Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

The kowtow of Zhao Tiezhu and his clansmen, like an invisible covenant, was initially forged on this desolate riverbank. Chen Xing could clearly feel that the gazes cast upon him, though still carrying awe and a touch of unease, had begun to dissolve the previously overwhelming sense of despair and alienation, replaced by a faint yet real sense of dependence.

In chaotic times, the most basic and realistic rule is that the weak rely on the strong for survival.

"Get up, all of you." Chen Xingxu helped them up, his voice calm yet authoritative. "This place is not safe to stay any longer; we must leave as soon as possible."

He turned to Chen Wei, his instructions clear and swift: "Chen Wei, send a few men to help them drag the bandits' bodies to a safe distance and bury them, at least to prevent them from being exposed and attracting flies and wild animals. Our soldiers will be on guard. Be quick."

"Yes, sir!" Chen Wei accepted the order and immediately dispatched ten Wei soldiers to step forward. These silent warriors did not hesitate at all and began to efficiently move the gruesome corpses, their movements as efficient as machines. At Zhao Tiezhu's signal, a few able-bodied young men among the refugees also mustered their courage to step forward to help. Although their faces were still pale and their hands and feet were trembling, this was undoubtedly the beginning of their integration and expression of support.

Chen Xing then walked to the captured bandit weapons. Most of them were low-quality ring-pommel swords, machetes, and even sharpened wooden sticks, rusted and with chipped edges. He picked up a relatively intact ring-pommel sword at random. It was heavy in his hand, and the blade was covered with hammer marks, indicating rough craftsmanship. But for the almost unarmed refugees, these were already a rare piece of weaponry.

"Zhao Tiezhu".

"Yes, my lord!" Zhao Tiezhu immediately jogged over and bowed to receive the order.

"Distribute these weapons, one for each able-bodied man, for temporary self-defense. Remember, weapons are for protecting your own people, not for bullying the weak." Chen Xing handed him the ring-pommel sword, his tone calm but carrying an undeniable warning.

Zhao Tiezhu received the knife with both hands, feeling its cold touch and heavy weight, a surge of excitement welling up inside him. This was trust! He nodded vigorously, his voice booming, "Rest assured, my lord! Tiezhu understands! Anyone who dares to use this knife bestowed upon me for evil, I will be the first to cut them down!"

He turned and distributed the weapons to the young men. The young men who received the weapons showed a hint of excitement on their faces, carefully wiping the blades as if they had grasped the strength to survive.

The battlefield was quickly cleared. Chen Xing didn't delay any longer and ordered the team to set off.

The formation naturally created a hierarchy within the ranks. The seventy-seven Wei soldiers remained the core fighting force and vanguard, maintaining a disciplined formation and advancing silently; their invisible aura of menace was enough to dispel many potential threats. Chen Xing and Chen Wei were positioned near the front of the center. Zhao Tiezhu led over thirty refugees, carrying their meager belongings, following at the rear. Several less seriously injured refugees helped each other along, while the one with the most severe thigh injury was carried by two Wei soldiers on a makeshift stretcher—a gesture that once again filled the refugees with an unbelievable warmth and awe. Powerful warriors were actually carrying stretchers for lowly people like them?

Chen Xing observed all of this without saying a word. Sometimes, actions speak louder than words.

The journey back to rejoin the remaining troops was slowed considerably by the presence of refugees. However, with the Wei elite soldiers clearing the way and providing protection, everyone felt more at ease and less panicked.

Along the way, Chen Xing seemed to be casually chatting with Zhao Tiezhu walking beside him, but in reality, he was systematically collecting information.

"Tiezhu, during your escape, have you heard of any easily defensible places nearby? Like abandoned villages or mountain fortresses?"

Zhao Tiezhu tried hard to recall, frowning as he said, "My lord, we've been avoiding people and haven't dared to ask around... However, I think we overheard a group of defeated soldiers we encountered mention something about going south, about a hundred miles away, near Black Wind Ridge. There seems to be a warehouse that was once built by merchants, but it's been abandoned. It's a large place, nestled against the mountains, and has a water source. But... but I heard that place isn't safe; it seems to be occupied by a group of bandits."

An abandoned warehouse? Nestled near mountains and water? Occupied by bandits?

Chen Xing's heart skipped a beat; this sounded like a potential target. But he didn't jump to conclusions immediately, and continued, "Besides the south, what about other directions? East? West?"

"I heard that to the east is a large swamp, impassable and uninhabited. To the west... further west, there seem to be a few small tribes of nomadic people, but I don't know the specifics." Zhao Tiezhu's knowledge was limited, but he provided as much information as possible.

Chen Xing silently noted it down. The abandoned warehouse to the south seemed to be the most suitable place for a "base." While the presence of bandits was a problem, it also indicated the location's value. Moreover, suppressing bandits and seizing the stronghold would provide a foothold, train troops, and acquire supplies—a win-win situation.

