Chapter 15

[Do you want to view the task immediately?]

In response, Ying Yue naturally answered, “Yes.”

A transparent light screen appeared with the task name, though it sounded strange:

[Side Quest 1: The Hu people dare not go south and herd horses 1.0

Mission details: Barbarians who eat human flesh are causing trouble here. To keep peace, we must repel these foreign invaders.

These barbarians are uncivilized and enjoy killing and eating people like livestock. This is beyond inhuman. Please eliminate 100 barbarians to honor the innocent souls of the people. (Kills by your subordinates will count, and you won’t be reminded again.)

Mission notes: The Hu people dare not go south. The 1.0 herding horses mission is a beginner’s version. After completion, it upgrades to version 2.0.

Mission reward: One card draw for every ten cannibals killed (1.0 version offers a single card draw, not ten consecutive draws.)

Mission progress: Draw a card opportunity (010)]

The system decided that the Hu people would not dare go south. The 1.0 mission was too simple for Ying Yue, but still necessary for her.

When such side quests appear, the system’s database determines the “preferential policy” based on the host’s situation. Ying Yue’s situation was tough — she only controlled a small village and had few subordinates.

The system set the mission level low for her, meaning she only needed to kill ten barbarians to earn one reward. Even with a handful of people under her, like Bai Qi, this mission was manageable.

Bai Qi, a legendary warrior from Qin, was known for defeating larger forces. He was famous for leading small troops to victory over many enemies. He had a deep hatred for the Hu people and would easily handle this task.

The system felt Ying Yue was the right person for this mission.

At the same time, Ying Yue felt a mix of emotions reading the task, and it made her more determined to act.

Her beautiful phoenix eyes lingered on the task reward section, and she muttered, “For every ten cannibals killed…” The system seemed to target those barbarians who were worse than livestock.

She glanced at Zhao Kuo beside her, wondering what he thought, but he was already excited to start.

Noticing her glance, Ying Yue turned to Jia Xu, asking, “What do you think, Wen He?”

Before Jia Xu could reply, Zhao Kuo blurted out, “What is Wen He?” He was so eager to start the mission that he didn’t process Ying Yue’s question.

After Zhao Kuo finished speaking, he suddenly remembered the Jia Xu card he had seen earlier when Ying Yue was drawing cards. He noticed that after Jia Xu’s name, there was a small line of text that read “Zi Wen He” ^[1]which is Jia Xu’s courtesy name..

Zhao Kuo then looked at Ying Yue and said sadly, “Sister, you didn’t even call me by my name!”

“But,” Ying Yue blinked in confusion, “Your name isn’t on the card.”

Zhao Kuo went silent. Then, Ying Yue lowered her voice and asked, “So… Zhao Kuo, do you have a name?”

“…No.” Zhao Kuo paused before continuing, explaining seriously, “People used courtesy names when it was hard to call someone by their real name. It shows respect. But in those times, wars were common, and we often fought enemies. Generals didn’t call each other by their real names. We usually just used titles.”

“Even Bai Qi didn’t use a courtesy name,” Zhao Kuo muttered, realizing he was wrong. There was one general, Lian Po, who had used one, but Zhao Kuo had replaced him.

Zhao Kuo glanced at Jia Xu, who stayed calm, but the memory of his one battle made him feel uncomfortable. To change the subject, Zhao Kuo awkwardly coughed and smiled at Jia Xu, asking, “What were you going to say earlier?”

Jia Xu ignored his comment but continued, “I was thinking about the account book you brought. Since you found it, could there be anyone who was kidnapped but hasn’t been ‘traded’ yet?”

Before Zhao Kuo could reply, he shouted, “That’s impossible!” He continued, “When we took the stronghold, there were no old, women, or children. Just criminals.”

Zhao Kuo walked forward and put his hand on Jia Xu’s shoulder, trying to reassure him. “You writers think too much. There’s no tunnel here. I’m telling you…” 

But just as Zhao Kuo spoke, Ying Yue tripped and fell. She had been moving back to give the group space, but stepped on a pearl Zhao Kuo had carelessly left behind. Because Zhao Kuo wasn’t paying attention and Jia Xu couldn’t stop her, Ying Yue fell.

When Ying Yue hit the ground, her palm accidentally pressed against something, causing a part of the wall to move, revealing a secret door with stairs leading down.

Jia Xu: “…”

Zhao Kuo: ! ! ?

The secret room had suddenly appeared, making Zhao Kuo embarrassed since he had just argued there was no tunnel.

