"What happened to them? What's the situation on the mountain?" Lin Yinan asked, looking at the two young soldiers being carried.
Zhou Yong said with a solemn expression, "This humble general led a few of them up the mountain to find a safe place for the villagers to evacuate. Before they even reached the halfway point, they were hit and knocked unconscious by falling rocks. This humble general had no choice but to retreat the way we came."
Falling rocks from the mountain?
Lin Yinan was puzzled. She focused her inner strength and listened intently. Her ears twitched slightly, and she could faintly hear a rumbling sound coming from the mountain at the edge of the village.
The sound grew louder and louder, like stones being washed down by rain.
The village chief, realizing what was happening, hurriedly led everyone to pay their respects to Lin Yinan.
Lin Yinan only came to her senses when she heard the crowd's voices. She waved to the villagers, "No need for formalities!"
She looked at Yun Er beside her, "Did you hear anything?"
Yun Er nodded. "It sounded like thunder."
Lin Yinan suddenly realized, "Oh no! It's a mudslide! Quick! Everyone, get out of here!"
After saying this, she dismounted and asked Zhou Yong to put the two unconscious soldiers back on the horse.
The Chika sisters quickly offered their own horses, saying, "Madam, please ride our horses."
"It's too late! Tell everyone to leave quickly, the village will be buried by the mudslide in a moment," Lin Yinan said to the village chief.
"Okay! I'll go and inform them right away."
The village chief hurriedly returned to his house, took out the gong that the county government had given him, and waded through the water, shouted back and forth in the village.
"Everyone, run! A flood is coming!"
"A mudslide is coming down the mountain!"
In this urgent situation, Lin Yinan calmly surveyed the small mountain village surrounded by mountains on three sides, pondering in her mind where the best place to retreat would be.
Finally, she pointed to the mountain to the left of the village, "Let's retreat over there!"
“Madam, our military camp is located on that mountain over there,” Yun Er said.
“I know that we don’t have a military camp. There’s a training ground near the foot of the mountain. Let’s take the villagers there first to avoid this disaster.”
"Okay, I'll do as you say."
Half an hour later, the water on the ground had reached above the knees, and the rain was getting heavier. The rumbling sound from the mountain could be heard very clearly without having to listen carefully.
Lin Yinan decided not to wait any longer and took the lead in leading Zhou Yong and the others to retreat to the training ground.
The villagers, who hadn't finished cleaning up, immediately started wailing.
"Village chief! Wait for us! We still have a lot of things to pack up at home."
There were also villagers pushing carts through the water, motionless, their faces contorted with grief, asking, "Village chief, what should we do?"
"Village chief, if this drags on any longer, none of us will survive! This is a matter of life and death, not child's play!"
Lin Yinan had a cold and indifferent expression, and her eyes were unfathomable, making people afraid to look directly at her.
Left with no other option, the village chief had to strike the gong again to reprimand the villagers.
After the village chief's reprimand, everyone saw that their city lord had already led several soldiers further and further away.
They panicked and began locking up anything they couldn't take with them back home.
Only then did he wade through the water to catch up with Lin Yinan and the others.
Despite this, Lin Yinan showed no sign of slowing down, only occasionally glancing back.
Yun Er raised his sharp, sword-like eyebrows slightly and gracefully leaped off his horse.
"I'll go keep an eye on things from the back."
After speaking, he led the horse to the back.
Two men were left behind to lead the horses, while Zhou Yong led two of his men to catch up.
Yun Er helped the elderly man, who was unable to walk properly, onto his horse, while Zhou Yong and the others tied young children to their backs and helped the older villagers up.
Shortly after they left the village, a loud noise suddenly came from behind them, startling everyone.
When they turned around, they couldn't see anything clearly. They were horrified. If they stayed in the village, the mudslide would surely kill them.
The villagers quickened their pace, chasing after Lin Yinan as if their lives depended on it.
Upon arriving at the training ground, several ghostly figures darted out from afar.
"Military restricted area. Ordinary people are not allowed to linger here without permission. Please leave immediately!"
The leader of the guards was tall and had a black cloth covering his face, making him look somewhat like an assassin.
"Eleven, it's me!" Lin Yinan pulled up her straw hat, revealing her fair face.
Upon recognizing the newcomer, Yun Shiyi clasped his hands in greeting, "Shiyi greets Madam! Is Madam heading into the camp?"
Lin Yinan said, "No need. There was a mudslide in Dongwang Village at the foot of the opposite mountain. I just happened to be passing by and brought the villagers here to take shelter. Could you please go back and get some tarpaulin so I can have them set up a shed here?"
"Alright, this subordinate will go right away!"
Yun Shiyi turned to leave, but Lin Yinan stopped her in time, pointing at the two people lying sideways on the horse.
"These two soldiers were injured by falling rocks. Take them back to the doctor for treatment."
Before the villagers arrived, Yun Shiyi and his men took the two men on horseback back.
Before long, the villagers came up one after another, ignoring the mud and water all over the ground, and all sat down with their bottoms down, panting heavily.
It was the first time they had ever experienced something so terrifying, and they were truly terrified!
Many villagers also brought their livestock. Lin Yinan, who has good hearing, noticed a "clucking" sound coming from a basket covered with tarpaulin.
These are fertilized eggs bought in Longtan during the Lunar New Year. They would rather get wet in the rain themselves than not cover the livestock properly.
They are a valuable asset in the lives of the villagers.
Just then, a dozen soldiers came down from the mountain, carrying large bundles of oilcloth that Lin Yinan needed.
"The military camp is up there."
Are they inviting us to stay at the military camp?
"It doesn't look like it."
The soldiers approached Lin Yinan and bowed respectfully, saying, "Greetings, Lord City Lord!"
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