Thud—thud—thud—
The knocking sounded especially frightening at that moment.
The servant standing by the door was trembling so badly his legs nearly gave out. He almost lost his soul on the spot.
He didn't dare open the door. His face deathly pale, he held both hands against the door bar, turned toward Father Lin, and urgently signaled with his eyes, mouthing the words in a whisper.
"Soldiers. It's all soldiers outside."
This was the end of the line. Opening the door meant death, but so did keeping it shut.
Father Lin had initially been so startled that his heart skipped a beat.
If the soldiers outside were local troops, they might have come to settle accounts with Lin Chun. If they were warlords secretly supported by Kang Country, they might still escape disaster. Even taking the worst-case scenario, if this group outside meant them harm, how long could a house full of old people and children hold them off? Gathered together, they wouldn't last half a teacup's time before being cut down. If they kept the door shut and angered the soldiers, they might not even know how they died.
"Open it!"
In the blink of an eye, Father Lin made his decision.
Before the people outside could knock a second time, the servant forced himself to answer through his trembling voice. "Please wait a moment, honored guests. I'm opening the door."
When the door opened, a group of burly men stood outside.
Any one of them had shoulders twice as broad as the servant's.
The one in the lead stepped forward and greeted the servant with cupped fists. Her voice was somewhat husky, but not the deep voice of a man; it sounded more like a woman's. Even her features beneath the helmet had a touch of the softness