Chapter 179 - Settlement

After journeying into the mountains for over an hour, Shen Lie and his group finally arrived at the Zhou family's makeshift residence.

It was a modest-sized cave with a small entrance concealed behind shrubs and trees. The opening was entirely blocked by large rocks, leaving only a narrow gap for light and air to pass through.

When Zhou Lazi went to move the stones, he called out softly first to avoid startling those inside.

"Dad! Big Brother! Did you finish so quickly?"

Second Brother Zhou's voice was hushed as he poked his head out of the cave. Upon seeing Shen Lie and Chen Dashan behind him, his excitement caused his tone to waver slightly. "Brother Lie? Brother Dashan?"

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan smiled, while Zhou Lazi said, "Hurry up, tell your mother and siblings to pack up. We'll be heading deeper into the inner circle immediately. Ah Lie and Dashan will give us a ride."

Overwhelmed with emotion, Second Brother Zhou didn't know how to react. He hastily acknowledged with an "aye" before swiftly retreating back into the cave.

The Zhou family's belongings were scarce. To be honest, their poverty was such that even their coats were stuffed with reeds and chicken or duck feathers they had collected over time.

Of course, they did raise chickens and ducks, but they were reluctant to eat them, preferring to sell them at the market. As a result, they couldn't rely on their own fowl for feathers and had to collect them bit by bit whenever possible.

The family hurried to avoid keeping Shen Lie and Chen Dashan waiting. All seven of them emerged from the cave in less than an hour, fully packed.

Apart from Zhou Lazi, Zhou Dalang, and Zhou Erlang who had normal skin tones, the rest—Zhou Lazi's wife, the eldest daughter of the Zhou family, Zhou Sanlang, and the youngest daughter—had unnaturally pale complexions. When they first appeared, they all instinctively shielded their eyes.

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan now understood how the Zhou family had been surviving for the past half a year. Or rather, during the past two months since the bandits arrived in Qiyang County, only Zhou Lazi and his two elder sons dared to venture out. Zhou Lazi's wife and eldest daughter were too scared to leave the cave, while Zhou Sanlang and the youngest daughter were too young to do so.

What a world.

Shen Lie, Chen Dashan, and the Xu family members helped carry some of the items as they said, "Let's go."

The Zhou family didn't have much food, but there were two large bags of soybeans and sundried wild vegetables. With the additional three bags of freshly harvested crops, about half of which contained pods, it was a substantial load. Although others wouldn't know, carrying grain into the mountains would attract unwanted attention, especially when entering the deeper regions.

That night, after finding a cave to settle in, the Zhou family emptied the soybeans and spread them out on mats near the fire to dry with the residual warmth. Five bags became three and a half, and they entered the inner region.

To avoid drawing attention, they didn't use baskets or containers; only the smallest items were placed in a backpack. The rest, such as blankets and clothing, were tied with ropes, making it obvious what they were carrying. Even the jars and pots were held by the children. Despite these precautions, they still attracted suspicious gazes.

Solitary individuals only dared to glance, but larger groups seemed restless. Fortunately, Shen Lie and Chen Dashan already had their own knives and bows, and the Xu family had borrowed bows and arrows from the mountain dwellers. Combined with the swords seized from the city last time, there were nine able-bodied individuals in the group: four with knives and six with bows and arrows, a formidable sight.

These weren't kitchen knives, axes, or hoes; they were military-grade weapons.

In the inner circle, there were about five or six instances that made the Zhou family's hair stand on end with their scrutiny, but only one led to an actual confrontation. A group of over twenty burly men, with the air of seasoned criminals, fixated on the Zhou family's eldest daughter, their desires in their eyes and excitement on their faces unmasked.

Against such individuals, no unnecessary words were needed. Shen Lie and Chen Dashan charged forward, while the already enraged Zhou family, with Zhou Laizi brandishing a knife given by Shen Lie, and Zhou Dalang and Zhou Erlang wielding hoes and machetes, followed closely, ready to fight for their lives.

