Chapter 13: Group Fight

Seeing that everyone had quieted down, Wang-shi finally reined in her aura and spoke

“Everyone! Listen to my arrangements!”

With that, she pointed out all the men in the group—eleven in total, including Xu Da—and methodically assigned them their tasks.

Wang-shi didn't expect these villagers to understand the reasoning behind her arrangements at all, so she only told them what they needed to do.

Simple instructions were indeed effective. Although the men didn't know why they had to do these things, they all memorized their tasks.

Having arranged the main force, Wang-shi looked at the five women from Dawang Village. Tong-shi, who had a child, and another woman named Qiu-shi, who looked frail and unsteady, were left behind to look after the four children.

The remaining three women picked up weapons they felt comfortable with and moved out with her.

Finally, Wang-shi looked at the three Xu siblings and asked earnestly, “Can you protect yourselves?”

Xu Yue nodded, and Xu Erniang did the same. Both sisters indicated there was no problem.

“Good. You go with the other children, find a hidden spot, and hide. Everyone else, grab your weapons and follow me!”

Wang-shi waved her arm and, without looking back, dashed rapidly toward the pond.

The decisiveness with which she left the children behind without a single word of instruction left Tong-shi and Qiu-shi stunned.

Xu Yue, however, puffed out her little chest with pride; she was finally being treated like an adult by her mother.

Although there were many people on the other side of the pond, she had absolute confidence in her mother!

“The grass on the left is dense and the terrain is high. Let’s go hide over there; we’ll still be able to see the situation at the pond,” Xu Erniang suggested.

She said this to Xu Yue, seemingly having no intention of managing Tong-shi and the others.

Xu Yue signaled for Tong-shi and the others to follow. Like two little adults, the sisters used the walking sticks Wang-shi had whittled to push aside the grass, tapping as they walked up the slope.

Even the young boy following behind them looked calm, seemingly not worried about the situation at the pond at all.

Qiu-shi marveled at this. Looking at the thin, small child she was cradling who was so hungry he was sucking on his fingers, she exchanged a glance with Tong-shi. The two women led the five-year-old Wang family girl and another nine-year-old boy to follow the three Xu siblings.

Just as they crouched down and hid in the concealed grass, intense sounds of fighting erupted from the clearing below the hillside.

Someone seemed to have been injured; screams and wails mixed together, making even Xu Yue feel nervous.

The grass was tall and deep. Crouched inside, Xu Yue couldn't even push aside the grass in front of her to look down.

But sounds of running came from not far away. Unable to distinguish friend from foe, she didn't dare stand up and could only silently endure the torture of not being able to see.

However, it wasn't long before she heard her mother’s command: “Do not pursue a desperate foe.”

It seemed they had won this battle for the pond.

“You-niang!”

Wang-shi called out from below the slope. Xu Yue stood up from the grass excitedly and saw Wang-shi smiling and waving at her. “Come down!”

Xu Yue was overjoyed and quickly called her brother, sister, and Tong-shi’s group to head toward the pond.

Seeing that she wasn't even as tall as the grass, Xu Dalang reached out with his long arms, scooped Xu Yue up, and leaped down the hillside in a few bounds.

By the time Xu Yue regained her senses, she had been carried to the water’s edge by Xu Dalang.

She saw Xu Dalang diving into the pond like a starving ghost, gulping down several mouthfuls of water. Xu Yue hurriedly pulled him away, terrified.

“Brother, don't just drink raw water!”

However, Xu Dalang had already swallowed it. He pushed her hand away and specifically cupped a handful of water, happily offering it to her, urging her in his unpolished way: “D-drink!”

The water in the boy’s palms was crystal clear, with a tiny piece of emerald-green grass debris inside, making the water look even more pure and refreshing.

Xu Yue swallowed hard, her willpower nearly collapsing.

But the animals in the mountains also drank from this pond. Would it really be okay to drink it raw like this?

Looking at the Dawang Village villagers around her who were cupping the water and drinking it directly, and Tong-shi, who had arrived later and was feeding the water to her child, Xu Yue couldn't help but wonder if she was being too delicate.

Xu Dalang pushed his palms forward again, almost to Xu Yue’s lips.

Who could resist this!

Xu Yue finally couldn't help but stick out her tongue and take a lick. Tasting the cool, crisp flavor, she couldn't stop; she held onto her brother’s hands and buried her head to drink greedily.

One handful wasn't enough, so she drank another, letting out a satisfied burp.

The moisture, which made her salivary glands work naturally, made Xu Yue feel as if she had been reborn. She felt so comfortable she wanted to lie down.

But she knew that if she lay down now, she probably wouldn't be able to get back up. Kneeling by the pond, she splashed a handful of water on her face. The cool water dispelled the heat, and she felt much clearer-headed.

Xu Yue turned to look at the clearing. The group of refugees had been driven away by her mother and her team. They had been cooking when they were attacked and hadn't had time to take their belongings; a pile of pots, bowls, and basins had been left behind.

The villagers of Dawang Village were overjoyed and immediately divided up the food that was still cooking in the pots.

Xu Yue saw her father act with lightning speed, grabbing an entire pot and raising his eyebrows at her mother with a smug, triumphant look, as if asking for credit.

However, her mother’s face didn't show the same joy as the others; instead, her expression was a bit grim.

She watched the Dawang Village people, who were about to come to blows over a pot of food, sighed deeply, and turned her head away, refusing to look at their chaos.

As long as no one died, Wang-shi had no energy to manage them right now.

But she knew clearly that pushing an opponent into a desperate situation was never a good thing. After a moment of thought, she walked over to Wang Dayou, who had already snatched half a pot of porridge, and whispered a few words to him.

Xu Yue didn't know what they said, but Wang Dayou soon stood up and walked toward his fellow villagers who were fighting.

He seemed to have some prestige among the villagers. He called over a few people who had already obtained food to pull apart those fighting and divided the thin porridge equally.

Afterward, this group put down all the pots, bowls, and basins they had snatched. Wang Dayou walked over to Wang-shi, and the two spoke a few more words.

He glanced at Wang-shi in surprise, then called the villagers over to fill all the pots, bowls, and basins with clean water, placing the water and the pots at the boundary between the grass and the forest.

Wang-shi didn't even spare the one in Xu Da’s hands, though she only transferred the porridge from his pot into their own ceramic pot.

Xu Da found it unbelievable.

You return the spoils of war?

Not only return them, but add a little extra?

Xu Yue didn't quite understand her mother’s actions either, but seeing those refugees emerging from the forest one after another with wary faces, she suddenly understood something.

The two sides stared at each other for a moment. Perhaps the hunger and thirst were too unbearable; the refugees ran out quickly, took the pots and water, and then quickly walked away.

Watching those figures disappear into the forest, Xu Da frowned. For the first time, he spoke to Wang-shi in a tone of displeasure

“You are letting the tiger return to the mountain.”

Wang-shi gave a cold scoff. “Have you ever seen a tiger this emaciated?”

Xu Da: “...”

(End of chapter)