Chapter 37

Wang Lishou also abruptly stood up, his eyes slightly narrowed. In the distance, a girl in a floral dress was seen running out of the forest. From her panicked cries for help, it seemed she had encountered some fierce wild beast.

The girl, who looked to be around fourteen or fifteen, had two long braids that swayed like cat tails as she ran. When she turned back in a panic, she didn't notice a log on the ground and slipped, falling hard. The wooden basket in her hand also fell, scattering mushrooms all over the ground.

Lu Buqi's pupils contracted, not because a spirit beast had emerged behind the girl, but because seven or eight men in identical gray uniforms jumped out of the forest. These men had smiles on their faces that were worse than those of beasts.

The moment Lu Buqi rushed out, Wang Lishou warned him, "Buqi, those are the private soldiers of our Wang family. Don't cause trouble!"

Lu Buqi paused for a moment. During this time, Wang Lishou had told him a bit about the outside world, including the concept of private soldiers.

Private soldiers originated from the private soldier system of the Yunze Kingdom. In Yunze, local aristocratic families represented the state in managing regions, and the state granted each family a quota to maintain private soldiers. The salaries of these private soldiers were jointly borne by the state and the families. During times of war, they served the state, and during peacetime, they maintained local stability.

However, maintaining local stability, including patrolling the Guoluo River area to look for escaped marsh slaves, did not include harassing or molesting virtuous women.

The girl in the floral dress seemed to have also seen Lu Buqi and Wang Lishou. Struggling to her feet, she cried out even more desperately, "Help!..."

"Such things happen everywhere. If I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't have cared!" Lu Buqi turned back and looked at Wang Lishou. "But if I see it and do nothing, I would despise myself!"

Before Wang Lishou could respond, Lu Buqi had already moved forward. After a brief hesitation, Wang Lishou fastened his leather jacket and also strode over.

Lu Buqi's speed was very fast, covering a hundred meters in just seven or eight seconds. Just as the private soldiers were reacting, he had already pulled the girl in the floral dress behind him, his eyes cold and stern. "In broad daylight, you private soldiers neglect your duties and harass innocent women. Do you have any respect for the law and family rules?"

It must be said that when someone suddenly appeared and scolded them with righteous indignation while they were harassing a woman, it genuinely startled the ten private soldiers. However, when they saw that the person who had appeared was just a young boy who hadn't even grown facial hair, they burst into laughter.

"A stinking, inexperienced brat, you should know your own limits before trying to play the hero!" One of the private soldiers, holding a single-edged saber and exuding a slightly more imposing aura, sneered at Lu Buqi. He was likely the leader of the private soldiers, and his words were met with agreement.

"Meddling in the affairs of the West Third Camp, you're asking for death!" Two of the private soldiers closest to Lu Buqi raised their spears and lunged at him, as cleanly and decisively as if they were on a battlefield. Clearly, for them, such things were all too common.

As the girl behind him screamed, Lu Buqi moved, easily sweeping away the two spears and protecting the girl in the floral dress as he retreated.

"Oh? You're a trained fighter!" The private soldier leader, holding the single-edged saber, showed a hint of surprise. At that moment, he noticed Wang Lishou approaching and then saw the animal skins drying on the riverbank. His eyes suddenly lit up. "These two must be escaped marsh slaves from the Guojian Forest. Grab them!"

"Boss, why not just kill them?" one of the private soldiers said. "The commander said not to bother him with trivial matters..."

The private soldier leader chuckled. "Then kill them, but don't hurt the girl. I haven't played with such a tender woman in a long time."

With a few casual words, the fate of Lu Buqi and Wang Lishou seemed sealed. This blatant arrogance undoubtedly enraged Lu Buqi. He pushed the girl in the floral dress towards Wang Lishou and, with his left hand holding the Yu Chang sword and his right hand the Blood Thorn, he fiercely charged at the nine private soldiers with their spears.

