[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-after-the-immortals-disappeared":3,"chapter-after-the-immortals-disappeared-after-the-immortals-disappeared-chapter-89":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","After the Immortals Disappeared",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2283973,4468,"Chapter 89: The Hardships of Leaving One's Homeland","after-the-immortals-disappeared-chapter-89",89,"\u003Cp>The old man in the family was already seventy-two, a rare and advanced age on the current Panlong Wasteland. Hearing that the Baling army was approaching again, Old Man Liu was determined not to leave this time; he hugged a pillar tightly, vowing to die with the city. Liu Sanjiu and his wife tried to drag him away with all their might, but they could do nothing with him. In the end, they had to bid a tearful farewell to their father and take their children to retreat eastward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Liu Sanjiu spoke of this, his eyes were red, and it was hard to tell if his face was wet with tears or rain. He knew very well that Old Man Liu knew he could not walk fast and did not want to drag his son's family down while they tried to save their lives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such tragedies of separation were common among the current stream of refugees; if you pulled aside any household, they would be full of bitterness and misery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Liu Sanjiu's son was also tired from walking and cried out for his father to carry him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was only ten years old, and after walking for several hours in the rain on the plains, he was already exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Sanjiu was already carrying his daughter, and their small donkey was bent under the weight of their luggage; he feared the donkey would collapse if the boy climbed on too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Lingchuan could not bear to watch: \"I'll help you...\" He had intended to help carry the child, but then he had a change of heart and lifted a large bundle of luggage from the donkey's back instead, \"...carry these, you put the child on.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being too enthusiastic would make one look like a human trafficker. In such a refugee column, it was not uncommon for children to get lost or be abducted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The luggage he lifted contained only bedding and clothing; it was bulky and took up space, yet it was worthless, so Liu Sanjiu immediately cast him an even more grateful look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To encounter a good person while fleeing was truly a stroke of great fortune and a blessing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People often came rushing up from behind, passing the Liu Sanjiu family to dash forward. Fleeing from the scourge of war was actually much like avoiding a tiger; as long as you could run faster than your companions, your safety factor would increase significantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regarding this, commoners like Liu Sanjiu had no choice; their current pace was already at its limit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Small groups of scouts often came from the east, moving against the flow of the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sight of the Great Wind Army brought a glimmer of comfort to everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Sanjiu pointed at them and said to his young daughter: \"These uncles will protect us. As long as we walk toward them, we will be safe!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, a cry of alarm came from ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Lingchuan looked up and saw an old man in his sixties ahead, slumped on the ground, swaying twice before collapsing. His wife, who had been sitting on a mule, scrambled down in a hurry, and their son tried to lift his father, but the latter had already fainted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This son was in his early forties, sallow and gaunt, and he himself was walking unsteadily. He tried to carry his father on his back, but after only two steps, he fell to the ground, splashing himself with mud and water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Other refugees watched silently and then walked past them without looking back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone in this column was struggling to survive; where could they find the extra strength to perform acts of kindness? Liu Sanjiu and his wife exchanged a glance, then lowered their heads as well and walked on, leading their donkey.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, three cavalrymen approached. The leader reined in his horse and asked, \"What is going on?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Military lord, my father truly cannot walk anymore!\" the man said through tears, \"Please, have mercy, I beg you to help!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Lingchuan was startled the moment he looked up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thin brows, long eyes, and a cold face—huh, isn't this an old acquaintance?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The one who had attacked the Heishuicheng army at the Panlong desolate city, the one who had followed the Black Dragon's orders to escort them out of the desert—wasn't it this Great Wind Army commander? Only back then, he was a heroic spirit, possessing only ferocity but unable to speak, and he had never communicated with He Lingchuan at all; this time, he was a living, breathing person, and this was the first time He Lingchuan had heard him speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, He Lingchuan quickly lowered his head, as the commander's sharp gaze immediately swept over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although they had never communicated, He Lingchuan had a deep impression of this fellow's habit of stabbing people with his long spear without saying a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, the other refugees had gathered around by now, wanting to see how the Great Wind Army would resolve this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The commander withdrew his gaze and, after a moment of silence, said, \"Throw away the cargo and help your father onto the mule.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides the old woman, the mule was carrying the family's belongings. The man turned pale upon hearing this: \"Military lord, my mule has a lame leg and cannot carry two people. Could you spare a horse?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The commander said, \"Then throw away the wealth, help your father onto the mule, and you carry your mother.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old woman stepped forward, grabbed the reins, and wept loudly: \"My old man can't walk anymore, I beg you to show mercy! You aren't short of one horse, and this is a human life!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her hair was sparse and thin, matted against her face by the rain, making her look truly pitiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The commander's gaze swept over her face, then looked at the unconscious old man on the ground and the man with eyes full of pleading; his Adam's apple bobbed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone around could see that he was hesitating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man immediately knelt and kowtowed to him several times: \"I beg you to show mercy, lend us a horse!\" He pleaded repeatedly like this four or five times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The commander let out a long breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just when He Lingchuan thought he would compromise, the commander pointed to a small hill not far away: \"There is a cave on the hill where you can shelter from the rain. I can send men to help your father rest there, and we can come back to pick him up tomorrow or the day after.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man was stunned: \"My father go to the hill? That is also a dead end; what if the enemy army catches up!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old woman's crying grew louder, and he could not help but roar, \"Mother, stop crying!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You have no choice but to gamble; make your decision now!\" the commander said coldly, \"Once the enemy retreats tomorrow or the day after, I will certainly send men to patrol.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He waited on the spot for a few breaths, and seeing that the man still could not make up his mind, he shook the reins, preparing to leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait, wait!\" The man gritted his teeth, \"I've decided, just, just send my father to the hill, please help me!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The commander nodded slightly to his subordinates, who immediately helped the old man onto the front of the saddle. The woman suddenly said, \"Take me too, I'm going with my old man!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her attitude was unusually firm, and the man mumbled a few words without refuting her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the cavalrymen took the old couple and rode toward the small hill seventy paces away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The commander continued forward, lingering no longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man stood on the spot watching for a while, his face full of desolation, before leading the mule forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, of the family of three, only he remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Sanjiu's wife whispered, \"This person is truly pitiful, and that commander has a hard heart. I thought the Great Wind Army was very good to us commoners.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Sanjiu said gloomily, \"They can't be good to everyone; who here doesn't need help?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the commander helped that old couple, other commoners would surely swarm him to beg for aid:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why help them and not us? Who isn't a refugee?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mission of these soldiers was not rescue, but cover and defense; if they were dragged down here and could not go to the rear to provide support, they would instead bring trouble to their companions holding the line! The wife was displeased: \"You're still speaking up for them!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who else can we speak up for now?\" Liu Sanjiu smiled bitterly, \"At least the Great Wind Army came to provide cover, and we aren't even from Panlong City.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1464,"2026-06-20T02:23:30.219Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","4e56e4040e2a62a101d2fa8549751c68605f578cdc40b76316f58fd6015e99e8","after-the-immortals-disappeared-chapter-90","after-the-immortals-disappeared-chapter-88",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fafter-the-immortals-disappeared-cover.jpg"]