Chapter 201: 201, Refugees forming gangs

Evening fell, and the snow ceased.

Looking around, the view was a vast expanse of white, as if the world had been replaced.

A plump field mouse emerged from the earth, burrowing through the snow in search of new sustenance, its whiskers already twitching at the scent of grain from its burrow.

Winter had thickened the fur of the beasts; this mouse resembled a fuzzy sphere.

Yet, no sooner had it ventured from the entrance than a flurry of snow erupted behind it—Ren Xiaosu, who had been crouched in the snow for too long, his form and breath obscured by the frost.

The rotund mouse’s fur bristled in alarm, but it was too late to retreat into the hole.

In these days, the mice of the wasteland were swift beyond ordinary capture, yet a dagger seemed to foresee its path, hurtling toward it and pinning the creature to the snowy trail.

A cheer echoed in the distance; Jiang Wu, her students rubbing their numb hands, rejoiced at the prospect of meat for the night.

Ren Xiaosu approached, dragging the mouse’s leg: "Hunting in the wilderness demands patience. These beasts no longer fall for bait—they grow cunning. If your patience falters, you’ll starve."

He had lain in the snow for hours, though he could’ve joined Chen Wudi in hunting boar. But such methods ill-suited these students.

His true aim was instruction—and gratitude coins.

After sharing his tale, the students eagerly thanked him, their blind reverence netting him over four hundred coins in a single day…

Since taking on this side quest, he’d schemed to amass so many, only to find students the easiest marks.

Once, he feared Jiang Wu’s flock would delay their escape. Now, he lamented their scarcity—gratitude coins trickled too slowly.

Each day, he droned on about trapping, squirrel nest raiding, watching them feast well during their flight, their cheeks rosier than before.

As he led them toward camp, he said, "Find a squirrel’s cache in winter, and you’ll feast for days. Its stored food won’t poison you."

A student asked, "If we eat their stores, how will they survive?"

Ren Xiaosu replied, "Eat the squirrels too—they’ll never need to hibernate again."

The student nodded, as if it made perfect sense.

Jiang Wu trailed behind, her expression clouded by his teachings.

At camp, Yan Liuyuan had kindled a bonfire; students gathered firewood, their shivering eased for the night.

The refugee horde camped nearby, following wherever Ren Xiaosu’s group went, yet kept their distance.

Compared to the exodus’s start, only a fraction now remained.

Xiao Yu jie took the dagger, deftly skinning the mouse, then wiped her bloodied hands on the snow.

Yan Liuyuan whispered, "The refugees are forming factions. I saw men commanding others while lounging."

"Hm," Ren Xiaosu fed the flames, adding pine branches that crackled and sparked. "Ignore them. It’s inevitable—at first, all are frantic, but soon the clever and ruthless learn to enslave others. It’s human nature."

"Before, they lived within walls, laboring by its rules, entertained by costly diversions. Though they worked, they saved nothing, repeating days without thought…" He paused. "But in the wilderness, they grasp the world’s true face."

Suddenly, he mused, "Those walls—the consortium crafted their world with care."

A commotion erupted among the refugees; Ren Xiaosu glanced up to see men seizing a lone wanderer.

The captive wrenched free, sprinting toward their fire.

"Brother, what now?" Yan Liuyuan asked.

"Watch," Ren Xiaosu skewered the mouse on a branch.

The pursuers halted mid-stride, eyeing him by the flames.

The refugee, tightly bundled, froze mid-step, yet stumbled onward, collapsing motionless in the snow.

She must’ve hoped the ruckus would draw aid, but her fall lasted hours…

After a long while, Chen Wudi by the fire muttered, "Master, someone’s there."

"No matter. She’s merely tired, sleeping. Don’t disturb her," Ren Xiaosu smiled. Others missed it, but he sensed her breath—erratic, not of slumber.

A conscious person’s breath couldn’t be so disordered. Perhaps the snow had been uncomfortable; she’d shifted positions stealthily.

Next moment, the figure stirred, rising like one awakened, lifting her scarf to reveal a delicate face. Yan Liuyuan whispered, "A woman."

She stared blankly: "How did I faint? Hello—I’m Fang Yuqing."

Ren Xiaosu glanced away: "Awake? Return to your own camp."

He had no patience for such schemers. Though pretty, she ranked low among women he’d known.

"You don’t recognize me?" Fang Yuqing blinked.

All by the fire exchanged glances. Ren Xiaosu said, "You wouldn’t believe it—no one here knows you…"