Sanlang, you wouldn't be thinking of... But that requires a martial artist who has entered the Dao, and Sanlang, you've never practiced martial arts before, and you're already over twenty..."

And he's already in his twenties.

Young people are growing, which allows them to better develop their energy and strengthen their bones and muscles. By their twenties, their bodies are already fully formed, and even as they get older, their energy and blood will begin to decline.

This is also the problem that Xu Shimo currently faces.

But he chuckled and said, "Maybe I'm a genius?"

These words left Huang Ba speechless, hesitant to speak, yet wanting to speak again.

You're a genius? Then I must be a prodigy.

With such knowledge and eloquence, one's family certainly couldn't afford to teach martial arts, yet he's still not practicing martial arts even in his twenties. What other reason could there be besides a lack of talent?

But then again, their family might actually have some influence, if...

However, upon reflection, I realized that this was a normal and reasonable collaboration.

I helped him get rid of conscription, and he helped me establish a caravan; no one could find fault with that.

But Huang Ba forgot that he didn't bully the villagers by finding fault with them.

"If there's nothing else, Patriarch Huang, I'll be leaving now." Xu Shimo was unaware of the other party's ulterior motives; he was simply eager to join the Liangshan rebellion.

"Wait, our Huang family also has an ancestral book..."

"Let him go!"

Master Huang walked in, looked at Xu Shimo, and was amazed.

He really couldn't understand why the fifth leader of Juyi Village could swallow this insult.

Isn't Juyi Village notorious for being petty? How come three bandits died here, and the murderer is still at large outside the village?

He was different from others—he had genuine dealings with Juyi Village. He was the one who sent Zhang Fengshui's eldest daughter there. She was tied up like a dumpling and went into the village. How could a mere Chen Shiqing suppress that bandit-like aura?

Even if Chen Shiqing had entered the Dao, it wouldn't be enough, let alone this isn't even Chen Shiqing himself!

The fifth leader said that since they shared the same surname, Xu, and were from the same clan, they should just let the matter drop.

Is that how it's calculated?

Master Huang looked Xu Shimo up and down, and finally stared at his neat short hair for a long time, but still couldn't figure out the reason. Finally, he said, "Young Master Xu is very good at hiding his talent. Eldest son, go and get an ounce of deer antler to congratulate Young Master Xu on his success in martial arts."

He emphasized the last few words very heavily.

Xu Shimo gripped the hilt of his knife, suddenly turned around, and said:

"Three taels."

Mr. Huang suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity, as if it had just happened a quarter of an hour ago. His heart skipped a beat when he saw Xu Shimo's grinning lips.

Isn't that a bunch of bandits?!

Just like the fifth leader of Juyi Village, they were in cahoots. What family? It turns out they were family.

Song Wenzhen was truly inviting a wolf into the house.

*

*

*

At this moment, Song Wen looked at Xu Shimo, and his heart was no longer pounding, but rather numb.

He swirled his teacup and said, "Hmm, please continue."

Xu Shimo: "Team Leader Song, I think that mountain behind the old temple last time..."

"Don't call me Team Leader Song, just call me Song Wen," Song Wen waved his hand, then added, "You're probably referring to the intersection of Lion Mountain and Broken Mountain."

"Okay, Brother Song."

Xu Shimo continued, "I think that place is very suitable for setting up camp. It is surrounded by mountains on three sides, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. There is no shortage of water in Lion Mountain, and it is located between our Chihe County and Yunjian City. It is also far from Juyi Village, which is very conducive to the early development of our Qingfeng Village."

"You've even thought of a name?"

"Just a random thought. Heaven is clear and earth is turbid, heaven moves and earth is still, and the Great Dao is formless."

Actually, it wasn't random. In "Asking the Throne," the most common bandit groups used "Qingfeng" as their village name, and Xu Shimo was simply adapting to local customs.

"That……"

"Team Leader Song, don't worry. Those bandits won't be able to react that quickly. We can rob the Huang and Zhang families first, and then lead the villagers up the mountain." As he spoke, Xu Shimo's plan became more and more complete.

At the same time, I couldn't help but sigh. Although I sometimes cosplay as a bandit in the game, I never thought that one day I would actually become a bandit.

If given the choice, who would want to be one?

This is practically cutting himself off from the Great Wei. If he doesn't have a chance to clear his name, then many opportunities will be out of his reach.

Those damned bandits!

Xu Shimo was cursing inwardly when he suddenly noticed footsteps outside the door, so he looked over warily.

—After practicing martial arts, not only did his physical fitness improve, but he also became more sensitive to capturing certain auras.

The visitor was Mr. Zhang, who coughed awkwardly twice.

Xu Shimo gripped the hilt of the knife.

He had almost no psychological burden. Due to their different positions, these people were the least likely to go up the mountain with him. And even if we take a step back, what kind of good people could a landlord be?

The bandits have already come to our doorstep, why are you still talking about this?

So dramatic!

But then he heard—"Third Uncle."

Ok?

Xu Shimo took a half step back, widening his stance so that he could face Song Wen directly.

The sword is drawn.

"etc!"

Master Zhang grew anxious, "Young Master Xu, don't be hasty... Sanlang, Sanlang, put the knife down first!"

What's with the pretense of intimacy? You're not calling me Sanlang!

Xu Shimo raised an eyebrow. Was this collusion with the Huang family?

Is this still available?

Although there weren't many martial arts practitioners in the village—neither could afford it nor could they learn it—if the two major landlords truly united as one…

Years of field geological work cultivated his decisiveness, a quality that had saved him once at the dilapidated temple with the Buddha-faced ghost, and was now manifesting itself once more.

"The bandits are gone! They won't be coming back!" Seeing Xu Shimo gradually making a move, Master Zhang almost shouted out as if his legs were about to give way.

"..."