Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 171 - 142: Conjecture (Two in One)

Chapter 171: Chapter 142: Conjecture (Two in One)

A merchant convoy was traveling on the official road leading to Shengshan County, flanked by the endless refugee camps on both sides.

In the middle of the convoy, a middle-aged man holding a long halberd and riding a steed looked at the refugee camps on both sides with a worried glint in his eye, his lips barely moving:

"There are too many..."

A young man, also on horseback, rode up beside him and asked in a low voice:

"Xue Head, what’s too many?"

The steeds that both men rode bore Demonic Beast bloodlines, majestic and muscular, with unmistakable muscle definition.

The middle-aged man glanced at the youth:

"The refugees are too many."

The young man looked back at the refugees, fell silent for a moment, and then said softly:

"So, compared to the refugee camps we’ve seen before, this one indeed seems much larger. But what of it?"

Deep concern filled the middle-aged man’s eyes:

"If we’re not careful, these refugee camps could erupt into riots."

The young man seemed skeptical, gesturing toward the distant military encampment:

"Over there is the Border Army. Judging by the size of that camp, there’s at least a thousand-man unit; a riot wouldn’t be much worry."

The middle-aged man sighed softly and said:

"I’m not worried about Shengshan County, but about us, the merchant convoys."

The young man was taken aback, then his expression shifted to one of bemusement. Gazing at the numb refugees, he said in a low voice:

"It shouldn’t come to that. Attacking an official road is a serious crime..."

The middle-aged man shook his head:

"If people can’t survive, who cares about that? I hope the Imperial Court’s inspectors can disperse these refugees quickly. If they keep gathering like this and can’t survive, they might really start robbing."

The young man’s eyes flashed, and he gripped his weapon a bit tighter:

"Yes, the scale of the Demonic Beast tide near the Wanxing Mountain Range this time seems like..."

But before he could finish,

a flock of birds suddenly burst out from the continuous forest beside the road.

A very large flock,

so vast it could almost be described as blotting out the sun!

The flock came quickly and departed just as quickly; in a few breaths’ time, they had soared over the official road and escaped into the Dayan Territory...

This sudden change was witnessed by everyone on the official road, bringing every activity to a halt as if a pause button had been pressed.

Everybody knew what these fleeing birds signified, but stuck in their current location, nobody dared to act rashly.

In this moment of standstill,

the hand of the middle-aged man holding the long halberd began to tremble slightly; however, he didn’t look toward the forest, instead turning his gaze back toward the refugee camps:

"The Demonic Beasts are coming, prepare for battle..."

The young man snapped back to reality:

"Wha.. What?"

The middle aged man swung his long halberd, issuing a booming shout:

"Merchant convoy, close ranks, prepare for battle!!"

"...."

The Demonic Beasts eventually broke through the forest.

As the first of the Demonic Beasts entered the refugee camp, and as a refugee was devoured, panic spread uncontrollably!

Screams of terror, mournful wails, and angry curses rose up almost instantly, like a domino cascade, spreading chaos swiftly through the slums on both sides of the official road.

"Demonic Beasts... The Demonic Beasts are here!!! Run!"

"Ah!! Help me."

"Damn it all, our village is gone, and now they won’t even let us stay on Erxi Slope, oh Imperial Court..."

"My child, where’s my child?!! Erwa!!"

"Don’t, don’t take my food, it’s for saving my mother’s life, don’t kill me!! Please... please!!"

"Run, Fan’er, don’t run onto the official road, the masters there won’t show mercy, run towards Shengshan County!!!"

As the panic spread, the atmosphere in the refugee camps exploded as if boiling water had burst forth.

Near the Wanxing Mountain Range, countless ragged commoners rushed onto the official road like an avalanche.

Some tried to escape to the other side of the road, while others saw an opportunity to loot amidst the chaos.

Caught up in the rush, individuals with their own agendas surged wave after wave toward the colorful merchant convoys and Xia Groups on the official road.

The merchant convoys and Xia Groups on the road reacted quickly to such a scene.

"These refugees have gone mad!!"

"Escort contingents, prepare! Those who assault the merchant convoy, kill without mercy!!"

"You dare rob the Si Hai Convoy?! Kill!!"

"But... but these are all ordinary people, are we truly going to strike?!"

"Damned fools! Would ordinary people come to rob goods?! These people have gone mad!"

"If you don’t strike, these refugees won’t show you mercy, will you compensate the trading company for the lost goods and money?! Kill!!!"

Protectors of the merchant convoys and members of the Xia Groups swiftly drew their swords, but even these bright, gleaming blades couldn’t hold back the tide of refugees swallowed by terror and madness...

After sweeping over the merchants on the official road, the tide of refugees rolled towards the nearby Shengshan County!

At the very moment the Demonic Beasts appeared, the Illusory Grand Formation etched around Shengshan County was quickly activated, and within moments, Shengshan County and the land within one kilometer outside the county were shrouded in a thick white fog.

Looking down from the sky, Shengshan County seemed to have disappeared entirely.

But that was from the outside. Inside the Illusion Array, the chaos continued.

Even though the majority of the Demonic Beasts were held back outside, the surging mass of refugees, like ants, smashed against the clear divide of the city walls!

Panic had devoured the wits of these wretched people; they desperately sought what they perceived as safety, even though the Demonic Beasts were already blocked from behind.