Fuelled by anger on one side and honed ferocity from battle on the other, when blades were drawn, it was a matter of life or death. There could be no other outcome.

In the blink of an eye, four out of the group of twenty were killed, one severely injured, and another lightly wounded. They hadn't even reached the opposing group before the first five attackers left them with four dead and two injured. Especially the two knife-wielding men, whose mere encounter resulted in the deaths of the other four, as if slaughtering chickens.

These men, who had often relied on their numbers to commit murder and robbery, were suddenly gripped by fear and their legs trembled. When Shen Lie and Chen Dashan rushed at them again, more than half turned tail and fled.

The two closest to Shen Lie and Chen Dashan couldn't escape in time; before they could turn around, they felt a chill on their necks.

As Xu Manager and the others protected the women and children, Xu Wenqing nocked an arrow, his hands trembling. After several breaths, he steeled himself and released the arrow.

After a tense day and a half, the sudden clash erupted and ended swiftly. In close combat, eight people lay on the ground: six dead, two injured. The lightly wounded one managed to flee with his companions.

The Xu family had witnessed this side of Shen Lie and Chen Dashan before, while the Zhou family and Wei Qinghe had only seen them act against beasts, not humans. This was their first encounter, evoking shock, yet mostly relief and admiration.

The Zhou family, in particular, understood well that had they not been following Shen Lie and Chen Dashan, not to mention their ability to handle the beasts they encountered earlier, they likely wouldn't have survived this current crisis at all.

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan didn't find it unusual; they had learned this survival principle during those years. However, both of them now looked at Xu Wenqing with newfound respect.

This young lad has been practicing archery for less than two months, but what truly stands out is his courage.

Shen Lie patted his shoulder, smiling. "Train well. Whether it's a chaotic world or a peaceful one, having a skill to protect yourself is always beneficial."

Xu Wenqing was still panicked just now, but with Shen Lie's reassuring pat, he felt somewhat calmer.

The battlefield was left untouched as the group continued their journey inward. Not long after they left, several groups of people arrived in the woods, only to be startled by the pungent smell of blood and the sight of corpses strewn across the ground, causing them to flee in terror.

Convinced, he vowed that anyone who dared to bring women and children into such deep mountains should never, ever be provoked.

The Zhou and Xu families were unaware of the numerous tails trailing behind them. However, during the following half-day, the subtle sense of malevolent scrutiny they had previously felt vanished entirely.

After another day and a half of traveling deeper, they were just a couple of hours away from the valley. The Xu family, unfamiliar with the area, failed to notice their direction, while Wei Qing had made several trips but couldn't quite discern the route due to Shen Lie and Chen Dashan's habit of taking circuitous paths when transporting supplies. It wasn't long before Chen Dashan realized that Shen Lie had deliberately veered off course.

He quietly asked, "How do we plan on dealing with the Zhou family?" A hunch began to form in his mind.

Shen Lie replied softly, "How about the area where we picked the silver ear mushroom? We can help them set up a simple defense there."

Indeed.

Chen Dashan smiled and said, "That sounds good. I was thinking of the same place too."

It was more than an hour's walk from the valley, not too close but still within reach for their daily hunting and gathering activities. It wouldn't be completely isolated from assistance.

Considering the current situation outside, the Zhou family would only need to defend themselves against wild beasts for the next few months. There might be wolves in that area, but with extra effort put into fortifying their defenses, they should be able to survive without any major issues.

By mid-afternoon, they arrived at the location Shen Lie had mentioned. They inspected several caves one by one before settling on the smallest one situated beneath a steep cliff. The steepness made it difficult for wild beasts to jump down from the cave entrance, making it easier to defend. Additionally, there was a small mountain spring nearby.

In this deep mountain, proximity to a water source was crucial for those unable to move around easily.