As he walked, he once again focused his consciousness into his mind, attempting to interact with the system.

"System, could you provide a detailed map of the surrounding area?"

[This will consume 10 system points to activate the basic map scanning function within a 100-mile radius. Activate?]

10 points? Chen Xing glanced at his pitiful initial 100 points, hesitated slightly, but still chose "Yes." Information is the foundation of decision-making, and these 10 points had to be spent.

Points deducted successfully. Basic map scanning in progress... Scan complete.

The next moment, a slightly blurry virtual map, marked with the main mountains, rivers, and landforms, appeared in Chen Xing's mind. At the center of the map was their current location—the edge of "Soulfall Ravine." To the east was indeed a large, dark green area representing a swamp; to the west were several blurry markers representing small tribes; and to the south… on the southern edge of the map, near a tributary marked "Blackwater River," a gray marker representing a man-made structure was clearly visible, next to a small skull and crossbones symbol, obviously indicating danger.

This should be the abandoned warehouse Zhao Tiezhu mentioned. The straight-line distance is about eighty li, but the actual walking distance might exceed one hundred li. This distance isn't short for a group carrying the elderly, women, and children, but it's still within an acceptable range.

He exited the system interface, already having a preliminary plan in mind.

When the troops finally returned to the temporary camp where they had fought the Hu people and left twenty men to guard the supplies, the Wei soldiers who had stayed behind had already built a simple defensive perimeter in the low-lying area. The nine captured warhorses were tethered inside the perimeter, quietly grazing on the dry grass roots. Seeing Chen Xing leading the main force back, the soldiers who had stayed behind immediately lifted their guard and stood at attention to salute.

Seeing this more complete Xuanjia army and those magnificent warhorses, the refugees felt even more awe and a greater sense of security.

Chen Xing glanced at the sky; the leaden clouds remained low-hanging, but it was already late. Forcing their way through the night was too risky, especially with so many exhausted refugees in tow.

"Send word that we will camp here tonight," Chen Xing ordered. "Chen Wei, arrange sentries, a combination of visible and concealed sentries, covering the area around the camp for 500 paces. Zhao Tiezhu, take your men and rest in a sheltered spot near a low-lying area inside the camp. You can start one or two small fires for warmth, but be careful to control the fire and avoid revealing your position."

"Yes, sir!" Chen Wei and Zhao Tiezhu answered the order at the same time.

The camp immediately sprang into operation efficiently. The Wei soldiers had clear divisions of labor: some reinforced the defenses, some were on guard duty, and a few began preparing a simple dinner using their personal pots and dry rations. They even gathered some relatively dry firewood from nearby.

The refugees were then moved to relatively safe areas. Watching the powerful soldiers working efficiently and methodically, seeing the small pots steaming with heat, and smelling the faint aroma of roasted cornbread, they felt as if they had been transported to another world. Just hours before, they had been struggling on the brink of death, and now, they were able to spend the night in a place with military protection and the possibility of hot food?

Zhao Tiezhu directed the able-bodied men to help gather firewood, care for the wounded, and arrange for the women and children to rest. Although his face still bore the traces of sorrow, his eyes now held a renewed vitality and energy.

Chen Xing walked over to the small pots, looked at the bubbling, mushy food mixed with dried meat and millet, and nodded to the Wei soldiers in charge of cooking. Then, he gestured for Zhao Tiezhu to come over.

"Distribute these, prioritizing the injured, children, and the elderly first." Chen Xing pointed to the pots of food. "Our people will eat the dry rations they brought themselves."

Zhao Tiezhu froze, staring at the steaming food. His Adam's apple bobbed, but he dared not accept it: "My lord! This...this won't do! This is military rations! We..."

"This is an order," Chen Xing interrupted him, his tone leaving no room for argument. "If you want to follow me, you must first survive. Get your body healthy so you can contribute later."

Zhao Tiezhu's eyes reddened, and without another word, he nodded heavily and turned to greet his people. When the hot food was distributed to the refugees, many couldn't help but shed tears again, this time tears of gratitude. They carefully blew on the food, swallowing it in small sips, as if savoring some unparalleled delicacy. The food wasn't much, not even enough to fill everyone's stomach, but the warmth and kindness truly soothed their cold and desperate hearts.

Chen Xing silently walked to the edge of the camp, and Chen Wei followed like a shadow.

"My lord, our rations will only last three days," Chen Wei whispered, his voice tinged with worry. With the refugees added to the mix, the supplies are being depleted even faster.

"I know." Chen Xing gazed south, his eyes deep. "Therefore, we must find that warehouse as soon as possible. There, we find the food, the land, and... the future we need."

Night gradually enveloped the land. In the camp, several small campfires flickered, dispelling the surrounding darkness and chill, and reflecting a faint trace of peace on the faces of the refugees, a peace that had not appeared for a long time.

The acceptance of people's hearts begins with the most basic needs for survival. Chen Xing knew this was just the beginning, but he took the first step very steadily.