The God of War Who Protects the Nation: Starting with Saving a Mother and Daughter in Distress

Qin An was chopping firewood in the yard, hoping to prepare more firewood for the winter while the weather was still good.

In the kitchen, Yang Yuyan was mending clothes, Cai Yan was reading by the window, and Cai Zhen was practicing martial arts in the corner of the yard.

The family members were all busy with their own things, and life was peaceful and stable.

There was a knock on the courtyard gate, and an aged voice called out, "Is Qin An home?"

Qin An put down his axe and went to open the door, and was taken aback when he saw who it was.

Surprisingly, it was Zhao De, the village head.

"Uncle Village Head, is there something you need?" He had a bad feeling.

Zhao De walked into the courtyard, looked at the newly built houses, nodded, and then put on a solemn expression: "Qin An, something big has happened."

"What's wrong?"

"You know about the Baiji spy, right?"

Qin An nodded.

He was busy building houses during this time and went into the mountains less often, but we kept in touch.

Baiji spies are becoming increasingly rampant in the border area, launching attacks from time to time, causing widespread panic.

Zhao De sighed: "Recently, those spies have become increasingly arrogant, and they even massacred a small village."

Qin An's expression changed.

A village massacre?

He had just finished building his new house and felt that his life had some stability and hope, but now he is facing a new threat.

But he still didn't understand what this had to do with him.

Zhao De stopped beating around the bush and said directly, "The government has issued an order to conscript hunters from various villages to go into the mountains to hunt down Bai Ji's spies. You are the best hunter in our Baishan Village, so you will definitely be on the list."

Qin An's heart sank.

Going into the mountains to search for spies means facing off against desperate criminals head-on, a dangerous and unpredictable situation.

"Uncle Village Head, is this conscription... mandatory?"

"More or less." Zhao De nodded. "The government has made it clear that border hunters are all subject to conscription to protect their homes and country, and they cannot disobey."

Qin An fell silent.

He was not afraid of danger, and had even thought about becoming stronger through killing.

But that's on the premise of protecting your family.

Now, he has to go into the mountains to fight the scouts, and his life is uncertain. If something happens to him, what will happen to Yang Yuyan and the two children?

Before this, seeing his family's life getting better and better, Qin An was somewhat complacent.

But who would have thought that disaster would suddenly strike?

In the kitchen, Yang Yuyan's needle and thread stopped, and her face turned pale instantly.

Cai Yan and Cai Zhen also stopped what they were doing and ran to the door, looking at Qin An with concern.

The once cozy courtyard was suddenly shrouded in a heavy gloom.

Looking at the worried eyes of his wife and daughter, Qin An felt a lump in his throat, an indescribable discomfort.

But he knew in his heart that he couldn't avoid this.

Zhao De patted him on the shoulder: "I also need to inform the others. Tomorrow morning, you all gather at the village entrance and head to the county town."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Qin An had a family to support and a weakness to exploit; when the government issued a conscription order, he had no choice in who to select.

The courtyard gate closed, and the heavy atmosphere almost solidified.

Yang Yuyan walked quickly to Qin An's side, her eyes red and her voice trembling uncontrollably.

"My lord, what should we do? Those spies dare to massacre entire villages. Going into the mountains to search is like throwing ourselves into the lion's den!"

Cai Zhen tugged at Qin An's sleeve, her face tense: "Father, please don't go, okay? If something happens to you, we...we..."

By the end, she was so anxious that she burst into tears.

Cai Yan didn't speak, but she was more aware of the dangers of this trip than her sister.

Spies who dare to operate under the noses of the government must be fierce and cunning, far beyond the reach of ordinary wild beasts.

Qin An felt a pang of pain in his heart as he looked at the three of them, but he forced a smile.

"Silly girl, this isn't something you can just cancel on a whim." He patted Cai Zhen's head first. "Don't worry, your father has been learning this skill for so long, and with this new bow in hand, it's not that easy for anything to happen."

