246: Encountering homeless people

The carriage had only traveled ten miles from Qingshui Town. While the rhythm of the wheels rolling over the gravel of the Official Road remained the same, the scent in the air had quietly changed.

Previously, one could still see occasional merchant caravans laden with goods or itinerant travelers walking in small groups, but now, not a single soul could be found.

Before long.

"Whoa—"

The Guard at the very front suddenly pulled the reins. His fine steed reared up, letting out a wary neigh.

The convoy following closely behind hastily decelerated. The harsh screech of wheels grinding against the ground was exceptionally clear on the empty Official Road.

"What's going on?"

From inside the carriage, Situ Jun's low voice drifted out, carrying a trace of solemnity that was hard to detect.

His fingertips had been carving a Jade Talisman, but he stopped abruptly. His gaze pierced through the gap in the carriage window, looking toward the crowd ahead.

The Guard captain urged his horse forward, squinting to observe for a moment before his expression instantly darkened.

He turned his horse around, quickly approached the carriage window, and reported in a low voice:

"My Lord, ahead... there are refugees."

Before his voice could fade, a cacophony of disorganized footsteps and the rumbling of wheels drifted over with the wind, mixed with the crying of children and the sobbing of women. It was like a heavy net slowly enveloping this stretch of the Official Road.

Situ Jun lifted a corner of the carriage curtain. The hem of his black robes swayed slightly with the movement, revealing eyes as sharp as an eagle's.

On the Official Road ahead, a dense throng of figures was moving in the opposite direction of the convoy—toward East Lin City.

Most of these people were dressed in rags, with patch upon patch. Some were even barefoot, their soles worn bloody by the gravel.

Their faces were sallow, their cheekbones protruded sharply, and their lips were dry and peeling, looking as though they hadn't eaten or drunk properly for many days.

The elderly leaned on wooden sticks, gasping for breath after every few steps. Women held children in their arms, carrying bulging, tattered cloth bundles on their backs containing their only possessions. The older children followed beside the group, balancing pots, bowls, and pans on their heads or shoulders.

The wailing of infants, the coughing of the elderly, the low sobbing of women, and the creaking of wheels blended into a suffocating and desolate background noise, as if a giant boulder were pressing down on everyone's heart.

"They are Southern Border tribesmen."

The Guard captain's voice carried a hint of gravity:

"Looking at their attire, they seem to be coming from deeper within the Southern Border. It's just... there are too many of them, and though they move slowly, there is a faint sense of order. They don't look like ordinary tribes fleeing a disaster."

Situ Jun's brow furrowed tightly.

Although the Southern Border was chaotic and tribal migrations occurred from time to time, such a large-scale, organized movement toward East Lin City was by no means ordinary.

The trace of unease in his heart grew stronger—refugees flooding into East Lin City would not only further deplete the already sparse population of the Southern Border but also place an enormous burden on East Lin City. Food, housing, disease control... every single one was a thorny problem.

The convoy's speed had to slow down. The Guard captain immediately raised his hand to signal, and over ten Guards quickly fanned out. Holding long sabers or bows, they protected the carriage in a fan-shaped formation.

Their eyes were vigilant, their sharp gazes scanning every approaching refugee to prevent any petty criminals from taking advantage of the chaos to disturb Situ Jun's carriage.

"Husband, they..."

Hua Hanxiang also leaned curiously toward the carriage window, peering through the gap.

When she saw those emaciated children and the numb, hollow eyes of the elderly, a flash of pity instantly crossed her eyes.

She gently tugged on Situ Jun's sleeve, her voice trembling slightly:

"They look so pitiful. Have they encountered some great disaster?"

Situ Jun patted the back of her hand, the warmth of his fingertips carrying a comforting power, yet his gaze remained calm:

"Don't worry, I'll go ask about the situation. Wait for me in the carriage; do not get out as you please."

Hanxiang nodded obediently, watching as Situ Jun turned and stepped out of the carriage.

His black robes were particularly striking under the gray sky. The aura of authority Situ Jun carried from long being in a high position acted like an invisible barrier.

The surrounding refugees subconsciously moved aside. No matter how exhausted or hungry they were, no one dared to approach easily, nor did they even dare to look him in the eye.

The Guard captain followed closely behind, his hand resting on the hilt of the saber at his waist, ready to respond to any sudden situation.

Situ Jun's gaze swept through the crowd and quickly locked onto an old man leaning on a wooden stick by the roadside, gasping for breath.

Although the old man's clothes were also tattered, his posture was upright, his hair was combed relatively neatly, and his brow held a hint of composure. He looked like someone of some prestige within a small tribe.

He stepped forward, his voice peaceful yet carrying a natural, convincing power:

"Elder, it's been hard on you. I am Situ Jun of East Lin City. I would like to ask you a few questions—where do you come from? Why is the whole tribe migrating? Where are you going?"

Upon hearing the name 'Situ Jun,' the old man's body visibly jolted.

He slowly raised his head. A flash of surprise first crossed his cloudy eyes, which was then replaced by awe and panic.

He hastily put down his wooden stick and stumbled, trying to bow in greeting, but nearly fell to the ground due to lack of physical strength.

Zhao Meng was quick-eyed and nimble-handed, stepping forward to catch him.

"Th-thank you, My Lord..."

The old man steadied himself and bowed tremulously, saying:

"In response to My Lord, we come from Black Stone Stockade south of the Poisonous Miasma Forest. We truly can no longer survive, so we could only take our tribesmen and flee..."

"Black Stone Stockade?"

He knew the terrain of the Southern Border like the back of his hand. The location of Black Stone Stockade was precisely on a spur of the mountain range where the Nether Crow Cave Mansion was located!

It was near the Poisonous Miasma Forest, where the environment was already harsh. For the entire stockade to abandon their home and flee now, a significant change must have occurred.

"Why can you no longer survive? Was it harassment by Yao Beasts, or did conflict break out between tribes?"

Situ Jun pressed, his tone still steady but carrying an unquestionable pressure.

The old man's body shook, and a look of terror instantly appeared on his face, as if he were recalling something extremely frightening.

His lips trembled, and his voice was intermittent:

"N-neither... there was simply no way left to live! A few days ago, many Immortal Masters suddenly arrived in the Poisonous Miasma Forest. They were fighting in the woods, and the commotion was terrifying! Later... later the poisonous miasma spread, corroding all the mountain forests and farmlands near our stockade. Even the water in the river carried the poisonous miasma. The livestock for plowing and the domestic animals in the pens drank the water, and within a moment, they fell to the ground twitching and died soon after..."

Speaking to this point, the old man's voice choked up, and tears welled in his cloudy eyes:

"The young men of the stockade went to the mountain forests to hunt, and when they returned, their bodies were black and they were foaming at the mouth, barely surviving. If we stayed any longer, everyone in the stockade would die... We can only go toward East Lin City. We heard we can survive there."

"Oh?"

Situ Jun's expression did not change, and his tone betrayed no emotion:

"The Southern Border is vast. Why must everyone go to East Lin City specifically? Are there no other places to go?"

The old man swallowed hard, his eyes flickering as if he were hiding something.

He hesitated for a moment before saying in a low voice:

"I... I heard... that Lord Situ of East Lin City is a benevolent and kind official who has stockpiled much food and many Medicinal Pills, and is willing to provide relief to us tribes in distress... If we go to East Lin, perhaps there will be a way to live."

As soon as these words were spoken, a cold glint instantly flashed through Situ Jun's eyes!