Chen Li didn’t believe in any secret martial arts. Instead, he said to Ning Shu, “I will protect you.”


  Seeing that Chen Li didn’t believe her, Ning Shu mobilized the energy in her body, stepped on the courtyard wall, and jumped over it. Her movements were relaxed and agile.

  “Ermei.” Chen Li opened the courtyard door and looked at Ning Shu in shock. “How did you do that?”


  “Didn’t I say I’ve been practicing the martial art given to me by a warrior? Do you want to practice it?” Ning Shu patted the dust on her hands.

  “Yes, I want…”


  Ning Shu told Chen Li the training method of the Unsurpassable Martial Arts. She then taught him how to practice bit by bit.

  Lady Li stayed up all night to make clothes for Ning Shu and Chen Li, crying all the time while sewing them. Father Chen couldn’t sleep all night either. He just smoked his pipe, and the room was so full of smoke that people couldn’t see clearly.

  After two days, Ning Shu wore the clothes that Lady Li had sewn for her, which unexpectedly fit her well. She tied the trousers in place of a skirt.

  Lady Li combed Ning Shu’s hair and tied it into a man’s hairstyle. Ning Shu took off the tea stem studs from her ears.

  Then, she picked up a bundle. The parcel contained dry food prepared by Lady Li for her and Chen Li. They were slices of snow-white wheat pancakes.

  The family of four arrived at the entrance of the village. There were people from the county government in charge of registering the conscription quota waiting here. Every household was overwhelmed with grief and sorrow. Once they left, no one knew when they would return or if they would ever come back.

  Under the influence of this gloomy atmosphere, Lady Li also wept with Ning Shu and Chen Li in her arms. She sobbed uncontrollably.

  Ning Shu patted Lady Li on the back while comforting her, “Mother, don’t worry. Brother and I will definitely come back alive to see you.”


  “My children.” Lady Li embraced Ning Shu and Chen Li and refused to let go.

  Father Chen pulled Lady Li away as he bit his lips. His voice choked a little when he said to Ning Shu, “You must make sure your brother lives.”


  Ning Shu nodded. “I know.”


  She didn’t feel indignant. In this era, girls were not as important as boys.

  After counting the number of people for half a day, the authorities sent a team of officers and soldiers to escort these people to their destination.

  Ning Shu looked back at the entrance of the village, which was getting farther and farther away. Leaving now, it was unknown what her fate would be.

  She would rather live in a peaceful world as a dog than in a chaotic, war-torn world as a person.

  “Ermei, don’t be afraid. Your brother is here. You will definitely be safe.” Chen Li looked at Ning Shu, who had her head down, and thought that Ning Shu was afraid. He quickly comforted her.

  Ning Shu smiled and changed the subject. “How is your practice?”


  “My body feels so limp and numb. I also get hungry fast,” said Chen Li.

  This was the cells absorbing energy.

  “What are you chattering about? Hurry up.” A soldier took a whip and cracked it on the people’s bodies.

  The attitude of the officers and soldiers was horrible. They would whip people at every turn. There were many old people on the team. Once they were whipped, they couldn’t get back up.

  However, the officers and soldiers would just whip them harder.

  Chen Li wanted to help several times, but Ning Shu always grabbed him. She shook her head towards Chen Li. It was not the time yet.

  They just got on the road. Everyone had grievances against the officers and soldiers, but they could still endure it. The common people were the ones most capable of tolerance. As long as they had enough food and clothing, they had amazing endurance. Unless they reached their breaking point, they would endure everything.

  As time went by, the officers and soldiers became more and more courageous. They beat and scolded at the slightest pretext. They basically didn’t let people rest and kept on hurrying the journey. If someone couldn’t keep up with the group, they would be beaten until they were covered with wounds.

  Translator: Take

  Translator: Kaho