Chapter 194: The Village


    Due to time constraints, Han Ming hadn''t delved deeply into the information about the Sodole family. He had only taken a quick glance.


    He knew that the Sodole family, as a local weapon family, was selling high-quality weapons to the allied forces at a very favorable price to counter the demon army.


    From the brief information provided by the Sodole family, Han Ming learned that there was a so-called troublemaking group hindering their weapon production progress.


    It was for this reason that Han Ming had specifically taken on this task.


    At first, when he saw the task, Han Ming was indeed a bit angry.


    The Sodole family, instead of profiteering from human crisis, was selling weapons to the country at a more favorable price than usual. Such a family was deeply respected by Han Ming from the bottom of his heart.


    He also harbored deep hatred for those who hindered the Sodole family''s weapon production.


    However, Han Ming also understood that things might not be as simple as they appeared on the surface.


    Initially, Han Ming had planned to directly contact the Sodole family and complete the task immediately. But after hearing the little girl''s words, he felt it necessary to see for himself what kind of extremely vicious people these were.


    And who could make an entire family feel troubled?


    "Little one, can you take me to see your village?" Han Ming asked with a smile as he squatted down and ruffled the little girl''s messy hair.


    The little girl looked at Han Ming warily and glanced at the herbs in her hands, clearly hesitating.


    "Don''t worry, I''m not a bad guy. I''m a magician, and I might even be able to treat your grandfather''s illness," Han Ming continued.


    The little girl stopped and suddenly became happy, asking eagerly, "Really? Are you really a great magician? That''s great! My grandfather will be saved!"


    "Let''s go then, take me to see your village," Han Ming said with a smile as he took the little girl''s hand.


    "Sir, here''s your change," the apprentice from the herb shop said as he ran out and handed the money to Han Ming.


    Han Ming shook his head with a smile and said, "Keep the change. This little girl has caused you quite a bit of trouble. Consider it compensation for wasting your time."


    "Thank you, thank you! You''re such a kind person!" the apprentice said gratefully.


    Han Ming smiled and walked away with the little girl.


    This was a quiet and peaceful village. However, in the outskirts of the village, there was a not-so-large expanse of farmland that had already been half-demolished, with a building only at the foundation stage constructed on it.


    At that moment, a large group of farmers was confronting the construction workers.


    "I advise you not to be ungrateful! Move out quickly!!"


    A man who looked like a supervisor shouted at the group of farmers, but he kept retreating, hiding behind the workers. Clearly, he was somewhat afraid of them.


    Han Ming squinted and observed, and to his surprise, he found that each of the farmers had aura of combat energy. Although their combat energy levels were generally between the first and third stages of the first level, they were only at the entry level of warriors.


    But how could a group of farmers possess combat energy?


    Han Ming''s doubts deepened.


    "Big brother! Hurry up and come with me. My home is in the east of the village," the little girl said happily as she pulled Han Ming and ran.


    "Hehe, girl, slow down. Be careful not to fall," Han Ming said as he looked at the happy little girl in front of him, feeling very pleased.


    While passing through the village, Han Ming discovered something that astonished him.


    Most of the people in the village were elderly, with few middle-aged or young people to be seen. Apart from the elderly, there were only groups of women and children.


    And those old people also all possessed combat energy.


    Han Ming suppressed his doubts and followed the little girl through the village, arriving directly in front of a small building at the east end of the village.


    Han Ming noticed carefully that the houses in the village were not too dilapidated, and some were even quite stylish. It didn''t seem like a very poor place.


    Besides, the little girl''s home couldn''t be described as poor. Why couldn''t they afford herbs and resort to stealing?


    "Grandpa, I''m back!" the little girl said happily as she pushed open the door and ran into the house with the herbs.


    Han Ming hurriedly followed.


    Pushing open a door, Han Ming entered the room and saw the little girl happily talking while lying on a wooden bed.


    On the bed lay an elderly man with a pale complexion, still covered with a thin blanket despite the hot weather.


    "Girl, cough cough, who is this?" the old man asked, looking at Han Ming curiously. With his level of strength, he couldn''t discern Han Ming''s power.


    Seeing the little girl''s hesitant demeanor, Han Ming knew she didn''t want her grandfather to know about her stealing. So he quickly said with a smile, "I''m an outsider. I was buying medicine at a herb shop and saw this little one hesitating at the door, so I asked and learned she was buying medicine for her grandfather''s treatment. I just happened to be free and am a low-level water mage. I thought I might be able to help out."


    Han Ming cleverly told a white lie for the little girl.


    The little girl looked at Han Ming gratefully and grinned.


    "Oh, so you''re a noble magician," she said as she tried to sit up, but after several attempts, she couldn''t succeed.


    "Ah, don''t get up. Just lie down. Let me take a look first," Han Ming said.


    Han Ming moved his nose. Ever since he entered the room, he had smelled a foul odor, which now seemed to be coming from the old man.


    "No, no. Magician, I''m already very happy that you came. I dare not trouble you," the old man said anxiously.


    Han Ming smiled slightly and didn''t speak, just went ahead and lifted the old man''s blanket.


    The old man''s speech and behavior did not seem like that of a typical farmer, indicating he had seen the world. The little girl also spoke quite coherently, suggesting she had good upbringing.


    Lifting the blanket, the foul odor intensified.


    Han Ming smiled and looked down.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    He saw that the old man''s legs were severely rotten.


    Han Ming narrowed his eyes and observed that the old man''s body had many large and small scars, apparently very old. His leg rot was clearly due to untreated wounds.


