Chapter 363: Bound to the Child-Bearing System, Becoming a Winner in Life Chapter 364: Passersby Striving to Live (32)

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Protagonist:

Shen Yao

The tents outside had been set up, and bright bonfires were lit not far away.

The weather was still somewhat hot; a group of people wearing not-too-thin clothes sat by the fire, chatting and laughing with one another. As for the supplies placed on the fire, they were all brought from the Estate—simple, light, and filling, though not very tasty.

Shen Yao and Liu Mingjin had not yet gotten out of the carriage; mother and son sat inside the Che Xiang, while Liu Jingyan personally delivered their food.

Warm rice porridge with a few plates of refreshing small dishes, plus some newly opened pastries and beverages.

Mother and son sat upright on either side of the small table, slowly finishing everything.

"When we get out later, don't run around."

After dark, white mist would rise around them, and anyone lost in the mist could easily lose their way.

This was a phenomenon that had worsened year by year since the Strange Phenomenon Outbreak; originally it did not appear very frequently, but now it could be encountered anywhere.

Shen Yao had long experience living in white mist; as long as the bonfire's light stayed lit, the white mist that appeared at night posed little threat.

Liu Mingjin was going out for the first time, at an age where everything felt new and wondrous.

Hearing his own mother speak to instruct him, he hurriedly sat still and nodded obediently.

Shen Yao smiled, curling her lips. "Alright, rest a bit first, we'll get out later."

The Che Xiang could hold people, but there was no room to stretch, and it could easily cause physical discomfort.

When they were out traveling, unless they encountered some extremely special circumstances, they would choose to stay inside tents.

This time was no exception; the tent was set up, though it looked somewhat perfunctory, but it was enough for their family of three to stay in.

Crack—

After the dry firewood burned through, it made crackling sounds and sprayed out scattered sparks.

Shen Yao had taken Liu Mingjin into the tent to rest; outside, a few young guards were on night watch.

They were helpers brought by Liu Jingyan, not only able to fight but also fiercely loyal.

Now they split into two groups according to plan, each carrying out different missions.

"Third Brother, come back, it should be nothing," it was already late, the guards were cold and hungry, and had no interest in talking.

The man called Third Brother shook his head, standing still in place. "I'll take another look; you all go back first."

Having previously observed the surroundings, he only felt it was somewhat deep and dark; looking again now, the distant outline of the Mountain Range seemed like a moving Pangran Giant.

The place where their master rested had to be handled with utmost care; Third Brother dared not slack off and could only observe with his own eyes.

The more he observed, the more panicked he became; he didn't see any actual problem, but the violent pounding of his heart was no false alarm.

Turning around to wake the squad leader on night watch, Third Brother briefly explained what he had discovered.

As a result, Shen Yao, who had been sleeping soundly, was forced to get up in the night and travel under the moonlight above her head.

Shen Yao:...

Liu Jingyan stayed in the Che Xiang, holding his wife and child with his hands, eyes fixed on the window outside.

Not as calm and unhurried as when traveling before; now the car fleet had a hint of panic.

The dismantled tent was casually draped over the carriage; the guards around the carriage tightened their formation, the long blades originally at their waists were drawn horizontally, revealing polished bright blades.

Liu Mingjin opened his beautiful eyes, looking here and glancing there.

The atmosphere around the carriage seemed not to affect him here; Liu Mingjin was still as before, except for not speaking much.

Shen Yao lowered her head and drooped her eyes, looking at the hands held by Liu Jingyan. The lamp light inside the Che Xiang was feeble and dim; she could only make out the external outline of a person's body, not clearly see their facial expressions.

Until the carriage had traveled for about half an hour, the tense atmosphere suddenly relaxed, and the speed beneath them slowed down.

Liu Jingyan cared for Shen Yao. "Are you alright?"

Shen Yao shook her head. "Still stopping the carriage?" Or just keep traveling forward directly.

Although traveling at night was more dangerous than during the day, after just experiencing a calamity, they seemed to have nothing to fear.

"Keep going forward, enter the town as soon as possible," places with many people could not only replenish used supplies but also give them an indescribable sense of safety.

Since being woken up, Liu Jingyan had been highly focused; now that he rested, he discovered his clothes were more than half wet.

Waves of fatigue swept over his whole body, also taking away his still-decent physical strength.

Liu Jingyan looked behind, uncertain whether the things behind them had been completely shaken off.

If the other side pursued relentlessly, them stopping to rest would be waiting for the other side to catch up; the choice to escape just now would have no meaning at all.

