Chapter 167: Humiliated

As the Xu family members ran forward, still glancing back, they failed to react in time. Chen Dashan and Shen Lie, hidden behind the tree, had already swiftly emerged, delivering the final blows to the two bandits who were still barely alive. They ensured their deaths, then removed the iron arrows from their bodies, taking the swords that the bandits had seized from the fallen soldiers.

Their actions were swift and composed, as if they were merely reaping prey and skinning them during a hunt. The Xu family couldn't help but halt in their tracks. They were both stunned and exhausted from narrowly escaping death. Wei Lingzhen, for instance, was now so weak that she felt limp all over. If not for the fact that she was still holding onto Shen Yin, she would have collapsed.

Their entire family had nearly met their end right there that day.

Shen Lie strode forward with large and swift steps, quickly closing the distance between himself and the Xu family members. He took in each of them with a sweeping glance before finally directing his question to Shen Jin: "Where is Tian Ya?"

Shen Jin's eyes reddened instantly, and she pursed her lips, shaking her head.

Shen Lie had already guessed something when he saw only the three brothers emerge from the cave. At this moment, his nose tingled, and he swallowed to suppress the emotion. He didn't ask further and handed the seized knife to Xu Wenqing, who was beside Shen Jin. "Take it for protection."

Turning to Xu Shopkeeper, I said, "We can't afford to delay. With the chaos in the city, we must leave immediately. Big Mountain and I will scout ahead and keep watch. Could you and Uncle Xu please carry Little Silver and Little Iron?"

Shopkeeper Xu nodded repeatedly, hurriedly passing the hoe to his eldest son for him to carry. He also warned about the poison on the hoe's blade and asked for caution. Then, he took Shen Yin from his wife and explained to Shen Lie that Shen Yin and Shen Tie were desperately hungry before saying, "I've hidden some food in my shelter."

Starving, his situation aligned with Shen Lie's assumption. He nodded. "I know where the food is, but we can't go now. Our group is too large, and the city has just fallen. The bandits won't have the energy to monitor the outskirts. This is our best chance to escape. Once they regain their strength, it'll be much harder to leave. Besides, the secret tunnel could be discovered at any moment. You can't carry much grain at once, and revealing our position would be disastrous."

Xu Shopkeeper didn't ask further. "We'll follow your lead."

Xu Shuren took the iron rod from Xu Wenhong, while Chen Dashan handed his knife to Xu Wenhong and ventured ahead to scout. Shen Lie observed Shen Yin and Shen Tie. Only Shen Yin could still open her eyes to look at him, weakly mouthing something, likely calling out to him.

His eyes reddened. He squeezed Shen Yin's hand and reassured her not to be afraid. Then, he signaled for Xu Shopkeeper and the others to follow, guiding them into the forest.

Xu Wenqing and Xu Wenhong carried shovels on their shoulders and held the knife, their hands trembling with excitement. Besides keeping watch, they often glanced at Shen Lie and the already-forthgoing Chen Dashan.

So these were the Shen Lie and Chen Dashan that Father and Wenbo had mentioned. Like divine soldiers descending from the heavens.

No one paid attention to the young men's excitement. Xu Shopkeeper and the others remained vigilant, fearing exposure. Apart from initial instructions, they dared not speak another word.

...

When Shen Lie and Chen Dashan first arrived, it was challenging. Now, with all the bandits rushing into the city, their return journey was easier. They only needed to remain hidden in the forest and watch out for bandits or refugees who might have been at the sentry posts and were now heading towards the county seat. Unlike before, they didn't need to detour for two days.

Indeed, there were sentries, but they were likely stationed further away. The ones nearby had heard the commotion of the city's fall and were rushing towards the county town. Shen Lie and Chen Dashan stealthily moved through the forest, managing to evade detection.

As for the villagers who had fled into the mountains, not a single one could be seen in the vicinity.

Consequently, after just an hour and a half, Shen Lie and Chen Dashan led the elderly and children into the inner mountainous region of Ten Li Village.

