Chapter 80: Shadow

Translator: Henyee Translations  Editor: Henyee Translations

Pei Qian explained the entire matter in detail, but there was still something that couldn’t be explained.

“Then, how did Du Ling’er disturb you?!”

Lin Suisui raised her head slightly and asked.

If this entire matter was just internal strife between the Du sisters, then why did Du Ling’er appear in their tent in the end and bump into Pei Qian, who happened to be there?!

How could he explain this?!

“It was a coincidence for Du Ling’er, but not me.”

Pei Qian put down the teacup in his hand and replied bluntly, “I was actually looking for Wu Liu and the others.”

Wu Liu was Pei Qian’s man, but the person called Lu Er, whom he and Zhao San were guarding, was the sergeant who had escaped from the northern military camp and was secretly protected by Pei Qian.

“I had something to ask them that day, but I couldn’t seem familiar with those three people on the surface, so the best way was to meet them here under the guise of meeting Gu Erlang.

However, I didn’t expect to see Du Ling’er, who rushed here in a panic.”

If that was the case, it made sense.

However, the problem wasn’t why Du Ling’er had appeared in front of Pei Qian, but what she had seen before she went there!

“Yesterday, when you saw that skinned corpse, you were not too surprised! It even seemed as if you had expected it.

So, do you two know something?!

I’m not doubting what you said yesterday about the story your mentor told you, but did you see other similar corpses before yesterday?!”

Pei Qian picked up the kettle on the small red clay stove and slowly poured himself another cup of tea. Then, he turned around and looked at Lin Suisui and Lu Ze.

“On the night Du Ling’er was kicked by you, I went to the stream to wash the cooking utensils and smelled blood.” Lu Ze didn’t mention Lin Suisui. He calmly confessed to Pei Qian about seeing the corpse that night. “There was a layer of loose soil. I dug the corpse up, then took a look before burying it again.”

“Why didn’t you say so at that time?!” Pei Qian stared at Lu Ze and said, “You’re not someone who’s cowardly and afraid of trouble!”

“If I were alone, I wouldn’t have been afraid, but I wasn’t alone. On this northern expedition, we’ve encountered many things, and each one was more troublesome and dangerous than the last.

We have some unique skills, but we’re just ordinary villagers.

We shouldn’t interfere in or know about those things!

I just want to reach the base safely. I don’t want any unnecessary trouble!”

Lu Ze’s attitude changed drastically. The helplessness from the release of pent-up emotions that had been suppressed for a long time increased the credibility of his words. He looked at Pei Qian with a hint of cruelty. “We haven’t slacked off or shirked from the tasks you’ve been assigning us. It’s not because we’re not good at those tasks you’ve been giving us. It’s because we just want to survive!

You have many capable soldiers and generals, so there’s no need to trouble our family for everything!

My wife knows medicine, but in all these years, she had never seen such a gory scene! But because of you, even though she trembled in fear, she still endured it and accepted the task!

“We’re not as indestructible as you think. We really just want to survive!”

Lu Ze’s sudden outburst not only shocked Pei Qian, but also surprised Lin Suisui, who was sitting beside him.

His unexpected move was perfect for this moment!

But would Pei Qian believe it?!

“Gu Erlang, you’ve misunderstood. I don’t mean anything else. I just want the capable ones to do more work. Everyone in the refugee camp, including me, is trying to survive!”

In response to Lu Ze’s touch words, Pei Qian spoke with understanding.

He sighed and continued, “Are you also wondering why an elite Wolf Guard under the barbarian shaman would appear in our refugee camp?!”

“You have to know that these Wolf Guards have been carefully selected and trained since they were young. Any one of them is a powerhouse who can fight a hundred people alone!”

“They’re here for Lu Er?” Lin Suisui thought for a moment. It seemed that there were only two things that could connect their refugee camp to the northern barbarians.

Firstly, they were the first to discover that some northern barbarians had colluded with the soldiers of the refugee camp to sell them, the refugees, as slaves. However, to put it bluntly, this was just a matter of slightly less income for those in high positions! There was no need to mobilize the Wolf Guards!

The other thing was that they had saved Lu Er.

Lu Er had evidence that the general in the north had conspired with the barbarians! If the northern barbarians planned to quietly embezzle at the borders of the empire, this news couldn’t be leaked!

If this evidence was really sent back to the imperial court and investigated further, the northern barbarian spy network that developed in the empire over the years might suffer a destructive blow!

This was a nightmare that the northern barbarians feared and couldn’t accept!

“Smart.” Pei Qian nodded. A smile appeared on his face. “The northern barbarians received this news and sent a Wolf Guard to infiltrate the refugee camp to investigate the situation.”

“But is there a need to make this matter so complicated?! They can attack us directly if they have doubts about the refugee camp. Wouldn’t it be better to kill a thousand innocent people than let one go?!”

Lin Suisui still couldn’t figure it out.

According to the northern barbarians’ way of doing things, it was impossible for them to be so discreet!

“First, they can’t be sure if Lu Er is hiding in the refugee camp. If they directly eliminate the refugees at this time, and Lu Er isn’t in the refugee camp, they will be exposed and become targets for the Imperial Court!

Secondly, even if they can confirm that Lu Er was hiding in the refugee camp, they wouldn’t slaughter everyone in the camp so openly! The reason is the same. They can’t, and don’t dare to, expose themselves!

If they slaughter the entire refugee camp, it will definitely attract the attention of the Imperial Court. Once the Imperial Court sends people to investigate this matter, everything that the northern barbarians have been planning all these years will probably be ruined!”