Chapter 614: Disaster Victims

Chapter 614: Refugees

The clatter continued without pause. Niu San crouched among the crowd, holding a large bowl and drinking the porridge with loud slurps.

The millet and sorghum porridge was thin, mixed with wild vegetables, radish greens, sweet potato, and yam.

Yet even so, Niu San wept as he ate, for it was incredibly fragrant—something he had never tasted in his life.

With his tongue, he licked the bowl clean, then slowly emerged from the group, moving cautiously toward the porridge pavilion.

Though emaciated to the point of being unrecognizable, Niu San's tall frame still caught the attention of the nearby village guards.

“What are you doing? Stand there!” Several soldiers from Niu Xin Village pointed their spears at him and shouted sternly.

They had no choice but to be harsh; they were also frightened. Where had these refugees come from?

“Umm… officer, didn’t you say each person gets two bowls? Can I have another one?” Niu San asked, his neck bent in submission.

When a large spoonful of coarse grain porridge was poured into his bowl, Niu San immediately bowed and retreated back into the crowd to enjoy his meal.

Though once a squad leader in the military, a man of some standing, now, if there was food to eat, he would kneel and crawl under his own pants.

After licking the porridge from his bowl clean once more, Niu San, quick-witted, secretly glanced toward the nearby village.

Unlike the ruins he had seen before, this place radiated vitality, showing not a trace of disaster.

It was too strange. After all, when the calamity struck, nearly ten out of ten people in Great Qi perished—no one escaped.

“Could it be that someone here is blessed by a powerful protector?”

At that moment, he suddenly saw a rift tear open in midair above a field. A young Taoist in red robes emerged from within, and his heart instantly confirmed his suspicion.

From afar, he watched the Taoist glance over at them, enter the fenced-off village, and speak with a strange man whose face was half black, half white.

Soon after, Niu San saw the strange man walk forward with hands behind his back, his bearing dignified, pointing with his fingers at four people.

“You, you, you, and you—come out!”

These four were among the largest of the refugees, including Niu San himself.

“Listen well,” said the man. “My senior brother Li has a kind heart—he’s a great good man! He can’t bear to see people suffer, which is why he offers you porridge.”

“But with over a hundred of you running around like this, how can we manage? From now on, you four will be the leaders of your respective groups.”

“Take care of your fellow villagers. Go to the woods to relieve yourselves. Don’t commit crimes. Whoever disobeys—pull them out. Their portion of porridge will be halved tomorrow!”

“Hey hey hey.”

Watching the four bowing to him, Gouwa wore a proud expression. It felt truly pleasant.

Seeing the four walk into the crowd, Gouwa turned to Li Huowang beside him and said, “Senior Brother Li, although this is good news—we don’t lack food—but look how many more refugees keep coming. Will we be able to handle it?”

Li Huowang looked at the refugees and spoke in a low voice, “They won’t keep coming. The people of Great Qi are nearly extinct.”

He had checked Great Qi just now. Within dozens of miles, there were probably only this few left.

Just then, hoofbeats rang out. Li Huowang saw Chun Xiaoman riding back with several village guards.

With one arm, she pulled the reins, leaped off her horse, and said to Li Huowang, “Senior Brother Li, you were right. There are refugees in other villages, even in the county.”

“Are there any wearing white headscarves among them?” Li Huowang asked.

“Yes, but not many. We searched around and found only three or five.”

Hearing this, Li Huowang’s heart sank. The appearance of these people from Great Qi wasn’t accidental. Gao Zhijian, originally emperor of Great Qi, had now connected to the dragon vein of Great Liang.

Whether Great Qi was part of a vanished history or not, the people of Great Qi were now gradually arriving in Great Liang.

Zhuge Yuan’s plan had worked—the people of Great Qi had indeed been saved, albeit in a peculiar way.

Now, more importantly, it seemed that along with the refugees, something else had come with them. He needed to notify Gao Zhijian quickly.

“Hmm…” Li Huowang nodded, then took out a sealed letter from his sleeve. “Go to the capital for me and deliver a message to Gao Zhijian and the Heavenly Observing Bureau.”

“Okay.” Chun Xiaoman took the letter and immediately rode off toward the road.

Li Huowang exhaled deeply. The only somewhat good news was that Great Qi had lost nearly everyone, and the followers of Yu’er had also suffered heavy losses. Otherwise, if they had come to Great Liang, it would have been a catastrophe.

Even though many had died, the surviving followers of the Law Sect from Great Qi remained a threat.

“Senior Brother Li, are you thinking about how to deal with these people?” Bai Lingmiao asked softly as she approached.

Li Huowang folded his arms and looked at the distant refugees. “Yes. Though few in number, these are desperate hungry people. And those who survived must have some skill.”

“If we don’t manage them properly, whether they commit crimes or get absorbed into the Law Sect of Great Liang, the peace just restored might be disturbed again.”

Bai Lingmiao bit her fingernails and thought for a while before saying, “Senior Brother Li, what if I do this? I can speak for the White Lotus Sect. Let me send people out to recruit these refugees into our sect. What do you think?”

Li Huowang looked at her in surprise. “White Lotus Sect? Is this your idea, or theirs?”

“Senior Brother Li, why do you ask? My status as Holy Maiden gives me the highest authority in the White Lotus Sect.”

Looking at Bai Lingmiao’s face, Li Huowang realized it was time to talk to her about the White Lotus Sect.

But before that, it was acceptable for the White Lotus Sect to absorb these refugees. Compared to the Law Sect trying to summon Yu’er, the White Lotus Sect appeared far more benign.

“Fine. Have your people move fast. I suspect the Law Sect, seeing so many starving refugees, has already begun taking them.”

“Mm!” Bai Lingmiao nodded lightly and stepped off toward the village exit.

She returned shortly after. Seeing Li Huowang wasn’t at the village entrance, she walked toward the Bai family compound.

As soon as she entered, Bai Lingmiao saw Li Huowang sitting on a long bench waiting for her.

“Sit,” he said gently, patting the spot next to him.

Bai Lingmiao sat down, leaning her head lightly against Li Huowang’s shoulder.

“Be honest with me—have you been hiding something from me in the White Lotus Sect?”

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Next chapter updates at 11:36 PM

(End of Chapter)