74 Killing the Enemy
The bandits of Clear Wind Ridge waited until it was dark, but Hu San and the others did not return. Black Bear looked at Lone Wolf worriedly. “Third Brother, go and check on Second Brother. Will something happen?”
Lone Wolf thought to himself that it would be good if something happened. In fact, it would be best if he died outside.
“Big Brother, it will take at least a day to go from Clear Wind Ridge to the foot of Cloud Stream Peak. Besides, it was almost noon when Second Brother left. It will take at least midnight for him to return. Big Brother, don’t worry. Second Brother’s martial arts are better than mine.”
Black Bear felt that Lone Wolf was right. “You’re right. I’m afraid we’ve already succeeded. Let’s go take a look tomorrow morning.”
The next day, Li Yu and the villagers woke up at dawn. Some cooked while others packed their luggage. After dinner, they set off for Qi County.
After walking for more than two hours, Li Yu felt that the sun that had just risen was scorching. The scorching sun roasted the withered grass and soil on the ground until they seemed to be about to explode.
Li Yu glanced at Zhou Jia, who was driving with narrowed eyes. “Zhou Jia, we have to think of a way to walk. If we continue like this, everyone will get heatstroke.”
Zhou Jia thought for a moment. “Xiaoyu, what do you think? Let’s start resting at noon today. We’ll start walking at 15:00 pm and only rest at 9:00 pm. This way, we’ll avoid the hottest hour. What do you think?”
Li Yu calculated. “Alright, we’ll do as you say. Let’s find a shady place to rest!”
Li Yu jumped out of the car and shouted at the villagers walking behind, “Uncle and Aunt, let’s find a shady place in front to rest for four hours and avoid the hottest hours. In the afternoon, let’s hurry up while it’s cool. How about that?”
“Alright.” Everyone agreed in unison. Madam Li wiped her sweat. “Alright, it’s too hot today. I think I’m about to dry up.”
The village chief looked at the bright sun and felt worried. It seemed that the darn heavens would be dry for a long time.
Li Yu’s team finally arrived at Qi County two days later. From afar, everyone saw that the forest on both sides of the official road not far from the city gate was filled with straw huts filled with people fleeing the famine.
After Zhou Jia went forward to ask, he learned that although the city gate of Qi County was open, only people with the household register of Qi County could enter the city. Li Yu was so angry that she almost cursed.
The village chief looked at Zhou Jia worriedly. “Mr. Zhou, do we have anywhere else to go?”
Zhou Jia thought for a moment. “The closest place is Tongzhou. It’s two months away.”
The village chief gritted his teeth. “Let’s go! The longer we wait, the longer we’ll be delayed.” After a simple rest at the city gate, the group set off for Tongzhou.
After Li Yu and the others turned around and left, more than ten men came out of a shed and followed. Not long after, Ji Xiang, who had fallen behind, discovered the people following behind.
Ji Xiang said to Li Qing, “Ah Qing, quickly warn the people in front. Someone is following us.”
Li Qing turned to look at the man following behind. When Ji Xiang slowed down, he hurriedly jumped off the mule cart and shouted to Butcher He, who was walking in front, “Uncle He, someone is following us.”
Li Qing explained the situation to Chen Gui and the other people with weapons. Finally, he reached Li Yu’s cart. “Sister, more than ten men are following us.”
Li Yu jumped out of the car with the crossbow and machete and instructed Li Qing, “Ah Qing, take this cart with Sir. I’ll get out and wait for Uncle Chen and the others.”
At this moment, Ruyi also came. Zhou Jia looked at Li Yu and Ruyi and instructed worriedly, “You have to be careful.”
Li Yu and Ruyi nodded and waited for the team to arrive. They informed the people behind to let them leave first.
Li Yu, Ruyi, Chen Yaohui, Chen Gui, Chen Zhong, Butcher He, and a few others who had participated in the previous battle followed behind, secretly paying attention to the movements of the people following behind.
The group of men followed Li Yu and the others. After walking for about two hours, they reached a quiet forest. They took out their machetes and chased after them. They shouted at Li Yu and the others, “Leave the food and water behind and we’ll spare your lives.”
