After sending the boy away, Lin Ya glanced at the night sky and then at the mule, feeling that leaving now wasn’t out of the question. Although the mule lacked night vision capabilities, it could see the road clearly. If they waited until tomorrow morning, it might be too late.
However, he feared that the bandits might already be lying in wait nearby. After all, there had been rumors a few days ago. If he were in their position, he would definitely stake out the area in advance, waiting for the stillness of night when the carriages and horses would be worn down, enhancing the chance of success.
If they were to leave, it would be best to separate from the main group; if the bandits pursued, they wouldn’t chase after such a small number of people.
[Host, why didn’t you agree to the male protagonist’s terms?]
Lin Ya stretched out his hand, feeling the cool breeze brushing through his fingers. He calculated the days and realized it was already mid-October. The temperature had noticeably dropped over the last two days, and the nights had become even colder.
“Because it’s not necessary for now. He said traveling with us would be safer, but—”
Thinking of the boy’s calculating demeanor, he let out a light scoff. “That person clearly had plans all along. If I’m not mistaken, he had already gone to meet those people outside the village before I even left.”
[Oh? How do you know?]
“He has the smell of pancakes and meat on him. He may not have noticed it himself, but I did.”
“During the day, he had not a grain of rice at home, so how could there be food at night? Moreover, the person who reported us to the bandits might have been arranged by him.”
Chu Ying, known as Chu Lingjun, is a fragile young man of just fifteen who was once the heir of a marquis estate, living in luxury. Now, however, he found himself in a position where he could barely afford a meal.
He had never been in great health, and after being kicked out of the marquis’s residence, he suffered a blow that led to sickness, causing him to fall ill upon returning to this impoverished home.
Chu Ying knew that if he didn’t take a gamble, not only would he fail to return to the capital and make those who once bullied him pay, but he could also lose his life.
Accompanied by two sensible little sisters and his mother, he glanced at the neighboring courtyard, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, hoping for their luck.
“Ah, Mr. Chu, you’re finally here! We are ready.” A newcomer carried a torch, helping them onto the cart, and soon disappeared into the night alongside several other carts and guards, headed in the same direction.
The remaining people divided into two groups, each waiting until the others had moved far ahead before following suit.
Those lurking in the shadows panicked and rushed back to the village to consult with others.
Lin Ya awakened everyone, explaining the situation, which immediately sent shivers of fear through them.
“Fortunately, you were vigilant at night. Without you leading the way, we might still be stuck in the estate.” Xu’s father exclaimed, hurriedly putting on his outer robe. “I fear all our food will be gone soon.”
“With bandits ahead, I just hope the others can catch up quickly and escape these heartless killers.”
“By the way, brother-in-law, should we alert the others?” Xu Jin asked while putting on her shoes.
Lin Ya frowned and didn’t reply.
Suddenly, Xu Jin was tapped on the head by Xu’s father. “Didn’t Zi Xiu say there are people from the village? If we alert them, we won’t be able to escape.”
“…Understood.”
After packing their things, they opened the courtyard door. Xu Jin helped secure the cart and hurriedly handed him a pair of stitched gloves.
“These are the gloves Mother made during the day; wear them to shield against the wind. It’ll get colder, and your hands will crack without them.”
Xu Jin wiped the dirt from her face, giving a wry smile and a sigh of resignation. “I know this isn’t the time for kindness, but it just feels wrong…”
“If we can’t find water on the road, we won’t last long.” A girl walked out of the house, smearing some black ash on her face, blending perfectly into the night.
Lin Ya accepted the gloves and put them on; they fit just right.
“When that time comes, perhaps others will pitifully look upon us.”
“If we move forward, we should find a water source closer to Qingzhou. The rivers there are vast, and drought shouldn’t reach that far.”
He pulled the mule cart out of the yard, and everyone climbed aboard.
The mule cart made quite a racket, especially in the dead of night.
Once outside the courtyard, Lin Ya invited Xu Jin inside, then slapped the mule’s rear with force, causing it to pick up speed immediately.
Others woke up, groggily peeking outside their courtyards, murmuring, “At this time of night, who’s leaving so early…”
Once they reached the village outskirts, they found that the people who had been there at dusk were indeed gone.
Just after departing, a group of ragged bandits appeared, holding torches and surrounding them. The leader was a middle-aged man with a thick beard, a scar across his face, and a hefty knife in hand, while the others wielded weapons of varying sizes.
“Big brother! The fat sheep have run away!”
He shot a glare at the individual, “I’m not blind!”
Seeing that no one was left behind, he huffed coldly and led his group boldly into the village.
Soon after, flames erupted within the village as elderly men, women, and children were slaughtered, leaving behind only the more attractive women, collecting all the grains.
“This little amount?! Not enough to fill a gap in my teeth! Damn it, let’s go chase those people ahead! Once we catch up, there’ll be plenty of food!”
“Oh!!”
“Let’s catch up!”
After running through the night, as dawn broke, Lin Ya and the others arrived at a county town. They reached a fork in the road and randomly chose one, ultimately arriving directly at the entrance of the nearest county.
The city gate stood wide open, eerily quiet. After walking for an hour, they had seen no one. Lin Ya suspected that the people had fled after the emperor decreed that food was to be sought from all.
Lin Ya got off the cart in a narrow alley and, carrying a jug, approached a residence, unexpectedly discovering a well. At the bottom lay a shallow layer of murky water. He raised an eyebrow, originally thinking he would have to fake a situation, but surprisingly there was still a bit of water.
He poured the water stored in the system’s space into the jug and used a nearby bucket to scoop up the murky water from the well, allowing it to settle. Lin Ya then called Xu Jin inside, casually splashing some water onto his face and hands.