Surviving in the chaos of war begins in the wilderness.

Chapter 42 Shocking Changes in the County Town

Zhou Ye had an incredibly relaxed day; it was the most pleasant day he had experienced since his transmigration.

While strolling around outside, I overheard some neighbors saying that grain prices seemed to have gone up. They said that due to the drought of the past few months, many farmlands would definitely see reduced yields.

Reminded by this, Zhou Ye did recall that it seemed... it really hadn't rained for a long time, right?

He suddenly remembered that he still had two acres of land in his small family home. It was almost time to harvest the winter wheat there.

And he's been staying at the martial arts school for over 50 days, so he hasn't had time to go back and take care of the crops? Could they have also encountered a drought?

Forget it. None of this matters anymore. I don't really need that wheat anymore. Even if food prices rise, I can still afford it. I even have plenty of salted fish and meat to eat.

However, seeing his neighbors' worried expressions, Zhou Ye felt a little sympathy. Those ordinary people at the bottom of society had a very hard life; they had almost no ability to withstand risks.

Back home, Zhou Ye put that tiny bit of sympathy out of his mind.

Looking around the kitchen, he quickly made a large batch of egg pancakes. He planned to go to the martial arts school tomorrow to report on his progress in cultivating internal energy, and then return to his small family home. These would be good provisions for the journey…

This also includes starting to earn money again and maintaining one's public image. Even the charcoal stored up at home is almost all sold out…

Zhou Ye ate a sumptuous dinner with a beaming smile. After he had eaten and drunk his fill, he found a splinter and used it as a toothpick to pick his teeth.

It was late at night, and it was almost time to turn off the lights and go to bed.

Suddenly, Zhou Ye felt a strong tremor. The tremor quickly grew stronger, and soon the entire house began to shake violently.

Holy crap! Was it an earthquake?

Zhou Ye suddenly jumped up from the chair and darted into the yard in a few steps.

However, just then, a deafening sound came from the main street leading into the city, two streets away... It must be the sound of horses' hooves.

At that very moment, faint voices could be heard: "Oh no! War! War is breaking out!"

"The army is entering the city!"

"That's the Crimson Army! Run!"

"..."

Zhou Ye was a little confused. What was going on?

Could it be that my brow is glowing with good fortune, and I've actually stumbled upon the legendary military rebellion?

With a leap, he landed on the roof; his mastery of the Cloud Ladder truly made a difference. Hiding behind the eaves, Zhou Ye cautiously observed his surroundings.

The torches of the army stretched out like a dragon, seemingly endless, winding their way into the city gates. Perhaps these soldiers were not yet concerned with the slums; there were certainly more important objectives within the city. And soon, the city was filled with a murderous aura, and shouts of battle echoed through the air.

As for the surrounding houses? Visibly, all the lights had been quickly turned off, and the doors and windows were tightly shut. Even on the rooftops in the distance, several figures could be faintly seen.

After learning the details, Zhou Ye quietly jumped into the courtyard.

He first went inside the house and moved all the weapons, armor, and important items out and placed them in the courtyard.

Fortunately, Zhou Ye was prepared. These important items had been packed together and placed within easy reach, allowing for a quick escape. As for the rest of the items in the room? They were equally unimportant. They were all trivial matters.

Next came extinguishing the lights and putting out the fire. All the oil lamps, stove fires, and other fires in the house were extinguished completely.

Finally, it was time to put on the equipment. Leather armor, leather boots... After thinking for a moment, Zhou Ye put on the chainmail over the leather armor and also wore the iron helmet. Then he hung all the weapons on his body.

Carrying the remaining items, Zhou Ye went to a pile of firewood in the corner of the yard and sat cross-legged on the ground in the shadow of the firewood. Holding the eight-stone bow in his hand, he carefully observed the courtyard gate and the surrounding walls by the faint starlight in the sky.

With the woodpile as cover, any thieves who enter won't be able to spot him immediately. This gives him the advantage of being able to strike first.

Of course, that would be best if it weren't so. If the rebellion ends soon, I hope the county town can also return to peace as quickly as possible.

But fate had other plans. Not long after, someone shouted at the top of their lungs, "Those bastards from over there are coming to steal our things! We must defend our home!"

Zhou Ye was taken aback. Was there really someone taking advantage of the chaos?

Zhou Ye climbed up the woodpile in a few steps and secretly peered over the wall again. He saw groups of refugees from the shantytown rushing over, shouting excitedly, ready to start their zero-dollar shopping spree?

Taking advantage of the chaos to commit robbery. Risk means opportunity. Since those refugees have nothing to lose anyway, they might as well take a gamble while things are in disarray.

Looking towards the city gate, they discovered that the entire army had already entered the city, and even the city gates seemed to be tightly shut.

Holy crap! This is bad. The slums outside the city seem to have been abandoned; they've completely lost all order.

After some thought, Zhou Ye decided to remain inactive. He couldn't worry about others right now; it was safer to stay home. The situation outside was likely even more chaotic, so staying home was more reliable.

After all, this is a slum, and there's practically nothing to steal from the locals. To put it bluntly, it would be better to smash up a few shops and hold a massive free sale.

At this moment, Zhou Ye suddenly started thinking wildly. Since we're talking about shops, what about the Gao family's butcher shop? Anyway, there's not much to say. Let's just wish them all peace and safety!

Sure enough, the sounds of robbery could be heard outside. Amidst the commotion of the refugees in their shacks, the cries of children and the screams of women could be heard…

And some thieves also set fires. However, with several towering flames, Zhou Ye's visibility actually improved considerably.

Fortunately, Zhou Ye lived in a relatively poor area, his house was dilapidated. Therefore, not many refugees actually entered the alley. Even if a few did come, they would quickly leave to choose more valuable targets…

And so, Zhou Ye gradually relaxed, going from being extremely tense at the beginning. He even found it a little funny—had he made the right choice by renting this run-down apartment?

Time flew by, and Zhou Ye had been sitting cross-legged for one or two hours. He picked up the wine gourd beside him, took a sip of wine, and moistened his dry lips.

Wine has a low alcohol content; drinking a small amount is essentially like drinking a beverage. However, it is easy to preserve and is much better than water in a leather bag.

It's already past midnight.

While feeling relieved, Zhou Ye was also praying that nothing would happen overnight and that he could escape back to his little home the next day.

There's no way around it! The city is too scary, I want to go back to the countryside!