vrcanaries Chapter 239 Open Your Dog Eyes
Chapter 239 Open Your Dog Eyes
Xiao Zhixue and Yang Shang quickly dismounted. Yang Shang stepped forward and saluted respectfully to the soldier leader, saying in a humble and calm tone, "Sir, we are from Lianhua Town. My father is the mayor of Lianhua Town. My name is Yang Shang."
The soldier leader Mo Lin looked at Yang Shang with sharp eyes, then turned his gaze to the group of entourage behind him who were dressed in yamen uniforms.
Then, his gaze slowly turned to Xiao Zhixue, examining her carefully from top to bottom.
Xiao Zhixue was dressed simply, without any air of luxury, which seemed out of place for the town mayor's mansion. She looked more like a displaced refugee.
A thought flashed through Mo Lin's mind. He had heard before that some refugees had fled here from Zhangzhou.
These corpses in front of us may really be related to these outsiders.
Thinking of this, he asked in a deep voice: "Since you are from Lotus Town, what are you doing here? How do you explain the origin of these corpses?"
Before Xiao Zhixue could speak, Yang Shang answered first: "General, you may not know that the bandits in Longfei Village have always been unscrupulous and committed crimes. The people of our Lianhua Town have suffered from them for many years. After a long struggle, until last night, we finally wiped out all these villains."
However, Mo Lin was not moved by Yang Shang's words.
During the previous body count, he clearly observed that the fatal wounds of most of the dead were not caused by swords, but were signs of poisoning.
Obviously, Yang Shang's words are hard to be convincing.
If they really did it, where did the poison come from?
Without giving it any time to think, Mo Lin decisively ordered: "Control them all!"
For a moment, the soldiers drew their swords, the atmosphere was tense, and a conflict was about to take place.
Yang Shang's face turned pale in an instant. He never expected that his explanation would be questioned so easily.
The yamen runners behind him also nervously drew their knives, ready to resist, but their eyes were filled with fear and anxiety that came from having never experienced war.
After witnessing this scene, Mo Lin became even more convinced of his own judgment.
Even if they were from the mayor's mansion, he would never tolerate them.
So many lives were lost here, how can the case be hastily closed just because of a few casual words from Yang Shang?
What's more, their mission on this trip was to recruit bandits and expand military forces to fight against the enemy.
Rumor has it that there are many bandits in Longfei Village. If we can subdue them one by one, it will greatly enhance our military strength and make future battles much easier.
Originally they were expecting to recruit these bandits to supplement their troops, but when they arrived they saw corpses everywhere.
If those two hundred or so bandits could become recruits, his recruitment mission would be perfectly accomplished.
Now that these people are gone, his plans have come to nothing.
Mo Lin's anger rose. Since the bandits in Longfei Village could not be used, the people in front of him would become substitutes.
For him, all he needed to do was to gather the required number of people; it didn't matter whether they were really from the Mayor's Mansion.
In a flash, the two sides were on the verge of a fight, and the soldiers and yamen runners quickly engaged in a fierce melee.
The yamen runners had never experienced the cruelty of the battlefield. Facing the well-trained soldiers, they dared not really give it a try. They just defended themselves blindly, which seemed beyond their ability.
After several fierce rounds, Yang Shang and his companions were exhausted and their bodies gradually became scattered. Unexpectedly, at this moment, a burly soldier easily put a knife across his neck. The sharp blade could almost feel the beating of his blood. The air was filled with a tense and solemn atmosphere.
Xiao Zhixue, the only woman present, seemed to be forgotten by everyone in a corner of the battlefield.
She stood there quietly, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, observing everything with sharp eyes.
Seeing the runners who came with her being subdued one by one, her hand slid silently to her waist and tightly grasped the soft whip that symbolized her status and strength.
Mo Lin obviously underestimated her, and never took this seemingly weak woman into consideration in his plans.
"Sir, we are really the messengers from the Lianhua Town Mayor's Mansion. There must be a misunderstanding! Can you let us talk calmly?"
While struggling to resist the approaching soldiers, Yang Shang shouted at the top of his lungs, his tone revealing a hint of pleading and confusion.
Hearing this, Mo Lin snorted contemptuously, with an unquestionable light flashing in his eyes.
"No matter where you are from, what I need now is the number of people to be sent to the army. Those who dare to attack Longfei Village can just contribute to the army."
As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Shang felt a chill in his heart, and his movements became a little slow because of this sudden despair.
At this moment, a cold light flashed, and a sharp blade was firmly pressed against his carotid artery. The cold feeling almost suffocated him.
"Don't try to resist, or I'll make you bleed to death!"
The leading officer spoke with murderous intent, the knife in his hand pressed against the skin without a single slack, as if he could cut through the line between life and death at any time.
An unprecedented fear rose in Yang Shang's heart. He had never thought that he would encounter such brutal government troops when going out on a mission.
His gaze passed through the crowd and turned to Xiao Zhixue, his eyes full of helplessness and helplessness.
"Tie them all up and take them back to serve as military force!"
Mo Lin's voice was like the cold wind in winter, cold and harsh.
At the command, the surrounding soldiers immediately became active and ready for action.
At this moment, a firm and clear voice penetrated the tense atmosphere: "Wait a minute!"
A glimmer of hope ignited in Yang Shang's heart, and he felt relieved when he saw Xiao Zhixue finally spoke up to intervene.
Mo Lin's brows were furrowed, his eyes were wide open, and the knife he held tightly seemed to express his dissatisfaction and disdain.
"Why, do you want to volunteer to be sent to the army like them?"
Xiao Zhixue's sharp eyes caught the token hanging on Mo Lin's waist, which was a unique symbol belonging to General Gu's camp.
Although they had never met before, she could tell at a glance that this man was not a local officer, but was transferred here by orders from someone else.
The corners of her mouth curled up into a cold smile, and her voice was a little sarcastic: "You arrested innocent people indiscriminately and used them as cannon fodder for our army. Aren't you afraid that General Gu will punish you severely for your reckless behavior after he finds out?"
The three words "General Gu" were like a thunderclap, and all the soldiers present were shocked involuntarily.
They themselves were conscripted soldiers and were well aware of General Gu's prestige and strict military discipline.
Although Mo Lin was the team leader, he did not dare to disobey the real military orders easily.
For a moment, the soldiers' eyes wandered between Mo Lin and Xiao Zhixue, and the air was filled with a tense and subtle expectation.
Mo Lin's brows were twisted into a knot, and his eyes became complicated and difficult to understand. He was obviously thinking about how to deal with this sudden change.
"Who are you and why do you know General Gu?"
There was a hint of inquiry and caution in his words.
Xiao Zhixue turned her wrist slightly, and an exquisite token appeared in her palm. She showed the token to Mo Lin, and said with great pride: "Open your dog eyes and take a closer look. This is a token given to me by General Gu himself. Here is the token. What else do you have to say?"