Chapter 434: Chapter 204: Homecoming, Unease, and Birds

The first year of Great Xia, December 30th, just after nightfall.

“Set off!”

Under Xu Ning’s command, the group at Five Ape Mountain, after a night of preparation, formed a grand procession and set out from Middle Ape Peak.

Lin Kai’s Qingjiao Team led three low-level teams to pave the way; following that, each of the three low-level teams escorted a cart; then came over five thousand people from the four Camps of Flying Tiger; finally, Lu Yang’s East Sun Team led three teams to guard the rear.

Xu Ning led his own Black Arrow Team to patrol and protect the flanks.

The team first had to walk west along Xing River North Bank for about fifteen kilometers, until they could see the west side wall of Twin Dragon Mountain, then continue north along the mountain wall for thirteen kilometers to reach the Twin Dragon Valley Station.

A distance of twenty-seven kilometers, if it were Xu Ning alone, wouldn’t take half an hour, but with over six thousand people, it was much slower.

“Only four kilometers in half an hour? At this rate, it might take over three hours to complete the journey. This pace is too slow, go hurry them up!”

Xu Ning, wandering on the flanks, noticed the slow pace of the crowd and slightly furrowed his brows, instructing a few team members beside him.

“Yes, sir!”

A dozen people immediately dispersed quickly throughout the team, loudly urging them on.

“Move a bit faster, don’t drag your feet, hurry up.”

“Pick up the young ones and quicken the pace, hurry hurry hurry…”

“It’s just nightfall, the temperature hasn’t dropped too low yet, move faster, accelerate.”

……

The Ice Abyss is very wary of large-scale group movements. Five to six thousand people migrating is seen as a moving feast by the Cold Beasts and ghouls.

This can’t go on slowly!

On receiving the word, Lin Kai in the front row immediately quickened his steps, resulting in the overall speed of the entire group increasing significantly.

“What’s the rush? Trying to freeze us to death?”

“Slow down a bit, my child can’t take it, it’s too cold outside.”

“Where exactly is the Great Xia Station? Why haven’t we arrived yet?”

……

In the middle part, Flying Tiger and the other four Camps totaled five to six thousand people, men and women, young and old, all had a coal-marked cross on their foreheads, clearly denoting their status as captives.

These people were continuously urged on, naturally emanating a lot of complaints.

But complaints aside, seeing the constant patrolling and urging of the Great Xia people around them, even if discontent, they could only mutter quietly and obediently quicken their steps, continuing to follow the group.

Xiang Liang was also in the middle section, though his forehead wasn’t marked with a cross.

Seeing his father and others next to him silently bowing their heads and hurrying along, thinking they were afraid, Xiang Liang softly spoke, comforting, “Father, don’t worry. Once we reach Great Xia, I will plead with the Minister; if that doesn’t work, I’ll go to their leader. I don’t believe all of Great Xia is as unreasonable as Xu Ning.”

Xiang Ping raised his head to look at his son, shook his head and smiled, “I’m not afraid, I’m just thinking about how good that Great Xia Station might be.”

Great Xia Station, how good might it be?

Xiang Liang was stunned, looking around at the others and noticing their expression mirroring his father’s. Seeing the three carts in the front filled with supplies, he suddenly understood.

Even a small Wuyuan Station has abundant supplies like this.

Then how good must the Great Xia Station be?

Even his leader father couldn’t imagine.

Others, even more so.

“You might worry about others, but me, your Uncle Dong, He Feng Liu Qing, and even Wang Lie, along with all the Earth-digging Realm people, will surely be fine once we reach Great Xia! You can rest assured!”

Xiang Ping showed a confident smile, listing a bunch of names, eventually including Wang Lie.

“I don’t know why Great Xia wants us moved there, but considering they didn’t deal us a deadly hand last night, this Great Xia isn’t a slaughtering camp. They must have a use for us…”

After a pause, Xiang Ping continued, “Perhaps mining or hunting, they need us to work for them. Given that, they certainly won’t kill us.”

Xiang Liang immediately reacted, his eyes brightening.

Exactly!

Father is right, with Xu Ning and his team’s strength, killing them wouldn’t be difficult, so if they’re spared, there must be a reason.

He didn’t understand Great Xia’s rules for captives, was apprehensive about labor duties, and worried that his father and others might be judged once back at Great Xia.

Listening to his father’s words now, he understood.

The Earth-digging Realm’s mining and hunting abilities inherently made them valuable in any Camp, Great Xia certainly wouldn’t harm them recklessly.

“I’ve observed during the day in the wooden houses, that Great Xia has over eight hundred people here in Wuyuan, more than half are Earth-digging Realm, yet that’s only four hundred. Judging from this, the total number of Earth-digging Realm at their Station should not be many. Our group of more than a hundred people isn’t too few for them.”

Xiang Liang nodded, the light in his eyes growing ever brighter.

Four hundred Earth-digging Realm at a Wuyuan outpost seemed extremely grandiose to Xiang Liang, not to mention the terrifying strength of Xu Ning, Lin Kai, and Lu Yang leading their teams.

To him, this must be the majority of Great Xia’s power.

Boldly speculating, even if Wuyuan’s guarding forces only made up half of Great Xia’s full strength, it would still be formidable.