Shen Qingwan issued a harsh warning at them.

Seeing that their situation was hopeless, Zhao Gensheng had no choice but to help his father up and lead his people away.

Most of the dead bodies on the ground belonged to Zhao Village.

The people from their own village, on the other hand, had only suffered some injuries.

Some of the deceased were vagrants who had taken advantage of the chaos to steal but were ultimately hacked to death.

“Qingwan, girl, you shouldn’t have let them go just now. Those people are not the kind to let things slide. They will definitely come back,” Hunter Zhang reminded her.

The grudge between their village and Zhao Village had long run deep.

In the past, they refrained from killing each other because murder had consequences.

However, now that the world was in chaos and death was everywhere, their ambitions were beginning to show.

Of course, Shen Qingwan had already noticed it.

Among the remaining people of Zhao Village, there were hardly any elderly or children—most were strong, able-bodied men, with only a few women.

It was obvious that those who had stayed behind in the village had died, abandoned by these survivors in their desperate escape.

Furthermore, they carried little luggage, and judging by the number of weapons they had, they had likely engaged in robbery along the way.

Still, Shen Qingwan chose to let them go for two reasons.

First, it wasn’t the right time to act.

The area was full of refugees, and if they started a fight, those vagrants might take advantage of the chaos, which would put their village at risk.

Second, she was giving them a chance.

In this cruel world where lives were as insignificant as grass, she did not wish to accumulate too much blood debt.

But if they came back to seek their deaths, she would not hesitate to strike them down.

“Uncle Zhang, don’t worry. If they come again, I won’t show mercy. But besides the people from Zhao Village, there’s someone in our village who is even more dangerous than any enemy. The real threat is someone who could stab us in the back at any moment. To be precise, someone who could stab me in the back.”

As she spoke, Shen Qingwan’s gaze swept through the crowd and landed on Auntie Zhao(Datou’s Mother). The woman shrank back in fear.

Earlier, because of her loud outburst, their food supply had been saved.

But what did Shen Qingwan mean by those words?

Didn’t she also act out of self-preservation?

The other villagers turned their gazes toward Auntie Zhao.

Many had heard her cry out earlier.

Hunter Zhang also looked at her with hostility, making her tremble.

“What are you all looking at? I only acted out of desperation to protect myself! Are you blaming me for that?”

Shen Qingwan ignored her and walked toward Li Zheng, the village head. “Village Head, today, Auntie Zhao tried to shift disaster onto us, nearly getting my family killed. I cannot stay with someone like that. I know they are part of Dahe Village, but a tumor is still a tumor. If it isn’t cut out today, it will cause great harm in the future. From now on, it’s either her family or mine. Either they leave, or my family does.”

The moment she said this, many people in Dahe Village panicked.

Shen Qingwan’s combat skills were well-known.

If she left, who would protect them if danger struck?

Meanwhile, Auntie Zhao(Datou’s Mother) was nothing but a troublemaker—a burden to the village.

The choice was obvious.

Datou’s grandmother, Granny Wu, was furious upon hearing this.

She immediately started cursing, pointing at Shen Qingwan.

“You heartless little whore! You want to kick out a widow and her orphaned children? Are you trying to wipe out my family? What kind of wicked heart do you have?!”

Hearing this, Old Man Lu and Old Lady Lu could no longer stay silent.

They rushed forward and started cursing Granny Wu back.

“You’re the heartless old hag! Your family’s supplies got stolen, and you blamed us! If it weren’t for Zhao Caihua(Auntie Zhao’s real name) telling those people that our family had money and food, they wouldn’t have attacked us in the first place! What was your true intention?!”

Granny Wu, enraged by Old Lady Lu’s words, fired back.

The two elderly women, both well past their prime, exchanged the filthiest insults imaginable.

Eventually, they even started spitting at each other, and if no one had held them back, they might have started brawling.

Shen Qingwan felt touched by her mother-in-law’s support.

She held her back, trying to calm her down.

“Mother, let Li Zheng make the decision. There’s no need to get upset.”

Li Zheng, Lu Yongnian, found himself caught in a difficult position.

He didn’t want Shen Qingwan’s family to leave, but he also hesitated to drive out Granny Wu’s family.

It was a tough decision.

“Li Zheng, we are of the same bloodline! Are you really going to expel a widow and her orphaned children for a little slut? You might as well hang us right now! If we leave the village, we have no way to survive! You’re forcing us to our deaths!”

Granny Wu began wailing and throwing a tantrum.

Seeing her act like that, as well as Li Zheng’s conflicted expression, Shen Qingwan made her decision.

“Li Zheng, since they refuse to leave, then my family will. I will not stay in a place where I have to worry about being stabbed in the back during a battle.”

She turned to pack her things.

It wasn’t about being stubborn—it was about survival.

People like Granny Wu were dangerous.

If they encountered danger in the future, she might betray everyone just to save herself.

“Wait, Qingwan! Our family will go with you. I don’t want to be stabbed in the back either.”

Hunter Zhang immediately spoke up, declaring that he would follow Shen Qingwan.

He wasn’t stupid.

He knew that sticking with her was the safest option.

Ever since they had traveled together, it seemed that only by staying by her side had they managed to survive.

“Sister-in-law, we’ll come with you too!”

Aunt Wang waved her family over to join them.

Lu Dachuan, her son, naturally supported his mother’s decision.

Shen Qingwan had no objections. If they wanted to follow her, she wouldn’t refuse.

As for the remaining villagers, seeing that so many people were siding with Shen Qingwan, they became anxious.

Without her, their village would be left without strong fighters.

If Zhao Village returned, how would they defend themselves?

Fear gripped them as they thought of Zhao Village.

“Sister Shen, don’t leave! If anyone should go, it should be Auntie Zhao and her family!”

“Yes, you can’t leave! If someone has to go, it should be Granny Wu’s family!”

“I agree! Get rid of them!”

“Yes! Kick them out!”

More and more villagers spoke up, supporting the expulsion of Granny Wu’s family.

Shen Qingwan hadn’t expected that she had earned such high regard in the village.

At least her efforts to help them had not been in vain.