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

Upon returning to Baishantun, Qin An immediately summoned all the militia.

On the open ground, fifty men stood in neat rows, their faces filled with undisguised fear.

They had heard about the war and knew that they were likely to be among the next batch of cannon fodder sent to the battlefield.

Qin An stood before them, his sharp gaze sweeping over the crowd: "You must have all heard that the imperial court has declared war on Baekje."

Everyone nodded in silence; the atmosphere was tense.

"I know you're afraid," Qin An said calmly. "Going to the battlefield means you might die. But think about it, even if you hide here, will you be safe?"

"Once the war spreads, can Baishantun and Xingye County escape unscathed? Your families and your homes will be destroyed!"

Qin An raised his voice a few decibels: "Rather than sitting and waiting to die, let's pick up weapons and become stronger! At least we still have the strength to fight, and the chance to protect ourselves and our families!"

"From today onwards, training will be doubled! I will teach you how to survive on the battlefield, how to kill the enemy!" Qin An's gaze was like lightning. "Those who don't want to die, give it your all and train hard!"

His words struck like a heavy hammer, hitting everyone's heart.

Yes, there's no way to avoid it. Instead of being afraid, we might as well take a chance!

In the crowd, someone clenched their fist, their eyes gradually hardening.

"Instructor, we'll listen to you!" a young man shouted.

"Yes, we'll listen to you!" the others chimed in.

Qin An nodded in satisfaction: "Good! Now, run fifty laps around the village. Anyone who falls behind will be punished by copying the military regulations one hundred times!"

"Yes!" everyone responded in unison, then turned and started running.

Although his steps were still a little unsteady, there was a hint of determination in his eyes.

Watching their retreating figures, Qin An thought to himself, "These fifty men are my foundation. No matter what, I will lead them and make our way in this chaotic world!"

In the days that followed, Qin An became even more rigorous in training the militia.

In addition to basic drills and physical training, he also taught them how to use weapons, how to deploy defenses, how to survive in the wild, and even simulated battlefield scenarios for live-fire exercises.

He imparted to them without reservation the knowledge he had learned from the system and the tactics he had drawn from modern memory.

Every day before dawn, the clearing echoes with unified shouts.

As night fell, the figures training continued to move about under the moonlight.

Although the militiamen were exhausted, not one of them complained.

They knew that Qin An was teaching them skills that could save their lives.

Their feelings for Qin An gradually changed from initial fear to awe and trust.

In his spare time, Qin An was also making preparations for his wife and daughter.

……

Early that morning, Qin An gave a few instructions to the militiamen and then led Yang Yuyan, Cai Yan, and Cai Zhen into the mountains.

"Husband, what are we going into the mountains for?" Yang Yuyan asked curiously.

"I'll take you somewhere." Qin An smiled and led them deeper into the mountains and forests.

Passing through dense woods and across babbling brooks, Qin An led them to a secluded cliff face.

The mountainside was covered with thick vines, and without careful observation, nothing unusual could be detected.

Qin An parted the vines, revealing a hole just wide enough for one person to pass through.

"Let's go in and take a look." Qin An was the first to go in.

Yang Yuyan hesitated for a moment, then followed Cai Yan and Cai Zhen inside.

The cave wasn't dark; a small crack in the ceiling let in a faint light.

By the light, they could see that the cave was not large, but it was very clean, with many things piled up in the corner.

Large quantities of grain and cloth, bundles of firewood, pots and pans, and even several cotton quilts.

"Husband, this is..." Yang Yuyan looked at Qin An in surprise.

"This is the safe house I prepared," Qin An explained. "I found several such caves in the mountains and stored supplies in them."

He led them out of the cave and then to several other places.

Each cave was much the same, with enough food and supplies to last for a period of time, and all were located in extremely secluded places.

"If anything really happens, like the Baekje people attacking, or the village falling into chaos, you should run into the mountains and hide in these caves," Qin An said earnestly to Yang Yuyan. "The supplies here are enough for you to live on for a long time."

Looking at the neatly stacked supplies and Qin An's calloused hands, Yang Yuyan's eyes instantly welled up with tears.

She finally understood that Qin An had long ago made the worst-case scenario plan for the three of them, mother and daughters.

This thoughtfulness and care filled her heart with emotion.

"My husband..." she choked, unable to speak.

"Silly woman, why are you crying?" Qin An wiped away her tears. "This is just in case; we might not even need it."

He took Yang Yuyan's hand and pointed to the surroundings: "I'll show you around so you can get familiar with the place. That way, you won't get lost if we really need to."

For the rest of the day, Qin An led his wife and daughter through the mountains and forests, telling them in detail the location of each safe house, the characteristics of each path, where there was water, and where there were wild fruits to eat.

Cai Yan and Cai Zhen were initially a little scared, but with Qin An's patient explanation, they gradually relaxed and even felt like they were on an adventure, with long-lost smiles appearing on their faces.

Yang Yuyan's emotions gradually stabilized, and watching Qin An's busy figure, her heart was filled with warmth. With such a thoughtful and considerate man protecting her from the wind and rain, she had the courage to face any difficulties ahead.

As the sun sets, its golden rays bathe the mountains and forests, gilding the verdant leaves with a golden edge.

Qin An led his wife and daughter to a stream. The terrain there was flat and the water was crystal clear.

"Let's rest here for a while." Qin An put down the cloth bag on his back and took out the prepared dry food, dried meat and water bag.

Yang Yuyan helped arrange the food, while Cai Yan and Cai Zhen ran to the stream and curiously watched the small fish in the water.

The family sat together, eating simple food and enjoying this rare moment of peace.

The shadow of war seemed to be shut out by the beauty of the mountains and forests, leaving only warmth and comfort.

"Father, this place is so beautiful," Cai Zhen said, her words muffled as she chewed on dried meat.

"Yes, after the war is over, Father will often bring you here to play," Qin An said with a smile.

Yang Yuyan looked at him, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes, which was then replaced by tenderness.

She leaned on Qin An's shoulder and whispered, "Husband, if only things could always be like this."

Qin An grasped her hand and sighed inwardly.

He knew that such tranquility was hard-won and could be fleeting.

He didn't know how much longer he had to spend with his wife and daughter.

A strong sense of reluctance welled up in his heart, and he turned his head to look deeply at Yang Yuyan.

Yang Yuyan felt his burning gaze, her cheeks flushed slightly, and her eyes became hazy.

She knew what Qin An was thinking, and she also knew what she was thinking.

She touched her stomach, only one thought in her mind: "I don't have much time left..."