Since they had been walking in the mountains, Shen Jin hadn't initially realized they were retracing their steps back to the village. It wasn't until the surroundings became increasingly familiar that he froze in shock.

Not with joy, but with fear.

His entire being was seized by an overwhelming terror, causing his pace to slow down. His eyes reddened, but he dared not let anyone notice. He lowered his head slightly.

"Your big brother and your parents, this is how it is. There are some things you mustn't know. I hope you won't blame big brother. Remember the skills I taught you. Practice them diligently. As long as you can hunt, you can survive in the forest. As long as there isn't a severe drought or epidemic, relying on this great mountain, most can endure. Do you understand?"

In the four months since leaving those families, it had felt like an eternity for Shen Jin. But no matter how long, he still vividly recalled the words his elder brother spoke to him before he left with Xiao An.

That day, he had obtained the slingshot he had yearned for so long, and his elder brother and Xiao An had dug a hideout for him. He returned home overjoyed, eagerly anticipating the next morning when he would carry his small bow and train with his elder brother, Xiao An, and the other kids, just like before.

Yet, when he went looking for them the following day, there was no more training. All that remained were empty houses.

All those who had trained together with him had departed, leaving him behind.

He was aware of the reason, hence his sorrow, not resentment.

No one dared to involve his parents in their actions. His elder brother, sister-in-law, An and Anning had treated them kindly enough.

Back then, Shen Jin believed that with his craftsmanship, a hideout, the support of the mountains, and his parents, he could somehow survive. But after the nightmare in Qiyang County, he no longer held that confidence.

Without anyone to protect him, he couldn't protect anyone else, not even himself.

Each step he took grew heavier, yet he had no idea how to initiate a conversation.

Should he beg his elder brother to take them away?

How much grain would it take to feed the three brothers?

Pirates were rampant everywhere; the land couldn't be cultivated, and without food, how could they live?

Would they end up like his family?

Shen Jin found it hard to utter a word. His elder brother and sister-in-law had not owed them anything. The family had long been divided, with all ties severed between the two branches. Despite being in the mountains, his elder brother still managed to visit him from time to time, bringing dried meat and arranging for others to look after him. Most importantly, he had rescued them from that deadly place – an immense favor that could never be repaid.

Shen Jin dared not imagine what would happen if he were to encounter another predator again.

He stifled his sobs, wiping away his tears, and followed the group in silence, watching as his elder brother and Big Shan led them to the shelter he had dug for him. He observed as his brother squatted down and reached out to lift the shelter's lid.

Shen Jin lowered his head even further, trying to hold back his tears, but they refused to listen, spilling down his cheeks before he could blink.

...

With the shelter's lid lifted, Wei Qing, who was conserving his energy with his eyes closed inside, jolted in fear. When he recognized who had opened the cover, he leaped up in excitement.

"Shen Lie!"

In a few quick steps, he climbed up the small steps within and emerged from the underground hole. Seeing his sister, her husband, and his two nephews, he joyfully scrambled out, "Sis! Wenqing, Wenhong!"

He embraced both nephews tightly.

Still damp-eyed, Shen Jin, who had expected his elder brother to return them to the shelter and then leave, stood there in a daze, staring at the unfamiliar young man emerging from his family's shelter.

Chen Dashan gave Shen Jin a fleeting glance before tactfully averting his gaze.

At this moment, Shen Lie's attention fell on Shen Yin and Shen Tie, especially the significantly weaker Shen Tie. He put down the weapons in his hands and the items on his back, took Shen Tie from Uncle Xu, and asked the shopkeeper, "Uncle Xu, it wasn't convenient to ask along the way, but what's the situation with the children?"

Ever since he saw his younger sister-in-law emerge from the shelter, Uncle Xu knew that they were temporarily safe. The anxiety he had been carrying throughout the journey finally eased. Taking the water bag filled with salted sugar water and rice soup from his wife, he fed Shen Yin and Shen Tie with Shen Lie. Only then did he describe the situation in the county.

