The next day.
As soon as Zhao Ya arrived at the Escort Agency, he received notice that he, Wei Yu, Luo Feng, and Zhou Hua would be undertaking an escort mission under the leadership of Escort Master Luo Qiang.
This was the first escort mission for the four since joining the agency, and it was considered a test for them.
Zhao Ya didn’t feel much about it, but Wei Yu and the others were very excited, especially Luo Feng, the youngest, who was eager to set off immediately.
"When are we going to set off? Hurry up, or it will be noon soon." Luo Feng said impatiently.
Master Luo Qiang heard this and his face darkened, "Nonsense, escorting is not child’s play. The preparation work is not yet finished, how can we just set off?"
Luo Feng, being reprimanded, grinned and quickly bowed his head to apologize, "Sorry, Uncle, I was too anxious."
It turns out Luo Feng is actually the nephew of Master Luo Qiang.
Such situations are quite common in Changlong and other major escort agencies. After all, like the saying goes, brothers against the tiger, father and son soldiers on the battlefield.
In these times, kinship is far more close-knit than it is in the era Zhao Ya comes from.
For example, now Luo Feng is being scolded by his uncle, and he doesn’t dare to utter a word.
After reprimanding his nephew Luo Feng, Luo Qiang turned to look at Wei Yu, Zhao Ya, and Zhou Hua, his expression softened, and he spoke warmly.
"This is your first time on an escort mission, so I will outline some precautions in advance. I hope you won’t find me verbose."
Although Wei Yu and Zhao Ya and the others are still merely agency staff at the moment, everyone knows this is only temporary.
After all, the agency has invested tremendous effort in training them, and the goal is certainly not merely for them to become porters in the future.
If nothing goes wrong, the four of them will surely become Escort Masters of Changlong in the future, so even Luo Qiang speaks to them with courtesy.
"How could it be? We’re honored that Master Luo is willing to guide us, please teach us,"
Before Zhao Ya and Zhou Hua could respond, Wei Yu spoke up first, clearly speaking on behalf of Zhao Ya and the others.
Zhao Ya was unfazed, as he also wanted to hear Luo Qiang’s teachings. After all, this experienced Escort Master has many years of escorting under his belt, and every word is a precious experience that might save lives in critical moments.
Like Zhao Ya, Zhou Hua next to him also maintained a calm demeanor.
"Alright then, let me begin." Luo Qiang seemed pleased with Wei Yu and the others’ attitudes.
"This escort mission is to deliver a batch of goods from the Deji Hall Pharmacy in the city to the Wu Family Camp, 80 miles outside the city."
"This distance isn’t particularly near or far, and according to our pace, the round trip should take at least two days, meaning we have to spend one night outside the city."
"Although there aren’t any real bandits within a radius of seventy to eighty miles outside the city, we must not be careless, especially since you are all inexperienced recruits. So let me make myself clear now."
"You must follow my orders on the road, do not leave the team on your own, and do not talk with strangers casually. Violations will be punished severely, understood?" Luo Qiang said sternly.
Zhao Ya and the others felt a sense of awe, and they all cupped their fists in acknowledgment.
"Understood."
"Very good." Luo Qiang nodded, his tone becoming more gentle.
"Even though this is just a short escort of seventy to eighty miles from the city, caution prolongs the journey, especially since the world is becoming increasingly chaotic, demanding extra vigilance."
"And not just outside the city; even in the Jianghu, if you encounter the following types of people, always be vigilant."
Zhao Ya instantly perked up his ears, focusing intently, afraid of missing a single word.
He knew the words coming from Luo Qiang next would be invaluable experiences accumulated over many years.
"Firstly, beware of monks and Daoists. These religious figures often have unique abilities, best avoided if possible."
"Secondly, be wary of women, especially beautiful ones. In these tumultuous times, a beautiful woman daring to show her face proves she must have abilities beyond the ordinary."
"In addition, any people that seem out of place, such as encountering children in the wilderness; in these situations, do not hesitate and just run, as such places even adults dare not enter lightly, why would a child suddenly appear there?"
Zhao Ya very much agreed with what Luo Qiang said.
After all, anomalies always indicate something strange, and the best strategy when encountering them is to swiftly distance oneself.
Have you ever noticed that in horror movies, those who die the fastest are always those overly curious?
"Alright, that’s about it; now organize your belongings and we’ll set off."
"Yes!"
The escort vehicles were already prepared, and soon, Zhao Ya and the four others, under the envious gaze of the other staff, followed Luo Qiang, leaving the agency, heading out of the city.
Once they exited Wuxiang City’s gates, Luo Qiang opened the package he carried, pulled out the Escort Banner inside, and hung it on the front-most escort vehicle.
The Escort Banner, embroidered with the four large characters ’Changlong Escort Agency,’ fluttered in the wind, showing a mighty aura.
Luo Feng was extremely excited.
Since leaving the city, his eyes have been roaming continuously, looking everywhere.
When he saw the raised Escort Banner, he couldn’t help but mutter.
"So this is traveling through the Jianghu?"
He then moved closer to Zhao Ya, "Hey, Zhao, have you ever been out of the city?"
Zhao Ya shook his head.
His predecessor might have gone out, but personally, it was his first time.
"Hehe, it’s my first time too; normally, my family controls strictly and never lets me out. If it weren’t for my uncle leading this time, I doubt they would have allowed me to come out." Luo Feng chattered on.
Zhao Ya wasn’t interested in interacting with him, as he kept walking and observing the surroundings, which shocked him greatly.
He saw that most fields along the roadside were barren.
More horrifically, corpses could occasionally be seen in the ditches on either side of the road.
He had previously heard about the dire situations outside the city, but hadn’t imagined they would be this dire.
And they hadn’t been out for long.
Amidst his unease, Zhou Hua, who had been silently following since leaving the city, suddenly spoke up.
"This is due to the refugees."
"Hmm?" Zhao Ya turned to look at him.
Continuing, Zhou Hua explained: "Last year, several nearby commanderies suffered flooding, but Yunxiao County survived thanks to the protection of a high sage. Therefore, this year, refugees from those commanderies flocked over."
"The reason the fields you see are barren is because the crops have been consumed by the refugees who wandered here."
Saying this, Zhou Hua snorted coldly, "And what you see now is actually a lot better; at least most of the corpses have been buried. A few months ago, the place was filled with bodies, akin to a hellish scene."
Feeling a tightness in his chest, Zhao Ya pondered.
Two months ago, when he first transmigrated to this world, he had heard some news, but he was so busy cultivating at the time, he had not paid much attention.