C15 Reorganize Your Thoughts

Everyone had gathered, and it had been roughly the time it takes to drink two cups of tea since their arrival.

Excluding the elderly and women, there were about fifty strapping young men present.

Lee Fei stood up, turned to face the crowd, and announced loudly, "I am Little White Dragon, your new Head Honcho. With me in charge, things are going to change. Life is only going to get better from here on out, starting with our meals."

Most of these men had turned to banditry simply because they were starving. To unite them, the first step was to ensure they had enough to eat.

Lee Fei, addressing the crowd's skeptical looks, proclaimed, "As long as I, Little White Dragon, am here, everyone will be guaranteed three square meals a day!"

At these words, faces lit up with joy, and the crowd erupted into cheers.

Black Dog, looking somewhat bewildered, quickly interjected, "Head Honcho, this might not be wise."

Lee Fei, intrigued, asked, "And why is that?"

Black Dog explained, "Well, we usually only have two meals a day, sometimes just one. The harvests have been poor, so we all try to cut corners wherever we can."

Lee Fei shook his head dismissively. "That's flawed reasoning. Just look at these men—gaunt and pale. Without a full belly, how can they work effectively? Without proper nourishment, they'll lack spirit. We can always find more food, but once people lose hope, they're no better than lifeless husks."

Zhao Ruyu's eyes sparkled at his words. She grinned and said, "That's a brilliant idea. I find myself liking you more and more."

She showed none of the demureness expected of a woman from bygone days. As she spoke, her hand reached out toward Lee Fei's head.

In full view of the assembly, she dared to flirt!

Lee Fei, visibly annoyed, wondered why this woman was always trying to pat his head as if he were some kind of pet.

He dodged her hand, clearing his throat, and said, "Miss Zhao, please, there's an audience. Try to contain yourself."

Zhao Ruyu giggled behind her hand and teased, "Little White Dragon, don't tell me you're inexperienced. Does your big sister need to help you out...?"

Upon hearing this, everyone burst into hearty laughter. Lee Fei gestured for silence before continuing, "White Dragon Fort operates as a collective. To ensure our collective functions at its full potential, I've distilled our strategy into sixteen words: 'Utilize all resources, everyone to their fullest ability, each to their own role, all doing their utmost.'"

Black Dog scratched his head, feeling overwhelmed by the Head Honcho's profound words, which were, frankly, beyond his comprehension. The rest of the group seemed to be in the same boat, grasping only the sounds of the words.

Noticing their bewildered looks, Lee Fei inwardly sighed. The perils of illiteracy and the depth of the cultural divide were daunting indeed.

Determined to clarify, Lee Fei elaborated, "All of you standing here, are there any among you who are faint of heart? Those who can't grip a knife firmly during a robbery or who are squeamish at the sight of blood, raise your hands. Let me see you, and don't think of deceiving me—the consequences would be severe."

Nine individuals tentatively raised their hands. Lee Fei beckoned them forward. One man, in particular, knelt down abruptly and pleaded, "Head Honcho, I'm afflicted with a fear of blood, but I swear I'll overcome it. Please, don't send me away from the mountain."

"What's your name?" Lee Fei inquired.

Lifting his head, the man quickly responded, "I am called Daniu."

With a chuckle, Lee Fei reassured him, "Daniu, there's no need to be anxious. When did I ever say I'd send you away? Stand up, and from now on, no more kneeling before me."

"Yes," Daniu replied, rising to his feet, still looking puzzled. "Then why have you called us over?"

Lee Fei gazed at him earnestly and explained, "As I've mentioned, I expect everyone to contribute to the best of their ability. Since you're averse to bloodshed, it's clear you're not cut out for killing. Going out to rob would only endanger your life and hinder our fighters. From now on, you'll handle logistics within White Dragon Fort."

After a brief pause, he continued, "Logistics involves tasks like cooking and laundry. Currently, our fort's hygiene can be summed up as filthy and disordered. Your first task as logistics personnel will be to clean up the trash around the fort."

The nine individuals quickly grasped Lee Fei's point and nodded in agreement.

Daniu bowed with his hands clasped and declared, "I've got it. Just give the word, Head Honcho, and I'll make it happen."

"Good," Lee Fei said, clapping him on the shoulder. "From now on, you're in charge of logistics, overseeing everyone from the elderly to the women. You have four days to thoroughly clean up our stronghold. Do a good job, and I'll reward you with ten taels of silver."

Daniu assured him, "You won't be disappointed, Head Honcho."

Lee Fei gestured for Daniu to take his place behind him with the rest of the logistics team.

Turning to the remaining forty-odd robust men, Lee Fei continued, "You all are the main force of our stronghold. But let me be frank: you seem like nothing more than a bunch of good-for-nothings to me."

His blunt words immediately sparked dissent, with one man protesting, "Head Honcho, you may be skilled, but isn't that a bit harsh?"

"Black Bear, calm down," someone advised, tugging at his sleeve.

"Let go of me," the man snarled, his face fierce. In his thirties, he was the picture of strength.

Lee Fei fixed his gaze on the outspoken man and asked calmly, "Care to step forward and speak your mind?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Black Bear pushed through the crowd, raising his voice.

"Were you at the raid last night?" Lee Fei inquired.

"Absolutely."

"And we outnumbered them, didn't we?"

"Indeed."

Lee Fei glowered at Black Bear and rebuked him, "Then how can you not see yourself as useless? With the upper hand in numbers, why did the attack drag on? Did you all not give it your all, or was there someone in the caravan capable of taking on a hundred men?"

Black Bear was at a loss for words, unable to counter Lee Fei's argument.

Lee Fei raised his voice, "To earn respect, you must first have something to show for it. Otherwise, you're just inviting disgrace."

"What you were before doesn't concern me. But now that I'm here, things will change. We can't continue this laziness. It shouldn't take this long just to assemble."

The black bear queried, "What changes do you expect from us?"

Lee Fei replied, "It involves all of you. From now on, you'll rise at dawn and run laps around White Dragon Fort. Only after completing ten laps may you eat and begin your daily training. No slacking off."

"You've got to be joking. I became a bandit to live comfortably, not to be tormented like this."

"Exactly, I'd rather be in logistics."

"I'm done with this bandit life. Let's just call it quits!"

At that point, the crowd could no longer contain their agitation and seemed on the verge of revolt.

Zhao Ruyu interjected with a frigid tone, "Everyone, silence yourselves. Let Little White Dragon finish speaking."

Her commanding presence clearly surpassed Lee Fei's, and at her command, everyone promptly fell silent.

"Thank you for your support, Miss Zhao," Lee Fei said, turning to Zhao Ruyu with a grateful tone.

Zhao Ruyu blinked and dismissed the thanks with a wave, "No need for formalities."

Lee Fei went on, "I believe in speaking through actions. Starting today, the first to finish the laps will receive a reward of ten taels of silver, and this will be the case every day."

As expected, the mention of money sparked a gleam in everyone's eyes, and they began to murmur among themselves once more.

Eventually, they all declared together, "As long as the Head Honcho's word is good, we'll follow your lead."

Lee Fei inwardly sighed, thinking to himself, "Leading this team is truly a formidable task."