Before Tang Chen could finish, Jiang Wangjiu responded, "Don't worry, it's not a big deal. Giving it to us won't cause any loss to Qingliang Valley."
"...In that case, thank you Brother Jiang and Madam Jiang for your help."
Jiang Wangjiu narrowed his eyes as he looked at the faintly visible boundary marker in the distance and said, "Don't rush to thank me yet. The road back to Qingliang Valley after leaving Bugui Peak will not be peaceful. You should focus on yourself."
"I will. Goodbye."
According to their plan, after leaving the Peak of No Return, their first stop was to find a nearby town to get around. The journey back to Qingliang Valley wouldn't take a day or two, and Tang Chen's feet were swollen like two large carrots. A short walk for exercise was fine, but a long journey was out of the question.
Even before entering the town, Tang Chen was stunned by the scene before him. In just a month on the Bugui Peak, the town, once peaceful and prosperous, had suddenly become a gathering place for refugees. Beggars, ragged and with dull eyes, could be seen everywhere, lurking in corners and under trees. The town, once open at night, seemed to have taken on a sinister air due to the arrival of these people.
"Oh my God, it's only been a month or two, how could this happen..."
Mo Yu was unmoved by the scene before him, merely peering around curiously. Li Xinzhai, observing this, remarked, "While the warriors of Qingliang Valley were engaged in bloody battles, the people outside were living peacefully and happily. Right now, I don't see anything wrong with that."
Tang Chen quickly signaled him to shut up, then lectured him, "Brother, after all, it's the common people who suffer in war, so you'd better be quiet about it. If someone with ulterior motives hears it, you'll be flattered and punished."
Li Xinzhai said nonchalantly, "I am barefoot and not afraid of people wearing shoes."
While it was still early, they wanted to find an inn to stay overnight. Before they could find the inn, Tang Chen seemed to have discovered something and stood still. After a moment, he grabbed Li Xinzhai and pointed to the alley not far away, saying, "Quick, go help!"
Li Xinzhai signaled Mo Yu to come over and hold Tang Chen, ensuring her safety and preventing her from running around, and then quickly walked into the alley.
Not far from the alley entrance, a group of thugs surrounded a ragged woman. Looking at the disgusting looks on their faces, you could tell that these people had no good intentions.
These thugs saw someone running over alone without even a weapon to protect himself, eager to save the beautiful girl, and their faces immediately turned fierce. Before they could teach Li Xinzhai a lesson, they first demonstrated what it meant to be in a state of panic.
"roll."
The thugs stared at Li Xinzhai with wide eyes, a mixture of fear and reluctance: "Boy, just wait for me, let's go!"
After the hooligans left, the three people waiting at the alley also walked over. Tang Chen saw that the person being bullied was actually a weak woman. Thinking that since they were all girls, it would be easier to talk and do things, he squatted down and asked with concern: "Girl, are you okay? Don't be afraid, they've all left."
Mo Yu glanced at Li Xinzhai holding the woman's hand, cleared his throat, and said righteously: "Ahem, men and women should not touch each other."
Li Xinzhai ignored him. Seeing that the woman seemed to be in shock and hadn't heard Tang Chen's words, he repeated, "Miss, are you okay?"
After seeing the faces of the men around her, the woman gradually calmed down. However, when she saw Tang Chen's face, her blood rushed to her head and she fainted. Li Xinzhai saw this and suddenly let go of his hand. If Shen Xin hadn't been quick to catch him, the man would have fallen to the ground.
When Deng Tangchen reacted, he immediately punched Li Xinzhai: "...Oh my god, what are you doing! Chen Xin, hurry up!"
After giving the woman a quick checkup, Chen Xin found no other injuries besides some minor skin injuries. Her sudden fainting was probably due to overwork or stimulation. "...It's nothing, just rest for a while and you'll be fine."
Hearing him say this, Tang Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief. It was so close. If there was a sharp stone or a broken porcelain piece on the ground, Li Xinzhai would have become a murderer. "That's good."
Li Xinzhai didn't know what was wrong with him. He was fine just now, but his expression suddenly changed: "So, what are you going to do?"
Tang Chen asked in confusion, "How do you do it?"
Chen Xin thought she understood what Li Xinzhai meant, so she interrupted and added, "You have saved her now. If you leave her alone, those thugs will probably bully her even more."
Tang Chen said that it was very simple to solve this problem, "Just let her go with us."
Li Xinzhai was the first to express his opinion on the matter: "I disagree."
Tang Chen frowned. What was wrong with this person today? If it were any other time, wouldn't he have said that no matter who this woman was, he wasn't afraid? "Why? It's not easy for a weak woman to be alone in this place. Besides, in this situation, I'd help anyone I can."
Li Xinzhai glanced at the unconscious woman in Shen Xin's arms and said, "I have to remind you that we don't know her identity. If she is a spy, what will be the consequences if she is brought back to Qingliang Valley? Have you ever thought about it?"
Tang Chen held his waist and stomach and thought for a while before saying, "...well, based on my experience, according to the routine, in this situation, she's either a helper or a killer. So, what do you say we should do?"
Chen Xin, holding a person, saw that Tang Chen and Li Xinzhai were ready to explode if they had just a little spark, so he quickly suggested: "This place is relatively close to Qinghe County. We can send them there for resettlement, and ask Master Zhang to help pass on the news."
Mo Yu, who had been standing aside acting as air, said that Chen Xin's suggestion was excellent. He had been to Qinghe once or twice and heard from Li Xinzhai that there were many interesting people and enemies there. It was a good opportunity to go and take a look: "That's a good idea. I agree."
Before Xu Zhaodi passed out, she finally saw the face that had led to her tragic fate. She had been abducted by a group of unknown individuals that day. Although they had given her the finest clothing and food she had ever enjoyed, they had also forced her to wear a mask that did not belong to her.
The life that didn't belong to her was finally taken away by someone they called the Pavilion Master. They took back the mask, took back everything. When she stumbled back to the already dilapidated courtyard outside the city, she opened the door and saw her only relative lying in bed, emitting a sickening odor.
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