Chapter 100: Red Hare

Li Zhan’s expression was a peculiar mix of surprise, delight, and suspicion.

To the players, the name "Red Hare" was hardly unfamiliar, but for the NPCs, their world was limited to the environment they knew and themselves; everything else was a vast, unknown void. Heroes, treasures, legendary steeds—none of these concepts existed in their world. In other words, in the cognitive world of an NPC, the term "Red Hare" did not exist, nor did they know it was the name of a fabled, peerless horse.

Was it a coincidence? Or was it destiny? Li Zhan was filled with confusion.

Before he could snap out of his bewilderment, Li He and Jin Xue, leading a dozen farmers and fishermen, had already reached the paddock. Armed with fishing nets and wooden poles, they pried open the stall door. As soon as the crimson wild horse bolted out, it was promptly pinned down by six or seven nets. The villagers scrambled to tighten the ropes and slide the wooden poles through, preparing to carry it away.

Just then, that NPC spoke up: "Oh my, how can you treat it like this? Why don't you let it go at once? This is simply too much!"

The villagers shot the NPC a look of disdain, rolled their eyes, and continued to tighten the nets and secure the poles. The NPC sighed and groaned in distress, but helpless to intervene, he watched the crimson horse struggling in the nets and muttered, "Alas, you were born at the wrong time. To possess such bravery and spirit, yet have no one to appreciate it. What a pity, what a pity."

The wild horse seemed to understand the NPC’s words; its eyes welled up with tears, and it let out a long, mournful neigh.

Seeing this, Li Zhan knew it was time for him to step in. He wanted to use this opportunity to test the NPC. He smiled slightly and said, "It appears you and Red Hare have a remarkable affinity, and you find it unbearable to see the villagers treat it this way. Since that is the case, I wonder if you could persuade Red Hare to be obedient—to walk into the new paddock on its own without being bound by the others?"

When the NPC heard Li Zhan refer to the horse as Red Hare, he realized Li Zhan had accepted the name he had given it. Pleased, he smiled faintly and replied, "What is difficult about that? Mayor Li, just have the villagers release Red Hare. I have my own way."

Li Zhan agreed readily. He walked over to the villagers and, while instructing them to release the horse, whispered to three of them to run to the three stone gates and tell the guards to watch closely: if the wild horse appeared nearby, they were to close the gates immediately.

About a minute after the three villagers ran off, the six or seven layers of nets around Red Hare were peeled away. The moment the final net was removed, Red Hare leaped to its feet. At that instant, the NPC stepped forward. He stroked the horse's face, turned to point at the new paddock, and then gestured toward the distance. Afterward, he stepped aside to clear a path. Red Hare snorted, pawed the ground, and looked at the NPC with gratitude. The NPC gave the horse a gentle pat, and only then did it trot out of the paddock before breaking into a swift gallop.

Watching Red Hare dash away, the expression on Li Zhan’s face froze; he felt as though he had been swindled. The horse hadn't run toward the new paddock, but toward the nearest south stone gate. The guards, seeing it charging their way, quickly slammed the gate shut and even raised the drawbridge for good measure.

However, upon seeing this, Red Hare did not slow down—instead, it accelerated. Like a crimson phantom, it reached the stone embankment beside the gate in a flash. While running at full speed, it suddenly leaped. The nearly three-meter-high embankment was cleared with ease as it vaulted into the village moat. After scrambling up the bank, it knocked over dozens of players who had rushed to intercept it and galloped off toward the southwest.

Li Zhan, who had initially congratulated himself for his foresight when he saw the guards react, was stunned. He hadn't expected the horse to be so ferocious that it could clear a three-meter-high embankment. Shocked and angry, he turned to glare at the NPC who had dared to deceive him.

The surrounding villagers, seeing the Mayor’s wrath, were too terrified to breathe. Casting side-glances at the NPC, they thought to themselves: *You’ve really angered the Mayor this time; just you wait.*

Unlike the petrified villagers, the NPC looked utterly unperturbed. He gazed longingly in the direction where Red Hare had disappeared, nodding to himself and muttering, "Good... good... good..."

"Good your head!"

Li Zhan finally roared. *Damn it! If this were just an ordinary wild horse, I wouldn't be this furious even if it had smashed itself to death against the embankment. But because it’s a legendary steed and now it’s gone, my blood is boiling. And the fact that this horse managed to escape the village is entirely the result of this NPC’s orchestration. Now that the horse is gone, how can I vent my rage without teaching this accomplice a lesson?!*

"Someone, come here!"