"On the day we entered the city, Uncle Xu and I purposely kept watch at the city gate to recognize the children's faces. We also had Uncle Xu follow them to see where they were settled. Before that, Little Jin had hunted some things, and we witnessed Shen San exchanging them for food. Uncle Xu had also exchanged quite a bit for them earlier, so we didn't expect there to be a shortage of food. Due to certain reasons, my wife and children were no longer safe in Shezhou, so they came to seek refuge. Most of our food supplies were transferred to the shelter outside the city, and we didn't have much left inside. We never expected the city gates to be suddenly sealed. To facilitate our escape, we mostly exchanged our stored food for a small courtyard close to the city wall. Later, when the city started conscripting soldiers, Uncle Xu was drafted because he was listed as the head of the household when he bought the courtyard. Our family dug a tunnel in the house to hide. Yesterday, we reached the foundation of the city wall, and this morning, I thought of checking on the children you entrusted me to take care of."

Here, Master Xu couldn't help but shake his head vigorously, catching sight of Shen Lie watching him. With a heavy sigh, he said, "It was devastating. Little Tian Ya, the youngest—neither I nor Uncle Xu saw her when we arrived. As for Mr. and Mrs. Shen San..."

Glimpsing Shen Yin, who was already stirring awake to sip rice soup, and Shen Tie, who instinctively swallowed saltwater, he held back his words. He exchanged meaningful glances with his wife and Uncle Xu, signaling them to come over and take over the care of the two children while he led Shen Lie away. Only then did he continue, "I'm not entirely sure, but given the urgency of today's events, I didn't have the chance or the heart to delve into the details. But it seems your Third Uncle consumed... that substance and secretly sent Sweet Girl away. Perhaps Li Shi caught on, and in the dead of night, when he was sound asleep, she struck. She used an ax, but perhaps due to excessive starvation, her strength was insufficient, preventing her from accomplishing her aim in one blow. In the end, she was also pierced by scissors, leaving both spouses covered in bloody wounds."

Those two words were too painful for Shopkeeper Xu to utter, but Shen Lie understood all too well. His breathing grew heavy with anger, and he clenched his teeth to prevent himself from cursing the man as a beast.

It is simply impossible to fathom how these children have endured these past days, let alone what specific tribulations Sweet Ya has undergone.

"Upon our arrival, the hut was in a state of utter devastation," Xu Shopkeeper continued. "At that time, only Little Jin was still standing. The two younger ones were on the verge of collapse from starvation, lying helplessly on the ground. A group of malevolent onlookers had gathered around them. My uncle and I rushed the children and Little Jin to the clinic, but we were tailed along the way."

That man had truly set his sights on these children as his next meal.

Shen Lie clenched his fists with a cracking sound and turned to look at Shen Yin and Shen Tie. "What did the doctor say?"

"He can be saved. He's been eating mud cakes for days, but fortunately, Li was still lucid enough to starve them rather than let them eat too much. Every day, she only gave them just enough to keep them alive. We managed to get some saltwater and rice soup to feed them first. If we can take good care of them for a while, they should recover."

Shen Lie bowed deeply to Manager Xu. "Thank you very much. Despite the danger, you rescued Little Jin and his siblings in this situation."

He sincerely expressed his gratitude, but Manager Xu didn't dare accept it. Terrified, he hurriedly supported Shen Lie. "Nonsense! Not only were my mother and child under your protection, but I also owe you a favor. Just speaking for our family of five, we only managed to escape safely because of you and Big Mountain. How could I accept your thanks? It's our family that should be thanking you and Big Mountain."

"Besides, good deeds reap good rewards. Today, I truly believe in this saying. Honestly, if we hadn't saved those children and attracted that ill-intentioned person, Uncle Xu might have lost his life on the city walls today."

He recounted how Uncle Xu, moved by compassion, had promised Shen Jin that he would bury Li if possible. Later, when they discovered someone was watching them, he asked Uncle Xu to find an opportunity to take care of things. One was to bury Li, and the other was to take two days off from the city walls to hide at home.

"If that hadn't happened, who knows what Uncle Xu might have encountered near the city walls when the city fell? It's uncertain if he could have returned safely to that small courtyard, let alone escaped. If our family had waited for Uncle Xu and he didn't come back, we would have been delayed, and who knows what outcome that would have led to?"

