Standing Up Against Injustice

"The Mohist..."

Xia Guanxue fell into deep thought, still unable to let go of the matter.

Si Ming didn't know what to say to comfort him, so he could only step forward and pat him on the shoulder.

"I've avenged my great grudge, so why don't I feel happy at all?" Xia Guanxue said in a muffled voice.

Si Ming knew that he couldn't attribute the reason to not taking revenge himself, so he said, "What's there to be happy about? This is fulfilling an obligation, like planting seeds every week. You were just doing what a son and elder brother should do, just like work. Naturally, you won't feel happy."

Xia Guanxue stood there for a moment, then slowly nodded and exhaled, saying, "You're right. This burden has been on my shoulders for years. Although I'm not happy, I also feel much lighter. I just don't know what to do next."

"If you don't know what to do, come help me. Come with me to the Li State, see the scenery, fight Barbarian Hu, and treat it as a relaxing trip."

Xia Guanxue glanced at Si Ming and said, "Being with you will definitely lead to a lot of trouble, and there's absolutely no chance of relaxing. But being busy will prevent me from overthinking, which isn't bad."

"Hey, that's slander and defamation!"

"I heard that several countries, including Germany, have already banned you from entering the country. It's Li State, and we can't conduct a thorough investigation."

Si Ming was speechless. It was all Germany's fault for setting such a bad precedent. He would definitely find those cultivators and have a good talk with them to redeem his reputation.

At this moment, Murong Wu said, "As for the Li State, I'd like to go with you. It would be a good opportunity to see my sister."

Ying Zhou said to Xia Guanxue with a reluctant tone, "You're still injured. Although it wouldn't matter if something happened to you, I can't let you become a burden to Little Wu."

Si Ming slapped him on the head. "If you want to go, just say you want to go. What's with all the arrogance? I'll give you one day to pack your bags. You're leaving tomorrow. Remember, this trip is to gather intelligence, so keep a low profile and don't cause any trouble along the way."

Chapter 875 Seeing Injustice

In Li State, a fishing village outside Jingyang City, a small boat slowly approaches the shore.

"Gentlemen, we have arrived," the boatman said, turning around.

Si Ming and his group filed out of the cabin. Ying Zhou raised his arm, sniffed it, and immediately showed a disgusted expression, saying, "It really stinks! You're covered in stench; it'll probably take three days to dissipate."

The boatman hurriedly explained, "I'm really sorry, we couldn't find any extra passenger boats at the moment, so we had to make do with a fishing boat. We fish all year round, so it's inevitable that it smells fishy."

"Captain, ignore this kid. This is the agreed-upon fare."

Si Ming tossed some loose silver to the boatman, who caught it and respectfully asked, "Is there anything else you need? If there's anything we can do to help, please don't hesitate to ask."

As a boat captain who dared to help people smuggle themselves across borders, he was no benevolent man. A centipede-like scar on his face was enough to prove it. However, he had served many people and had long since developed an extremely shrewd eye for people. He knew that these young-looking smugglers were all martial arts masters, so he dared not be negligent in the slightest and disguised himself as an honest and harmless person.

"No need, just remember not to tell anyone about our affair."

This disguise couldn't fool Si Ming, but since he hadn't caught the wrongdoing in the act, he didn't bother to pursue it; one can't expect too much in chaotic times.

"I understand, I understand. We transport so many people every day, we're already overwhelmed with sight, how could we remember who's who?" The boatman nodded hurriedly, then quickly took his leave.

Si Ming turned to Ying Zhou and said, "We're here illegally, not for tourism, so stop complaining. Look at Murong Wu and Xia Guanxue, they haven't said a word."

As a doctor, Murong Wu dealt with all sorts of herbs year-round. He knew that some herbs smelled far worse than fish, and some medicinal soups had an inhumanly strong odor, with the mere smell of which could induce vomiting. In comparison, the fishy smell was like a gentle breeze. Xia Guanxue, being resolute and taciturn, naturally did not complain.

Ying Zhou curled his lip and said, "We should have split up. You're the one with a bad reputation. We're not afraid of being found out, so there's no need for us to sneak into the country."

