Chapter 57: Let Him Run Thirty-Nine Zhang First

Under the cover of night, some were planning important matters, while others were out all night as Corpse Drivers.

The few Corpse Drivers who had left the courtyard were also feeling quite sullen.

They had originally thought this would be a very ordinary corpse-driving job, but who would have guessed they would run into this group in the middle of the night, and that there was even a stinking Daoist Priest among them who looked like a potential competitor!

Fortunately, everyone had an unspoken understanding not to smash each other's rice bowls.

Forget it, forget it; survival is the priority now. Running into something annoying is just bad luck for today; once it's over, it's over, and they won't meet again in the future.

The next day, at the courtyard on the earthen slope, the group began preparing to set off early in the morning.

With the information the Daoist Priest had inquired about, the route of Wen Gu's team shifted just a little bit.

After walking for half a day, the surroundings remained desolate.

Wen Gu looked toward a certain direction.

That side looked like a stretch of earthen slopes and hills, nothing special. Only by looking from a higher vantage point could one discover the many signs of life hidden behind that stretch of stone and earth.

Several villagers from Shiqiao Village were squatting behind a giant rock.

The mountain land here was barren, with no large trees.

Their village was built against the mountain, and the buildings were almost entirely enclosed with stone and earth, forming a single color with the surroundings.

The climate in Beidi was dry, with not much rain, so the impact of the Evil Plague was relatively smaller.

Seeing Wen Gu and his group approaching, the first thing they saw was the number of people, and they immediately felt timid. But then, seeing those carts, the villagers swallowed their saliva and plucked up the courage to go and block the road.

The way they rushed over almost led them to be mistaken for bandits and shot dead.

Fortunately, Wen Gu had given instructions beforehand.

A few villagers stammered out their intentions; they wanted to trade water with Wen Gu and his group for dry rations.

"There are no other water sources nearby, you can only trade with us!"

Wen Gu looked at the surrounding terrain and had the County Lieutenant and the others choose a place that was not easy to ambush to rest for a while.

Exchanging supplies was, of course, feasible.

However—

"Whether the water you provide is usable, we need to test it before we can be sure," Wen Gu said.

"Ho... how do we test it?"

Half an hour later.

The firewood gathered along the way was lit, an iron pot was set up to boil water and cook porridge, and the fragrance of food wafted out.

The porridge cooking in the large iron pot was still somewhat thick, at least much thicker than the rice soup of Shiqiao Village!

The few villagers squatting to the side kept swallowing their saliva, frequently turning their heads to look toward the hills, as if asking the people there: What now? What do we do next? Can we really not rob them?

At this time, Xiao Liu, He Da, and Yu Er came over carrying a few bowls of porridge.

There wasn't much in the bowls; it was impossible to be full, but it could alleviate hunger.

"Here, just out of the pot. We'll trade these for your water, is that alright?"

The few villagers who had been watching eagerly for a long time took them and immediately took a mouthful. Scalded by the porridge, they hissed, blew on it a few times, and then gulped down another big mouthful.

Seeing them drink it, the people in the team also felt relieved and began to eat one after another.

The water was fine.

Xiao Liu, He Da, and Yu Er held their own bowls, eating while chatting with those few villagers.

Enjoying the goodness of the food, their moods improved as well; the atmosphere became relaxed, and the conversation naturally opened up.

According to the Shiqiao Village villagers, there used to be a small river here a long time ago, and a stone bridge was built over the river, which is how it got its name.

Later, the small river dried up, but the stone bridge remained, having existed for hundreds of years. Their ancestors had lived here for generations, and most of the people in the village were surnamed Shi, living together as a clan.

Xiao Liu also started talking about his own village.

"I also came from a village. Our village even built a Wubao; do you know what a Wubao is..."

He spoke of the dangers along the way and mentioned the grand scene he saw in Jinwu City.

"Even if our village built a Wubao, under that kind of mass attack, it wouldn't be able to hold up at all; it could be razed in a single encounter!"

"Don't believe me? You can ask anyone, just pick anyone in this team to ask, and see if it's as I said!"

"Could this be faked? Haven't you asked other people who came from the south?"

Xiao Liu, He Da, and Yu Er followed each other's words, describing the danger at that time from various angles.

The suspicion in the villagers' hearts lessened; they licked their bowls clean and felt even hungrier.

One person said: "We weren't forced to this point before, we always stayed huddled in the village. Whenever we encountered them, we hid far away. Who knew there were so many Ghosts outside!"

When the three of them were talking, although there was some exaggeration, most of it was the truth, a genuine outpouring of emotion, with fear in their eyes.

Xiao Liu: "I just thought that once I get to the Zhao Clan and make a name for myself, I'll bring the people from my village over. It's too dangerous outside!"

As he spoke, he looked at the few villagers with a puzzled expression: "We were far away, so I came to scout the path first. You are so close to the Zhao Clan, why didn't you think of going to the Zhao Clan to take refuge?"

The villagers opened their mouths, not knowing how to say it. Their ancestors had lived here for generations; how could they have the courage to leave? It had been quite good before; it was just that they were running out of food, and the firewood nearby was almost all chopped up.

Xiao Liu continued to provoke them: "You can only have food to eat if you go over first. When more and more people come from the south later, and the refugees from the north all gather at the Six Great Clans, the food will be gone. What will the people who come later eat, dirt?"