Hearing about this incident, Shen Lie asked, "Did Shen San receive a proper burial too?"

Manager Xu shook his head. "Of course not. A person like him doesn't deserve it." He then relayed Shen Jin's reaction to Shen Lie.

Shen Lie nodded and thanked Master Xu once more before turning back to check on the situation with Shen Yin and Shen Tie.

Master Xu finally had the chance to ask, "How did you and Big Mountain happen to be right by our exit?"

Chen Dashan smiled and replied, "It was just your lucky chance."

He then recounted the story of how Chu Liu received the letter with a date from some time ago, prompting them to go out and investigate since they were worried. They discovered that Ten Mile Village was deserted, and Little Jin and his brothers were nowhere to be found in the shelter or the cave. They had then decided to head to the county town to see if they could assist Master Xu.

"Rampant bandits were everywhere, so we had to take a long detour just to reach the county town. It took us two days, and we arrived on the eighth day. We waited until today. When the city was breached, we heard unusual sounds, so we discussed it and decided to come out and investigate. As Shen Lie was walking near the spot where you dug the exit, he felt a slight vibration beneath his feet. He's cautious, so he stopped immediately. After that, he even managed to hear faint voices by leaning closer."

"Given that we assisted you in constructing the shelter, we waited outside, constantly speculating that you might dig your way out. Hence, we suspected it could be you. To avoid any mistakes, we retreated and hid in the nearby bushes."

There was no need for Chen Dashan to elaborate on what happened next. Xu Wenchao was the first to emerge, followed by Xu Wenrong. They didn't recognize either of them, which initially led to confusion. Then, they saw Shen Yin, Shen Tie, and Shen Jin, the three brothers, being passed through.

The moment Shopkeeper Xu appeared with his vial of poison, it was clear to them that pursuers were closing in. Therefore, they promptly fetched their bows, preparing for battle.

Wei Lingzhen couldn't help but react, clasping her hands together in front of her chest and looking up to heaven in gratitude. Shopkeeper Xu exclaimed even more openly, "What a tremendous stroke of luck!"

For safety reasons, the shelter was situated quite a distance from the city walls. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to excavate such a large refuge without interruption.

The timing of Shen Lie's emergence coincided with their completion of the final upward tunnel. It was as if they had received divine favor. The man bowed to Shen Lie and Chen Dashan with his two sons, "We are grateful for both heaven's grace and your assistance. This life-saving kindness will forever be etched in our hearts."

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan hastily stepped aside. Chen Dashan smiled and said, "Enough with the thanks. Let's not dwell on it."

He turned to Shen Lie, "Shouldn't we hurry up? If we wait until tomorrow, it might not be safe."

Shen Lie nodded. Seeing that the younger ones had eaten enough, and Shen Yin even had the strength to call him 'brother' through teary eyes, while Shen Tie had finally managed to open his eyes, he asked Shen Jin, "Can Little Jin still hold on? If you can, I'll hunt something tonight to fill your stomach. For now, let's set off. We need to reach the cave where we hid the letter before nightfall."

This last part was addressed to the others.

Upon hearing this, Shen Jin froze, overwhelmed by joy, fear, and disbelief. His lips trembled, "Brother, are you taking us with you?"

Chen Dashan chuckled. This child bore no resemblance to Shen San or Li Shi. In fact, he resembled Shen Lie and his siblings more.

Indeed, before Shen Lie went to war, he had been responsible for raising and guiding the older children in the family.

Shen Lie also raised an eyebrow. He looked at the makeshift shelter, "If you're not coming with me, do you plan to stay here with Little Yin and Little Tie? Can you handle encountering refugees?"

Once upon a time, he dared to keep people because Shen San and Li Shi were still around. Now that both of them were gone, what use was it to trap mountain birds and rabbits, or have a sanctuary? They couldn't hide in it for their entire lives.

With refugees and bandits rampant, at that time, these three children would be lambs to the slaughter in others' eyes. No special skills were needed; any grown adult could easily subdue them.