Ying Yue, shocked by the sudden appearance of the secret passage, was too stunned to notice her fall. She stared in surprise at the stone steps.

Zhao Kuo quickly moved to help Ying Yue, drawing his sword in case of danger, and positioned himself protectively between Ying Yue and Jia Xu.

Zhao Kuo walked forward and listened at the stairs. When he didn’t hear any movement, he looked at the two people behind him, who seemed fragile, and asked Ying Yue, “Sister, do you want to go down and take a look?”

Ying Yue thought for a moment and nodded. So, the three of them walked down together. Zhao Kuo led the way, Jia Xu followed, and the little girl stayed at the back.

After going down the short stairs and entering the underground secret room, they reached an area where flames lit both sides of the walls. Ying Yue suddenly felt two pairs of vigilant eyes staring at them.

The girl at the back rubbed her eyes and looked towards the gazes in the dim light. There were two girls, looking fairly pretty but pale, tied with ropes.

Ying Yue could sense that the girls’ stares were filled with not only defensiveness but also hatred, aimed at Zhao Kuo and Jia Xu. No, it was resentment toward “men.”

Realizing this, Ying Yue raised her hand and gently tugged at Zhao Kuo’s sleeve to signal him to stop. She then approached the two girls.

The two girls looked confused when they saw Ying Yue. They didn’t understand how such a beautiful girl could be there without being tied up.

As she got closer, Ying Yue noticed that there were some boys with pigtails next to the two girls. Their breathing was weak, their eyes full of fear, and they didn’t dare to look up. They were also tied with ropes. Seeing this, Ying Yue felt sorry for them and smiled softly to comfort the children.

Then, she turned back to the two girls and whispered, “Don’t be afraid, the bandits here have been killed. I,” she gestured toward Zhao Kuo and Jia Xu, “and they will not hurt you.”

Ying Yue looked at the ropes on their wrists and asked, “Can I help you untie them?”

One of the girls gave a barely noticeable nod.

Ying Yue asked again, “Can they come over too? The ropes on the children need to be untied.”

“…Yes.” The two girls exchanged a glance and responded weakly.

Zhao Kuo walked over and cut the ropes that bound the boys with his sword.

Meanwhile, Ying Yue had untied the two girls’ ropes and was talking to them. “Are you all from the nearby counties?”

“Yes.”

After confirming they were victims of the bandits, Ying Yue thought for a moment and asked, “Can any of you go home?”

Ying Yue wasn’t worried about the boys since families generally welcomed back sons. But daughters, especially after being kidnapped, could face harsh judgment.

She glanced at the girl who had nodded earlier and showed concern in her eyes. Although the girl’s clothes were dirty, they were made of fine fabric, indicating she wasn’t from an ordinary family.

The girl in a plain cloth skirt spoke first. “Thank you for your concern, but I am an orphan. I have no family or neighbors. If I return, no one will gossip about me.”

Ying Yue nodded and looked at the other girl.

The second girl shook her head weakly. “No, I can’t go back.” Her tone was bitter, and her eyes filled with sarcasm. “My family sent me to the Black Wind Village. Even if I’m rescued, I have no home to return to.”

Then, she looked at Ying Yue and asked, “Are you in need of maids? I can do rough work.”

Ying Yue hesitated, sensing something wasn’t right. The girl continued, “You’re not from Yongzhou, are you? You must come from a wealthy place.”

Ying Yue was taken aback but nodded. The girl added, “Do you need a map? I’ve memorized the maps of the five counties targeted by the Black Wind Village.”

“I even know about the military strength of Beidi County and Longxi County.”

“I only ask for a place to stay. I’ll work in return for food, and I’ll tell you everything I know.”

Ying Yue, who had been reaching out to help her up, paused.

Zhao Kuo, who was calming the little boys nearby, had a serious expression, while Jia Xu, standing in the back, subtly shifted his gaze.

This girl wasn’t from an ordinary family. To know such information, she had to be from an official family.

Zhao Kuo, after hearing her suspicious words, almost rushed to pull Ying Yue away from the girl. He wanted to demand the truth, but he held back. Ying Yue wasn’t deceived, even though she still looked at the girl kindly. She asked calmly, “Before that… can you tell me who you really are?”

Hearing this question, the girl closed her eyes slightly. When she opened them again, she held onto the hand of the beautiful girl and stood up, trembling due to hunger and weakness. However, she replied calmly: “I am the daughter of the governor of Beidi County.”

Then, she looked at Ying Yue and asked a bold question: “Miss, are you interested in the position of governor of Beidi County?” ^[2]governor refers to the leader or administrator of a region.

***

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