To be safe, keeping their heads down and traveling was the most cost-effective choice.

Shen Yao agreed with this on her face, called Liu Mingjin to hold the person in her arms and patted him, then suggested Liu Jingyan properly explain things to the guards.

It was not that they, as masters, did not feel heartache; it was truly that the crisis had not yet been completely lifted, and they had to keep traveling forward to be safe.

Liu Jingyan pursed his lips and nodded, lifting the door curtain to say a few words to the guards outside.

Actually, without Liu Jingyan saying much, the guards all knew that staying now was not a wise choice.

Behind them followed a Pangran Giant; if they stayed, were they tired of living? They had to hurry and escape into the town.

The carriage's speed increased once again, causing the things placed inside the carriage to fall this way and that.

Shen Yao protected Liu Mingjin, Liu Jingyan protected Shen Yao; the family of three stayed in the Che Xiang hugging each other tightly, and no one continued speaking.

When the light outside sliced through the night, brilliant golden rays fell upon the earth; the carriage that had traveled all night could finally stop for a short time.

Right beside them was a clear stream where the bottom could be seen; Liu Jingyan used the stream water to clean himself.

Shen Yao and Liu Mingjin did not get out of the carriage, but waited for the water to be brought over, then after cleaning themselves they came out and walked around, moving their bodies.

Without staying too long, even breakfast was dry cakes and pastries.

The group hurried toward the town ahead, seizing every second.

After a whole morning, an unfamiliar small city appeared before them.

The signboard hanging at the city gate had faded, even covered in cracks.

Yang City

In her memory, Shen Yao had some impression of it, but Yang City was truly small; once inside there was only one cross-shaped street, with no more than two or three inns.

Choosing the largest place to stay, Shen Yao could finally lie down and rest.

Liu Jingyan still had matters to handle, merely instructing the inn's Little Two to bring warm water and meals, while he himself slipped into the neighboring study to busy himself.

The room door was knocked on from outside; it was the inn's Little Two, bringing a drum of warm water.

The food was still being cooked, but in a small city's small shop, there was no need to ask for delicacies—only quantity and fullness.

Liu Mingjin had already fallen asleep, snoring softly; Shen Yao glanced at him during a spare moment, made sure nothing was wrong, then used the warm water to tidy herself up.

She wasn't picky about food; as long as the taste wasn't too strange, she ate it all into her belly.

"We'll stay in Yang City two more days. Rest assured, word has already been sent back."

Liu Jingyan came out from next door, refreshed, and sat before Shen Yao.

He still carried the ink fragrance that hadn't dissipated in time, faint and light, as if it were him.

"I remember Yang City once suffered an extinction disaster. Want to meet Yang City's City Lord?"

Yang City's current City Lord turned the tide at the critical moment of Yang City's disaster, thus saving its people.

It was precisely because of this that he could take the position of Yang City's City Lord.

After all, this City Lord came from an ordinary background, had no cultivation opportunity since childhood, merely lucked into joining an escort agency, entered the ranks through its martial arts, and then charged forward as if he'd activated a cheat.

Because Yang City's location was remote and there were no mines worth fighting over nearby, whether this new City Lord rose to power or not mattered little to the Liu Family.

But now, that colossal beast that chased them all night last night—upon careful thought, must be inseparable from Yang City.

Since they had seen these things, Liu Jingyan bluntly brought the matter out into the open, waiting for Liu Xiuwen to personally come resolve it.

"Of course we must meet him," not only meet him, but also probe this City Lord's foundations.

Liu Jingyan rubbed his nose, carefully filtering through Yang City's City Lord's rise-to-power history once.

In short, it was a pattern: thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—first rely on a woman, then rely on a father-in-law, finally rely on oneself.

He certainly had his own abilities, but men also had plenty of inherent flaws.

These years of internal unrest among the Human Race, there were many who suddenly rose like Yang City's City Lord.

In the Yingchuan region there were just a few such people, without exception all recruited by the Liu Family, both sides cooperating to achieve mutual benefit.

"Be careful; we're now on his home turf," if they wanted to make a move, they couldn't escape.

Of course, since last night they traveled under cover of darkness, they couldn't avoid contact with Yang City.

"You and Jin'er wait for me at the inn," Liu Jingyan knew his limits; before Liu Xiuwen arrived, he wouldn't do anything unwise.

"Yang City's City Lord chose to stay in Yang City, turtling up in a corner—clearly he's not someone who likes to take action."

Otherwise last night they would have been attacked from front and back, instead of smoothly entering Yang City and having enough time to contact the Liu Family.

