At noon, cicadas started chirping on the forest road outside Tangjiang City, making people's ears hurt with the noise.
Xue Tong wiped the dust and smoke from his face, looking around from time to time with wolf-like eyes. Behind him, there were more than twenty officers and soldiers, all wearing swords and armor, riding fierce horses.
The fierce horses were offered by the four major households and were considered an extra gift. Of course, Xue Tong had no intention of repaying the favor.
"Xue Tou, there is a military officer in front who died in battle." A scout riding back, his voice suddenly dropped.
Military position is the name given to friendly troops in the military camp.
The only ones who dare to kill the officers and soldiers are the knights.
Xue Tong frowned and did not go to check the situation. There was not much time. In these two or three days, he must kill the young boss to get this wealth.
"More, how far is Changjia Town?"
"Xue Tou, there are still more than fifty miles."
Taking out the wine gourd from the saddle mattress, Xue Tong raised his head and took a sip to quench his thirst, then looked forward with a cold face.
"Emergency march!"
More than twenty officers and soldiers on horseback were galloping on their horses in the direction of Changjia Town.
…
The scorching sun at noon seemed to burn every inch of skin and flesh on the body.
After drinking a few mouthfuls of water, Xu Mu calmed down.
"Zhou Zun, how far is it?"
"Master, it's less than twenty miles away."
Xu Mu nodded. Going to Changjia Town is not to seek refuge, but to stay in a place to get around.
"My boss, my horse is gone."
The sun has been so hot for several hours, and even humans, let alone horses, can't stand it.
"Si Hu, drive the carriage into the woods and wait for a while."
Several horses were really running to death, and it was too late to cry.
"Brother Mu, there are so many people."
Xu Mu was startled, and then he stuck his head out of the carriage, his eyes suddenly tightened.
In the small forest, there were at least a dozen men, hiding on tree branches or huddled in tree holes... When Xu Mu and the others came in, their faces were full of horror.
"My boss is trying to avoid trouble. These people probably have young and old at home. They are afraid of being caught and don't dare to run too far."
Those in the city may be better, and there will be more or less notices posted.
But if those in the countryside do not escape, they will have to wait for the disaster to come, and the officials will hit their heads with sentry sticks and tie their bodies, and they will have to die at the border gate of 2,000 miles away.
"Si Hu, push the car farther away and don't disturb others."
Si Hu's face was gloomy and full of unwillingness. According to his temperament, he should have rebelled against his mother.
"Don't panic, everyone. We are also people trying to avoid disaster. Don't be surprised if we pass by here."
"Zhou Zun, leave a bag of food."
According to Xu Mu's wishes, the carriage carried not only a few bags of rice grains, but also some emergency items.
Several poor villagers hesitantly dragged back the grain bags.
After resting in the forest for half an hour, Xu Mu got back on the carriage.
"Everyone, this is not a blessed place. If you still have the strength, you might as well go a few miles further and avoid the mountains."
More than a dozen villagers remained silent, hugging their bodies and hiding again.
Xu Mu sighed deeply, God was unfair, and in this world, just living in peace became a luxury.
"Si Hu, let's drive."
It was approaching dusk, and the sudden chirping of cicadas finally slowly receded. The cool breeze blows through the dense forest, making people's hair dangle.
The carriage ran through the thorn grass and followed the winding forest road. In a short time, it reached half a mile.
…
Click.
At dusk, Xue Tong raised the knife in his hand and stabbed it into the chest of a white-robed young man in front of him.
The young man in white robe had a resolute expression on his face and his mouth was spitting blood, but even so, he remained cold and silent.
"Xia'er? Saving the country and the people, how majestic it is!" Xue Tong laughed angrily and stabbed the knife several times until the young man in white robe could no longer hold himself up and collapsed softly.
Taking the wine gourd, Xue Tong pretended to take half a sip, sprayed it on the blade, put his two fingers together, and coldly wiped away the blood.
"Thank you all for the military positions. These bullshit heroes claim to be saving the country and the people, but in the final analysis, they are just a bunch of rabble."
"Xue Dutou is the infantry instructor in the Protectorate Camp, and he is indeed very skilled."
Xue Tong said nothing, feeling irritated in his heart. But when he encountered officers and soldiers being ambushed by Xia'er on the way, he couldn't just ignore them.
In front of him, the five heroes were stabbed to death, and they could no longer die.
"The mountains and rivers are foggy and rainy..."
tread.
Xue Tong took a few steps forward angrily, raised his cloud-headed boots, and crushed a knight's head.
"Fellow military officers, please take your leave."
After grinding away the blood on his boots, Xue Tong got on his horse, led the twenty riders behind him, and galloped forward again.
"Xue Tou, there is someone in the forest!" A mounted scout who ran near a forest road and made inquiries first rode his horse to report back.
Xue Tong looked ecstatic and took the lead to rush into the woods. When he saw the men fleeing from trouble, he hurriedly took out the picture scroll of Xiao Dong's family from his arms.
After a comparison, the whole person became angry.
A villager turned around to run away, but Xue Tong immediately flew his bow, piercing his chest and leaving his body lying on the grass.
"Tell me! Have you ever seen this person before?"
Unfolding the scroll, Xue Tong roared loudly. There was a stuttering man who only hesitated to speak before he slashed him with a knife and half of his body was stained red.
"I-I've seen it before."
"This person went to the north of Lin Road and threw a bag of grain..."
Putting away the scroll, Xue Tong showed a rare smile.
"Don't be afraid, fellow villagers. We are all focused on catching the thief. Please stay safe. If you hide for three days, you will be fine."
"Remember not to run around. There are many officials outside. If you catch them, they will be killed."
More than a dozen people did not dare to say anything, and they all hung their heads and trembled.
Xue Tong led the men out of the forest, slowed down his horse's hooves, and his tone became funny.
"Light the dung smoke and ask the nearby military officers to come and get the person. A pariah is a pariah, and death is not a pity."
Raising his head, Xue Tong stared at the forest road ahead, and could still faintly see the marks of the wheel.
For a moment, his expression suddenly became ecstatic again.
"Emergency march!"
A group of birds on the roadside of the forest were so frightened that they flew into the sky and fled in a hurry.
…
Winding forest road.
Sitting on the carriage, Xu Mu frowned and raised his head, looking at the line of birds passing by in the sky.
The forest was startled and the birds flew away.
After waving away the smoke and dust raised by the wheels, Xu Mu looked back and looked for a long time before turning back in silence.
"My boss is less than ten miles away from Changjia Town."
"Faster, hurry up the horse."
After passing Changjia Town, there are wild mountains and forests. At worst, they can spend a few days in the woods, wait for the matter of catching young men to subside, and then go out of the mountains and return to the city.
Chat——
The forest was startled by birds flying, and another line of birds hurriedly passed overhead, flying farther and farther against the sky that was about to droop.
"My boss, it's still early. We will definitely be able to reach Changjia Town today."
"That's not what I meant." Xu Mu stuck his head out of the carriage again, his face suddenly turned cold.
The sudden flight of forest birds for no apparent reason must be due to something evil.
"Si Hu, hurry up the horse."
Turning around, Xu Mu simply took off his sword and held it in his arms.
Raising his head, wherever he looked, a panicked sunset began to fall to the west.
