The old man raised his head in surprise and looked back at everyone uneasily.
"What's more," Ge Jiuyang raised his hand, "There are thieves and officers and soldiers in this area at any time. No matter the officers, soldiers or robbers, they all kill without blinking an eye. How can they be better than us?
Old man, you just lost a daughter, so you don't have to pay for it with the lives of our brothers. "
The old man was speechless, his neck swelled with anger, and his whole hand trembled as he pointed at Ge Jiu: "You... you evil people... you will not die a good death... I will sue you even if I am a ghost!"
Ge Jiu cupped his fists and bowed to Yun Kong: "Brother, you said that to save the people from fire and water, we need evil people like us. Otherwise, who can resist those officers, soldiers and bandits who are like wolves and tigers?"
Yunkong didn't know what Lu Fengru said, so he could only sigh: "Brother Xian, what did you say?"
"The most important thing right now is that everyone successfully reaches the south. Everyone must be mentally prepared for casualties along the way," Ge Jiu spoke loudly so that the surrounding refugees could hear, "We put everyone's lives first!"
The refugees didn't dare to say anything, and the surroundings became even quieter.
Ge Jiu winked at Yunkong, and Yunkong suddenly remembered the "standard answer" Ge Jiu taught him.
He glanced at the old man who was lying on the ground choking and twitching, and said bravely: "Brother, please do as you wish."
Ge Jiu politely bowed with his fists, and winked at Yun Kong.
The viciousness in Ge Jiu's eyes was warning Yun Kong.
This glance caused a cold sweat to break out on Yun Kong's back.
※※※
Seeing that it was getting late, the refugees each lit a fire and prepared to have a meal.
Some were roasting lizards, and some had dried meat for some reason, hiding to the side to nibble.
Some of them, probably from better families, actually had earthen pots. They gathered together and cooked a pot of sundries. There were grass roots and leaves in the pot. They also secretly added a handful of wheat and a pinch of salt. They looked around. Afraid of being seen.
Some refugees carried a small bag of flour, dipped some on their fingertips and put it on the tip of their tongue. They chewed it for a long time but refused to swallow it.
Most of the refugees had sunken eyes, watching others eating, and kept slobbering in their stomachs, as if just watching others eat would make them full.
Ge Jiu handed Yunkong a bowl of meat soup. Although he had just eaten half a wild dog in the afternoon, he might have been too nervous, but Yunkong's stomach was rumbling at this moment. When he took the meat soup, he was filled with gratitude.
"Eat and build up your strength," Ge Jiu said, "There will be something big tonight."
Yun Kong ate the meat soup carefully. The fresh taste of the meat soup was different from the fishy smell of dog meat. While eating, he was also thinking about the "big things" Ge Jiu mentioned.
"When the time comes, don't show off your lies." Ge Jiu said again.
"If I want Pindao not to reveal his flaws, can you tell Pindao what the big deal is?"
Ge Jiu looked at Yunkong for a long time.
"You don't need to say anything then," Ge Jiu said, "Just stand."
Before Ge Jiu turned around and left, he turned back and said, "Also, pay attention to the black gauze, don't show your face."
Yun Kong continued to enjoy the meat soup. He ate very slowly, as if he was eating the last meal in his life.
There was a calm before the storm all around, and piles of sparse fires illuminated the dark forest, adding to the heaviness of the forest.
Even the sparse starlight that occasionally appeared above the forest seemed to be spying on this place with ulterior motives.
"Here we come." One of his men stood up and whispered.
It turned out that this subordinate had been lying on the ground since just now, with an inflated cowhide bag pillowed under his head.
Only then did Yunkong realize that he was not sleeping, but using a cowhide bag to monitor the movement on the ground in all directions.
After receiving the news, Ge Jiu hurried over: "How many people and horses?"
The man licked his lips and responded: "There are nine horses. Eight of the people walking are well-trained. The rest are countless with weak footsteps. They are probably the refugees who are following."
Yunkong was secretly surprised by this person's hearing ability.
Ge Jiu borrowed the man's cowhide bag and leaned on the ground to listen for a while.
"Coming from the northwest." Ge Jiu murmured.
"Second brother, what should we do?"
"Set up the formation."
"yes."
The men responded in a low voice and quickly walked out of the woods and towards the road.
It turns out that these people can also form formations.
I wonder who their dead eldest brother, the Taoist priest Lu Fengru, was?
