Chapter 37: Meeting a Brother

Chen Fan dodged to the side, simultaneously raising his diamond sword to strike.

Health: 36/60

After this blow, the hyena did not give up. It paced back and forth not far away, emitting a low growl from its throat. Like other monsters, the hyena's health in standard Minecraft was 30; in this world, however, it had doubled to 60.

Even so, Chen Fan was not afraid. He let out a shout and charged toward the hyena, his diamond sword held high. This time, the blade struck precisely at the hyena’s neck. The creature seemed to sense the danger, but it was too late; the diamond sword instantly sliced through its throat. It let out a shrill, piercing scream as blood sprayed out. Not giving the hyena a chance to react, Chen Fan delivered a final blow to finish it off.

In the next second, the hyena’s corpse dissolved into white mist and vanished, leaving behind five pieces of raw mutton, two bones, and some experience orbs on the ground.

Once Chen Fan had dealt with the hyena, he hurriedly looked toward where the sheep had been, but they were nowhere to be seen.

"Damn it! And those were the two sheep I finally managed to find."

He wore a pained expression, unable to stop himself from grumbling. With no other choice, Chen Fan had to continue searching the vast plains for other animals; at least he had the whole day.

As Chen Fan searched the plains, his face still filled with frustration, a voice suddenly made his body tremble slightly.

"Brother Fan!"

Chen Fan spun around sharply and saw several familiar figures in the distance, especially Xu Xinjie. A look of joy instantly flooded his face. The two men quickly rushed toward each other and shared a big hug.

In that moment of embrace, Chen Fan could clearly feel the warmth of the other man’s body—a sense of stability that came from a long-awaited reunion. The bits and pieces they had experienced together on Blue Star flashed through his mind like a slideshow: the laughter they had shared and the times they had spent through heartbreak.

When one was lovesick, he would dejectedly say, "Brother, I've been dumped." And they would respond without hesitation, "We're not going home tonight!"

When they were happy, he would excitedly call out, "Brothers, let's go out for a drink." And they would always reply crisply, "Be there in a minute!"

Once, the four of them faced over a dozen thugs without a shred of fear, rushing in to fight. In the end, they were left battered and bruised, but they just mocked each other’s injuries. Those moments had now become the most precious of memories. At this moment, it only made his heart beat even more fervently.

Shortly after, Chen Fan slowly pulled away from Xu Xinjie but couldn't help but give him a light punch on the shoulder.

"Damn, I thought you were dead. Seeing you alive is just too 'heartbreaking' for me."

Chen Fan spoke with a teasing tone, intentionally putting on a look of profound grief, though he could not hide the joy of their reunion in his eyes. Xu Xinjie, who had been smiling just a moment ago, immediately twisted his face into a sad mask, pretending to be aggrieved.

"Brother Fan, is that any way to treat me? I trekked across mountains and rivers just to find you. If I'd known you were so 'disgusted' by me, I wouldn't have come."

As he spoke, he deliberately curled his lip—a look that anyone could see was just him joking around with Chen Fan.

Chen Fan laughed heartily and patted Xu Xinjie on the shoulder. "Alright, no more jokes. Wait here for a moment."

He pulled out a crafting table, placed it on the ground, and began to forge a full set of iron gear. A brother had arrived; how could he justify his own conscience if he didn't set him up properly? Chen Fan began arranging iron ingots on the crafting table, and before long, piece after piece of iron equipment took shape. He then crafted a full set of iron armor and a shield, determined to provide his brother with the most comprehensive protection possible.

He tossed the completed set and some food to Xu Xinjie. "Come on, equip these. I don't have much else, but I have plenty of iron and food."

Xu Xinjie looked at the items in his inventory, his eyes filled with gratitude and relief. "Brother Fan, you’re still the best to me. This journey here really wasn't easy."

"Between us brothers, there's no need to be so formal," Chen Fan said, resting a hand on Xu Xinjie's shoulder.

The two found a spot to sit and chatted for a long while. Only then did Chen Fan learn how difficult Xu Xinjie’s journey had been—it was truly a gamble with his life. Had he not encountered Zhao Gang and his group at the end, he might never have seen Xu Xinjie again.

After hearing Xu Xinjie’s account, Chen Fan looked at Zhao Gang and the others with gratitude. He stood up, bowed solemnly with his hands cupped, and said, "Thank you for saving my brother’s life. I, Chen Fan, will keep this kindness in my heart. No need to say much more; as long as you encounter difficulties in the future, as long as the request isn't unreasonable, I can fulfill it for you." He had always held the belief that a favor received should be repaid with a fountain of gratitude.

Zhao Gang was overwhelmed by the gesture; he had never expected Chen Fan to be so loyal and righteous. He hurriedly spoke up, "Big Boss Chen Fan, we don't have any requests. We only hope to survive this winter safely."

"Very well, I can ensure that for you."

Chen Fan returned to the crafting table and began working. He crafted three iron swords, three iron axes, and three iron pickaxes. Once finished, he handed them over. When Zhao Gang and his group saw the three sets of gear, they looked at Chen Fan in disbelief. They were well aware of the prices on the trading platform—a single iron sword was worth 200 gold coins, let alone the other items. They would have to kill monsters for a very long time to afford such things.

Zhao Gang and his group did not act coy and accepted the gifts. Chen Fan told the three of them to set up their shelter near his home and to come to him if they had any problems.

Afterward, Chen Fan took Xu Xinjie back onto the plains to continue searching for animals. Xu Xinjie actually knew a thing or two about the situation, as he and the other brothers had often played Minecraft with Yang Keli back on Blue Star. Chen Fan explained the current dire situation to him in detail. Upon hearing it, Xu Xinjie was filled with confusion and disbelief.

"Brother Fan, if what you're saying is true, does that mean we have to keep collecting resources, building shelters, and defending against monsters just like in the game?"

Chen Fan shrugged helplessly. "I'm not entirely sure either, but since things have come to this, we have no choice. We have to find a way to adapt and struggle to survive."

As they spoke, the two continued to move slowly across the plains. Suddenly, Xu Xinjie’s eyes lit up. He pointed forward and said in a low voice, "Brother Fan, look there. There are some sheep and cows."

Chen Fan looked in the direction he pointed and saw several animals grazing leisurely in the distance. A look of pleasant surprise instantly appeared on his face.

"Here’s some wheat. Go lure the sheep over; I’ll handle the cows."

"Got it, no problem." Xu Xinjie took the wheat and cautiously crept toward the three sheep.

Soon, the animals caught the scent of the wheat. They all looked up at the two men in unison and began walking toward them, letting out "baa" and "moo" sounds.

The two exchanged a glance and began slowly leading them back.