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The dull, thunderous sound of hooves and footsteps grew closer and closer, and Kaifeng City was thrown into complete chaos, like a pot of water about to boil.

The refugee camp was in an uproar.

Some people collapsed to the ground in fear, some cried and packed up their meager belongings, trying to escape to a more distant place, while many more were at a loss, not knowing where was safe.

Suning forced himself to calm down.

He quickly analyzed the situation: Guo Wei's army was at the city gates, and a siege was inevitable.

Kaifeng is a high-walled city with deep moats, and as the capital, the defending troops will surely fight to the death.

Once the fighting starts, there will be stray arrows, boulders, routed soldiers, and bandits looting in the chaos... nowhere will be safe.

However, relatively speaking, their camp of refugees in the abandoned temple in the outer city, far from the main city gates and strategic locations, was perhaps slightly better than that in the inner city and at the foot of the city walls.

Most importantly, you absolutely cannot run around now.

In the chaos of battle, a lone, teenage boy was the first to die.

So he made a quick decision. Instead of running outside, he retreated to the corner of his dilapidated shack, using whatever he could find to cover himself, while listening intently to any sounds coming from outside.

In the chaos, a figure stumbled and squeezed next to Suning.

It turned out to be an old beggar in the camp. No one knew his name, but everyone called him "Old Cripple" because his left leg was somewhat unsteady.

The old cripple was very old, his face was full of wrinkles, and his hair and beard were filthy and matted, but his eyes were not completely numb like those of other refugees; occasionally, a sly glint would flash in them.

The old cripple glanced at Su Ning, then at the chaotic crowd outside, and warned in a hoarse voice, "Kid, don't run around! If you run out now, you'll die quickly!"

Su Ning nodded without saying anything, but simply curled up even tighter.

The old cripple squatted down beside him, rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a small piece of the dark thing, broke off a small piece and handed it to Su Ning, "Eat."

Suning was taken aback.

In refugee camps, food is the most precious thing, and no one will easily share it with others.

He looked up at the old cripple.

"What are you looking at? Think it's dirty?" The old cripple glared at him, but there was no malice in his eyes. "Take it or leave it."

Su Ning took it and said softly, "Thank you."

Amid the tense atmosphere, the two silently ate the meager amount of food.

Outside, the sounds of bugles, horses' hooves, cries, and the commotion of troops blended together, growing louder and louder.

"What's your name?" the old cripple suddenly asked.

Su Ning paused for a moment.

His current identity is Guo Xin, but this name must never be revealed.

With a change of heart, he answered in a hoarse voice, "My name is... Su Ning."

This is his real name in the real world, and also the name that allows him to react quickly.

"Su Ning?" The old cripple chewed on the name. "Doesn't sound like the name of a poor family. Is there no one left in the family?"

"They're all gone...they all starved to death," Su Ning said in a low voice, half-truth and half-lie.

The old cripple was silent for a while, then sighed, "This world... is a mess."

For the next two days, Kaifeng was shrouded in immense fear and tension.

Guo Wei's army besieged the city. Although they did not launch a fierce attack immediately, the oppressive feeling of impending doom made everyone breathless.

The city's garrison was frequently mobilized, supplies were forcibly requisitioned, and prices soared to an alarming level. Even wealthy households began hoarding food and staying indoors.

The refugee camps were cut off from their source of income, begging became almost impossible, and people began to starve to death.

The old cripple seemed to genuinely feel pity for "Suning," this taciturn but bright-eyed young man.

Because he was experienced, he knew where he could still find even a little bit of food...

It could be vegetable roots left over from an abandoned vegetable patch, tree bark and grass roots, or even a forgotten mouse hole.

The old cripple would always give Suning a little bit, though it was pitifully small, but on the verge of starvation, it was a lifesaver.

He also taught Su Ning how to avoid danger in this siege: stay away from any roads the army passes by, hide immediately if you hear any unusual noise, never sleep in an open area at night, and so on.

"You little rascal, you may be quiet, but you're not stupid." After finding some food once, the old cripple watched Su Ning carefully hide the food and muttered something.

