RWNEFE -Chapter 59 Strike to Kill!

Liu Laohu glared at the other members of the Shen family—they all shrank back, trying to avoid attention.

“Useless cowards!”

Grandmother Shen wanted to call Shen Yuanjing and the others back. With Lanxi around, no one would be left to starve, yet the children couldn’t understand her concern.

“Mother, don’t speak. If we anger Liu Laohu, we might be sent to the front to take the blows. What then?” the other Shen family members whispered urgently.

Grandmother Shen still worried about Liu Laohu, so she scowled and retreated. She had the wisdom to plan, but the disobedience of a few children in the main household was not her fault.

Shen Lanxi formed a team with Chunxue and Qiushuang, leaving Nanny Li’s family to watch the children and the wagons.

Under Wei Dongzhu’s command, six small squads infiltrated Liu Zhao Village from four directions.

The closer they got to the refugee-occupied areas, the stronger the smell of smoke and burning fat became.

Those near the scene turned pale. At first, they could tolerate it, but when someone saw the neatly cleaned human bones on the ground, they could no longer bear it. They stepped aside, almost vomiting bile.

“Monsters!”

“Less than pigs and dogs…”

“Completely inhuman…”

Low curses flew in every direction. Everyone hated the people inside as if they were demons incarnate.

Shen Lanxi saw the human bones too. The refugees had discarded them casually, their humanity gone, leaving only vicious beasts with human forms.

They infiltrated the house closest to the refugees. Inside were Wei family troops and Wei Dongzhu, hiding.

“You stay here. We’ll move to the next house,” she instructed. Just a wall separated the houses, and she jumped over with Chunxue and Qiushuang.

Faint cries, curses, and sounds of abuse mingled together. Anyone hearing them clenched their weapons—or fists if unarmed—and prepared for action.

Some refugees went out to urinate, others carried firewood, heading in different directions. Both were quickly neutralized by covering their mouths.

One person carrying firewood failed to return, so another went out to check.

Also neutralized.

Three still hadn’t returned, alerting the refugees. This time, more than ten came out.

“Should we split up to find them?”

“No, the village isn’t that big. Let’s go together.”

“You’re nothing but scared mice…”

Although cursing constantly, the ten or so people did not split up. After committing so many vile acts, fear had settled in their hearts—they could only bluster with words.

Relying solely on the prisoners wouldn’t avoid alerting those inside.

Shen Lanxi held her position, observing Wei family troops’ movements.

Since she had entrusted Wei Dongzhu with the command, if he couldn’t control the situation, he was not a competent commander.

Once the ten or so moved away, the Wei family troops took care of the rest.

This amazed the prisoners and officials nearby. With a single swing of the blade, the Wei troops cut through the refugees’ throats. Such precision and speed was impossible without training!

The “take them down one by one” strategy worked. Seeing the Wei troops’ strength bolstered the confidence of both prisoners and officials.

They had plenty of time; they didn’t believe the refugees could hide indefinitely.

Soon, more people came out.

This time the refugees were clever. They tied the village women and children together and shoved them ahead. The armed men flanked them, ready to use the hostages if anything went wrong.

“Hurry… move…”

The women and children trudged forward, faces gaunt, clothes in tatters, skin stretched over bones like walking skeletons. Their expressions were numb.

The men pushing them were robust, well-fed, with broad faces—a stark contrast to the starving hostages.

One woman faltered, nearly collapsing, gasping for breath.

“Get up! If you don’t, we’ll throw you in the pot!” one man kicked her.

Those hiding nearby could no longer hold back. They rushed forward together.

“Who’s there?”

“Quic—” The words weren’t finished before the attackers were silenced, weapons taken, and their lives ended by the officials who had surged forward.

Liu Laohu quickly organized the prisoners to clean up and then began summarizing their experience.

“Next time, wait a little longer. Attack when their blades are farther from the hostages, or they’ll have knives on them before we even get close!”

The attackers nodded quickly, learning their lesson.

The prisoners swiftly untied the women and children. Just as they were instructing them to hide, one woman ran shouting.

“Help! Someone—”

“Damn it! She’s with the refugees!”

Everyone panicked, but it was too late to catch her.

Suddenly, a rushing sound tore through the air. A stone flew, striking the woman who had run ahead, knocking her heavily to the ground twenty or thirty meters away.

Blood spurted from her mouth and nose; her sternum caved in. The massive stone—like a watermelon—almost pierced her chest.

There was no time to wonder who had done it—friend or ally, it didn’t matter.

Liu Laohu rushed to help, coordinating the team to handle the woman.

The women and children were brought to safety. Liu Yanhui immediately interrogated them.

“How many inside? How many like you were tied up? How many were the bad people?”

“How many weapons, and what types? Any skilled fighters?”

“What tools or furniture are inside? Tables, chairs, iron sheets—anything to block or hide behind?”

The women huddled together, trembling and crying softly. Their misery was unbearable to witness.

“Don’t be afraid. We’re here to save you!” Shen Yuantang and a few women spoke up.

“Sister-in-law, tell us quickly! The faster you speak, the more lives we can save!”

One woman’s nerves were triggered.

“Save my children! Please, save my children!”

The others turned to wipe away tears.

Liu Laohu presented his official badge. “Sister-in-law, I’m an official. Don’t worry. As long as they’re alive, we’ll save them!”

Hearing his authority, the women clung to him like a final straw, spilling all the information.

“The leaders inside are bandits, skilled in combat. There are a dozen of them; the rest are refugees following orders.”

“There are over ten large knives, plus many holding kitchen knives and hoes. Two even carry bows and arrows.”

“Our villagers left are thirty or forty. They have many, maybe three or four hundred people, including men, women, and children.”

Liu Yanhui’s eyes brightened. “How many able-bodied fighters do they have?”

The women recalled.

“Two or three hundred!”

“Over two hundred!”

“Women and children number seventy or eighty. They have their own children, so why would they want to harm mine…”