The Little Thief and the Little Axe

The night was dark, and twenty-odd men were feeling their way through the darkness.

Xiao Shaoyou had told them to set out for Black Gully Fort early the next morning, but Luo Yu led them out that night. Who knew when the Qiang soldiers would arrive? The sooner the better.

After traveling through the night, everyone was tired. Luo Yu led them to hide in a dry forest to rest, with a dozen tall horses tied to tree stumps.

Originally, there were no horses in Jiming Fort, but they had killed nearly a hundred Qiang soldiers and seized a batch of warhorses. It was a small reward. Unfortunately, few of the soldiers knew how to ride, or Luo Yu might have formed a cavalry unit like Xiao Shaoyou's.

In the dead of night, all was quiet.

Most people were asleep, while Luo Yu leaned against a tree trunk, lost in thought. So much had happened in the past half month - several times he had been on the brink of death, and then inexplicably transformed from a new recruit into the leader of dozens of soldiers.

In these past half month, he had seen through two things:

Just from the conduct of lower-ranking officers like squad leaders and company commanders, he could tell that the so-called Qian border army had rotted to a certain degree. If the lower ranks were so crooked, could the upper ranks be straight?

Additionally, the Qiang army was truly formidable, effortlessly smashing through so many forward forts. He could clearly sense that the soldiers in the army had an instinctive fear of Qiang soldiers.

In such a situation, how should he complete his five-year agreement and become a border general?

Should he flatter and fawn his way up the ranks, or rely on military achievements to work hard and steadily?

Luo Yu felt the first path seemed easier, but he knew his father wanted him to become a martial man through real ability.

"Rustling."

Suddenly, an unusual sound caught his ear. Luo Yu's gaze turned cold as he turned to look at the dark forest. A black shadow flashed by, apparently taking something from a horse.

Luo Yu frowned but didn't make a move. He quietly followed alone because the shadow didn't feel like a Qiang soldier, but a thief.

The black shadow moving through the forest was rather thin, carrying a bundle that was clearly stolen from camp. Luo Yu silently followed for dozens of steps, his footsteps light. The person didn't notice at all.

After a while, the shadow stopped, seemingly searching through the bundle.

"There's food!"

The thin voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement. The little thief must have been starving, and immediately broke off a small piece of flatbread to chew.

"Are you full? If you're full, give it back to me."

Luo Yu's voice suddenly came from behind, startling the person. They turned sharply, their face panicked:

"You, who are you? Don't come closer!"

The thief's face was smeared with mud and ash, making it hard to see their features. They were thin and a bit shorter than Luo Yu, with clothes full of patches.

The slightly hoarse voice gave Luo Yu an unnatural feeling. He said expressionlessly:

"I don't want to make things difficult for you. Give me back the things, and I'll let you go."

From the clothes, this was clearly a refugee. The stolen bundle contained the last bit of dry rations from Jiming Fort. Luo Yu couldn't let them steal it all.

"The things are mine now!"

The person clung to the bundle, actually pulling out a small axe from their chest:

"Leave quickly, or I'll chop you to death!"

Luo Yu almost laughed. The wooden handle was shorter than the blade, and the edge was blunt, completely unthreatening. The key was that the person was trembling all over, their aggressive stance hiding their inner panic.

"What are you laughing at! Leave quickly!"

"You've never chopped anyone with that axe, have you?"

"Bullshit! I've chopped several people to death! Leave quickly!"

Luo Yu held out his palm and casually took a step forward:

"Here's a deal. You take two pieces of bread and give the rest back to me. How about it?"

"You, you don't come closer! Leave!"

"I'll chop you to death!"

With a sharp cry, the person really swung the axe, but it was aimed away from Luo Yu's eyes.

Facing this ordinary attack, Luo Yu casually raised his left hand, catching the axe handle. Their strength wasn't even in the same league. His right hand pushed forward, lightly patting the thief's chest.

The moment his palm touched skin, Luo Yu strangely felt an extremely comfortable softness, and a scream pierced the night:

"Ah!"

"Pervert!"

Luo Yu was stunned:

"It's a girl!"

Torches lit up in the forest, dispelling the darkness.

All the soldiers were awakened, each holding a knife in a circle, surrounding a group of civilians.

The thief wasn't alone. Dong Chuan had caught seven or eight accomplices in the forest, all elderly, women, or children, each emaciated and pale. If they weren't starving, who would dare steal food from soldiers?

The cold, gleaming blades made the elderly and weak women tremble with fear and despair.

Luo Yu looked at the thief coldly:

"Where are you from? Why are you outside the border?"

Logically, this was outside Yunyang Pass, where civilians shouldn't be wandering. This group seemed particularly suspicious to him.

"Why should I tell you!"

The cross-dressing thief glared at Luo Yu angrily, still holding the little axe in her arms. Her eyes were filled with indignant resentment.

"You won't say?"

Luo Yu casually picked up a curved saber and weighed it:

"If you don't say, I'll treat you as Qiang spies!"

"Ha! You're the Qiang spy!"

The thief was furious: "Have you ever seen spies who are all elderly, weak women, and children!"

"Then who are you?"

"Nu Ting, we're from Nu Ting! Are you satisfied!"

"Nu Ting?"

The strange name left Luo Yu bewildered. For over a decade, he had lived in the mountains and countryside, not really understanding the surrounding geography.

"You're from Nu Ting? Refugees?"

Dong Chuan was surprised, seemingly knowing this place.

"Where is this?"

"It's a bit complicated."

Dong Chuan's face showed sorrow, and he actually began to plead:

"Boss, these are also pitiful people. Let them go?"

Luo Yu hesitated slightly, then put down his guard, waving his hand:

"Fine, you can go. Next time when stealing, at least use your eyes. Don't throw away your life."

But this group didn't leave. Instead, they looked at Meng Hu's bundle with pitiful eyes, their stomachs growling with hunger.

Meng Hu, who understood what it was like to be hungry, was very sympathetic:

"Boss, give them some food."

Luo Yu was helpless. He couldn't just abandon civilians, no matter how heartless he was. He turned to look at the thief:

"Qiang soldiers are approaching. At any time, cavalry might enter the territory. If you encounter Qiang soldiers, you'll die for sure.

How about this? Follow us to Black Gully Fort temporarily. I'll give you food. When we reach a safe place, you can leave on your own."

"Ha! Who wants to follow you!"

The thief glared: "You this…flow…"

The word "pervert" she ultimately didn't say. As a girl, she couldn't let everyone know that Luo Yu had taken advantage of her, right?

"Think carefully."

Luo Yu said casually:

"Qiang soldiers won't be as nice as us. You have several women. You should know what will happen if you fall into their hands."

All the women in the crowd turned pale with fear. Qiang soldiers were notorious for rape and plunder. If they fell into their hands, they might not be able to survive.

"Well, well then."

The thief panicked, hesitating for a long time before saying carefully:

"You said you'll give us food."

"Of course, a word is a word."

Luo Yu held up a finger: "But food isn't free. You know how important border rations are. You'll have to do what you can.

Washing clothes, cooking, taking care of horses, working means eating!"

"Fine."

"By the way, what's your name?"

"You didn't tell me your name either, why should I tell you!"

She probably felt taken advantage of, arguing with every word Luo Yu said.

Luo Yu smiled helplessly:

"Luo Yu."

"Shen Li!"