Suning simply lowered his head and didn't reply.

……

On the third day, the situation began to deteriorate.

The defending army began to forcibly conscript laborers to the city walls to assist in the defense, and some young men in the refugee camps were taken away.

The old cripple escaped because of his lameness and advanced age, while Su Ning was not chosen because he looked thin and weak.

But even worse news came: Emperor Liu Chengyou, driven to desperation, began to go mad.

Refugees who had fled from near the inner city brought news that the emperor did not trust anyone, believed that all the officials wanted to harm him, and had executed several ministers in succession.

I've also heard that the emperor has issued an order to arrest everyone in the city who might be connected to Guo Wei, or even just those who might harbor resentment. He said it's better to kill the innocent than let the guilty go free!
For a time, Kaifeng was filled with a climate of fear and suspicion, with informers becoming rampant and everyone living in fear.

Even in places like refugee camps, people dressed as soldiers and yamen runners started coming to check people, their eyes scanning everyone with hostility.

The old cripple realized the seriousness of the problem.

That evening, he pulled Su Ning aside and hid in the most dilapidated corner of the abandoned temple. He lowered his voice and said seriously, "Kid, listen up. They're arresting people indiscriminately in the city right now, especially teenagers like you with unknown backgrounds. You're the easiest targets."

Su Ning felt a chill run down his spine, knowing that the old cripple was right.

Although he disguised himself well, if he were questioned carefully, or if someone who knew someone from the Guo family passed by, he would inevitably reveal his flaws.

"Then... what should we do?"

The old cripple stared at him for a long time with his cloudy eyes, as if he had made a decision. "From today onwards, you are my son. My own son! Your name is Gousheng, and I brought you with me when I fled from Youzhou. Remember that? No matter who asks, say that! Your mother died long ago, it's just the two of us."

Looking at the old cripple's serious face, Su Ning felt a mix of emotions welling up inside her.

He knew that the old cripple was protecting him in his own way.

In this chaotic world, a helpless boy and a father and son who depend on each other for survival are clearly less likely to be killed or captured at will.

"I understand." Su Ning nodded vigorously. "Father."

The word "father" sounded a little awkward, but when the old cripple heard it, the wrinkles on his face seemed to smooth out a bit.

He patted Su Ning's thin shoulder and said nothing more.

From that day on, the two referred to each other as father and son in public.

The old cripple now refers to Suning in public as "my son" or "Gousheng," his scolding tinged with a rough but caring concern.

Su Ning plays a silent, timid, and father-dependent teenage beggar.

This identity did indeed bring some conveniences.

When the soldiers came to check again, the old cripple limped in front of him, crying and recounting the hardships of his escape and his son's poor health, pleading with the soldiers to be lenient.

His old and disabled appearance, coupled with Su Ning's pale and emaciated appearance and fearful shrinking posture, often made the people conducting the checks lose interest and walk away cursing.

However, the atmosphere in the city grew increasingly terrifying.

Liu Chengyou's madness only intensified, and it is said that even his close advisors and eunuchs began to live in fear.

News of executions kept coming in, and occasionally flames and black smoke could be seen in the inner city, indicating which household had been raided.

A major war is imminent, but the city's rulers are destroying their own defenses.

Everyone sensed that Kaifeng, this once prosperous city, was sliding madly into the abyss of destruction.

Suning, hiding under the wing of his "father," the old cripple, struggled to survive while anxiously awaiting the moment the city would fall.

He knew that only when Guo Wei's army truly entered Kaifeng would he have a chance to escape his precarious life as a beggar and face the deep-seated hatred and the unknown future.

Before that, he had to survive, struggling to stay alive alongside his "father," whom he had met by chance in this chaotic world and who had offered him a sliver of protection, amidst madness and war.

……

On the eighth day of the siege, the final offensive finally began.

That early morning, before dawn, the earth-shaking sounds of war drums and horns resounded almost simultaneously from the north, east, and west of Kaifeng!
The sound wasn't the distant rumbling thunder from a few days ago, but a roar right up close, shaking the earth.

