Chapter Thirty: Killing Two Birds with One Stone

To speak fairly, the strength displayed by the black bear was enough to make many who had practiced martial arts for decades hang their heads in shame.

As the saying goes, pure strength trumps a hundred skills. With such power, it matters little whether one knows any martial arts; a single slap could injure if it merely grazes, and kill if it hits directly. No matter what techniques one possesses, in the face of absolute power, they all seem trivial and hollow.

Yet therein lay the problem.

Leaving aside its frame—enough to make an ordinary person’s legs tremble at a glance—who besides Master Xu could possibly subdue or control such a beast, given the power it possessed?

In front of Master Xu, it could behave with utmost obedience, lying down or sitting at command. But what of others?

The bear, after all, is a fierce creature, counted alongside tigers, wild boars, and wolf packs. Crucially, it can climb trees as well; encountering one in the wild is even more dangerous than meeting a tiger—let alone this black bear, which was clearly more robust than any other of its kind.

Most people would probably struggle even to speak loudly in its presence.

“Grr?”

The black bear seemed to understand Ji Yun’s words, its eyes—like bronze bells—glancing askance at him.

“Do you remember him? Years ago, you greedily devoured the goods he was escorting… How about working for him now to pay off that debt?”

Xu Yuan said, “He’ll provide your food and lodging, and at the start and end of each escort journey, you’ll get a jar of honey or syrup—provided you obey his orders.”

“Grr! Grr! Grr!” The black bear grew excited, making a gesture as if hugging something, sticking out its tongue to lick the air.

Xu Yuan’s face darkened, and he said irritably, “Dream on! You want such a big jar of honey? Planning to make him work for you now?”

“Grr?” The black bear’s gesture shrank by half.

Xu Yuan could not be bothered to argue further; he simply grasped one of its paws to indicate, “Just this much.”

Though it was only the size of the bear’s paw, that paw was as large as a normal person’s head.

Buying a jar of honey that size would cost several taels of silver at least—something ordinary farming families could not even dream of affording; a whole year’s earnings might not suffice.

But, considering the bear’s fighting prowess, this deal was an absolute bargain.

If compared to a human, hiring someone of such strength would be impossible, even with all the money in the world.

“Grr!” The black bear pounded its chest with its paw, nodding repeatedly in agreement.

“Is Master Xu… bargaining with the black bear?” Ji Wu stared blankly at his father, feeling as if his entire worldview had been upended.

It was as though the tales from storytellers were unfolding before his very eyes!

“Bears are clever by nature, some say the cleverest of all beasts. For this black bear to understand human speech seems only natural,” Ji Yun murmured.

Bears are alert and intelligent creatures. According to some old hunters, bears can even mimic human actions at night to trick hunters into thinking they are their companions, luring them into a trap.

Beyond that, when a bear stalks prey, it often feigns indifference, even circles away deliberately, then charges in a flash when the prey lets down its guard.

If common bears are like this, how much more so this one, singled out by Master Xu as something special?

But even if it could understand human speech, would it remain so docile when Master Xu was not present?

“It’s agreed,” Xu Yuan turned to Ji Yun and said.

“But if it doesn’t obey…” Ji Yun’s scalp tingled.

“If it goes back on its word, I’ll have to try what bear paw tastes like,” Xu Yuan joked.

“Grr! Grr! Grr! Grr!” The black bear shook its head vigorously, tucking both forepaws behind its back—it clearly understood what was said.

“Go ahead, don’t be afraid. Try giving it some commands,” Xu Yuan moved aside.

While Ji Yun was still torn between hope and hesitation over bringing such a formidable ally into the Ji Escort Agency, Ji Wu, bolder by nature, stepped forward. After all, Master Xu was right there; he could not afford to show cowardice. He commanded, “Stand up.”

With a whoosh, the black bear stood at once, a black shadow looming over them. Ji Wu’s own sturdy frame seemed small and frail before that massive being.

“Sit down,” Ji Wu ordered again.

The black bear promptly plopped onto the ground.

“Raise your paws,” Ji Wu called.

The bear immediately raised both paws, displaying perfect obedience.

“Father, the black bear understands—and it’s really well-behaved!” Ji Wu’s face was aglow with excitement; he was clearly tempted.

Ji Yun’s mouth twitched. Docility was good, but the cost of a single lapse could be more than they could bear.

“Don’t worry. This black bear’s temperament is very calm, and it harbors no malice. If it had ever killed anyone, I would never have kept it around,” Xu Yuan reassured, having noticed Ji Yun’s concern.

Generally, the larger the animal, the more stable its temperament. Especially this black bear; had it been unruly, Xu Yuan would have subdued it long ago.

Ji Yun exhaled and said through gritted teeth, “Since Master Xu puts it so, I trust your word. If it promises to obey and accompany our escort journeys, the Ji Escort Agency will provide food and lodging, and at the start and end of each journey, a jar of honey—is that right?”

Xu Yuan looked to the black bear.

The black bear nodded eagerly, thumping its chest as if vowing an oath.

“Good,” Xu Yuan allowed a rare smile.

Ever since the day of that strange celestial phenomenon, masters of all stripes had been wandering the country restlessly; not even the deepest forests could shield from their reach, and one never knew when they might show up here.

If the black bear was spotted by those people, with its impressive frame, it would surely attract unwanted attention—and that would spell trouble.

There’s always someone stronger; Xu Yuan was not so arrogant as to take the world lightly.

The difference between man and beast is not in strength, but in the mind. With cunning against the guileless, even this black bear could be captured, and then its paws would be truly lost.

Better to entrust it to someone reliable within his circle than leave it in the wild—after all, if it stayed in the forest, it would do little but eat and sleep, and might not taste honey even a few times a year.

With someone to care for it, it would be considered “owned property,” far better than roaming as a wild beast. This would also solve the Ji Escort Agency’s troubles—a solution that killed two birds with one stone.

“With this black bear, the Ji Escort Agency’s strength will rise by several notches. Its hide is thick and flesh tough; ordinary blades and swords can’t harm it. If you encounter any foolhardy bandits, there’s no need for mercy,” Xu Yuan advised.

He wished everyone could live good lives, but not at the expense of others.

As for highway robbers and bullies, they deserve whatever fate befalls them—no need for sympathy.

“Excellent!” Ji Yun’s face, which had been somewhat grave, now broke into a smile.

Since they had agreed, it was time to think positively.

With the black bear joining the Ji Escort Agency, perhaps accepting the government’s offer wasn’t out of the question after all…