Chapter 433: Striving to Achieve the KPI (Thirteen) [Seeking Monthly Tickets]

"Fire? Fire?"

Aru was so frightened that he almost tripped and fell.

Despite his usual mischievousness and playfulness, often angering his mother and teasing his uncles and elders, in his heart, the tribe was his home, and everyone was his family. When the thought of "fire" crossed his mind, he quickened his pace.

He ran while shouting "Fire!" at the top of his lungs.

The winter days in Wuwu are dry and rainless, making it easy for water to flow.

The air in his chest thinned with the intense running and shouting, gradually becoming scorching hot, like being licked by flames. Sweat poured down his face, and his whole body felt burning hot. But he couldn't care less about his discomfort; only one thought occupied his mind: get back as quickly as possible!

But when he was less than fifty feet from the tribe, he saw blurry figures flickering in the blinding firelight. He vaguely saw a familiar figure fall down, accompanied by a short scream. Aru was terrified by this sight.

He suddenly fell forward and landed on the ground.

They used the lush wild grass to conceal their figures.

After slowly climbing to the pile of dry grass that could barely serve as cover, he was so frightened that he forgot to breathe. He cautiously peeked out and, upon seeing what was happening, his eyes quickly welled up with tears.

What did he see at this moment?

A group of strange and brutal enemies broke into the tribe and massacred everyone. They were the ones who set the fire!

Because of the distance, Aru couldn't see them clearly, but based on his familiarity with the tribal elders, he could identify them by their blurry shadows. As a column of blood spurted from their fatal wounds, splattering the tent, they screamed and fell to the ground.

Every single one...

They are all Aru's closest relatives!

Faced with the enemy's brutality, they only had time to scream before collapsing. Among them was Zayebe, a garrison soldier wearing only half a suit of armor. Zayebe was a garrison sent by the royal court to the tribe, and it was said that he was also a warrior from his own tribe.

At a young age, he was already a third-rank owl, the second-in-command of the garrison. He was knowledgeable, brave, and powerful, and returned with a full load from several hunts. The adults said that he had managed to get all four wives in his family, and that they had twelve children in five years, making him the undisputed "high-ranking family" in the tribe. Therefore, all the children in the tribe admired this Zayebo, and Aru also envied his strength.

Aru remembered that just yesterday, he went to Zayebo's house to ask for food. Zayebo and his gentle and beautiful aunt even told him with a smile that their thirteenth child was about to be born... and that Aru would name the child and teach him to ride a horse.

Unexpectedly, they were separated by death in just one day.

Yesterday's happiness and warmth were brutally shattered by the hellish carnage before his eyes! Aru covered his mouth tightly with both hands, trying hard not to cry out, and also trying to suppress his uncontrollable instinctive fear. At the same time, hatred surged wildly in his heart!

In an instant, it grew into a towering tree!

Mother...

He also has his mother...

Aru tried to wipe away his tears, wanting to find his mother, but reality was cruel. His family's tent had been reduced to flames, and if he showed his face, he would die! The heavy blow of reality brought Aru back to his reason, which had been entangled by the vines of hatred. He looked deeply at the tribe in the firelight, crawled on the ground, and used the grass for cover to slowly move in the opposite direction.

Grass blades scratched my cheeks, and insects bit my skin.

The gravel under my elbow caused a sharp, stinging pain.

But none of that can compare to the heartache he feels right now.

One day—

He would avenge the old and young of the tribe, avenge his mother, avenge Zayebo and his aunt's children... This strong belief was deeply etched into his mind.

One day—

He will—

Aru carefully climbed another ten or so feet until a pair of horse hooves blocked his way. Aru was terrified. A strong fear crept up from his tailbone to the back of his head. He was covered in cold sweat and his heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of his throat.

At that moment, a puzzled female voice came from the horse's back.

"What are you doing here, young man?" The unfamiliar language was accompanied by a gentle and clear voice, seemingly possessing the power to soothe the soul.

The fear that had gripped Aru just moments before vanished like the tide in the next instant, for the other person was young, a young woman, with a face more beautiful than any fairy under the moon. Her skin was as white and delicate as goat's milk.

Before Aru could react, the former said something in a very awkward and clumsy Shiwu language.

"So it was a fish that slipped through the net."

She was looking for those who had slipped through the net.

Aru was suddenly grabbed by people who appeared out of nowhere, his hands clasped behind his back, and he was no longer free. Out of the corner of his eye, Aru saw that his captors were dressed the same as the thugs who had slaughtered his tribe! He immediately began to struggle violently.

"Let me go, let me go!"

However, the people who were holding him were incredibly strong. No matter how much he struggled, kicking and biting, they didn't budge. They seemed to be led by the fairy under the moon, and they wouldn't do anything unless she gave the order.

