Saving System: Calm Down, My Fleeing Host!

Chapter 348 - 340: Burning with Anxiety

Back to the point, this was a sincere attempt to create an opportunity for her, no gain if not taken.

She kept her head down and followed the young woman in front dressed in a light green maid’s uniform, all the way to the small kitchen. The young woman in front didn’t even look back and instructed, "Xiao Tao, you light the fire, I’ll go out to the water tank to fetch some water."

Cheng Xiaoxiao responded softly with a sound, not daring to speak.

After arriving at the stove and lighting the fire, she added some materials into the shiny iron pot, and once it was mixed in without a trace, she clutched her stomach, letting out a small groan, bent over, and ran out of the courtyard.

The young woman fetching water saw this and shouted, "Xiao Tao’s having a stomachache again, must have overeaten. Run slower, be careful not to fall."

Seeing her run away without responding, the young woman wasn’t angry; she just lightly scolded, "This little girl is greedy again. If she hurts her stomach, she’ll suffer for sure, really."

With that, she continued fetching water on her own, took over Xiao Tao’s work, and began lighting the fire.

Cheng Xiaoxiao quickened her pace because things were already set in motion over there.

At this moment, the Ouyang Family Master led a group of people, walked out of the backyard, headed to the martial arts arena, crossed it, and arrived at a hill covered with unknown small red-leafed trees.

On the front of the hill, there was a strange stone gate, ancient and heavy. The intricately carved stone gate was tightly closed, and bizarre horned stone images were carved atop the semi-circular pillars on either side.

This place was one of the locations detected by the system to be heavily guarded.

Ouyang Qingsheng led the people in front of the hill.

The elite guards holding torches stood on either side, moving as one, with their steps in unison. All were Grandmaster Level experts. So many experts were in plain sight, not to mention those hidden.

This Ouyang family is utterly terrifying, mostly martial artists, and many are experts. How can anyone survive here!

Cheng Xiaoxiao felt an immense pressure.

"Host, a total of twenty-eight people are in the dark. Twenty Ming Strength experts are on both sides of the hill, six Dark Strength experts in the middle area, and two Void Power individuals are hidden in very concealed positions."

The system unkindly added insult to injury by explaining the distribution of hidden forces in vivid detail.

"Got it."

Wearing protective goggles, she naturally knew everyone’s hidden positions, but the goggles could only detect heat sources and couldn’t distinguish levels.

The cultivators in this world, whether of the same level or lower, could generally be judged by their aura, while those higher by a minor rank could still be discerned in a skirmish.

After all, if you can’t win, you know.

Of course, there are those with high cultivation talent and rich combat experience who can advance a minor rank in battle, but only if they can match that minor rank.

If there’s a big realm difference between you, needless to say, you’re at a different level, possibly defeated in three to five moves at the start.

Such things as effortlessly jumping multiple ranks in battles, like in a heroine’s script, are nonexistent.

Effort yields reward; it’s not like others have been practicing fake routines for decades, so you can break their defense in two or three moves.

At this point, Cheng Xiaoxiao’s Strength Value of over three hundred is only equivalent to a Grandmaster Level cultivator in this world.

Trying to rescue people in this expert-filled place is like finding a needle in a haystack.

"Host, there’s movement in the other tightly guarded area."

At this moment, fifteen hundred meters away, under a lone tower, a group of well-trained guards, holding torches, divided into two sides, stood solemnly as the leader negotiated with the tower guard.

"They say they’re here to collect someone. The leader produced a dark gold plaque and handed it to the gatekeeper, who immediately bowed and stepped aside upon seeing it.

Inside the tower, there were also guards, and upon seeing the plaque, they pressed a few points on a black wall, causing several wall bricks to sink, revealing a square hole into which something was inserted... Wait."

Cheng Xiaoxiao: ’What’s going on!’

"So that’s how it is, no wonder it couldn’t be found before."

The system’s jittery tone was causing annoyance.

’What on earth is happening?’

"There’s an underground chamber under the tower. When that person activated the mechanism, a layer of invisible barrier seemed to break, making the chamber wholly visible.

The children were indeed all locked in the underground chamber. Now fast asleep, there were a dozen matrons likely caring for them.

The leader brought a group of guards and directly went to carry the children away from the chamber.

The children ranged from a few months old to very newly born.

All in all, no child seemed older than a year."

’How many children are there?’

"Tsk tsk, there are an astonishing 99 of them. This Ouyang family is utterly insane."

The children, sleeping in peace, were ruthlessly carried out by the guards. Though bundled tightly, they were helpless against the chill outside, instantly feeling discomfort.

They began to wail loudly in unison.

Once one started crying, soon two or three followed, with almost ninety percent wailing. That panicked and heartfelt cry wrenched the heart, as if knowing their fate was nearing its end, making a last protest and struggle.

Think of it, a hundred little ones can cry a little and have someone soothe them, and someone cares. What about these children? They’ve barely entered this world, can’t even express their needs, and their lives are to be stripped away—how cruel and unjust.

Soon, the children’s mouths were covered by the guards; despite their struggles in arms, the guards remained unresponsive, striding forward on their own.

Cheng Xiaoxiao clenched her fist, ’This Ouyang family is vile, so cruel. Those who raise Gu are truly heartless, insidious, and vicious. Aren’t they afraid of retribution? Such deep depravity.’

Ninety-nine vibrant lives, soon to be sacrificed. How was she going to save them?

The previous setup was too little, her actions too light.

Earlier, she thought it sufficient to rescue them without unnecessary slaughter; now, it seemed there weren’t many innocent ones among the Ouyang family; all deserved to die.

"Host, the men in black, hearing the children’s cries, are coming this way."

’Relying on their strength alone isn’t enough. Just one is Dark Strength, the rest are Ming Strength, and there are a few at my level, but their combat power is far superior, with many of them, too.’

Even thinking about it feels disheartening.

Under the dim firelight, the people brought by Ouyang Qingsheng waited at the stone gate, likely waiting for the children to arrive and enter together.

Just then, a servant rushed in to report. Seeing the scene, he shook with fear, recalling the master’s orders, he steeled himself to deliver the message to the old steward.

Upon hearing, the old steward’s face shifted, and he quietly walked to Ouyang Qingsheng’s rear side, whispering several sentences into his ear.

Ouyang Qingsheng’s expression turned grim after hearing it.

In this critical moment, what nonsense is the useless fifth brother up to?

Utterly a hindrance and no help at all.

Despite his deep discomfort, he still said solemnly to the person opposite, "Third brother, go check what’s happening with the fifth."

Ouyang Qinghua was the third ranked and the best physician in the clan.

He accepted the task and left.

Seeing the children being brought out, soon to arrive here, Cheng Xiaoxiao was burning with anxiety, why still no action?