Saving System: Calm Down, My Fleeing Host!

Chapter 268 - 260: Battle on the Brink

These days, although Dad hasn’t said anything, you can tell from his sullen face that he’s in a really bad mood.

The surplus grain is indeed running low. In this snowy weather, it’s impossible to grow or buy any food. It’s driving people to the brink of madness!

Fang Zheng and Lu Jingtian exchanged a glance. Being old friends, they could instantly understand each other’s thoughts.

While they were discussing, both groups suddenly stopped their actions.

Neither side had the upper hand, and there were no mutual defeats. It seemed like neither party gained anything, each suffering some losses, but nothing serious.

Knowing that there’d be no winner today, they ceased to waste energy on each other and turned their sharp gazes this way.

Damn! After all that fighting, it was all for nothing?

Cheng Xiaoxiao secretly cursed. These... both men are fine, so how am I supposed to bring back any heads?

While their side was changing plans, the other side wasn’t holding back either, exchanging harsh words.

"I’m not going to argue with you today. Whoever catches these people, they’re theirs," Liu Gou declared indignantly with his long spear held horizontally.

Coincidentally, Qiu Yuanyi didn’t plan to waste time with this big guy either. He gave a signal to his subordinate, who immediately understood and shouted towards the crowd, "We are soldiers under You Changshi of Yuan Yang City. Lord You is noble and willing to accept refugees. If there are young men in your family who join the army, their families can live in comfort and abundance. My lord..."

The subordinate hadn’t finished speaking when Liu Gou interrupted with mocking laughter, "Bullshit! That You is just a wolf in sheep’s clothing, saying one thing and doing another. High moral standards, my ass. Don’t make people laugh out loud."

"Liu Xiaogou, shut your mouth! Who gave you the guts to slander Lord You?" Qiu Yuanyi was furious.

Liu Gou sneered, "Isn’t it true? Who’s been secretly robbing the city folk and grain merchants of their food? You act like bandits and expect everyone to bow to him. What a joke."

Hearing this, Qiu Yuanyi couldn’t take it anymore. Although it was true, being exposed so blatantly in public was too much to bear.

You don’t hit people in the face, but it seems this is a bunch of brutes.

Ha!

There isn’t much dirt on that Yuan fellow. Anyone can dig up skeletons in the closet. "Do you think that Yuan is any better? Forcibly conscripting soldiers, tearing families apart. As the Capital Commandant of a city, he rapes women, brutal by nature. How many women have died in his bed?"

Hearing such slander, Liu Gou was angry, "You brat, stop spouting nonsense or I’ll slap you. Without evidence, you still talk crap."

"Dare to do it but not admit it? Count the number of pits dug in the back of the Captain Mansion, and how many people are buried there yourself."

"The Capital Commandant isn’t such a person; stop speaking nonsense." Liu Gou said confidently, but inside he wasn’t calm. He’d heard rumors in the city but was unwilling to believe, and didn’t dare to believe, that Lord Yuan was such a ruthless, deranged abuser.

"Hahaha! You brute, all you know is training and fighting, naturally unaware of the good deeds done by the Yuan guy."

"Hmph! Stop trying to sow discord."

Qiu Yuanyi shook his head. If not for the fact that the big guy was somewhat skilled in leading troops, he wouldn’t even bother to waste his breath on him. Unexpectedly, he turned out to be a blockheaded fool.

Oh well, forced things are never sweet.

Liu Gou no longer paid attention to Qiu’s words, shouting loudly, "You’re all refugees from Dingzhou, right? The city has already fallen into chaos. If you want to save your lives, the men should join the City Defense Army. Lord Yuan will arrange for your families properly. Rushing into the city recklessly will only see you robbed and killed by some vile people." As he spoke, he glanced at Qiu Yuanyi, the implication clear.

The crowd’s mouths twitched, these guys love to expose each other. They’re full from the gossip already.

However, they gained a rough understanding of the general conduct of the two official groups in the city, realizing neither were good people.

"You all better think it through. Joining the City Defense Army means becoming the Capital Commandant’s lackeys, becoming our lord’s mortal enemies. Qiu has no choice but to be unkind."

Tsk tsk! The threat’s so palpable, it’s a case of either joining or being destroyed. Just as the intelligence gatherers reported.

Don’t understand where this person’s uncanny confidence comes from, thinking they should be divided up.

Both parties had brought about a hundred troops each, only roughly two hundred in total. Just Fang Zheng and Lu Jingtian’s group alone had two hundred soldiers, able to contend with these people. Their lack of fear probably relied on the large forces behind them.

What does having more people accomplish, when distant water can’t quench present thirst? Thinking they can take down so many with just these men is totally delusional.

Perhaps they assumed refugees are all down-and-out, trembling, at their mercy.

Cheng Xiaoxiao’s face was knotted into the character 川, showing deep reluctance. Though seemingly hesitant, she had no choice but to awkwardly say, "I think both of you guys are pretty good, but which one should I choose? It’s so hard to decide. Why don’t you have a fight, and whoever wins, we’ll go with them?"

Liu Gou: "No problem, watch me knock that bastard flat."

Qiu Yuanyi, with a slight frown and eyes slightly narrowed, thought this little girl, though small, has a big mind. Facing such a formation, not only wasn’t she scared stiff, she even dares to sow discord.

Ha ha! Interesting...

As Liu Gou was about to make a move, the Deputy General pulled him back. Annoyed, Liu Gou turned around, and the Deputy General gestured for him to look towards Qiu Yuanyi.

Sure enough, the other side looked at him like he was a fool.

"What’s with that look, Qiu?"

The opponent smirked, "Stupid. They want to watch us fight each other. Such an obvious trap, and you walk right into it. Truly dumb to the core."

Liu Gou choked on his words, but there was logic to the other’s statement. He turned around, pointing his spear at Cheng Xiaoxiao. "Is what he said true?"

Cheng Xiaoxiao avoided the question, "What benefits are there if I join your team?"

Hahaha! The soldiers burst into laughter.

A small leader mocked, "You lowly refugees, keeping your life is already a grace from us. You still want benefits?"

The soldiers behind all looked at them with disdain and contempt.

Laughing at the audacity, ridiculous expectations from these people.

Cheng Xiaoxiao narrowed her eyes dangerously, not knowing who’s really being presumptuous?

Everyone heard this and was equally displeased, looking down on whom?

At this moment, the stern Liu Gou glared at the small leader, "It’s not as drastic as they say. Just listen well, work hard, and there’s a future."

Hmph, trying to fool whom!

"This regiment leader doesn’t do things without benefits!"

Wow! This girl has quite the tone, "Seems this little lass is quite wild, brothers, what do you say we should do when we meet such a girl?"

The boys were excited, waving their weapons and shouted in unison: "Of course, we conquer her."