I just don’t know what kind of formation they are planning to set up. Is it a military formation?
Or the formation of alchemists?
"Come with me."
Ge Jiu shook his head to Yunkong, and Yunkong had to stand up slowly and follow him out of the forest.
He knew that the refugees had noticed their actions, and he also knew that their eyes were following them uneasily.
If they fail, these refugees may die.
Or maybe not.
Maybe they will just throw in another armed group.
Yun Kong stepped out of the forest heavily and saw that these men were already holding weapons and forming a formation on the road, but they couldn't tell what they were.
The person standing at the head of the formation raised a torch and looked nervously ahead.
The fire didn't shine far, and when its light reached the road, it was swallowed up by darkness.
From the other side of the darkness, there was a thin sound, knocking on the ground.
The sound gradually becomes clearer, more compact, and gradually heavier.
Not only the sound, but also a few points of light lit up on the other side of the darkness.
The spots of light gradually increased, and it was obvious that the other party's troops had arrived at the turning point of the road, and the firelight that had been obscured by the forest also appeared from the turning point one by one.
Darkness has been a part of human fear since ancient times.
There always seems to be unknown things hiding in the darkness, triggering the nerves of fear.
Yun Kong looked at the firelight emerging from the darkness, as if the darkness had opened dozens of eyes.
Yun Kong's chest was tight. Although he had been through many storms and death often passed by, he still couldn't help but feel nervous.
The light of fire and the sound of horse hooves came rushing in, breaking through the darkness in the distance and coming urgently.
The men's formation remained motionless, staring ahead with concentration and breathlessness. The swords had long been unsheathed, shining yellow under the firelight at the head of the formation.
Ge Jiu, who had always been stern, seemed a little panicked, his eyes were distracted, and the back of his hands was glistening with sweat.
The fire was approaching them, but the sound of horse hooves seemed to have no intention of stopping and was rushing towards them.
Suddenly, the sound of horse hooves stopped.
The horse seemed to have stopped suddenly. The rider's shout as he pulled the reins was not heard, the horse's neighing was not heard, and the horse's snort was not heard.
The firelight remained still in the darkness, not revealing the person's appearance.
Ge Jiu was anxious to break the silence and pointed his knife at the dozens of torches: "Who is coming? Tell me your name!"
No one answered.
Apart from the torches, there was no sound of human beings.
Ge Jiu walked towards one of his men, leaned close to his ear and asked, "Is the news correct? Could it be that the person coming is not Kong Zhongqian's group...?"
"That's right," the man whispered, "I saw them coming this way this afternoon."
Ge Jiu opened his eyes wide and shouted loudly: "Kong Zhongqian! Don't try to be mysterious! Get off your horse and die!"
The visitor still didn't answer, as if he was determined not to respond.
"Kong Zhongqian! You attacked us secretly and hurt my brother Lu! Our brothers want justice!"
Only then did Yun Kong know that Lu Fengru had been plotted.
The "big thing" these people talk about is seeking revenge.
Now I finally understood. Yun Kong paid more attention to the things in the darkness, but through the black gauze, it was hard to see clearly.
Seeing that the other party didn't respond, Ge Jiu hurriedly pointed at Yunkong: "Look! Kong Zhongqian! My eldest brother will not be killed by you so easily!"
Yun Kong did not dare to say a word, but stood quietly with his chest raised.
"Kong Zhongqian!"
Seeing that the other party never answered, Ge Jiu's tone gradually lost its confidence.
Dozens of fires burned quietly in the darkness.
Slowly, a person emerged from the darkness.
This man was tall and mighty, but his back was a bit hunched, his eyes were sunken and dull, and his face was covered with a gloomy air.
Ge Jiu grinned and said, "Damn it, you brat, you finally show your face?"
Obviously this person is Kong Zhongqian.
Kong Zhongqian's whole person was gloomy. He stood in front of the darkness, covered in colorless gray. He slowly opened his mouth and made a few weird noises, like the sound of two pieces of bamboo rubbing against each other.
Ge Jiu and his men were greatly surprised for a moment. How could Kong Zhongqian, the man who killed their eldest brother, end up in this situation?
Kong Zhongqian twisted his neck and finally managed to get out a few words: "Lu Fengru... died a long time ago..."
"Nonsense! How can you harm my eldest brother? Look! He is waiting to settle the score with you!"
Yun Kong stood with a guilty conscience.
