way through her eloquent speech, Fang Jinxiu abruptly stopped and turned to look at King Jing."Please give the child some time to adjust. Since he's already in the capital, it's only a matter of time...Tie Zhu instantly felt a bit embarrassed when he heard this.

"Uncle Zongyu, the villagers have no hunting experience. Even if we let them patrol, they probably wouldn't be able to tell where there are wild beasts."

Zong Yu frowned. "I can't possibly watch this whole area by myself."

"Pick a few people, I'll teach them how to tell if wild beasts are around."

“Those willing to participate in the patrol, if they truly encounter a wild beast, the hunted beasts will be divided equally among them.”

Tiezhu considered for a moment, feeling that Zongyu made sense. Digging a water channel would definitely make a lot of noise. If they didn't send people to patrol the surroundings and prevent wild animals from approaching, they might be surrounded by wild beasts.

"Okay, I'll go get everyone together."

The villagers who dug the canal, as soon as they saw the water, rushed over. They didn't care about anything else, first they drank their fill to satisfy their hunger and then talked about it later.

Although the water here is a bit murky, it's much better than the mud water people are drinking in the village now.

"Come over here first, everyone. There's something I want to discuss with all of you before we start digging the ditch."

The villagers gathered together.

Iron Pillar told everyone to patrol the surroundings.

"Does anyone volunteer to patrol"

Everyone in the village was very careful about their lives. When Tiezhu spoke, no one volunteered to step forward, instead they all moved back, afraid of being chosen.

Come on, they're not like Zong Yu, that ferocious person. They wouldn't dare to confront wild beasts in the mountains.

After a moment's hesitation, Zong Hu stepped out first.

"I'll go."

"If we find the beasts in advance, we can still handle them with our numbers. But if they're ambushed by the Beast God and surrounded unknowingly, then we'll be nothing more than food on their plates. What use are canals then"

Tiezhu nodded with satisfaction and patted Zong Hu's shoulder.

"Brother Zhonghu is right, that's the point."

Then he looked at everyone, "I won't hide it from you all, there is indeed some danger involved in participating in the patrol."

"But Zongyu Ge said he would teach everyone some ways to distinguish beast tracks, and the patrol area wouldn't be too large. Everyone would have each other's backs."

"We have so many people, there's no need to be afraid of those animals in the mountains."

"After such a long drought, the wild animals in the mountains had long since dispersed. Even during the day, they wouldn't appear in large groups."

"So even if there's danger, it won't be very big."

"This is also to ensure everyone's safety while digging the canal. I'll ask again, does anyone volunteer to join the patrol"

After all, it was a life-threatening matter, and he couldn't force the villagers. He could only let them participate voluntarily.

Ke Tiezhu called out several times, but besides Zong Hu, no one else was willing to step forward voluntarily.

Even with himself, there were only three people. Patrolling such a large area was still somewhat difficult. At the very least, it would take four or five people, each guarding one direction, keeping a short distance between them so they could watch out for each other.

If we are too far away, it might be too late to call for help if danger occurs.

"Imagine this, if no one joins the patrol, when wild beasts surround us, none of us will survive, let alone dig a trench."

The villagers avoided eye contact, their thoughts as clear as day to Iron Column.

If you ever encounter wild animals, the patrol will definitely be the first to die. Those who dig canals could still have time to escape if they hear any movement.

It may not really die.

Tie Zhu gritted his teeth and let out a frustrated sigh. They were all so selfish, only thinking about their own lives.

If the irrigation ditch can't be dug successfully, the whole village will be dried out by drought!

“Tie, Tiezhuge, me, can I participate in the patrol”

Just when Tie Zhu had disappointed the villagers, a thin figure stepped forward.

Zong Hu looked at the young boy beside him, whose head was only up to his chest, his brows furrowed even tighter than Tie Zhu's.

"Chang He, go back."

When Tiezhu saw that it was Song Changhe who came out, his eyes immediately fell again with disappointment.

"Little devil, what are you running out here for"

"You actually found a beast! With your skinny arms and legs, you wouldn't even have time to run back and report before becoming a snack for its mouth."

Tie Zhu's words scared Song Changhe. His thin body trembled like chaff, he was obviously terrified, yet he didn't back away.

This child is the only one left in his family, with a sick mother who is bedridden. If he were to die, his mother wouldn't live for several days either.

Under the drought, the unfortunate people were everywhere. Tie Zhu could only persuade him to go back.

Perhaps digging a canal might give them, mother and son, hope of surviving until the drought ends.

To everyone's surprise, Song Changhe stubbornly insisted, "I, I want to go with you guys, to patrol."

"I go back, the beast comes for me and I'm a dead man."

"No, I'd rather patrol with you guys."orry, Madam Zong, your son is ill. You should find a doctor, what use would I be""As a simple woman, all I can do is tend to my garden and manage my business. You must have mistaken me for someone els...