Traveling Between Two Worlds: From Bread for Maids to Fantasy Overlord

In Qin Family Fort, the mornings are always awakened by the footsteps of patrolling guards and the shouts of vendors. Huang Yiming practices a set of modern martial arts to stretch his muscles and bones in the morning, while Yang Xiu obediently fetches water to help him wash up, her movements skillful and considerate, her little face full of seriousness.

Just as the two were preparing breakfast, a cacophony of cries and pleas suddenly erupted outside the fortress gate, growing louder and louder, shattering the tranquility of the village. Huang Yiming frowned slightly, put down the coarse grain cake in his hand, and got up to walk towards the fortress gate. Yang Xiu quickly followed, and Qin Hu also rushed over upon hearing the commotion. The three walked side by side, attracting the attention of the people along the way.

As soon as they reached the fortress gate, they saw that the heavy gate was tightly closed, and outside the gate, a large group of ragged, emaciated refugees knelt. Most of them were elderly, weak, women and children, all with ashen faces and wounds on their bodies; some children were crying loudly from hunger, and some elderly people were on the verge of death, the scene was extremely tragic.

"Please, Lord, have mercy and let us in! The bandits of Black Wind Ridge have returned, killing and looting indiscriminately. We are truly desperate!"

"Young Master Huang, please have mercy on us and save us! We don't want to die!"

When the refugees saw Huang Yiming, it was as if they had grasped at a last straw. They kowtowed and begged him, their foreheads bleeding from the kowtows, but they did not stop for a moment. They had already heard that it was this mysterious young master Huang who had intimidated the guards and produced the magical refined salt, and that he was a kind-hearted benefactor.

The guards at the gate looked grim, holding the city gate firmly and not daring to act on their own. They quickly sent someone to inform Qin Cang and the elders inside the fortress. Not long after, Qin Cang arrived with a group of elders. Looking at the pitiful refugees outside the gate, his expression was solemn.

"Lord, you absolutely mustn't open the gate!" An elder with a goatee spoke first, his tone urgent. "These refugees are numerous. If we let them into the fort, not only will they consume our food supplies, but they might also infiltrate the fort. If that happens, we'll be inviting wolves into our house, and Qin Family Fort will be in danger!"

"That's right, that's right!" another portly elder quickly echoed, clutching his purse with a mournful face. "We don't even have enough food for ourselves, how can we possibly have enough to feed these idlers? In my opinion, we should just close the city gates and let them fend for themselves, so they don't drag us down with them!"

"That's right, that's right! The bandits are ruthless. We shouldn't risk offending their leader for the sake of these outsiders. It's not worth it!" The elders echoed, each one cowardly and only concerned with their own interests, completely disregarding the lives of the refugees outside. They argued and shirked responsibility, revealing their ugly side.

Qin Cang frowned, his face showing hesitation. He was not cold-blooded, but the elders' words were not without reason—Qin Family Fortress had limited military strength and insufficient food reserves. If he took in these refugees, it would indeed put enormous pressure on the fortress; but if he ignored them and watched them die tragically under the bandits' blades, he could not bear it.

Hearing the elders' words, the refugees outside the door cried even more bitterly, despair enveloping everyone. Some women, clutching their children, collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably—a heartbreaking scene. Yang Xiu, watching this, her eyes reddening, tightly gripped Huang Yiming's hand, pleading softly, "Young Master, please save them, they are so pitiful..."

Huang Yiming patted Yang Xiu's hand, his gaze resolute as he stepped forward. His eyes swept over the group of elders who were shirking their responsibilities, and his voice was clear and forceful: "Elders, you are mistaken! Black Wind Ridge is rife with bandits, harming the people. If we close the city gates, it may seem like we are protecting ourselves, but in reality, we are only emboldening the bandits. If we stand by and watch them die today, who will come to our aid tomorrow when the bandits breach Qin Family Fortress?"

He paused, then continued, "These refugees are all innocent people who have suffered greatly at the hands of bandits. By taking them in, we are not only doing good deeds, but also winning over the hearts of the people in Qin Family Fortress. There are many able-bodied men among the refugees, who can be reorganized into guards to strengthen our forces. As for the food shortage, I will take care of it and will never allow Qin Family Fortress to suffer any losses."

Huang Yiming's words were sharp and incisive, hitting the nail on the head. The elders were rendered speechless, their faces alternating between pale and flushed, wanting to refute but unable to find a reason. Seeing this, Qin Hu immediately stepped forward, pounding his chest and roaring, "I agree with Brother Huang! These people are too pitiful; we must save them! Anyone who dares to disagree, I'll beat them up!"

He was burly and had a fierce look in his eyes, which frightened the elders so much that they retreated and dared not utter another word. The goatee elder, still unwilling to give up, muttered, "There really isn't enough food. Everyone will go hungry..." Before he could finish, Qin Hu's eyes widened, and he rolled up his sleeves, ready to step forward. The elder immediately covered his mouth and shrank back into the crowd, too afraid to utter a sound. Qin Cang, seeing Huang Yiming's resolute gaze and glancing at the desperate refugees outside the gate, immediately made up his mind and said in a deep voice, "Young Master Huang is absolutely right. Open the city gates and take in the refugees! Order the preparation of soup kitchens to house the elderly, women, and children. The able-bodied refugees should be incorporated into a temporary guard team and placed under Young Master Huang's command!"

"The Lord of the Fortress is wise!" "Thank you, Young Master Huang! Thank you, Lord of the Fortress!" The refugees outside the door wept with joy upon hearing this, kowtowing in gratitude, their cheers and shouts of thanks echoing throughout the area. Several able-bodied refugees even rose on the spot, clasped their hands in salute to Huang Yiming, and roared that they were willing to go through fire and water for Young Master Huang. This sincere support instantly propelled Huang Yiming's prestige to the top, far surpassing that of all the elders present.

Huang Yiming looked at the scene before him calmly. He knew very well that in this dog-eat-dog world, strength alone was far from enough; only by winning people's hearts and building his own power could he establish a long-term foothold. These refugees were his first direct force in Qin Family Fort.

Meanwhile, the bandit leader, far away in Black Wind Ridge, received a secret message from his informant informing him that Huang Yiming was sheltering refugees and winning over the people. Enraged, he smashed a wine glass on the table and roared with a sinister look in his eyes, "Huang Yiming! How dare you ruin my plans and shelter my enemy! I will tear you to pieces and raze Qin Family Fortress to the ground!"