As the woman’s crying rang out, another seven or eight people rushed over and dragged the unconscious men lying on the ground away.
“You heartless bastards! How can you just kill people like that without warning…”
“My heavens! Is there still any law left in this world…”
“I’m going to report this to the authorities! I’ll have the magistrate throw you all in jail!”
The men on the ground had all been struck in vital areas and had already lost their lives on the spot.
Women and children wailed loudly, while several other men stood in front of the carriage with faces full of anger and resentment.
“What do you mean by this? Don’t you think you owe us an explanation for killing people?”
“That’s right! They were kind enough to stand guard at night. Not only did you not appreciate it, you repaid kindness with cruelty. You’re simply… simply lawless!”
“In times like these, every household depends on its men to survive. You’ve killed their pillars of support—this can’t just end like this.”
It seemed these people were from the same village or clan, somewhat related to one another, so naturally they spoke up for their own.
Others unrelated merely stretched their necks to watch the commotion, acting as if it had nothing to do with them.
“If they made the first move, sneaking into our carriage in the middle of the night to try to kill us, then don’t blame us for not showing mercy.”
After they had all spoken their piece, Qin Suining looked at them coldly.
“You still have the nerve to talk about reporting to the officials. If anything, we’re the ones who should be reporting you.”
There were clear knife marks inside the carriage—Qin Suining casually pulled out a thin blanket, revealing a clean slash cut through it.
“You’re all from the same group, aren’t you? Fine. When morning comes, we’ll go report this to the authorities. I’d like to see who the officials arrest!”
Zhou Shi also had a cold expression, raising a large blade in front of her in warning.
“You all still have food to eat this early into the journey, yet you’re already thinking of robbing others. Who would dare travel with you in the future?”
Her words immediately caused the watching crowd to change expressions.
Right… fortunately these people hadn’t attacked them last night. Otherwise, they would have been the ones in danger.
“If we’re all traveling together, it’s fate. Why can’t we just get along peacefully?”
“That’s right… everyone’s having a hard time. Let’s not make a scene at night…”
“There’s too much trouble with large groups. I think we should split up tomorrow…”
No one dared to offend either side, so they could only smooth things over awkwardly.
Some even began packing their belongings, clearly intending to leave.
“Heh, now that people are dead, you can’t just say it’s over like that, can you?”
Seeing no one standing on their side, the men at the carriage grew anxious.
“And what do you mean ‘just let it go’? We also want peace, but now our people have been killed—you must compensate us!”
“Yes! Compensation is required!”
At the mention of compensation, the men suddenly gained confidence and shouted in unison.
“Compensation is fine. When we reach the yamen, I’ll pay whatever the magistrate says I must pay.”
Qin Suining raised her voice, successfully making the men flinch.
Earlier, she had already noticed that when Zhou Shi mentioned going to the authorities, these people showed fear in their eyes.
Of course, she and her mother were even more afraid to go—but that didn’t stop her from bluffing.
“We… we’re all fleeing famine anyway. The officials won’t have time for us…”
Someone muttered, clearly lacking confidence.
“Whether they have time or not isn’t for you to decide. You’re all on the same side—this definitely involves you too!”
Seeing their hesitation, Qin Suining pressed further without hesitation.
“What nonsense are you talking about? Don’t slander us…”
“We’ve already split families. Don’t drag us into this…”
“I know nothing about this. I’m not getting involved…”
Several men quickly shook their heads like rattles.
They were distant relatives from the same clan, and only stood up earlier thinking they might benefit.
Now that things had turned against them and involved the authorities, none of them dared to continue backing the others.
Going to the yamen wasn’t a place you entered lightly.
You’d be lucky to come out without losing a layer of skin.
“Waaah… I can’t live like this anymore! I don’t care—you killed someone, you must pay with your lives! Otherwise, no one is leaving!”
A woman suddenly rushed toward the carriage, screaming.
Her shout triggered the others, and more women and children cried and charged forward.
Zhou Shi instinctively stood in front of her daughter, while Qin Suining remained unusually calm.
She grabbed Zhou Shi’s arm and pulled her slightly back toward the carriage.
Then, in the moment the woman reached them, Qin Suining raised her blade and drove it straight into her chest.
“Puchi!”
The sound of blade piercing flesh was clearly audible to everyone.
The woman froze in shock, still trying to speak, but she could no longer manage a word before collapsing to the ground.
Qin Suining’s expression remained blank as she withdrew the blade.
The sight terrified everyone who had been rushing forward—they all staggered back.
“Mother… Mother, wake up…”
Only a young girl ran forward, collapsing beside the woman and crying hysterically.
Beside her was a thin little child who also began wailing loudly.
Qin Suining’s expression flickered slightly—she recognized them.
They were the same sisters from earlier, the ones people had been discussing as “exchange goods.”
“Waaah… Father, Mother, what do we do now…”
“Waaah… Sister…”
The older girl cried until she was nearly breathless, while the younger child simply clung to her and cried.
This sudden, brutal killing terrified everyone else completely.
No one dared rush forward again. They only sat on the ground, crying and cursing.
Qin Suining paid them no mind. She casually wiped the blood from her blade with an old cloth.
“Who else wants to try? Come forward.”