The bamboo huts built against the mountain that I remember numbered at least three to four hundred, but thinking back to the bandits of Mighty Hall she had seen, there were probably only around two hundred people.
Could it be that some had gone out to rob and were not among them??
If that were the case, then their painstakingly created facade of Mighty Hall escaping with money would have been for naught.
Seriously, Ah Dao also thought of the key point and asked from atop the carriage.
"How many of them are there?"
"Five... fifty or sixty people." These refugees began to weep profusely as they recounted the events of these past days.
These refugees had settled here only about three months ago, starting with just one or two households clearing the land. Later, it grew to over ten households. Relying on the mountain for sustenance, their lives improved a hundred, even a thousandfold compared to their days of destitution and wandering.
However, just days after they started enjoying this comfortable life, news of war brewing in the north began to spread.
A large number of refugees heading north were now moving south again.
Biluo was on the way, and this barely formed village began to suffer constant disruptions.
Initially, it was passing refugees who came asking for food. Later, it was the vicious refugees who began to forcefully rob, and now even the bandits had come knocking.
Those small paths were trampled into existence by these very people!
And the people from Mighty Hall who came today, each wielding sophisticated weaponry, started chopping anyone they saw and grabbing any woman in sight.
It was with great difficulty that the four of them escaped.
There is a Xuanwei Army camp nearby; at the moment, their intention was to seek help from the Xuanwei Army, yet they had just climbed up here when they encountered them.
Seeing this massive crowd of several hundred people, even with a horse carriage, and the young man walking around the carriage carrying a sword, they immediately determined that these must be nobles traveling south.
So the villagers quickly approached them for help.
No sooner had these villagers finished explaining their plight than several sharp arrow feathers came speeding towards the horse.
Ah Dao launched himself with a tap of his foot and, with lightning speed, hacked away the arrow feathers.
Just at that moment, a troop charged up the hillside.
"The third in command of Mighty Hall is here, who dares to swagger around here acting impudent?"
The voice arrived before the person, startling everyone present.
Bai Junjun, having been here for so long, was hearing such childish and pretentiously poetic dialogue for the first time, and couldn’t help but widen her eyes.
However, to her surprise, the newcomer turned out to be a strong guy dressed like a scholar.
There seemed to be no apt description for his appearance, like... a butcher wearing high heels—utterly incongruous.
Nonetheless, the moment this man appeared, Ah Dao immediately burst with a murderous intent.
Originally, Bai Junjun wanted to remind him that if they were going to do it, they should take care of all of the bandits once and for all, but in the current situation, there was no need for her to speak as Ah Dao had already charged forward.
Their weapons collided rapidly, both of high quality, causing sparks to fly upon impact.
The incongruous strong guy sneered, "Fate has a funny way of bringing enemies together. Never thought I’d see you here, Ah Dao."
Ah Dao responded with a swift roundhouse kick.
The strong guy nimbly dodged and countered with his weapon, "What about the sickly boss of yours who’s always fawning over Bai Junjun? Still alive?"
"None of your business," Ah Dao coldly scoffed and clashed with him again.
However, their brief exchange revealed a plethora of information.
Bai Junjun instinctively hugged Bai Sasa’s shoulder and asked in a low voice, "Do we know him?"
Bai Sasa stared at the man, equally stunned, and after a while, finally nodded, "Seems... seems like it."
"Who?" Bai Junjun asked again.