Chapter 44: The Happiness of the Simpleton

Yang Xiaolin truly did not wish for things to turn out this way!

He was not a man who thirsted for blood. When he stormed the mine, his only intention was to eliminate the armed Russians; those who had come seeking fortune could simply be left to their own fate. Especially when it came to the elderly and women, Yang Xiaolin never intended to leave not a single soul alive.

Yet, from the moment he released the laborers, the situation spun out of control. The hatred these workers held for the Russians had accumulated over years, reaching an uncontrollable peak. When the volcano of their fury finally erupted, they unleashed all their rage and humiliation in one blow.

Looking at the bodies strewn across the ground, one could imagine the horror of their last moments. Yang Xiaolin’s heart ached; he truly did not want things to end like this.

Now, to intervene would be foolish. The miners needed to vent, and so did the bandits. After enduring the life-and-death struggle of battle, their emotions were dangerously unstable. If he forcibly blocked their outlet, it would be like erecting a wall before a raging flood—inevitably, the wall and the water would stand in fierce opposition.

"Qian Yao, what are your plans for the future?" Yang Xiaolin shifted his gaze away from the corpses, refusing to look any longer.

Qian Yao walked up to him and said, "Boss, there’s no way out for us. We can’t return to the interior, and as for me, I’ll never serve in the government again. If you’re willing, I’d like to bring my brothers and follow you from now on."

This was exactly what Yang Xiaolin wanted. Only thirty or so men remained on Gulu Mountain; that number wasn’t enough to keep being bandits. Reinforcements were essential—another reason he had targeted the mine.

These miners were ideal; most were poor farmers, filled with grievances and easy to satisfy, easy to sway. Their joining would completely transform the leadership structure on Gulu Mountain, helping him rebuild his force.

Hearing Qian Yao’s words, Yang Xiaolin smiled, "Why would I mind? But Gulu Mountain isn’t like other places—the life is hard, that’s one thing, but more importantly, we only rob foreigners and the government. It’s dangerous. Can you endure hardship? Are you afraid of dying?"

Qian Yao grinned, "What could be tougher than working in this mine? If you hadn’t saved us, we’d all be dead now—what’s left to fear?"

Yang Xiaolin nodded, "Good. Go organize the men. Remember, don’t force anyone. If someone doesn’t want to stay, I’ll give them some food, or even money, so they can go home."

Qian Yao was deeply moved, "Ah, Boss, you’re so honorable!"

Yang Xiaolin laughed, "Don’t call me ‘Boss’. If you think highly of me, just call me ‘Big Brother’. From now on, we’ll share the same pot, eat together—life and death aside, we’ll certainly share hardship."

Qian Yao’s organizational skills were decent; amid such chaos, he quickly gathered all the influential men from the barracks. After the Russians were slaughtered, the fervor among the people gradually subsided.

Wait, not all the Russians were killed—Domlikshava was still alive.

Erganzi was called ‘Erganzi’ because he was, indeed, Erganzi—a little slow-witted, as people might say.

He truly thought the Russian girl was quite nice, though his way of expressing affection was far from romantic. Domlikshava was now in tears, overwhelmed by shame and uncertain how she could face the future.

Erganzi climbed off her pale body, thoroughly satisfied. He thought marrying this Russian woman would make a fine wife.

He muttered, "Don’t move. I’ll hide you for now, or else they’ll kill you! They’re all bad people, except me—I’m the good one."

Domlikshava’s Chinese was quite poor, and in her current state, she couldn’t understand what this man was saying. She saw Erganzi circle the room, then drag over a large chest. He lifted her from the bed and placed her inside, gesturing for her to keep quiet.

"Stay here and don’t move. I’ll leave with them soon, and then I’ll come back to let you out! From now on, you’ll live with me. I’ve saved up some money—enough for us to buy two cows. I won’t be a bandit anymore; I’ll hold you every night, and you’ll bear me children!" Erganzi didn’t care whether she understood; as long as he did.

He dreamed of a blissful life, man tilling, woman weaving, but never considered whether the Russian woman would want to weave for him. In his mind, sleeping with her—being her first man—meant marrying her should be cause for joy.

Domlikshava had no idea what Erganzi was saying, nor did she want to speak. She glanced at him with disgust, turning her head away in resignation. Erganzi saw her silent and laughed, "Good, it’s settled. Wait here; don’t come out!"

Thanks to Erganzi’s protection, Domlikshava became the sole surviving Russian in the mine.

Before leaving, Erganzi thought a moment and locked the door from the outside. Now no one could enter, and the woman couldn’t escape. He was quite pleased with himself. Filled with dreams of future happiness, he heard someone calling for assembly in the plaza and hurried over.

Though he was ready to desert, Erganzi was still loyal enough to finish the fight, not abandon his comrades halfway. Besides, his stash of money was hidden in a cave behind Gulu Mountain—he needed it to buy those cows.

In the large plaza, several thousand people had gathered. Over a thousand laborers were willing to follow Yang Xiaolin; most were unattached, for who else would dare rebel against officials and authorities? Ordinary people were timid—only desperation drove them to this point.

When Erganzi arrived, Biaozi grabbed him, "Why are you so late? Did that woman wear you out? How does that foreign horse taste?"

Erganzi glared at him, "No taste—like a dead fish. Once I was done, I finished her off!"

Biaozi was disappointed, "You’re not much of a friend. At least leave something for your brother to try!"

Erganzi snapped, "Who’s your brother? From now on, you’re you, I’m me—don’t act so friendly."

Biaozi’s patience was spent. He grabbed Erganzi’s collar, "Enough already? Look at this hand—I’ve lost a finger for you! You got first ride on the foreign horse, what more do you want?"

As they bickered, Jin Big Blade strode over and slapped both their heads. "What are you doing—rebelling?"

Biaozi quickly let go. Jin Big Blade looked at them and sighed, "You two are my oldest brothers. Look at this courtyard—when we first came down the mountain to join Brother Liu, we had hundreds. How many are left now? And you still want to fight?"

Biaozi turned and looked around. Only a dozen brothers remained from the old days; he felt a pang of sadness. "Big Brother, we were wrong."

(Begging for recommendation votes! Brothers, those votes are like gasoline now—give us a boost, any type will do!)