Chapter 55 - II
Just as he was about to open the door, there was a loud crash, and the door burst open, with a group of people flooding in.
They appeared to be wearing the same clothes as the victims they had sheltered some time ago, and the leading women were the ones who had come for food a few days ago.
As soon as the women saw Shi Yi, they wanted to pull him away and cursed him with unpleasant words.
“It’s you, a wicked person, who poisoned our food and killed our relatives!”
“Come here! Beat them to death! Avenge our relatives!!!”
Before the situation escalated, Aunt Hong stepped forward, slapped one of the women in the face, and yelled, “You ungrateful bitch! White-eyed wolfs! We welcomed you in with kindness, and you falsely accuse us. You deserve to be starved, suffer without a home.”
This incendiary remark hit a nerve with the victims, igniting everyone’s anger. Several men ran to the main hall and started smashing things, while a group began to surround the two of them.
It was then that he noticed Aunt Hong’s hidden skills; she was undoubtedly one of the top aunts. She could pull hair, slap faces without hesitation, and still find time to shield him behind her.
Shi Yi didn’t hesitate to grab a thick wooden stick and join in. In his previous life, he had been in many school fights, and while he was mostly on the receiving end, he had gained experience in knowing where to strike for maximum impact. He quickly and accurately hit a few of the women who had surrounded them, causing them to scream and fall to the ground.
Just as things were heating up, a shrill cry broke out from the door.
.
“My goodness!”
“They’re killing people! Murder!”
The people who had been smashing things in the yard suddenly fell silent and rushed to the door.
He walked to the door with the wooden stick and saw Father Song on the other side, holding a woodcutter, with Uncle Lin behind him.
He glanced at the man who had been struck down in front of him, blood covering the floor.
Father Song was a formidable man, having served in the army. Shi Yi couldn’t help but consider going back to change his wooden stick for a woodcutter.
The woman who had been holding the man pointed at Father Song, accusing him sternly, “You monster! We only wanted justice, and you’ve killed us.”
Father Song gave them a cold look, paying no attention to the ungrateful refugees. They had failed in their scheme and now wanted to harm his young wife in the midst of chaos. He thought killing them with a knife was too lenient.
“So, what if I kill you? You’re a group of refugees without even a proper identification. You fled from the south, and who knows if there are Nanyi spies among you.”
When Father Song said this, Shi Yi and Aunt Hong were suddenly startled, exchanging solemn glances, growing cautious.
The group of victims remained quiet for only a second before a loud shout from the crowd suddenly woke everyone up.
“They don’t see us as humans, they don’t give us a chance to survive, so we won’t make it easy for them. Let’s seek revenge for our relatives who were poisoned to death!” When these words were uttered, chaos erupted as the victims began attacking.
Father Song’s eyes were sharp, showing no mercy as he wielded his knife.
Seeing that Father Song couldn’t be attacked, the victims began flocking to the weak ones. Shi Yi and Aunt Hong found themselves overwhelmed, facing four fists and enduring a severe beating. In the chaos, they didn’t know who pulled Shi Yi away, dragging him to the side of the road where he received several kicks.
Shi Yi gasped in pain, gripping the pistol concealed in his sleeve but refraining from using it.
.
When Chu Nan arrived with the villagers, he shouted multiple times to stop the violence, but his efforts were in vain. He led the villagers into the fray.
He made his way to the courtyard gate to free Aunt Hong from the crowd, but he couldn’t locate Shi Yi. Anxiety crept in as he feared for Shi Yi’s safety, realizing he had to explain this to Pei Xing when he returned.
At that moment, a faint, subtle popping sound came from the chaotic crowd, prompting Chu Nan to search for its source.
Far from the crowd, he spotted Shi Yi. Kneeling on the ground with his hands raised, it was too dark to discern what he held. In front of him stood a tall man clutching his abdomen.
The man grimaced, glancing at the blood on his hands and began to curse, his face twisted with malevolence as he moved closer to apprehend Shi Yi. Suddenly, there was the twang of arrows, and in the blink of an eye, the man’s skull cracked and he slumped to the ground lifeless.
This was followed by the clatter of horse hooves and an angry shout.
“Capture these insurgents! Don’t let anyone escape! If there’s any resistance, execute them on the spot!”
Chu Nan finally reacted, wanting to rush forward and rescue Shi Yi. He failed to notice a man behind him who knocked him unconscious.
Shi Yi’s hands trembled nervously as he stared intently at the man in front of him. This man was Da Qing.
“If you take one more step, I’ll… uh uh uh…”
Before he could finish his grim words, someone embraced him from behind, muffling his words. The person attempted to take the pistol from his hand.
In a panic, Shi Yi tossed it aside. He knew it would be dire if someone took the pistol from him, but his current situation wasn’t much better.