Knowing that the situation was unavoidable, Qin An could only offer words of comfort to avoid worrying them.

He turned to Yang Yuyan, gently took her slightly cool hand, and said firmly, "Don't worry, my wife, I know what I'm doing. The spies are fierce, but they are still human, not monsters with three heads and six arms."

"I am familiar with the mountains and forests and know how to hide. If I encounter them, I can run away even if I can't beat them. Besides, it's always safer for a group of hunters to act together than to fight alone."

Tears streamed down Yang Yuyan's face: "But the government's conscription is beyond your control. I'm just afraid of you... the three of us..."

"No, I won't." Qin An interrupted her, his tone firm. "I promised you I would give you a good life, and I will never break my promise. I will be extremely careful this time I go into the mountains and I will definitely come back safely. You stay home and guard the new house, and wait for me to return."

He knew that no amount of comforting words could dispel their worries and fears, so he could only give them confidence in the most reassuring tone.

Looking at the composure and determination in his eyes, Yang Yuyan felt a little more at ease.

She knew Qin An; he would do anything to keep his promises, no matter the cost.

"Then you must...you must be careful in everything you do." She wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, and said, "I'll go and prepare some dry food and medicine for you right away."

Cai Yan quickly said, "I'll go and wipe Father's bow and arrows clean."

Cai Zhen remained sullen, knowing she couldn't help much, and could only clench her fists: "Father, if you encounter any spies, you must beat them up!"

Qin An smiled and nodded, feeling a surge of warmth in his heart as he watched his wife and daughter busily getting to work.

They were his weakness, but also his strongest armor.

……

In the time that followed, the family members tacitly prepared for their respective tasks.

Yang Yuyan carefully wrapped the dried meat and thickly baked wheat cakes in oil paper, added a small bag of salt, and stuffed them into her basket.

She rummaged through all the wound medicines in the house, packed them up neatly, and repeatedly instructed which ones were for knife wounds and which ones could stop bleeding.

Cai Yan polished the ox horn bow until it shone, and inspected each arrow to confirm that the arrowheads were sharp and the shafts were sturdy.

He also secretly slipped a simple herbal medicine atlas he had copied into his bag, which marked common hemostatic herbs and antidotes found in the mountains.

Cai Zhen then took out Qin An's leather armor and wiped it with a cloth again and again, hoping that the leather armor would never have to be used.

As night fell, the two daughters had gone to their rooms to rest, leaving only the chirping of insects in the courtyard.

Qin An sat alone on the threshold of the main room, wiping his hunting knife by the moonlight.

His face was reflected in the blade, his young brows and eyes carrying a heaviness beyond his years.

The composure he maintained in front of his wife and daughters during the day crumbled when they were alone.

He wasn't afraid to risk his life; what he feared was that even if he risked his life, he wouldn't be able to protect them.

I heard soft footsteps behind me.

Yang Yuyan approached carrying an oil lamp. The dim light illuminated her face, revealing that the tear stains at the corners of her eyes had long since dried, replaced by a unique gentleness. She was wearing the same plain dress she had worn during the day, but two buttons at the collar had been loosened unintentionally, revealing a small patch of fair skin beneath her neck.

"My lord, it's chilly at night, don't sit on the doorstep."

Qin An looked up at her and forced a smile: "I'll go in now."

Yang Yuyan did not leave, but sat down next to him.

She turned her body slightly to the side, her warm shoulder pressed against his arm through the thin fabric of her clothes, and a faint scent of soap mingled with her unique warm fragrance, silently entering Qin An's nostrils.

"Have you packed everything?" Qin An asked.

"Hmm." Yang Yuyan responded softly, her gaze falling on the hunting knife in his hand. "I've sharpened this knife for you too; the edge is very sharp."

She paused, then her voice softened further: "My lord, you must be careful in everything you do out there. Those spies... don't be reckless. Hide if you can, run if you can. I don't want you to be some kind of hero, I just want you to come back safe and sound."