Li Zhan shouted. Zhang Feng and five infantry archers, who were patrolling the village, rushed over. Li Zhan bellowed, "Tie this scoundrel up and give him fifty lashes to satisfy my fury!"

Zhang Feng and his men acknowledged the order but didn't move. Zhang Feng said cautiously, "Mayor, we... we don't have any ropes or whips."

It was no wonder Zhang Feng said that. Yanhuang Village was not like the Zhenxin Tribe, where they would tie up villagers and lash them at the drop of a hat. Since its founding, Yanhuang Village had never bound a villager or NPC, let alone used a whip. Naturally, the soldiers were not equipped with such things.

Li Zhan choked on his words. Still fuming, he saw the fishing nets in the hands of the nearby villagers and snapped, "Use the fishing nets! Wrap this scoundrel up in the nets and whip him with tree branches!"

Zhang Feng and the others obeyed, taking the nets from the villagers and approaching the NPC. The NPC finally stopped his dazed staring and, seeing the nets being opened, asked in surprise, "What are you doing?"

An infantry archer barked, "By order of the Mayor, we are here to capture you!"

The NPC frowned. "Why are you tying me up?"

Li Zhan, unable to contain himself any longer, didn't wait for the soldiers to answer. He pointed at the NPC and shouted, "You bastard, you let my legendary steed escape! Do you expect me to treat you like an honored guest instead of tying you up?!"

The NPC spread his arms to signal for everyone to hold on, saying repeatedly, "Wait, wait, wait. Mayor Li, didn't you ask me to tell Red Hare to walk into the new paddock on its own?"

Li Zhan was beyond furious. *How could this NPC be so dense?* He really didn't have the patience to bicker, but seeing the man’s bewildered expression, he knew that if he didn't explain, the NPC would likely spread rumors later about how Yanhuang Village mistreated NPCs.

*Fine,* he thought, *I’ll explain it to you, and see if you don't submit to punishment.*

Li Zhan suppressed his anger and said, "Yes, I told you to use your ability to make Red Hare walk into the new paddock on its own. But the new paddock I was referring to is fifty meters in front of you, not outside the village!"

The NPC nodded. "That's right, I know the new paddock is right there. I never said your paddock was built outside the village."

Li Zhan felt an urge to grab the NPC by the collar and slap him twice. If not for the fact that his heart was healthy, he would have collapsed from the sheer frustration of it.

After taking a few deep breaths, Li Zhan tried to keep his voice steady. "Then let me ask you: where have you taken Red Hare now? I told you to put it in the new paddock—is it in the new paddock now?!"

The NPC replied, "You only told me to get it into the paddock; you didn't say it wasn't allowed to go outside for a stroll. I let it go out to clear its mind first. Once it's done, it will naturally walk into the paddock on its own."

Li Zhan laughed out loud. "Are you crazy or am I? This wild horse hasn't been tamed yet, and you let it go, expecting it to return? Are you dreaming?!"

The NPC said, "Believe it or not, if Red Hare doesn't return, I am willing to be punished."

Li Zhan said, "Fine! I will hold you to that and make sure you accept your punishment! If Red Hare returns before dinner, not only will I not punish you, but I will treat you as an honored guest of Yanhuang Village. But if it doesn't come back..."

"I am willing to be hung upside down and receive one hundred lashes," the NPC replied.

Li Zhan nodded and stepped closer. "It's a deal!"

"It's a deal."

About half an hour passed, and it was nearly time for the villagers to finish their work. Li Zhan sat in the village hall, fiddling with a black wooden staff while occasionally glancing at the NPC, who was being held by Zhang Feng and his archers near the paddock. *Little brat, you tried to play mysterious with me and boasted that you’d accept punishment if the horse didn't return. Fine. In another ten minutes, I'll show you the consequences of shooting off your mouth. Even if you pull out an internationally recognized certificate of insanity, you won't be escaping this punishment!*

Just then, there was a commotion outside, and the sound of neighing drifted in from the west gate. A soldier came running in, panting, and reported to Li Zhan:

"Reporting! Mayor, a group of wild horses has arrived outside the west gate, and leading them is the Red Hare that escaped this afternoon!"