“Bang—!”
With a loud crash against the blade, sparks scattered through the air. The powerful impact numbed the trafficker’s arm holding the knife.
Looking down, he saw a small stone rolling by his feet.
When he turned his head, he saw two imposing men descend from above and land steadily in front of the mother and son.
Before the trafficker could even make out their faces, he was kicked flying through the air.
The newcomers were Jiang Yifeng and Jiang Chengyu.
Jiang Kun had long suspected something was wrong with Qiu Tian. If someone intended harm toward a group of starving refugees who possessed nothing, then they were almost certainly planning to sell them as “vegetable people.”
Because Jiang Kun knew that a band of roaming traffickers specializing in kidnapping and selling people had been operating around Qianzhou.
Since the Jiang family had taken the forest trail and made a detour, they arrived later than the refugees.
To prevent accidents, Jiang Kun had deliberately sent his two sons with the best martial arts and lightness skills ahead to save people first, while the rest of the family followed afterward.
The dozen traffickers immediately grabbed their sabers and surrounded the brothers.
A fight became unavoidable.
Despite being outnumbered nearly ten to one, the brothers showed not the slightest panic.
Every one of the Jiang brothers was an extraordinary warrior.
The eldest, Jiang Fengyu, was known as the Iron Armor Saber King, capable of holding off ten thousand men alone on the battlefield.
The second, Jiang Yifeng, possessed peerless agility and archery skills capable of taking an enemy’s head from hundreds of feet away.
The third, Jiang Chengyu, known as “Jiang Third Master of the Jade Face and Cold Spear,” wielded his Dragon Roar Soul-Piercing Spear like a dragon sweeping across armies.
The reason they had avoided fighting the government troops earlier was not only to avoid exposure, but also because they needed to protect their wives and children at the same time, making it difficult to fight freely.
But now, facing a gang of vicious traffickers, they no longer needed to hold back.
The two brothers split apart in battle—one fighting barehanded, the other wielding a staff.
Jiang Yifeng flashed through the crowd several times, spinning the traffickers around in confusion. Before they could recover, he knocked them down one by one with his fists.
Once Jiang Chengyu’s staff moved, cold flashes streaked like swordlight. Wherever it struck, cries of pain erupted.
In less than a moment, the ground was littered with fallen men.
Jiang Chengyu raised a sharp brow.
“None of them can even take a hit.”
The trapped refugees in the clearing were completely dumbfounded.
These two men treated the battle like child’s play, effortlessly taking down over a dozen burly fighters.
This… this was simply unbelievable…
“Aren’t you the young masters of the Chen family?” the old man who had spoken with Jiang Kun earlier suddenly exclaimed as he recognized the brothers and hurried forward excitedly.
It turned out the dark-skinned old man was actually the clan leader of the refugees.
Jiang Chengyu collected the grain and stolen wealth from the traffickers and handed it all to the old man.
“This place isn’t safe. You should leave quickly. And don’t trust strangers so easily again.”
“Thank you, heroes, for saving our lives. We can only repay you in our next lives, even if we must become oxen and horses.”
The refugees, who had narrowly escaped death, all knelt and kowtowed repeatedly toward the brothers.
“Go quickly,” Jiang Chengyu urged.
Only after watching them leave did the brothers turn back toward the unconscious traffickers.
To prevent retaliation—and to stop them from harming others again—they had to die.
Jiang Chengyu pulled out the short dagger hidden on his body and slit their throats one by one…
Meanwhile, in the forest, Jiang Qingshu accidentally discovered a cave in a cliff while taking Linbao away to relieve himself.
The cave was dry and spacious, large enough to shelter the entire family.
That night, the family temporarily settled there.
Because of the prolonged drought, dry branches and dead grass could be found everywhere in the woods.