Chen Yaohui looked at them. “If you take away the water and food, we’ll still die.”
“Dead sooner or later,” one of the robbers said with a nasty grin.
Li Yu looked at them. “What if we’re unwilling?”
A hairy man opened his mouth to reveal a mouthful of yellow teeth. He looked at Li Yu and smiled wretchedly. “Little beauty, then don’t blame me for being rude. We want both women and things.”
Li Yu picked up the crossbow and aimed it at Yellow Teeth’s face. Someone shouted, “Brother, be careful.”
It was too late for Yellow Teeth to dodge. The arrow tore through the air and hit him between the eyebrows. Yellow Teeth fell to the ground and twitched before stopping.
“Kill her and avenge Big Brother.” A man waved his machete at Li Yu.
Li Yu raised her crossbow to block the robber’s machete and kicked the robber’s calf. There was a crack and the sound of bones breaking. The robber knelt on the ground. Ji Xiang came from behind and slashed the robber to death.
Chen Yaohui and Chen Gui shot two of them down with their bows. Butcher He waved his butcher knife and rushed towards the robbers. He slashed open one of the robbers’ chests and blood spurted out, spraying Butcher He’s face. Butcher He was stunned for a moment. A robber behind him raised his knife and slashed at Butcher He. Li Yu shouted, “Uncle He, be careful.”
Butcher He dodged before Yu shot an arrow at the robber. She waved the crossbow and hit the head of the robber. She then slashed at him and cut him to the ground.
“Kill! Fight it out with them.” Zhou Jia activated his sleeve arrow and shot a robber to death. He rushed towards the robber. The village chief and Liu Changmin led the other villagers and surrounded the two robbers with kitchen knives and hoes. The two robbers were killed without even having the strength to fight back.
Ruyi kicked a robber in the stomach and Ji XIang stabbed him in the chest. Chen Zhong was slashed in the arm by a robber and the knife in his hand fell to the ground. Chen Zhong closed his eyes in despair but Li Yu shot an arrow through the robber’s wrist and jumped in front of Chen Zhong to cut the robber’s throat. The chaotic battle ended with the corpses of more than a dozen robbers lying on the road.
Li Yu, Ruyi, and Butcher He collected the knives and arrows. Li Yu shouted at the villager who was vomiting by the roadside with a kitchen knife and hoe, “Everyone, let’s go quickly.”
Everyone wiped their mouths and endured the disgust as they followed Li Yu and the others towards the team in front.
Chen Yaohui looked at the nauseous villagers and grinned. “We were so busy escaping last time that we even forgot to be disgusted and afraid.”
The chief glared at him. “Like you. You’re a simpleton.”
Chen Zhong’s arm was cut open. Li Yu handed the Golden Creation Medicine to Chen Yaohui. “Uncle Yaohui, help Uncle Chen Zhong apply the medication.”
Chen Yaohui applied the medication and caught up to the women, children, and old people waiting in front. They looked at each other and smiled happily.
The group did not dare to stay until it was dark and they arrived at a village. They saw that the main road at the village entrance was blocking the wooden door and there were still people guarding it.
Everyone stayed at the village entrance for the night. Li Yu took out some wine from her space and asked Zhou Jia to wash Chen Zhong’s wound and bandage it with a cloth soaked in wine.
Chen Zhong bowed to Li Yu and thanked her. “Xiaoyu, thank you for saving my life.”
Li Yu smiled indifferently. “Uncle, we agreed to work together.”
Chen Zhong’s wife, Madam Lin, wiped her tears and bowed to Li Yu. “Xiaoyu, without you, my kids wouldn’t have a father. Let us thank you.”
Little Bean smiled at Madam Lin. “Mother, when I grow up, I want to marry Sister Xiaoyu.”
Everyone laughed when they heard that. “Kid, you’re already thinking about getting a wife before growing up.”
After resting at the village entrance for a night and walking for more than ten days, there was no longer enough water stored outside. Li Yu took advantage of the night watch to quietly pour the water in the space into a bucket. Li Yu was secretly worried that after the water in the space was used up, they would not be able to find a water source. At that time, everyone would have no water.