"The city is under attack! The city is under attack!"

Terrified screams filled the refugee camp. People scattered like headless flies, but had nowhere to go.

The old cripple grabbed Su Ning's wrist with astonishing force. "Don't look around! Look down! Come with me!"

"..."

Then he dragged Su Ning along, not running any further, because the outside was full of chaotic soldiers and refugees, making it even more dangerous...

Instead, they squeezed towards the innermost part of the abandoned temple, into a corner of a half-collapsed side hall.

There were many broken and collapsed beams and pillars piled up there, forming a relatively hidden triangular space.

"Hide here! Don't go out!" The old cripple shoved Su Ning inside, while he stood outside, nervously watching the commotion outside.

Shouts of battle surged from the direction of the city wall like a tsunami.

It was the roar of thousands of people, mixed with the piercing sound of clashing weapons, the heavy thuds of impact, and a tooth-grinding creak.

Immediately following was the dense, whistling sound of crossbows firing, like a summer downpour pounding on a rooftop.

Then came the screams of those struck by arrows and the muffled thuds of those falling from heights.

Occasionally, huge boulders would tear through the sky with a terrifying whistling sound, crashing into some part of the city and causing a rumble of collapsing buildings and even more piercing cries.

The air was soon filled with the smell of gunpowder, dust, and... a strong stench of blood.

The smell drifted over on the wind, making the two people hiding in the ruins feel nauseous.

The battle seemed exceptionally fierce.

The defending troops were clearly fighting a desperate battle, while Guo Wei's attacking army was in high spirits.

The shouts of battle grew louder and louder, sometimes seeming very close, and sometimes being suppressed.

Although the refugee camps are some distance from the main battlefield, they are not absolutely safe.

Scattered soldiers of the defending army ran by, their faces covered in blood, carrying knives. They kicked down any shacks they saw and looted anything that looked edible or usable.

There were also wounded soldiers nearby who had been hit by stray arrows but had miraculously survived, lying there groaning in pain.

The old cripple covered Su Ning's mouth tightly, signaling him not to make a sound.

Their position was fairly well hidden, and several fleeing soldiers ran past without noticing them.

Time passed slowly amidst extreme tension and fear.

I don't know how much time passed; maybe an hour, maybe half a day.

The shouts of battle outside began to change...

The defenders' resistance grew weaker and weaker, while the cheers and shouts of "Surrender and you will not be killed" from the attacking side became clearer and closer.

"It's breached... the city wall has fallen!" came a terrified cry from afar.

"Guo Gong's army has entered the city!"

"Run!"

Now, even the refugee camp was in complete chaos.

The fleeing soldiers who had been plundering fiercely just moments before were now like stray dogs, abandoning their loot and running desperately toward the south gate, hoping to escape before it was completely surrounded.

The refugees cried out for their parents and fled in all directions, but they didn't know where they could escape to.

The old cripple and Suning remained stubbornly entrenched in their original positions.

If you go out now, you'll either be trampled to death by the fleeing soldiers or be killed by the army entering the city as a rioter.

After a while, a series of neat, heavy, and dense footsteps approached from afar, completely different from the chaotic and panicked footsteps of the fleeing soldiers.

Accompanying the footsteps were the sounds of horses' hooves, and a deep yet intimidating shout: "The army is entering the city! Those who kneel will not be killed! Those who stand with weapons will be killed without mercy!"

This is Guo Wei's army! They control this area!
Soon, squads of soldiers in bright armor, carrying spears or blades, appeared on the outskirts of the refugee camp.

They quickly dispersed, took control of the main roads, and ordered everyone who could still move to kneel down and put their hands behind their heads.

Anyone who is even slightly slow will be immediately knocked down by the gun barrel or cut down with a single blow.

The bloody purge began.

The fleeing soldiers who put up a stubborn resistance were killed on the spot, and the rioters who tried to resist or escape were also ruthlessly suppressed.

