TNIBFT -Chapter 154 Rescuing People in the Avalanche

Behind them still stood the towering yet dilapidated city walls, and beneath those walls were the suffering common folk.

In this place, the world of ordinary people was gray and colorless—just like their clothes—devoid of any brightness, drawing no attention at all.

“Let’s go!”

Seeing Duan Qingshan waiting ahead, Ye Tian spoke, and the group continued forward.

The wind and snow were fierce.

Countless poorly dressed civilians surged toward the city gates from all directions. Some dragged their families along; others even brought livestock. The dense crowd moved toward the gates as if this were the last refuge in the world.

Ye Tian and his group, however, moved against the flow, heading inward.

At this moment, within the crowd—

Shangguan Ning’er fixed a sharp gaze on Ye Tian’s back. Her right hand rested on the soft sword at her waist. Overwhelmed by emotion, she felt the urge to kill him at any second.

“The one leading them is Ye Tian.”

Beside her, Widow Zhang carefully glanced at Shangguan Ning’er. Seeing her cold expression, she cautiously continued, “I don’t know why he’s leaving the city at this time.”

“The children should still be inside the city, right?”

When Ye Tian suddenly turned back alertly, Shangguan Ning’er lowered her head and hid among the refugees. She had intended to follow him, but Sifang City was no longer safe. The safety of the prince and princess came first. After some thought, she decided that while Ye Tian was away, she would seize the chance to take the three children.

With that in mind, Shangguan Ning’er lowered her hand from her waist and looked coldly at Widow Zhang.

“You’re no longer needed.”

“You know what to do, right?”

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

Widow Zhang’s teeth chattered in fear. These people were ruthless—they hadn’t even spared a child like Fan’er, beating him half to death. She didn’t dare oppose them.

“I understand!”

“I understand!”

Widow Zhang nodded repeatedly, then looked up pitifully at Shangguan Ning’er. “Don’t worry, I’ll take the child and disappear. I’ll never show up in Sifang City again.”

Shangguan Ning’er didn’t even spare her a glance and walked toward a corner of the city wall.

…

Boom!

Boom!

The earth-shaking rumbling started again, and the ground seemed to tremble.

Those hurrying along the road panicked at the sound, running forward without even looking back.

“Father, Mother… sob… I’m so scared…”

“Waaah…”

“I want my brother—he’s still at home…”

The cries of children along the way were heart-wrenching. Fine icy particles drifted through the air, landing on people’s faces. Shi Hao looked at the hurried passersby by the roadside, his eyes reddening, remaining silent the entire way.

“Boss, we can’t go any further ahead!” Yuan Heipang’s hair and eyebrows were covered in snowflakes. His face was red from the cold as he squinted and shouted toward Ye Tian. “Boss, there’s no road ahead—we can’t pass through here!”

The towering trees had been crushed under the weight of the snow, lying in chaotic heaps on the ground, most of them buried with only small portions exposed.

“Beyond this… is Lingfeng Village?” Ye Tian asked.

He stepped forward, but suddenly lost his footing—one leg sank deep into the snow. Duan Qingshan reacted instantly, lunging forward to grab his arm, while Yuan Heipang’s face turned pale with fright.

Seeing the snow on the ground continuing to sink inward, Yuan Heipang and the other workers were so scared that they kept retreating.

Shi Hao, who had remained silent the whole time, suddenly spoke:

“Uncle Ye, we’ve already reached the village. I’ll go find my father myself. It’s too dangerous ahead—adults are heavier, but I’m lighter, so I should be fine.”

He tugged at the corner of his mouth and forced a smile.

Yuan Heipang and the others, who had been about to back out, felt their faces burn with shame when they saw Shi Hao—a mere child—fearlessly risking his life to save his family. Yuan Heipang said awkwardly, “How can we let a kid like you take the risk? If word gets out, how am I supposed to face anyone in the future?”

“Exactly—let’s go!”

“If we don’t find your father, none of us are leaving.”

Gripping wooden sticks, the group pressed forward. Duan Qingshan stayed by Ye Tian’s side as they continued on.

After more than ten minutes of walking, Ye Tian still couldn’t find the Lingfeng Village he remembered.

The village before them had been reduced to ruins—a vast expanse of white where it was impossible to tell where the mountain ended and where the houses once stood. Dark figures dotted the snow, unwilling to leave. A single natural disaster had stolen countless lives.

Shi Hao ran around like a madman, searching and shouting. He couldn’t even tell where his home had once been.

How was he supposed to find his parents?

“Father!”

“Mother!”

That night, Lingfeng Village was no longer silent. Heart-wrenching cries filled the air. Seeing familiar faces only made Shi Hao tremble harder—those faces were filled with despair and grief, silently recounting the life-and-death separations that had just taken place.

“Uncle Ye… my father, is he… is he already…” Shi Hao sobbed, his voice breaking.

Ye Tian felt helpless. Though he knew the general plot and how things would unfold, he had no power to change other people’s fates.

He reached out and patted Shi Hao’s head. “The more critical the moment, the calmer you must be.”

“Think carefully—where do you usually go at home?”

“Mm!” Shi Hao nodded through tears.

“Boss, there’s someone here!” Duan Qingshan shouted.

The previously at-a-loss group rushed over to him. Beneath a tree stump, a middle-aged man was buried under the snow up to his chest, his lower body still exposed.

With no tools, they began digging with their bare hands.

“It’s Uncle Zhang!”

“Uncle Zhang!”

Recognizing the man on the ground, Shi Hao’s expression turned complicated—both relieved and heartbroken. This was the old steward who had watched him grow up. Now his face was pale, barely clinging to life. Shi Hao quickly took off his vest and wrapped it around the steward’s chest.

Duan Qingshan, who had brought strong liquor, stepped forward, pried open the steward’s mouth, and poured in a couple of gulps.

“Cough—cough!”

“Cough, cough, cough…”

“He’s awake!”

“Uncle Zhang, wake up!” Shi Hao shook him, and the steward slowly came to.

“Xiao Hao?”

Seeing Shi Hao, the old steward raised a withered hand and tremblingly touched his face. Weakly, he said, “You… you should hurry back. This place… it’s dangerous. Your father… have you seen him?”

Shi Hao shook his head.

The steward continued, “Your father loves you. Don’t blame him. After the avalanche… this place isn’t safe at all… He went to look for you… his legs were crushed… you…”

His cloudy eyes trembled, lips quivering. “Many of the tenant farmers we brought… are dead. Hurry back and check…”

The flood of information was too much—Shi Hao couldn’t process it. He clutched the steward’s hand and kept nodding as tears streamed down his face.

Standing behind Ye Tian, Duan Qingshan asked quietly, “Boss, what should we do now?”

Ye Tian looked into the distance. The mountain and the village had merged into one—those who hadn’t escaped were surely dead. He wasn’t a savior, nor did he have advanced rescue equipment. Frowning, he said, “Let’s go.”

“Carry this old man. We’ll head back the way we came.”

“Alright.”

The group turned around and made their way back toward the city.