Yun Zhe was still trying to calm himself down when the Aruru people gradually reappeared. The poet walked to Yun Zhe's side, his eyes full of concern.
"I'm fine," Yun Zhe turned to look at the poet, then at the Aruru people around him. "I'll see you off."
Upon hearing this, Ellie immediately became anxious. This round trip would likely take another ten days or so. She hurriedly went to Yun Zhe's side, trying to stop him.
The farmer gripped his pipe tightly, opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
The poet's mood instantly improved; he nodded, quite pleased.
"No, no..." the farmer's voice trembled. "He, he's a vampire, a poet, you...you've forgotten?!"
Upon hearing this, all the Aruru people's eyes turned to Yun Zhe. They whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with disbelief and obvious fear. However, remembering that this person had just saved them, they became puzzled, and the forest was filled with chatter.
Yun Zhe was furious, thinking to himself, "Damn it, why didn't those vampires kill this farmer? It's true what they say, good people don't live long, but evil people live a thousand years."
When Ellie first heard the Aruru man say that, she thought Yun Zhe's identity had been exposed and was about to say a few words in his defense. But then she thought, wouldn't that mean she wouldn't have to worry about Yun Zhe leaving with them? But seeing that Yun Zhe had just saved them and was being misunderstood like this, she couldn't help but feel heartbroken and saddened.
Yun Zhe remained silent, while the poet stared at the farmer in astonishment. He didn't quite understand what the farmer meant by what he had just said, or rather, he didn't understand why the farmer had said that. Did he really not want to reach the border safely?
Yun Zhe, however, was aware of the complexities and intricacies of the farmers' lives.
"Can you safely take them to the border?" Yun Zhe asked the poet.
The poet was about to say, "I guarantee he isn't..." when he heard Yun Zhe's question. The poet was taken aback; he understood the literal meaning of Yun Zhe's words, which only confused him more.
The poet was somewhat troubled, feeling that the task was a bit beyond his capabilities.
Yun Zhe drew a short sword and handed it to the poet. "Protect them on their way to the border, but this time, remember to hold this short sword tightly and don't let anyone else take it."
The poet nodded blankly. Yun Zhe's words had a hidden meaning, but he still couldn't understand them.
The farmer's eyes were blazing with anger, but due to Yun Zhe's strength, he could only grip his pipe even tighter.
The poet gripped his sword and looked at the Aruru people. Yun Zhe pondered for a long time, then patted the poet on the shoulder. "You go. I won't go. With someone like you protecting them, I'll feel more at ease."
The poet nodded, somewhat bewildered. He looked at Jess, who smiled back at him. A sudden surge of determination welled up within him; he felt he had to at least take Jess to the border. A sense of pride welled up within him, and he strode towards Jess.
"Listen to me, everyone," the poet said earnestly, looking at the crowd. "Let's bury the dead properly and take the wounded on our way."
Yun Zhe couldn't help but facepalm. Looking at the Aruru people again, not a single one of them expressed the slightest agreement with the poet's words.
The farmer, feeling smug, couldn't help but sneer at the poet. His eyes were full of mockery and contempt.
The Aruru people all turned to leave, and the farmer, as always, demonstrated his leadership skills. Coupled with his well-timed and truthful remark, not only would Yun Zhe not follow, but even the poet was alienated by everyone.
"Aren't you going to take those weapons with you?" Yun Zhe shouted.
The Aruru were taken aback, but no one went to pick up the soldiers' weapons.
“On the way home, having a weapon in your hand means you can fight back if you encounter danger. Even if you can’t fight back, falling on the road will at least make people think you fought,” Yun Zhe added.
Several Aruru people stopped in their tracks. They looked at Yun Zhe, the poet, and the farmer. Mustering their courage, they picked up the soldiers' weapons.
"Those soldiers sacrificed themselves to protect you, and you're just going to leave their bodies to rot in the wilderness?" Yun Zhe's voice rose again. He was a little angry, not only at the Aluru people's numbness and cowardice, but also at himself for being so nosy.
“Let’s dig a hole together and bury these corpses so they can find peace and avoid being eaten by wild beasts,” the poet added, trembling. He was close to Yun Zhe and could feel Yun Zhe’s anger, which made him somewhat timid.
The farmer turned around, about to say something sarcastic, "Who are you? Who do you think you are? Why should we listen to you?" But seeing the hesitation in everyone's eyes, he couldn't help but curse inwardly: Damn it, I was in such a hurry to run away that I let those two take advantage of me. How despicable!
The farmer initially wanted to say he was worried the vampire would follow, but seeing Yun Zhe standing under the tree like a god of death, he had no choice but to nod and reassure himself that he was only doing this because he didn't want to go against the will of the people, which would lose their support.
The Aruru people don't have a proper funeral culture because so few of their kind die peacefully. And those who survive are mostly like this tonight—runaway dogs, too busy running to bother with proper burials.
"Once the burial is complete, everyone carry the wounded on your backs and leave immediately!" the farmer ordered, taking the initiative. He couldn't let Yun Zhe lead him by the nose forever.
Yun Zhe leaned against a tree, coldly watching the farmer. The farmer dared not look him in the eye, only stealing glances. Each time he did, he was terrified by Yun Zhe's gaze.
The Aruru people acted swiftly, quickly gathering the bodies together and beginning to dig a pit for burial. Having escaped death, they saw those familiar faces lying there forever, so tragically. A wave of sorrow quickly washed over them; several cried out, and soon all the Aruru people had tears in their eyes.
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