Qin An's grip on the knife tightened slightly, then he put it down and put his arm around her shoulder: "I know."

Yang Yuyan leaned into his arms, her cheek pressed against his chest, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat.

After a moment of silence, she suddenly raised her head. In the dim light, her eyes were wet, yet they revealed an unusual resolve.

"My lord, tonight... let me serve you well."

Her voice was soft, yet it was like a pebble dropped into a calm lake.

Qin An was taken aback. Before he could say anything, Yang Yuyan straightened up and reached out to unbutton her clothes.

Her outer garment slipped down, revealing a light purple undergarment underneath. In the dim light, her voluptuous body resembled a piece of warm, lustrous jade, with full and rounded curves.

She did it on purpose.

Tomorrow we part ways, and our fates are uncertain.

She couldn't help in any way; all she could offer was her body and her heartfelt affection.

She wanted to make him remember in the most intense way that there was a woman waiting for him at home, someone he would risk his life to come back to.

"My wife..." Qin An's voice was a little hoarse.

Yang Yuyan didn't give him a chance to speak, and leaned down to kiss him.

Her lips were warm and soft, with a slightly salty taste.

That's the taste of tears.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her entire body against him without reservation.

The soft, voluptuous flesh pressed against his chest through a thin layer of fabric, like a flame that instantly ignited the emotions that Qin An had suppressed all day.

He suddenly tightened his arms, pulling her into his embrace and deepening the kiss.

One hand cupped the back of her head, while the other hand moved down her waist, feeling the unique, voluptuous curves of a mature woman beneath his palm.

Yang Yuyan let out a soft moan, her body as soft as spring water, yet she clung to him even more tightly, as if trying to meld him into her very bones.

"Husband..." she murmured between his lips, her voice tinged with a dreamy, coquettish quality, "carry me to bed."

Qin An picked her up and carried her into the bedroom.

That night, Yang Yuyan abandoned all her reserve. Like a nimble fish, she clung to Qin An, cupping his face in her hands and kissing his eyebrows, nose, and lips again and again, as if trying to etch his image into her heart.

She guided Qin An's hand to caress every inch of her body, letting him feel her rapid heartbeat and letting him know how much she couldn't bear to part with him.

"My husband, you must remember..." she whispered in his ear, her voice broken and choked with breathlessness, "Remember that I'm here waiting for you at home. No matter what happens, think of me, think of tonight... You must come back."

Qin An didn't answer, but simply hugged her tighter, swallowing all her words into a burning kiss.

His movements carried an almost brute force, as if he wanted to unleash all his lingering fear and reluctance in this one night.

Yang Yuyan accepted everything. Her fingernails left faint red marks on his back, which were the thousands of words she hadn't spoken.

Moonlight streamed through the window, casting the intertwined shadows of the two figures onto the wall.

The low, labored breathing and soft sobs mingled together, continuing until late into the night.

Afterwards, Yang Yuyan nestled in Qin An's arms, her hair completely wet, her fair body flushed with a thin layer of pink.

She was exhausted, but she still refused to fall asleep, her fingers tracing the skin of Qin An's chest, as if trying to remember the sensation.

"My husband," her voice was already a little hoarse, "promise me you'll come back alive."

Qin An lowered his head and kissed the top of her head, his voice more resolute than ever: "I promise you. I will definitely come back alive."

Yang Yuyan finally closed her eyes, her breathing gradually becoming steady. But her hand was still tightly gripping Qin An's clothes.

……

The next morning, a dozen or so hunters gathered at the village entrance, all carrying bows and arrows and hunting knives. Their expressions varied; some were nervous, some were silent, and some were trying to keep up a cheerful mood.

Yang Yuyan came to see him off with her two daughters. She didn't say much, but handed the bundle to Qin An and whispered, "Don't forget what you promised."

"I won't forget." Qin An took the bundle, looked at her deeply, patted his two daughters' heads, and then turned and walked towards the group.

He never looked back, afraid that if he did, he wouldn't be able to leave!