Shen Yao thought it was also possible Yang City's City Lord couldn't afford to offend the Liu Family.

Just like when they faced the colossal beast's pursuit, they could only flee, rather than think about how to counterattack.

"We've never been to Yang City; this time we have a chance, we can stroll around."

Although Yang City looked like there was nothing to stroll through, the street was just one crossroad, no more than a hundred meters long.

…………

"Mother, aren't we going back?"

Liu Mingjin had slept enough and was directly grabbed by his birth mother to accompany her shopping.

Both their breakfasts were eaten outside, buying not exquisite delicious meals, but simple snacks from street stalls.

Liu Mingjin had never eaten such things; now upon tasting them he felt surprised.

Perhaps children all have the courage of a newborn calf unafraid of tigers; Shen Yao and he went out, with no guards around them, only themselves.

Although Yang City was a small city, there were not few commoners entering the city during the day; mother and son entered the crowd, and after a while could no longer see each other's figures.

Fortunately, daytime Yang City was very safe, without much danger.

They strolled from beginning to end, visiting every enterable shop on both sides of the street; when they came out later, what replaced their originally empty hands was directly carrying many things.

Liu Mingjin puffed up his steamed-bun face; mainly his own mother was too wild, and though the child had abundant energy, he couldn't walk anymore.

After Shen Yao verbally comforted him, Liu Mingjin reluctantly carried the things back to the inn.

At this time Liu Jingyan was not here; he sat in the City Lord's Mansion talking with Yang City's City Lord, perhaps their auras didn't match, and in the end both parties parted unhappily.

Yang City's City Lord was a very young man, handsome in appearance with outstanding features, and around him followed no few beauties as companions.

Such behavior was not suitable for the current situation, but the man had a completely normal face, as if attracting so many women was a very normal thing.

"City Lord, the Liu Family people are staying at the Eastern City Inn; should this subordinate drive them away for you?"

A lackey came up to flatter the City Lord, his words implicitly blaming Liu Jingyan and the others.

However much the lackey blamed them, he dared not say anything too excessive.

After all, the Liu Family's power was quite outstanding in Yingchuan; they, Yang City's small gate small household, couldn't twist their arms against big thighs.

"No need; keep them for now, wait for me to arrange," the man held his teacup with a fearless face, not putting Liu Jingyan, who was of the same cultivation realm as himself, in his eyes at all.

So many years of a life of luxury and ease had made the man lose the sensitivity he should have.

Whether you called him arrogant or overconfident, Liu Jingyan coming today just proved the other side feared him.

If not for worrying that hitting the small would bring the old, the man wouldn't be so agreeable.

"Just this, agreeable?" Was it a mistaken understanding of himself.

Shen Yao propped her chin and watched the spectacle with the system, mainly because the system had sensed the relationship between the colossal beast chasing them outside the city and the City Lord, so Shen Yao reluctantly spent energy, using the projection function to view the City Lord's Mansion.

As a result, hearing such boastful words, Shen Yao exhaled, smiling as she determined this person would not live long.

"He isn't a great Fortune bearer?" One must know that in the novel, this kind of grassroots harem genre was the trend for a period of time.

"No matter how great the Fortune, it cannot compare to the four children the Host gave birth to," the System said with a straight face, then began congratulating the Host on their Mission completion status.

Truly cost-effective.

A curved Way doesn't matter; as long as the result is good, it's achieved.

The System didn't care what happened at the City Lord's Mansion, but pulled Shen Yao to study the next world.

Shen Yao with a seem-smile-non-smile, "No rush, better resolve the matter at hand first."

The matter at hand?

The System jammed, quietly withdrew and stopped speaking.

Another day passed; Shen Yao as usual brought Liu Mingjin out to stroll the streets, while Liu Jingyan remained at the Inn resting.

However, this time going out, Shen Yao discovered a very interesting matter: she was being followed.

The perpetrator thought their methods remarkable, but their actions were too rough; almost the instant they locked on, they were easily detected by Shen Yao.

Even Liu Mingjin had some sense, constantly glancing backward.

"Be good, look forward; buy whatever you like; tomorrow morning we'll leave Yang City," at that time there won't be any place to supplement Supplies.

Shen Yao stretched out her hand to hold the back of Liu Mingjin's head; her words gentle but methods forceful, easily controlling this child's movement of wanting to turn back.

Liu Mingjin:...

Liu Mingjin scratched his head, raised his eyes to look at the items on the tray, and pointed rather casually.

Shen Yao laughed lightly, had the shopkeeper help pack them, and sent them together with her other purchases to the Eastern City Inn.