72: Donkey lips and horse mouth (please read)

From the city's outer pier to the city gate of Qingshan County.

A long stream of carriages, horses, and people moved slowly.

At a glance, it stretched for several miles.

Qingshan County had suffered a great calamity, and all the people in the entire county had fallen into a deep sleep.

The county yamen, rebuilt after the disaster in Yunlu County, issued an urgent official document overnight.

Unexpectedly, many common people quickly responded, coming day and night to aid Qingshan County.

As citizens of Yunlu County who had recently experienced the demonic disaster and escaped death from a city-wide massacre, they knew that this was the time when their brothers and sisters in Qingshan County most needed help.

They had experienced that feeling.

Many people had fled to Qingshan County previously, and Qingshan County did not drive them away; instead, it opened its gates and offered porridge.

And there was that Patrol Officer Qin!

He fought all night, traveled hundreds of miles, and saved many lives from the demons.

This life-saving kindness!

Now was the time to repay it.

Just then, there were a few quick horses.

"Giddy up, giddy up, giddy up!"

"Quick, quick, quick!"

"Folks, everyone gather at the city gate first."

As the words fell, a group of hurried figures, dressed in green uniforms, galloped on horseback towards the city gate.

Leading them was a middle-aged Hunter with tiger-like eyes and a broad nose.

A knife was tucked at his waist, his body slightly leaned forward, and he held the reins with one hand.

His other sleeve, however, was empty.

The Hunter rode directly into the city gate, dismounted swiftly, and had his subordinates guard the city gate.

Then, he ascended the city wall with hurried steps.

On the city wall, a figure in red stood with a sword on her back.

"My Lady, our reinforcements have arrived."

"What should we do next?"

The one-armed Hunter knelt on one knee, seeking instructions from the Patrolling Mountain Commandant of Yunlu County.

The Hunter also felt a bit emotional; the female knight from before was actually their county's Patrolling Mountain Commandant.

After the last demonic disaster, she took over Yunlu County.

And he, a former martial arts hall master, had formed a good relationship during that demonic disaster and was recruited by her as a constable in the county yamen.

His Disciples from the martial arts hall also became yamen runners.

And the woman in red was Lian Nishang.

Turning her head, her clear and cold expression revealed solemnity.

"Qingshan County's sixty thousand people are currently in a deep sleep."

"The situation is currently unclear; we don't know how long these people will remain unconscious, so they need to be fed rice and water to maintain their vitality."

"You must register how many people have come from our county this time."

"Then, the county government will issue wages, as relying solely on courage is fine for a day or two, but over time, they will not be able to stay."

"Then, allocate manpower according to the wards, markets, and alleys of Qingshan County..."

"Remember, the timing is crucial; although our people come with sincere hearts, we must also guard against those who try to fish in troubled waters."

"If anyone commits a crime, they will be severely punished without leniency!"

As Lian Nishang spoke, her willow-like eyebrows furrowed, and her Qi was awe-inspiring.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Shan's tiger eyes also widened, and his voice boomed.

"In the face of this great disaster, if anyone commits a crime, I, Wu Shan, will be the first to not let him off."

Saying that, he parted his lips, hesitating for a moment.

"My Lady, I would like to ask about the whereabouts of that gentleman from Qingshan County; I, Wu Shan, still owe that gentleman a debt of gratitude."

Lian Nishang's beautiful eyes moved, and she shook her head.

"I don't know either."

"I am more concerned about my brother's whereabouts than you are."

"Go and do your work!"

Wu Shan sighed and replied, "Yes."

He turned and descended the city wall!

When Wu Shan disappeared from the city wall,

A figure appeared beside Lian Nishang.

"Little Ni Shang, your conduct is indeed like a raging fire. This time, I, Qin, thank you."

The figure was none other than the heavily bearded Qin Hu.

He looked at the people who had come to aid them with a sense of emotion.

He knew that Lian Nishang was in the neighboring county, so he sent an urgent letter overnight, roughly explaining the situation in Qingshan County and requesting assistance.

What he didn't expect was that she would gather so many people in such a short amount of time.

It was truly beyond his expectations.

"Patrol Officer Qin, there's no need to be polite. This is Qingshan County, which my brother patrols. The people of Yunlu County still remember his kindness and came, so I naturally have an inescapable responsibility."

Upon hearing this, a hint of surprise flashed across Qin Hu's eyebrows.

This woman, whose nature was like a raging fire, had some reputation in the government office; she abhorred evil as if it were her enemy, and was as sharp and righteous as the Sword Dao she cultivated.

