Chapter 57: Sudden Change

Jiang Xiaomu sat cross-legged in the tent, holding the advanced military manual awarded by the system, his brows furrowed tightly.

"Big brother!"

The clear voice broke the tent's tranquility; Jiang Xiaoyu lifted the curtain and ran inside.

After not seeing each other for days, she seemed to have grown a bit taller.

"Xiao Yu!" Jiang Xiaomu lowered the military book, a gentle smile appearing on his face.

Jiang Xiaoyu affectionately pulled his hand and coquettishly said:

"Big brother, you haven't kept me company for ages!"

Jiang Xiaomu indulgingly rubbed her head and said:

"Lately there's been a lot going on; I've been busy and neglected you."

"Now it's the time of the spring equinox, and the peach blossoms are all in bloom."

"Big brother, will you take me out to play?"

Jiang Xiaoyu lifted her little face, eyes full of anticipation.

Looking at his sister's expectant gaze, since transmigrating into this chaotic world, he had almost spent all his time consolidating his forces and increasing his strength, indeed neglecting his sister.

"Okay." Jiang Xiaomu agreed.

"Let's go outside the city for an outing."

To avoid spoiling the atmosphere of being alone with his sister, Jiang Xiaomu brought no troops, only tucking a short dagger at his waist for self-defense.

Leaving Wangjiang Cheng, the spring sunlight bathed the earth; wildflowers by the roadside vied to bloom, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of soil and grass.

Jiang Xiaomu watched his sister's happy smile, feeling a long-lost peace in his heart.

Perhaps, occasionally enjoying this rare tranquility is also nice.

"Big brother, look, what is that?"

Jiang Xiaoyu pointed at a distant expanse of blooming peach forest and shouted excitedly.

"Those are peach blossoms." Jiang Xiaomu said.

"How beautiful!" Jiang Xiaoyu grabbed Jiang Xiaomu's hand and eagerly ran toward the peach blossom grove.

"Big brother, let's compete to see who can pick more peach blossoms!"

Jiang Xiaoyu playfully blinked her eyes and launched a challenge at Jiang Xiaomu.

"Okay." Jiang Xiaomu smiled and agreed.

Before they knew it, the sun was already slanting westward.

"Big brother, I'm tired." Jiang Xiaoyu leaned against Jiang Xiaomu's side and said in a coquettish voice.

Jiang Xiaomu found a clean patch of grass and let Jiang Xiaoyu sit down to rest.

"Big brother, do you think we can continue living like this, carefree, in the future?"

Jiang Xiaoyu gazed into the distance, her eyes filled with worry.

Although the sister is young, she also understands that their environment is not safe.

"It will be." Jiang Xiaomu said.

"Big brother will protect you, letting you stay forever happy and carefree."

"If only this world had no war and hatred..."

Jiang Xiaoyu's voice lowered.

"Then we could be together with our parents forever..."

Jiang Xiaomu fell silent.

What the sister longs for is not wealth and glory, but merely a complete home and a stable life.

Jiang Xiaomu gently embraced his sister, feeling her frail body, and a sour feeling welled up in his heart.

"Xiao Yu, brother promises you, I will surely give you a stable home."

"Really?"

Jiang Xiaoyu lifted her head.

Jiang Xiaomu smiled warmly and flicked her nose.

"Of course it's true; when has brother ever lied to you?"

But this path is destined to be strewn with thorns.

His enemies are growing more numerous, Cao Meng being just one of them.

Having killed his brother Cao Man, Cao Meng will certainly not let it rest.

The sister's kindness and innocence are especially precious in this chaotic world, yet also especially dangerous.

Jiang Xiaomu must quickly enhance his strength in order to shelter his sister under a sky of peace.

"Big brother, let's head back."

Jiang Xiaoyu's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Okay."

Jiang Xiaomu took his sister's hand and walked toward the city.

As they walked, Jiang Xiaoyu's gaze was caught by a roadside stall emitting steam.

A rich, sweet osmanthus fragrance wafted over, making her unable to resist taking a deep breath.

"How fragrant!"

Jiang Xiaoyu stopped in her tracks, her eyes fixed on the neatly arranged golden osmanthus cakes on the stall.

Almost simultaneously, a "gurgling" sound came from Jiang Xiaoyu's stomach.

Her little face instantly turned red, and she softly said to Jiang Xiaomu:

"Brother, I'm hungry...."

Jiang Xiaomu looked at his sister's embarrassed look, and said to the old man with a weathered face:

"Boss, give me a few pieces of osmanthus cake."

The old man lifted his head, a fleeting oddity glimmered in his cloudy eyes, and he said in a hoarse voice:

"Sir, this osmanthus cake of mine is made from the finest osmanthus and glutinous rice flour."

"Fragrant and sweet, would you like to try a piece?"

Jiang Xiaomu walked up to the stall, about to speak, but noticed a group of ragged refugees gathered nearby, heads drooping as they sat to one side.

He was about to pull out a few copper coins when a piercing alarm suddenly rang in his mind.

【Warning! Lethal threat detected!】

【The host took Jiang Xiaoyu out of the city to play, the siblings chatted about life, and on the way back Jiang Xiaoyu got hungry and wanted to eat something.】

【Passing by the pastry shop, unexpectedly it was the enemy Cao Meng posing as the boss.】

【The host and Jiang Xiaoyu were pursued and killed by Cao Meng; the host fought desperately but eventually died from exhaustion, and Jiang Xiaoyu was beheaded.】

The cold mechanical sound thundered like a clap of thunder in Jiang Xiaomu's ears, making his scalp go numb.

Cao Meng? How could he find this place so quickly? And death?

Jiang Xiaomu cursed in his heart:

This damned system, never farting early or late, but choosing this moment....

He jerked his head up, looked around, and saw the old man selling osmanthus cake, who had been hunched, suddenly straighten, overturn his stall, and reveal the broadsword hidden underneath!

At the same time, the surrounding refugees tore off their disguises, drew gleaming longswords, and surrounded him and Jiang Xiaoyu!

"Xiao Yu! Run!"

Jiang Xiaomu pushed Jiang Xiaoyu aside, then himself went forward to meet the old man's broadsword.

"Clang!"

With a crisp sound, the broadsword fiercely chopped Jiang Xiaomu's arm, the intense pain making him suck in a breath of cold air.

Gritting his teeth, he drew the dagger at his waist and thrust it backward into the old man's chest.

The old man hadn't expected Jiang Xiaomu to react so quickly; in his haste he could only sidestep, the dagger slicing his clothes and leaving a shallow bloodstain on his chest.

"Jiang Xiaomu, you've got some skill!"

"Today I'll use your head to pay respects to my dead brother!"

The old man gave a vicious laugh, tore off the human-skin mask on his face, and swung his blade again.

Jiang Xiaomu exclaimed in shock: Sure enough, it's that bastard Cao Meng!

He dared not meet it head-on, could only keep dodging while looking for a chance to break through.

However, the refugees around grew more numerous, their attacks more fierce, and Jiang Xiaomu gradually felt overwhelmed,

The knife wounds kept increasing.

"Brother!"

Jiang Xiaoyu cried out in terror, wanting to rush over to help, but was stopped by several refugees.

"Xiao Yu, don't come over!" Jiang Xiaomu shouted anxiously.

"Run! Go find……"

Before he could finish his words, a longsword slashed his chest, blood instantly staining his clothes red.

"Brother!" Jiang Xiaoyu wailed, struggling desperately, trying to break through the refugees' encirclement.

"You little wretch, behave yourself!"