"The boy from Shiwu is quite good-looking, and he speaks fluently; he doesn't seem like a stutterer..."

It meets the conditions mentioned by the teacher.

The Moon Fairy, also known as Lin Feng, held the young man's chin with her right hand, using a riding crop to clearly see his dusty face, and slowly commented. Aru was not about to be manipulated by her. He was about to spit on Lin Feng's face when she casually turned her head away, her expression indifferent. She raised her hand and drew the sword from her waist: "Those who meet the criteria, leave none alive."

She had to do it herself!

Lin Feng doesn't trust anyone else!

The guards lowered their heads and remained silent, unable to help but sigh in their hearts—alas, this world is truly a menace!

A year or two ago, Lin Xiaozhubu was so innocent and adorable. He spoke softly and treated people gently. He would blush and be shy when praised. He was also very handsome. Which comrade wouldn't like him? Admirers were as numerous as fish crossing a river! But in the last six months, he has become visibly cold. Especially after leaving Ruyao's jurisdiction, he has become even more swift in taking people's heads with a swift sword, without a single tremor in his hand.

He sighed twice about the cruelty of war, and then said no more.

The night raid lasted less than half an hour from start to finish.

When Lin Feng returned, the battle was nearing its end, and some had already begun clearing the battlefield and harvesting the right ears.

Why the right ear?

The guards at Yonggu Pass were tasked with building a mound of 30,000 human heads, which presented a significant challenge. It wasn't the sheer number that was difficult, but rather the preservation of the heads. Although it was the dead of winter, making corpses less prone to decay, even the most decomposed bodies would be in danger after two months. They couldn't very well preserve the heads by pickling them, could they?

Faced with this practical dilemma, Shen Tang touched her left ear. The scar behind her ear had long since scabbed over, leaving only a slight unevenness. She thought of something and said, "Then let's follow the rules of war and cut off my right ear. I think General Chu will understand."

It's not that I don't want to risk my life, it's just that I don't have the preservation conditions, and there are also problems with transportation.

Finally, the bodies that had been cleared out were all buried in a large pit, covered with soil, and thus given a proper burial.

A brave and skilled warrior would be extremely efficient at this job.

Shen Tang lit three incense sticks for them and poured them wine.

"If I'm going to be reincarnated in my next life, I'll make sure I'm in the right place."

Either don't reincarnate.

If you're going to be reincarnated, don't be her enemy.

Lin Feng was seen by Gu Chi when he returned.

Seeing the glaring bloodstains on her face, the latter asked with a smile, "Did you make a purchase, Lingde?"

"We caught one who slipped through the net, but I don't know if it's him or not." He wiped the sticky blood from his face with his sleeve; the blood smeared against his skin, making it appear even whiter. "Sir, could you please take a look?"

Gu Chi looked at the corpse that had been carried back, speechless.

After a quick glance, he said, "This is not it."

Lin Feng was not disappointed.

It's unlikely that someone who could trigger a warning from the teacher's scholarly code would die so easily. This slip-up is truly just a slip-up, but she's diligent and eager to learn, and she'll definitely find out how Gu Chi determined that Aru wasn't the target.

"How can it not be? Could you please enlighten me, sir?"

Gu Chi smiled and said, "That's very simple."

He picked up the corpse's already cold hand.

"The man your teacher is looking for is the son of the Queen of Shiwu, raised as the crown prince. How could he have such rough, frostbitten hands? Although Shiwu reveres martial prowess and its people are barbaric, their royal court values ​​both literature and martial arts. How could his hands have calluses from holding a pen for so long?"

You can tell it's not based on the details alone.

Lin Feng nodded thoughtfully.

Gu Chi said, "Killing the wrong person is a mistake. This boy is most likely from this tribe. If he escapes and informs other tribes, we'll be in trouble. We can't let any escaped go..."

"The teacher's teachings are correct."

Looking at Lin Feng's long, cold face, Gu Chi suddenly said in a lighthearted tone, "Your son could actually smile more..."

Lin Feng: "..."

"Learn from your teacher and don't easily reveal your emotions."

The more kind and approachable someone seems, the more deceptive they are.

Lin Feng nodded in understanding: "Mm." As he spoke, he raised his lips to reveal a clean and pure smile, the smile reaching his eyes.

Gu Chi: "..."

(σ)σ:*☆ Not bad!

I'm super tired today, but at least the NT scan results are good, and the pericholecystic fluid has disappeared.

While I was getting my baby checked, I saw her delicate big head (even though I don't know her gender, it doesn't stop me from making a wish). She's only three months old, but she already looks like a human. It's amazing.

(End of this chapter)