Si Ming, "You're quite famous now, you can be considered to have made a name for yourself in the martial arts world, you're not an unknown anymore. What if you get recognized? We're going to investigate the Witch Gu Sect, which is worshipped as the state religion by the Barbarian Hu. We must be careful and not be discovered. Otherwise, it will only arouse their suspicion and cause more trouble. Besides, didn't we agree before we came that we should keep a low profile? Do you understand?"

"With your kind of constitution that causes major events wherever you go, it's impossible for you to keep a low profile. You might as well give up on that idea."

Because of what you said, I have to prove my innocence.

Just then, they suddenly heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats coming from afar. The four of them jumped onto the roof and looked into the distance. They saw several figures rushing towards the village in a panic. Upon closer inspection, they saw three men and a girl who looked to be about ten years old. All three men were wounded, especially the man who was carrying the girl, who was the most seriously injured, with an arrow stuck in his back and shoulder.

Clearly, the four men were being pursued by cavalry. Although the three men had temporarily outrun their pursuers using their lightness skills, they were exhausted and could not hold out for long; it was only a matter of time before they were caught.

Ying Zhou, Xia Guanxue, and Murong Wu all turned their gazes to Si Ming. Si Ming, feeling embarrassed and angry, retorted, "What does this have to do with me? It was clearly Ying Zhou's bad luck that brought this on."

Ying Zhou scoffed, "Do you think the judge would believe that?"

Si Ming said helplessly, "Let's find a place to hide quickly. I don't believe that as long as we keep a low profile and don't provoke anyone, we can't avoid trouble."

Murong Wu opened his mouth, but hesitated to speak. Having experienced so much, he was no longer a clueless novice in the martial arts world. He knew that some things could not be judged by appearances alone, nor could decisions be made based on momentary pity. For example, in the scene before him, the four people looked pitiful, but it was also possible that three criminals had taken hostages and were being chased by government troops. Taking rash action might only make things worse.

So the four of them concealed their auras, found a secluded spot to hide, and waited to see what would happen.

Three men, carrying the girl, rushed into the fishing village. They stopped, each catching their breath. The middle-aged man, most seriously injured, glanced at the relentless pursuers behind him and said to the other two, "My two brothers have fought alongside me for half their lives. Now, I'm severely wounded and can't worry about you. Here are some Shangtong silver notes for you. You can withdraw them at any bank in Su State. They represent my life savings. I'm giving them to you as a keepsake. Now, go your separate ways."

The youngest of the three men, who looked to be under thirty, still maintained his spirit despite being chased. He said, "General, why are you saying such discouraging things? Although we have been defeated today, as long as we are alive, we have a chance to East Mountain. We must not give up on ourselves."

The last man was a large, bearded monk, as burly as a bear and as fierce as a tiger descending from the mountain. He carried a two-meter-long steel staff and chimed in, "Does the commander think I'm the kind of person who would abandon my brothers and live a life of ignominy? No need for further words. If we live, we live together; if we die, we die together. Eighteen years from now, we'll be heroes again!"

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man's eyes welled up with tears. As he wiped them away, he chuckled to himself, "Haha, a man who's spent half his life fighting, and now he's shedding cat pee."

He immediately straightened his face and said seriously, "If you still consider me your commander, then take the silver notes and get out of here! I've already spoken with the boatman here, and he'll reserve a boat for you... If fate allows, we can drink together again sometime!"

The young man hesitated, while the monk resolutely refused.

Seeing this, Ying Zhou couldn't help but get anxious. "What's going on? At such a crucial moment, they're just passing the buck and wasting time. In the end, none of them will escape."

Si Ming, "That's true, but it's hard to understand their feelings unless you're in their shoes. If you were one of them, would you be willing to leave your companions to hold off the pursuers and escape alone?"

Ying Zhou said proudly, "Of course I'm the one left behind to hold off the pursuers."

"Everyone thinks this way, so naturally no one wants to leave. This situation is different from a female burden shouting 'I won't leave.' No one is a burden; everyone has the ability to sacrifice themselves to save others."

"That's true, but continuing like this won't do the situation any good. Look, the pursuers are coming."

The sound of hooves grew clearer, and a Barbarian Hu men galloped toward the fishing village. Upon seeing the four, they let out strange cries and spurred their horses to charge.