"I don't even know how many people are still farming now, and how much grain is left in the Granary."

The few villagers from Shiqiao Village nodded.

Isn't that the truth!

Now is the time to fight for food!

Building merit and establishing a career are all empty talk; having food to eat is the only thing that is real!

They also learned that the scholar surnamed Wen in the team had relatives in the Zhao Clan, and they would be settled once they went there.

They huddled together, whispering that they wanted to go back to get water and trade for more food, and then settle the total amount when they returned.

Leaving two people to guard the spot, the others hugged their water jars and ran back.

Clan Leader! Big news!

They have been hiding in the village the whole time, not daring to farm, not daring to hunt, and even the firewood nearby has been completely cut down. A few days ago, someone went a bit further to cut wood and met with disaster, so they are even more terrified. Can one still stay in this place?

With so many mouths in the village, continuing like this is just waiting for death; either that, or go out and rob.

But they have seen the fierce formations of those teams in the south cutting down monsters.

They are cowards; they cannot compete.

Meanwhile, the two villagers who remained in place continued to be engaged in conversation by Xiao Liu and the others.

Wen Gu watched from the side.

The people of Shiqiao Village may be a bit cowardly, but in such times, they are still considered kind-hearted.

Locals understand locals, so they must know where there are still "fish that slipped through the net," and whether there are any other survivors nearby. They could also conveniently harvest a bit more along the way.

Shiqiao Village used the excuse that drawing water from the well takes time to stall the team and keep them from leaving.

On the other side, those who had returned after finishing their Corpse Driving also discovered this team.

Why is it you again?

Bad luck!

Just as they were about to avoid them, they were called over by Wen Gu under a pretext.

Such and such, this and that, persuading them: "You few possess unique skills, you should go to the Zhao Clan to display your talents," blah blah blah.

What Wen Gu values is not the "Corpse Driving" technique, but their super-strong epidemic prevention awareness!

Perhaps they even have some medicine to avoid the plague.

It is not easy to inquire about these things now; better to bring the people over first and talk later.

The few Corpse Drivers just do not understand the situation in Beidi and are still in a wait-and-see state. Many people in the north do not understand their trade and have taboos against it.

If they choose a place unfavorable for their business, they will starve to death.

According to their plan, they would wait out the winter, collect more information from all sides, and then choose where to go.

Now, with Wen Gu's invitation, they are indeed tempted.

Previously, they only developed within a small range in the south. Now, far from familiar places and without anyone to protect them, they lack confidence when facing those major powers. Plus, there are Daoist Priests, and the competition is fierce.

This scholar surnamed Wen invited them with sincerity and promised to introduce business to them when the time comes; this is indeed tempting.

What are they afraid of? What they fear is that this set of skills cannot be exchanged for the supplies needed for survival!

Qingyi Daozhang on the side: "..."

Gou Shusheng!

As expected, he cannot be relied upon!

And talking about building a Danguan when they reach the Zhao Clan, and collecting Alchemy tools... it's all just empty promises!

No, I must make this Gou Shusheng sign a written agreement!

And also...

Qingyi Daozhang looked at those few Corpse Drivers wearing Bamboo Hats and let out a cold snort.

Nothing but petty tricks!

So what if they join? There is still only one "Immortal Master" in this team!

Do you few pieces of trash think you can step on my head?

Thinking of the awe in the eyes of those Shiqiao Village villagers when they looked at him just now.

These villagers must have seen his performance last night, right?

This Beidi also reveres ghosts and gods!

Do you really think I only have this much ability?

I was low-key before because I didn't want to be a knife in the hands of Gou Shusheng; I did as little as possible.

If I stay low-key now, I would be doing a disservice to this Daoist Robe I'm wearing!

Who knows, maybe even Gou Shusheng's relatives will have to rely on my Daoist Technique to get promoted!

The uncle surnamed Zhao?

Perhaps he is just a side branch of the Zhao Family; if he were truly someone with great power, Gou Shusheng would have already been acting arrogant and throwing his weight around.

Plotting his own grand plan for fame, Qingyi Daozhang abandoned his usual low-key demeanor, swearing to seize the primary voice of the team!

County Lieutenant Zhou sensed the change in Qingyi Daozhang and was very worried, reminding Wen Gu in private.

To this, Wen Gu reassured him: "The Daoist Priest has always been a very pure person; it was only a matter of time. It's fine, let him run for thirty-nine zhang first."

County Lieutenant Zhou did not understand: "And then?"

Wen Gu said jokingly: "Then I'll take out my forty-zhang blade."

County Lieutenant Zhou twitched the corner of his mouth.

Wen Gu was clearly telling a joke.

How could there be such a long blade...

Wait!

A scholar's blade cannot be viewed with common logic!

——

Twilight clouds shrouded the sky, and the wilderness was silent.

In Shuo City, at the southernmost tip of the Zhao Clan, the City Defender received a message via flying servant.

"The Young Master's cousin?"

Surnamed Wen, a scholar, rather weak, leading a team of about a hundred people?

If they can reach here alive, looking at it optimistically, there should only be a few dozen left, right?

He gave orders for people to keep an eye on the groups coming from the south, especially those small groups of a few dozen people, to see if there was a scholar surnamed Wen among them.

(End of chapter)