    "Little one, go brew some medicine for grandpa," Han Ming instructed.


    "Okay!" the little girl happily ran out of the room with the herbs.


    Han Ming placed one hand over the old man''s legs, condensing a medium-level healing spell with his vast water energy, completely enveloping the old man''s legs.


    The old man''s eyes widened in shock.


    "You... you..." The old man had clearly seen healing spells before, but he had never seen such a powerful one. The water-type healing spell was usually just a faint white light, but the brightness of Han Ming''s spell was much thicker.


    Before the old man could finish speaking, he let out a comfortable long sigh.


    "It might feel a bit numb and itchy at first. But don''t scratch," Han Ming focused on healing the old man for a while and, seeing the old man''s legs mostly recovered, sighed in relief.


    "This... Magician, I didn''t know you were so highly skilled. I''m so embarrassed," the old man said gratefully, not knowing how to express himself.


    "It''s okay. Just rest well," Han Ming said.


    The little girl carefully brought a bowl of medicinal soup into the room. Seeing her grandfather''s legs mostly recovered, she was overjoyed.


    "That''s great! That''s great! Magician, since you''re so powerful, why not just cure my grandfather''s legs completely? No need to drink the medicine. It''s quite bitter."


    Han Ming affectionately ruffled the little girl''s hair, liking her filial piety very much.


    "The medicine still needs to be drunk. The healing spell itself heals injuries, not illnesses. Your grandfather''s legs are like this mainly due to injuries. I can only do this much now. The rest requires good conditioning, and recovery should be no problem. But the medicine I bought for you earlier wasn''t very effective. You stay here with your grandfather, and I''ll go buy some more."


    "How could that be, Magician? We can''t let you bother," the old man said, now much recovered and sitting up.


    "You rest well. You should be able to walk slowly by tonight. How about this, if you really want to thank me, join me for a couple of drinks tonight, okay?" Han Ming persuaded.


    Hearing about drinks, the old man''s eyes lit up immediately and he nodded repeatedly.


    "Grandpa! You''re still sick. How can you drink!" the little girl said unhappily, pouting.


    "It''s okay, I''m here. Don''t worry, little one. Take good care of your grandfather. I''ll be right back," Han Ming said as he stood up and left.


    When he reached the farmland outside the village, he saw that the workers and villagers were still confronting each other and had not dispersed.


    Han Ming thought for a moment and walked up.


    "Excuse me, are you from the Sodole family?" Han Ming asked the construction workers with a smile.


    "Who are you..." The timid supervisor asked cautiously upon seeing Han Ming''s unfamiliar face and hearing him mention the Sodole family.


    Han Ming smiled and waved his right hand. A huge ice block over a person''s height solidified with a thunderous noise and landed firmly on the ground.


    "Magician!"


    The supervisor was startled and stepped back repeatedly.


    Han Ming slowly walked up to the supervisor and said in a low voice, "You don''t need to work today. Go back and tell your clan leader that the person who took your task has arrived. Tell him not to rush construction. I''ll give you an explanation after I''m done."


    The supervisor naturally knew about the family''s task posting in the Mercenary Guild. Seeing that this person was the mercenary who took the task, and also a highly respected magician, he nodded repeatedly and signaled the workers to leave.


    "Villagers, you can go back too," Han Ming said with a smile as he left amidst the astonished gazes of the farmers.


    In the evening, Han Ming returned to the village with several large bags.


    "Little one! Come here!" Han Ming called out in the yard.


    Hearing Han Ming''s voice, the little girl ran out happily, her eyes flashing at the smell of meat from a distance.


    "Go and set up the table and chairs, and bring out the bowls and chopsticks. We''ll eat in the yard," Han Ming said.


    "Okay!" the little girl replied.


    Han Ming placed the items aside and went inside to check on the old man. Seeing that the old man''s legs had recovered well, he helped the old man into the yard.


    The little girl had already set up the table and happily unpacked Han Ming''s bags, placing some dishes on the table and taking the remaining herbs back to the room.


    "Stop bustling about. Come and eat," Han Ming said with a smile as he watched the little girl running around.


    "Such an understanding girl," Han Ming remarked with emotion.


    "Yes... My granddaughter is a bit naughty usually, but she''s really a good child. These past two years, I haven''t been well, and she has taken care of me with her frail body. Otherwise, this old bones of mine might have been buried long ago," the old man said.


    "Grandpa! Stop saying that!" the little girl ran out and heard this conversation, becoming unhappy again.


    "Alright, alright, Grandpa won''t say it anymore. Come here," the old man said with a chuckle as he beckoned the little girl to sit down.


    The three sat around the small wooden table and started eating under the moonlight.


    Han Ming stood up to pour wine for the old man, who hurriedly stood up with trembling legs.


    "Oh, you''re so polite. I haven''t thanked you for treating my injuries. This drink is to thank you for your chivalry," the old man said as he picked up the small bowl and drank it all in one gulp.


    Han Ming also smiled and drank the wine from his bowl, quickly adding more food for the old man.


    "Old sir, you don''t have to keep calling me ''you.'' My name is Han Er. You can just call me by my name."


    "This..."


    "It doesn''t matter."


    "Well... Alright then, Mr. Han Er."


    Han Ming smiled and asked, "Old sir, seeing all your scars, you must have quite a story. Also, it seems like there''s some feud between the villagers and a group of construction workers. Can you tell me about it?"


    Hearing Han Ming mention this, the old man sighed deeply.


    "Don''t even mention it... It''s unbearable."