Broken spears, flying bodies, splattered blood, and cries of pain—within a few simple movements, the nine private soldiers were scattered. The private soldier leader was shocked, suddenly drawing his single-edged saber, which was clearly of better quality than a decapitation sword. He glared at Lu Buqi. "Who are you?"

The private soldiers of the Wang family were at least Sixth Rank Warriors, and nine of them had been defeated in a single encounter without even touching their opponent. This was too bizarre.

Wang Lishou, who was supporting the girl in the floral dress, coldly said, "I am Wang Lishou, subordinate to the major steward of Guojian Town, Wang Yingfu..."

"Wang the Blacksmith?" The private soldier leader looked at Wang Lishou with some confusion. "Why aren't you staying in town? What are you doing in a place like this?"

Seeing that this person knew his name, Wang Lishou felt a bit relieved and smiled. "I was sent by the major steward to take care of some business."

"Then take care of your business and stay out of the West Third Camp's affairs!" As the nine private soldiers got up and returned to the leader's side, his courage grew. "The girl overheard military secrets and is likely a spy. We need to take her back to the West Third Camp!"

As Wang Lishou frowned, the girl in the floral dress turned and pulled on Wang Lishou, arguing, "Uncle Lishou, I'm not a spy. I'm Wang Shuangqiao from the Northern Bun Shop. I've delivered buns to your blacksmith shop... I just came out to pick mushrooms. I'm not a spy."

Wang Lishou took a closer look and indeed recognized the girl, but he still had some hesitation. It wasn't worth offending the private soldiers over this.

"Whether she's a spy is for us to decide!" The private soldier leader, seeing Wang Lishou's hesitation, became even more arrogant. "You few, grab her! Anyone who dares to stop us will be killed!"

"You're no match for me, so it's best not to force my hand!" Lu Buqi ignored Wang Lishou's hesitation and coldly looked at the private soldier leader.

In Lu Buqi's eyes, only the leader, who seemed to have reached the Bone Resonance Realm, was worth fighting. The ordinary private soldiers, even if there were twenty of them, wouldn't be enough to match him. If he hadn't held back earlier, at least three of them would have died.

"Rebellion!" The private soldier leader was furious, but his saber didn't strike Lu Buqi. For some reason, being stared at by Lu Buqi made him feel unnerved.

His gaze wandering, the private soldier leader glared at Wang Lishou. "Wang the Blacksmith, what do you mean? Are you going to meddle in this too?"

Wang Lishou smiled bitterly and shrugged. "Leader, this person isn't my subordinate. I can't control him."

The private soldier leader was taken aback. Wang Lishou's response made him more cautious. Thinking of Lu Buqi's strange skills, the private soldier leader decided not to provoke him and took a step back. "Very well, I will report this to the commander. We will go to the town to ask Major Steward Wang Yingfu for this person... Humph, let's go!"

After delivering his threat, the private soldier leader led his men and turned to leave. But no one expected that Lu Buqi would suddenly strike. The Yu Chang sword flew out and, with a soft thud, pierced the back of the private soldier leader's head.

Before the private soldier leader's body hit the ground, Lu Buqi had already pounced, pulling out the Yu Chang sword. At the same time, he threw the Blood Thorn, which pierced the neck of the first private soldier to react.

Then, with the Yu Chang sword in hand, Lu Buqi was like a tiger among sheep, quickly killing two more private soldiers. As the other six private soldiers finally reacted, two chose to fight to the death and four tried to flee, Lu Buqi used the move "Crane Claw Dividing Water" to deflect two spears and, with the move "Tiger's Might," the Yu Chang sword pierced one soldier's chest while his right hand clawed out five bloody holes in another soldier's chest.

"Damn it!" Wang Lishou was also stunned. As Wang Shuangqiao screamed, he suddenly rushed out. With a roar like a bear, Wang Lishou caught up to one of the fleeing soldiers and slapped him on the back.

As the fleeing soldier spat out three pints of blood, Wang Lishou's legs sank, and his body lunged forward like a clumsy bear. He used the move "Flying Bear Entering the Dream" that Lu Buqi had taught him, crushing the fleeing soldier's chest and killing him instantly.