Cries, pleas for mercy, and screams of impending death rose and fell.

The old cripple pulled Su Ning along, and while a group of soldiers were distracted, he quickly crawled out of his hiding place. Without hesitation, he knelt down in the direction of the soldiers, raised his hands high, and lay prostrate on his body.

Su Ning immediately did the same, pressing his face tightly against the cold soil, his body trembling slightly from fear and tension.

"Sir, spare us! We are refugees! Good citizens!" the old cripple cried out in a hoarse voice, his voice trembling with sobs.

Several soldiers walked over with long spears, poked at the tattered clothes beside them with the tips of their spears, and looked at their old, weak, and poorly clothed appearance. The murderous intent in their eyes faded slightly.

"Kneel still! Don't move! Wait for inspection!" shouted a man who looked like a squad leader.

"Yes, yes, yes! Don't move! Absolutely don't move!" The old cripple responded repeatedly, pulling Su Ning to kneel even lower.

A group of people gradually knelt down around them.

The soldiers began to conduct a rough inspection one by one, mainly checking for calluses on their hands, injuries on their bodies, and questioning their place of origin and background.

If they encountered anyone suspicious, they would tie them up and drag them away; if they looked like ordinary vagrants or beggars, they would be told to keep kneeling and not move.

When the sergeant checked Old Cripple and Su Ning, he looked at Old Cripple's lame leg and Su Ning's thin body, and asked a few simple questions such as "Where are you from?" and "How long have you been in Kaifeng?"

Following his prepared story, the old cripple tearfully recounted the hardships he had endured fleeing Youzhou, how his son and mother had died early, leaving him and his son to depend on each other for survival.

Perhaps because their appearance was too pitiful, or perhaps because the overall situation was already decided, the soldiers were too lazy to waste time on these obviously harmless old beggars. The squad leader waved his hand, "Keep kneeling! Wait for the proclamation to pacify the people! Anyone who dares to move will be killed without mercy!"

The two immediately kowtowed in gratitude.

He just kept kneeling like that, from morning to afternoon.

Their legs were numb and they couldn't feel anything. Their stomachs were growling with hunger, but no one dared to move.

The sounds of fighting within the city gradually subsided, replaced by the orderly movements of troops, the clatter of horses' hooves, and the sound of officers loudly reading out proclamations to reassure the people.

"When Lord Guo entered the city, he only executed the ringleaders and did not harm the common people!"

"Keep to your work and don't panic!"

"Anyone who takes advantage of this opportunity to rob, rape, or kill shall be executed on the spot!"

The situation gradually stabilized under strong military control.

The kneeling refugees were driven in batches to a larger open space for centralized custody, and their food and water were distributed under strict control.

Suning's heart, however, beat faster and faster as the situation stabilized.

Guo Wei has entered the city, and he's in this very city!

This was the opportunity he had been waiting for!

But in his current state, a dirty and thin little beggar mixed among thousands of refugees, how could he possibly meet Guo Wei, who had become the commander-in-chief of the entire army and was likely to take control of the entire court?
Should he just shout "I am Guo Xin"?
Putting aside whether anyone would believe it, how would the soldiers and refugees around them react?

Will I be treated like a madman or disposed of by someone with ulterior motives?

I must wait for a safer, more suitable opportunity.

The old cripple seemed to sense his "son's" anxiety and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Don't relax! Now is the most dangerous time."

"why?"

"The struggle for power and profit will inevitably harm innocent bystanders! We insignificant people must have a sense of self-awareness."

Su Ning took a deep breath, forcing himself to continue playing the role of the terrified and helpless beggar boy, but deep in his lowered eyes, there was an indescribable light.

The city has fallen.

His enemy, Liu Chengyou, was said to have been killed in the chaos of battle, or some say he was killed by his own subordinates.

My father, Guo Wei, lives in this city.

He, the only surviving member of the Guo family, lived in anonymity among the lowest of the refugees, waiting for a slim chance of being recognized.

In times of chaos, how should we proceed to survive?

...(End of this chapter)