Saving System: Calm Down, My Fleeing Host!

Chapter 328 - 320: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes

At this moment, quite a few women had gathered in the open space, their footsteps crunching on the snow.

A middle-aged woman in a floral cotton jacket was shouting loudly, her voice booming, "Look, the weather is clearing up, the snow has stopped, and our good days are about to come. Yet some people lack sense and purposely don’t want us to have a good New Year."

As soon as she finished speaking, someone chimed in.

"Exactly, there’s only a few days till New Year, and instead of trying to arrange something festive to ward off bad luck, light incense for the ancestors, they might think we are unfilial descendants!"

"Our husbands work so hard, day and night, they’ve all gotten thinner from exhaustion, and still not allowed to rest for even a day; their wages even get docked, it’s truly unfair."

"Indeed, why do they get ten work points a day, while we only get five?"

"It’s hard enough to settle down as a family, and now we have to move again; they’re just purposely making us suffer."

"Exactly, this place is worse than Taoyuan Village."

The group of women was getting more excited, adamantly refusing to move to the Underground City, describing it as dark, damp, unventilated, indistinguishable from a tomb.

They had gone to see it, and felt it was creepy and frightening.

Workers were sent back to pack their belongings; seeing so many people gathered, they also came to watch.

The crowd grew larger, and anyone with doubts felt encouraged by others to join in the complaint.

Some team members stepped forward to explain, but no one listened; the remarks got uglier.

"Cold snap, extreme low temperatures — now it’s this cold, and aren’t we all still here? What’s to fear?" one old woman screeched.

A young man pulled his grandma, not wanting to be embarrassed, but she wouldn’t listen.

"Go away, stop causing trouble."

Shoving her grandson’s hand away, she continued loudly, "Why should we all listen to a little girl? Is this not madness? Are all the men here useless, eating soft food? What potion has the girl fed you to make you do whatever she says, you’ve lost all our ancestors’ face."

This struck a chord with many, and things got a bit out of control.

"I’ll handle this." Cheng Hao said, intending to stand up; he had arranged things and came back to discuss an issue, only to find chaos as soon as he left.

"No need, Second Brother, I’ll do it myself."

Cheng Xiaoxiao knew these people had been brainwashed by Yang Ying.

Their discontent stemmed from not wanting thousands of people to listen to a young girl, believing it was disgraceful.

The food earned by their husbands’ labor was their rightful due, obtained through their men’s work; they felt no obligation to others, no gratitude involved.

Days had passed and everything felt justified, causing them to forget the lifesaving help received earlier.

Families with a conscience were quickly shouted down for speaking fairness.

Even neutral parties were swayed by Yang Ying’s girls with just a few words.

The dissatisfied voices were relentless, threatening to tear down tents if no explanation was given.

Is this a second uprising? Do they know their worth?

Cheng Xiaoxiao stepped out of the tent, looking over the dense crowd.

The men returning from work wanted to take their wives or mothers back; it was like poking a hornet’s nest, with the arguing getting fiercer, insults flying, some even being hit.

She took out a whistle and blew it hard, the sharp sound ringing through the camp.

The scene instantly quieted down.

Dealing with these scheming women didn’t require too many tactics.

She took out a small notebook, and with a loud voice through a speaker said, "Those whose names are called, come to the front."

As soon as she spoke, Patrol Team members automatically cleared the crowd, leaving a large open space in front.

"Yang Ying, Liu Hua, Lin Ying, Ji Fang, Ji Dongcai, Liu Xiaohuan, Liu Li, Luo Xia..."

Cheng Xiaoxiao read out over 60 names.

The named women looked at each other nervously, their hearts sinking, shrinking within the crowd, too guilty to step forward.

Especially Yang Ying; these were her close companions or their supporters. She didn’t expect them all to be exposed.

Having been here for some time, the Patrol Team of the 132th Regiment could naturally distinguish who was who, and even if they were unwilling, they were quickly pulled out.

Previously boasting and righteous among the crowd, their demeanor instantly deflated under scrutiny.

Someone anxiously asked, "What are you calling us out for?"

One person’s voice led others to grow bolder, "What do you want? We only spoke the truth."

"We locals number in the thousands, how could we fear you few hundred outsiders?"

"Right, right, we are one collective," the person seemed to regain confidence, speaking with increased vigor.

"The moment you arrived, you ordered our men to work, treating them like slaves, truly heartless."

A young woman was particularly agitated, lying beneath her marital stage, she couldn’t believe her husband couldn’t even warm the bed for her, having to work day and night.

An elderly woman shouted, "I’m already in poor health and need my son’s care; with your exploitation, who will look after this old lady, my fate is hard!"

Saying this, she sat on the snowy ground, causing a scene.

Initially the rumors circulated among the women, gradually affecting the men at work, with some feeling their wives or mothers were right, slacking in their work.

Previously, they listened to Yang Fan and Ming Shan, now they were led by a young girl, feeling uncomfortable, easily swayed to lose their sense.

Resenting being lackeys for the 132th Regiment, they sought Ming Shan and Yang Fan to express their views, only to be scolded and leave, not daring to speak again.

Yang Ying’s actions were secretive from her brother and husband, aware of their temperaments, and dared not speak openly, only secretly scheming.

Now being named publicly, she felt guilty and also infuriated, glaring at Cheng Xiaoxiao with malice, wishing to see her destroyed, yet those around lacked the ability, leaving her resentful.

Their arguments grew increasingly emboldened; Cheng Xiaoxiao ignored them, then called two more names, "Ke Mengyao, Lu Jinglian, step forward."