Although the Xu family didn't know exactly where they were or how far it was from the valley, they trusted Shen Lie and Chen Dashan completely when it came to matters in the valley. Everyone helped clean the cave, cut wood, and construct basic defenses, ensuring the Zhou family had a safe haven to start with.

They chopped wood directly in front of the cave, simultaneously clearing an area for cultivation. Shen Lie pointed to a small plot of land in front of the cave and said, "Let's start building the entrance to the cave today. Tonight, we'll light some fires and cut more trees to build a high fence around your cave, including the mountain spring. This way, Auntie and the others won't be trapped inside the cave. For added security, you can gradually gather more stones to build another layer of stone wall. Don't underestimate the strength of the animals' teeth and claws."

Chen Dashan walked around the area a few more times and suggested, "Down below, you could create another planting area using tall wooden stakes. You can still plant soybeans and vegetables now, and if you hurry, you can harvest a crop before the season ends. With nested fences, it will be much safer. However, this is something you'll have to work on gradually on your own."

The Zhou family nodded repeatedly. Zhou Laizi's wife said, "It's already great that you're willing to help us this much. We don't know how to thank you."

There was no future for women outside the mountains now. She was old and plagued with illnesses; her death would be a lesser burden on her family. But her daughter was still young, especially her eldest, who was at the prime of her life. The thought of anything happening to her was unbearable.

She had seen the bones in the forest that had been picked clean along the way. They hadn't encountered a single soul in the last day and a half. She knew that by entering this deep mountainous region, they had temporarily avoided any potential harm from other humans. As for the wild beasts in the mountains, where else could they go but these hills?

...

Shen Lie's group left the next morning. Before their departure, they promised to bring the Zhou father and son along if they hunted in this direction again in the future.

By the time they returned to the valley, it was already past noon. Since Xu Manager had rappelled down the cliff, the discovery of the children had been notified to all the families. When everyone was safely down, the residents of the valley gathered around them.

"Did you fail to transport the food?"

Aside from a few rabbits and pheasants they'd hunted and some wild vegetables they'd picked, the group had nothing to show for their journey. Old Man Chen asked upon seeing this.

Chen Dashan nodded and replied, "Qiyang County has been occupied by those bandits. They're recruiting soldiers and training troops daily outside the county. We couldn't get close."

He explained the situation outside the mountains, their encounter with Zhou Laizi and his son in Liashi Village, and how they brought the pair back into the depths of the mountains.

The valley fell into a prolonged silence. After a while, Old Man Chen managed to speak, "So many people were trapped in the county, and none of them managed to escape?"

Chen Dashan lowered his gaze, and Shen Lie replied, "Perhaps only a handful managed to escape during the initial chaos. The city gates were probably secured soon after."

Old Man Lu hastily asked, "What about all those people in the city? Are they still locked inside?"

Shen Lie shook his head. "I doubt it. Ordinary citizens trapped in the city without food wouldn't survive for long. Men might have joined the bandits and rebels out of desperation for sustenance, while women and children..."

Their fate would likely depend on luck.

Families with capable men might protect themselves, but those without might not be as fortunate. If the women were attractive, their situation in that city would be no different from hell on earth.

The group stood in silence for a long time. Eventually, Zhou Cunzheng's voice trembled as he said, "In our Li Shi Village, are we and Laizi's family the only ones still alive and well?"

They had been fortunate to have the protection and guidance of the Shen and Chen families, which led them to hide in this remote mountain. Even Zhou Laizi's family had been lucky to encounter them. But what about the other villages? When peace was restored, how many would return home alive?

The elderly, including Old Lady Chen and Zhou Cunzheng's wife, wiped away their tears.

Sang Luo's fingers trembled slightly, and her mind flashed back to the historical records she had read, with their contrasting numbers of population rise and fall in ancient dynasties. All she could do was sigh at the grim reality.

Now, she is but a tiny, insignificant component within that vast numeral, smaller even than a speck of dust.