From her words, it seemed she held a certain closeness and admiration for Chen Yuan.

However, he quickly dismissed the thought.

Wasn't this precisely her style?

"It seems this Chen brother is indeed extraordinary. To gain such popular support, I, Qin, truly did not misjudge him."

"Alas, I hope everything is alright."

Saying this, he sighed.

To be honest, with the lives of tens of thousands of people at stake, he felt as if a huge stone was pressing on his heart, making it hard to breathe.

Now, he could only rely on Chen Yuan, or leave it to fate.

Lian Nishang frowned.

She had learned the cause of the matter from Patrol Officer Qin and also felt heavy-hearted.

For a moment, both fell silent.

Meanwhile, below the city, the arriving citizens began to gather.

Wu Shan was below, carrying out orders and making announcements.

First, registration.

Then, explaining the situation.

Next, dividing the arriving people into different groups, led by the yamen runners.

They entered the quiet Qingshan County.

The streets were silent.

Many of the citizens who came to help couldn't help but feel a chill in their hearts.

Fortunately, it was broad daylight, and everyone was gathered together, so it wasn't as frightening.

Upon entering the houses, they found that it was indeed as described.

The people of Qingshan County merely seemed to be asleep; their hearts were still beating, and they still had pulses.

Suddenly, a cry of alarm came from a certain street.

"Someone's dead!"

...

A private school appeared before Tiger Cub and the two others.

Inside, there was the sound of reading aloud.

Tiger Cub, seeing the darkness around him and unable to find his mother, was initially scared, but then he suddenly saw such a bright place, and it was his familiar private school.

He quickly ran inside.

"Squeak, squeak!"

The Little Squirrel's fur bristled, instinctively sensing something, squeaking loudly, grabbing his clothes, and pulling him, urging him not to go in.

At this moment, an old Confucian scholar with a mustache walked out of the reading room, scolding in a voice:

"Tiger Cub, you're the only one left. You're late again."

"Come in!"

Then, Tiger Cub felt his body sway, and his surroundings changed.

He was already sitting in his usual reading spot.

The master looked at him, stroking his beard,

"You are late again today."

"This old man will test you on what you've learned recently."

"Otherwise, hmph."

Saying that, he let out a cold snort and picked up the ruler, weighing it in his hand.

Tiger Cub's body trembled, and the fear of the master, which came from deep within, surged into his heart.

"'To moisten with spittle in times of need,' what does that mean?" the master asked, his gaze fixed on Tiger Cub.

Tiger Cub felt as if he was being utterly suppressed, his body trembling as he desperately tried to recall what the master had taught him.

After a while, he slapped his head,

"Master, I... I think I remember."

"It means, two people fighting and spitting at each other. You often teach that a gentleman uses his words, not his hands. Yes, that's it!" Tiger Cub was initially hesitant, but the more he spoke, the more confident he became.

On the platform, the master seemed a bit stunned upon hearing this answer, his skin twitching beneath his face, as if something was trying to break out from within.

However, after a moment, the master came back to his senses and was furious,

"Nonsense!"

He picked up the ruler.

And hit Tiger Cub's hand.

"Slap!"

With that, two donkey ears suddenly sprouted from Tiger Cub's head, and then his body transformed, turning into a small donkey.

Only, it had an incongruous horse's mouth.

Tiger Cub was startled.

"Hee-haw!"

"Hee-haw!"

He kept braying.

At this moment, the master's twisted gaze fell upon the bristling Little Squirrel.

"Since he can't answer, you answer!"

No sooner had he spoken.

A large lump of something shot out from the Little Squirrel's mouth with a "whoosh."

"Thwack!"

A pine cone mixed with saliva hit the master directly in the face.

It flattened his face like a deflated ball.

"Squeak, squeak!"

The Little Squirrel, riding the small donkey that Tiger Cub had turned into, urged him to hurry.

"Hee-haw!"

"Hee-haw!"

Tiger Cub quickly led the two little demons to escape.

This was not the master at all.

Just as the donkey's hooves were flying, about to escape the private school.

The surrounding scene rapidly developed gray-black cracks and began to collapse.

A roar came from very close behind.

Just then, a pink floral light rain fell in the pitch-black night.

Then, with a sweep, it fiercely rolled towards the black mist.

After a few breaths, the black mist grew smaller and smaller, and the roaring inside disappeared.

The pink petals spun from bottom to top.

A pair of slender, long legs stepped out first.

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