Before long, Jiang Fengyu returned carrying a pile of firewood. Jiang Yifeng built a simple stove near the cave entrance, Eldest Sister-in-law Tang Shuangshuang set up a pot to cook porridge, and Second Sister-in-law cleaned the cave interior for sleeping.
Jiang Qingshu gathered the children to one side and handed each of them an apple.
They were all still growing children. Food could not be neglected.
Jiang Kun and Sun Yuluo sat beside the campfire resting while she examined the wounds on his back. The festering whip marks had already begun growing fresh pink skin.
Jiang Kun’s arrow wound had also healed almost completely. With more rest, he would fully recover.
“I’ve never seen medicine this miraculous. That mysterious benefactor must be extraordinary.”
“Isn’t that obvious? An ordinary person could never have cured Shuer’s illness.”
“Grandpa, here—eat this.”
Linbao suddenly toddled over holding an apple.
The elderly couple looked surprised. The little boy truly had a filial heart.
But the road north would be dangerous. As elders, how could they compete with their grandchildren for food?
“Grandpa doesn’t like sour things like this. You eat it yourself.”
Jiang Kun gently patted Linbao’s head, his face filled with affection and pride.
Linbao blinked his bright eyes in confusion.
The fruit was clearly sweet—why did Grandpa call it sour?
Seeing Linbao offer fruit to his grandfather, the other children quickly followed suit, wanting to share theirs as well.
Jiang Kun was overjoyed. Whether he ate them or not, his heart already felt sweet enough.
Jiang Qingshu watched the children crowd around the elderly couple, the scene warm and harmonious.
“Alright, stop pushing food around. Time to eat.”
As she walked over, Jiang Qingshu unpacked the food and arranged it atop a flat rock.
First came eight large white steamed buns, then two jin of crispy shrimp, eight meat-filled pancakes, and four braised beef marrow bones.
Jiang Kun, Sun Yuluo, and Tang Shuangshuang, who was cooking the porridge, were all stunned.
There was no need to ask—this had undoubtedly been arranged by that mysterious master once again.
Jiang Kun narrowed his eyes at the lavish meal, his heart filled with disbelief.
What kind of person could freely come and go beside them at any time without leaving a trace?
Fortunately, that person was not an enemy. Otherwise…
The porridge in the pot was ready. Tang Shuangshuang first served bowls to Jiang Kun and his wife.
The children were all busy eating meat pancakes and showed little interest in porridge, leaving the rest for the adults.
The family sat around the campfire and enjoyed a satisfying meal together.
“Brother, where did those refugees go? Do they have food now?” Jiang Luoyou suddenly asked, thinking of the refugee group.
Jiang Yifeng put down his chopsticks, about to speak, but Jiang Kun answered first.
“Our identities are too sensitive right now. We shouldn’t meddle too much. Saving them from danger was already the greatest kindness we could offer. The rest of the road depends on themselves.”
“Father’s right,” Jiang Fengyu added. “The world is in chaos now, with refugees numbering in the thousands. We can barely protect ourselves. If we interfere too much, we’ll only invite disaster.”
Jiang Qingshu tugged lightly at Jiang Luoyou, stopping her from speaking further.
She understood that girls of Luoyou’s age were naturally innocent and kindhearted, but her father and brothers were right.
Keeping their distance from the refugees was, in a way, also protecting them.
Earlier, Jiang Qingshu had secretly left food and water along the refugees’ route. She believed they would survive.
After dinner, the women cleaned up and spread out bedding.
The men arranged the night watch schedule. In the end, Jiang Yifeng would guard the first half of the night, while Jiang Chengyu would take the second half.
Under the blankets, Linbao’s chubby little arms tightly wrapped around Jiang Qingshu’s neck.
“Mother… are you really better now?” the little boy mumbled sleepily.
Jiang Qingshu gently patted his back.
“Mother is better now. From now on, Mother will take care of Linbao instead.”
Little Linbao gave no reply.
Nestled against his mother’s warmth, his eyelids gradually grew heavier and heavier…