Chapter 6: line with translation of chapter title

You have gained Hu Sandao's trust, you and Jiang Lüzhu are temporarily safe.

You have once again rewritten your and your sister Jiang Lüzhu's fate; the system will grant you one Heaven's Mandate Point, the amount of points can be exchanged for corresponding items.

Ding…

Jiang Xiaomu only felt a red light flash in his mind, and immediately entered a spacious area; the surroundings were filled with densely packed cabinets, and on the cabinets were myriad items emitting various colors of light.

His heart pounded; if he could obtain some martial arts manuals, military strategy weapons, among this group of cannibalistic refugees who don't spit out bones, it would also count as capital for survival.

Jiang Xiaomu quickly walked to the nearest cabinet and saw a golden eyeball placed on top; the eyeball glanced at him, slightly turning twice, then closed its eye, seeming somewhat disdainful.

"Clairvoyance?"

Jiang Xiaomu murmured the three characters above, astonished beyond words; as expected of the system, it has everything.

However, the Heaven's Mandate Points value listed below also left him speechless—it actually required 999 Heaven's Mandate Points.

Thinking that he had changed his fate once and only earned one Heaven's Mandate Point…

Jiang Xiaomu turned his head and saw other cabinets; indeed they were filled with various weapons, looking incredibly powerful, but the Heaven's Mandate Points required below were also figures far beyond his reach.

"What can I exchange this one Heaven's Mandate Point for?"

Jiang Xiaomu scanned the whole space and finally discovered that the brighter the light under a cabinet, the more Heaven's Mandate Points required; conversely, the dimmer the cabinet, the fewer points needed.

Soon he spotted the darkest cabinet in the southwest corner, emitting only a faint glimmer; among the surrounding colorful cabinets, it seemed almost nonexistent?

Jiang Xiaomu hurried over, a smile appearing on his face; this was exactly what he needed most right now.

On the cabinet lay a piece of white square jade, looking plain and unadorned; beneath it was written: using it can temporarily increase martial strength, requiring only one Heaven's Mandate Point.

Although he had attached himself to Hu Sandao as a backer, Jiang Xiaomu clearly knew in his heart that the military protectors, who delight in bloodshed and slaughter, were not people one could work with; he was now dealing with a tiger for its skin, the risk of death extremely high.

He absolutely cannot die, otherwise his sister Jiang Xiaoyu…

Just thinking of his sister being sold into that deep brothel, to serve men with her beauty, ultimately meeting a fragrant demise and jade shattered, Jiang Xiaomu's chest felt as if scorched, painfully intense.

Jiang Xiaomu exchanged for the white square jade, then opened his eyes—it was already broad daylight.

A furious roar came from his ears, followed immediately by shouting and scolding.

"I told you to guard my horses well; how come in just a few days they're foaming at the mouth, refusing to eat or drink!"

"If my horse dies, you won't live well either!"

Hu Sandao glared menacingly at his two subordinates, the whip in his hand cracking "pa-pa".

The entire outside of the city is filled with refugees, and even inside the city famine rages; everyone lives without enough to eat, this horse is worth more than a person.

Moreover, this was his former warhorse, having accompanied him through life and death; now it is on its last breath.

"I… I don't know either; I've been feeding him the same fodder as before, but he just won't eat."

Ge Heizi was about to cry; he didn't want to take the blame—previously the military protectors' horses were raised by Xiong Haizi, but a few days ago Xiong Haizi and Shapozi's subordinates fought over territory and he was killed, so now it fell to him to feed the horses.

He originally thought it was an easy job, never expecting trouble after just three days of feeding.

"You're still making excuses—did you feed him some poison, intending to kill my horse on purpose?"

Hu Sandao suddenly narrowed his eyes, gloomily staring at Ge Heizi; naturally, one who reaches the position of leader is not a reckless bravo.

Furthermore, he was inherently suspicious; now looking at Ge Heizi's gaze, it was as if he were looking at a traitor.

The status of horses among the military protectors is obvious, while Shapozi's side, even wanting to obtain a few horses, has failed; it's not impossible they'd bribe his subordinates to kill his horse.

"Lao Da, I'm wronged—I swear I truly didn't poison the horse; I am loyal to you, Lao Da, heaven and earth can attest."

Ge Heizi plopped down on his knees; a big, burly man actually burst into tears, the sight somewhat comical.

Jiang Xiaomu stood at a distance observing Hu Sandao's horse, noticing the horse's eyes were exceptionally clear—this didn't look like poisoning, and the horse's mouth remained open, as if it couldn't close.

"Why won't the horse's mouth close?"

Jiang Xiaomu muttered to himself; suddenly a fragment from when he previously watched videos popped into his mind—could it be that something is stuck in the horse's mouth, causing it to be unable to eat?

And could the foaming at the mouth be due to starvation?

"I have a way to cure the warhorse."

Jiang Xiaomu strode forward, though in fact he wasn't fully confident.

If it wasn't the cause he guessed, he might be chopped down by Hu Sandao; but if he resolves this crisis, he will surely gain Hu Sandao's greater approval.

He and Jiang Lüzhu would then be safer as well.

Everyone here eyes Jiang Xiaoyu like a tiger eyeing prey; he must make another effort.

"You?"

Hu Sandao sized up Jiang Xiaomu; he had almost forgotten this kid.

However, this kid actually knows how to make salt—indeed somewhat useful; he's a smart person, perhaps he really can cure his horse.

"Then you'd better treat it well; otherwise your life might not be saved."

Hu Sandao threw down harsh words, then gave a gloomy glance at Ge Heizi kneeling to the side.

Jiang Xiaomu took a deep breath, walked up to the horse, and carefully examined its mouth, which was filled with a mass of foam, making it impossible to see inside.

"Give me a bottle of vinegar."

Hu Sandao didn't refuse; a glance sent his subordinate to fetch the vinegar, he wanted to see what this kid could do.

Jiang Xiaomu directly poured the vinegar into the horse's mouth, and immediately saw within the horse's tongue a segment of iron wire emitting silver light, firmly embedded in the tongue.

It must have been inadvertently punctured while the horse was eating grass.

Precisely because of this iron wire, the horse cannot chew food, hence three days without eating or drinking, even starving to the point of foaming at the mouth.

Jiang Xiaomu reached his hand into the horse's mouth and carefully extracted the iron wire; instantly a spurt of blood gushed from the horse's mouth.

Hu Sandao's face turned black; he forcibly restrained the long whip in his hand from striking Jiang Xiaomu.

The next second, the horse actually stood up, walked to the fodder, and began eating.

Ge Heizi stared, mouth agape—was it just cured like that?

Hu Sandao instantly rejoiced, running to the horse's side to stroke its back; in this war-torn era, a warhorse is worth more than anything.

"You did very well; follow me from now on, and I guarantee you'll have meat to eat every day."

Hu San Dao's eyes lit up whenever he looked at Jiang Xiaomu; this kid knows quite a lot, he's good material to mold.

"Bang." He kicked Ge Heizi to the ground with another foot.

"Good-for-nothing, can't even feed a horse properly!"