CHAPTER 109: CHAPTER 107: SPY

When it came to spies, Ruan Mian recalled what Qi Nanfeng said.

Li Mao, and... his trusted governor.

Are they related to King Yan? It seems the original book didn’t mention the Lanqiang rebellion.

While she was speculating, Bai Lun woke up.

Upon hearing that Ruan Mian saved him, Bai Lun was immensely grateful. Despite his heavy body, he insisted on getting up from the bed to formally thank Ruan Mian.

Ruan Mian quickly motioned, "No need to be courteous, you’re fine now, your clan can also be at ease."

Then she looked at the woman and said, "You shouldn’t stay here too long, we came up from the southeast, and the pursuers might find us anytime."

"Do you know which direction we should take now to quickly escape the threat of the pursuers?"

They were familiar with the entire Longchang Mountain, and now they knew the southeast was a no-go, so surely they knew the safest path.

But the woman looked in a certain direction, somewhat troubled: "There is a desolate place, hard to locate for others, but... survival there is very difficult."

"We’ll go there."

Ruan Mian decided, "The primary condition for survival is to have life, then we can figure out how to live."

"Staying put or going back the way we came, will get us killed by the pursuers; it’s a dead end. Compared to that, I can deal with other dangers. Will you go with me there to hide for a while?"

She invited them actively, after all, only they knew the right way.

The woman pondered, but Bai Lun agreed without hesitation.

"Let’s go together, I trust you."

With his words, Ruan Mian knew these Jinsha Clan people might follow their path in the future.

Now that Wu Heng was in turmoil, those government officers couldn’t care less about this group of criminals, leaving them to fend for themselves.

So, wasn’t this the opportunity for Ruan Mian to build her home?

Ruan Mian saw their hiding cave as a natural barrier, remembering her frightened family. So, she asked Vice Minister Dong to bring her family here.

The Jinsha Clan people didn’t say much, since they chose to go with her, they let her be.

The most important thing was that Bai Lun’s illness visibly improved quickly, his face regained a bit of color, and he appeared more spirited.

The woman was extremely grateful to Ruan Mian, and later Ruan Mian learned she was Bai Lun’s mother, one of the higher-ranking women in the clan.

Soon after, the family was brought by Vice Minister Dong to this place.

Even Mr. Xue, who lived in Wuheng for many years, saw the Jinsha Clan for the first time.

No one dared to speak much in surprise, only Xie Huai’an spoke, and then Ruan Mian told everyone about the situation here.

They were now on the same boat.

About the rebellion, Xie Huai’an was undoubtedly the most knowledgeable.

"Lord, Wuheng is now besieged with internal and external troubles, we can only hide on the mountain for a while, at least until the situation in Wuheng stabilizes before we return. What do you think?"

Just now Vice Minister Dong informed him about her and the Jinsha Clan, and Xie Huai’an’s gaze towards this woman grew deeper and deeper.

"Look at me, good as a cripple, whatever you say goes."

Ruan Mian saw him with a wry smile, and couldn’t help but pat his shoulder: "Lord, why be like this? It’s all temporary, you still have a bright future ahead."

Even with changes in the plot, Xie Huai’an was still the male lead of the original book; he wouldn’t be defeated here forever.

Exchanging glances, just as Xie Huai’an was about to speak, sudden commotion arose from outside!!

Before Ruan Mian and the others could react, two soldiers in armor had already arrived at the cave entrance!

"Criminals, Jinsha Clan people, all are here."

With a face full of flesh, he showed an excited smile. With a command, groups of soldiers surrounded the cave, impenetrable.

Everyone was shocked. They hadn’t been safe for two days, and they were already found by the officers.

But sharp-eyed ones noticed that their armor wasn’t Lanqiang Army but their own!

Ruan Qingsong immediately stepped forward, politely bowed.

"Lord, we are all Wu Heng criminals, unrelated to Lanqiang enemy troops. The rebellion at Wuheng left us no choice but to flee here."

"Could you spare us, Lord, when the situation stabilizes, we’ll..."

Before Ruan Qingsong finished, a whip lashed out hard!

Luckily, Ruan Mian pulled her brother just in time!

The man sneered coldly: "You’re just lowly criminals trying to escape during the chaos? Nonsense! Men! Capture them all and send them to the battlefield to fill the ranks!"

Everyone’s face changed drastically, their legs trembling in fear, pleading voices echoed throughout the cave.

"Lord, please spare us, we’re just powerless criminals, the old, the sick, and the weak can’t go to the battlefield."

"Yes, Lord, look how many children there are here, they’re too frail to be sent to die on the battlefield!"

"We’ll do any hard labor, but don’t send us to the battlefield!"

At this moment, even Xue Yuanzhao was terrified, and with him were some children and old people, with few young and fit ones.

But the officer didn’t listen at all, aiming to kick Mr. Xue aside.

Ruan Mian acted fast, grabbing the officer’s armor, and with a cold smile, said.

"Lord, we’re all fellow countrymen, how can we kill each other in times of crisis? If we could truly contribute on the battlefield, we wouldn’t hesitate. But look at these frail and young, isn’t it just throwing lives away?"

"There’s also the newly appointed post station chief, Lord really..."

Before Ruan Mian could finish, the man shouted into the crowd: "Chief? Where is he!! Come out!"

Seeing this, Ruan Mian was certain this man is not under General Huo Zong, but a traitor’s subordinate.

Related to Li Mao’s nephew, Governor.

Since that’s the case, Ruan Mian had no reason to negotiate with them.

She glanced at Vice Minister Dong, pulled out a dagger from her sleeve, and during the man’s angry roar, quickly advanced behind him, decisively slitting the officer’s throat!

With her other hand tightly covering the man’s mouth, preventing any sound.

Vice Minister Dong also cooperated and slit another’s throat.

Blood splattered, and people in the group saw Ruan Mian kill someone, frozen in place, the elderly couple, Mrs. Zhang, seemed to have lost the ability to think.

After a moment’s reflection, Mrs. Zhang hurriedly ran to Ruan Mian, nervous: "Mianmian, Mianmian! You..."

Mrs. Zhang feared the officer outside wouldn’t let her go.

Though unspoken, Ruan Mian knew Mrs. Zhang was worried about her, and after comforting her twice, she turned to everyone and said.

"You’ve seen it, outside is a dead end, now we are at the end of the road, we must kill those officers to have a chance to live." Otherwise, everyone here will be thrown onto the battlefield.

Moreover, the soldiers outside are traitors of our country, their hearts deserve death!

At this moment, the value of life can hardly be considered.

In a world of kill or be killed, survival of the fittest, only fighting and taking is the way out.