Shen Jin finally realized the situation and shook his head repeatedly. He knelt down and pleaded, "We can't handle it. I beg Elder Brother and Sister-in-law to take care of us for a few years, save Little Silver and Little Iron. After they recover, we don't need your grain. I'll hunt, dig wild vegetables, and gather grass seeds. I can support them. All we need is a safe place to settle down."

With both hands on the ground, he bowed his body and knocked his head down again and again.

Watching this reaction, Shen Lie was deeply pained in his heart.

This reaction of Shen Jin actually revealed that the children hadn't dared to hope he would agree to take them along.

Indeed, I've abandoned them once before.

Sweet Yam had passed away. Since Shen Lie had only seen Shen Jin and his two brothers leave the village, he had already anticipated this. Their silent journey was not without the reason of his own inability to face the truth.

Until now, he dares not ask himself if he has any regrets.

Yet, Shen Lie was well aware that even if time were to flow backward repeatedly to several months prior, allowing him to make countless choices, as long as he lacked the memory and couldn't foresee the soldiers rounding up the villagers into the city, couldn't anticipate today's tragedy, his decision would remain the same.

Or perhaps, deep down where even he himself couldn't reach, he had never truly refrained from holding the triplets accountable for Shen San and Li's actions.

True forgiveness, treating them as his siblings, was like how he treated An and Ning. If he could, he wouldn't dare expose them to any danger.

But his leniency towards Shen Jin and the others stemmed solely from their past connection, from the fact that he had raised them, taught them skills, plotted for them, and done his utmost to help. He couldn't bring himself to repay evil with kindness by taking on the responsibility of raising Shen San and Li's children.

He said Shen Jin wouldn't want to leave his parents, but how could he willingly allow Shen San and Li to bind him with affection, only to be exploited by them again?

Yes, it was all due to his unwillingness.

It was only now that he realized his true feelings – he was unwilling.

So, he planned for Shen Jin and his siblings, entrusted them to Manager Xu's care, and kept an eye on them whenever possible. All these arrangements stemmed from a hidden corner of his heart, a place he himself hadn't acknowledged, revealing that he knew deep down that Shen Jin and his siblings were not truly safe.

In this instant, Shen Lie finally saw the truth, the true depths of his heart.

He had been about to help Shen Jin up, but in that moment, he was utterly humiliated. His hand, halfway raised, folded back to cover his face, hiding the furrowed brows and dampened hands, a result of the sudden realization that hit him.

Shen Jin continued thudding his head against the ground. Shen Lie didn't have time to recompose himself. He hastily wiped his face and reached out to pull Shen Jin up.

Avoiding Shen Jin's gaze, he turned his back and hastily picked up the basket and weapons lying on the ground. "It's getting late, let's all gather our things and leave."

He proceeded forward, brushing past Chen Dashan. Noticing something in Chen Dashan's expression, he patted Shen Lie on the shoulder. Turning his head, he saw Shen Jin standing rooted to the spot, staring blankly at Shen Lie's departing figure. He walked over, picked up his own weapon, ruffled Shen Jin's hair, and said, "Foolish? Come on, your big brother never had any intention of leaving you behind."

Indeed, the sole purpose was to save Shopkeeper Xu. How could anyone have stayed for so many days in that refuge and still be unwilling to leave?

If Shen San and Li were still alive, Shen Lie might not have intervened so much, perhaps merely sending them back to Shili Village or sequestering them in some remote cave in the mountains. But with Shen San and Li gone, given Shen Lie's nature, how could he abandon his cousins without concern?

Shen Jin's reaction at that moment, or rather, the combination of Sweet Ya's death and Shen Jin's subsequent reaction, is likely to weigh heavily on Shen Lie's heart.

Chen Dashan patted Shen Jin and then went to greet the Xu family.

With tears still rolling down his cheeks, Shen Jin finally allowed himself to cry aloud.

"Thank you, Big Brother."

Shen Lie had left so swiftly that Shen Jin didn't get the chance to express his gratitude. He could only repeat the phrase in his heart, sobbing all the while.