In times of chaos and famine, I traded one pound of rice for two royal flushes.

"Mr. Qin, I will never forget your life-saving grace!"

This time, their voices were no longer filled with mere awe, but with an almost fanatical worship.

If his previous act of scalpel surgery to save lives demonstrated Qin Shaolang's unpredictable medical skills, then...

So just now, without losing a single soldier or firing a single shot, the fact that the fierce government troops, scouts, and hunting dogs were forced to retreat in disarray demonstrates a kind of extraordinary ability that they cannot comprehend and can only look up to!

In their eyes, this was simply divine power!

"Get up." Qin Shaolang's tone remained calm. "It's not time to relax yet; the main force could pass by at any moment."

He helped Wang Tiezhu up, then turned around.

Su Jin remained in that position, holding Su Tang tightly.

She only let go of his hand when Qin Shaolang walked up to her, as if waking from a dream.

Su Tang's face was deathly pale; she had fainted from fright, tears still clinging to the corners of her eyes.

"He...they're gone?" Su Jin's voice still trembled slightly as she looked at Qin Shaolang, as if trying to confirm something.

"Let's go." Qin Shaolang nodded, reached out and gently checked Su Tang's breath to make sure she was just asleep from shock before he felt relieved.

He looked at Su Jin. This woman had also been quite frightened, but she hadn't made a sound the entire time and had kept her sister firmly under control. Her resilience was beyond his imagination.

"What...did you just use?" Su Jin finally asked the question that had been bothering her.

"It's a kind of powder that's harmless to humans, but dogs will feel very uncomfortable if they smell it," Qin Shaolang explained simply, without elaborating further.

He walked to the center of the valley and said to everyone, "The crisis is temporarily over, but no one is allowed to light any fires. Continue to remain vigilant. Send people to take turns keeping watch at the valley entrance. No one is allowed to let their guard down until the main army has completely passed through."

"yes!"

The crowd responded in unison, their voices loud and clear, showing no trace of their previous panic.

After arranging everything, Qin Shaolang returned to the boulder. He needed some time to calm his equally pounding heart.

Just now, it was so close.

If that scout leader had taken just a few more steps forward, or had held on a little longer, they would all have been exposed.

This was the closest he had ever come to death since he traveled through time.

A soft footstep sound came from behind, and Su Jin, holding Su Tang, sat down beside him.

She didn't say anything, but silently handed over a water pouch.

Qin Shaolang took the water pouch; it felt slightly heavy in his hand.

Without hesitation, he tilted his head back and gulped down a large mouthful. The cool water slid down his throat, extinguishing the burning tension in his chest.

He was indeed thirsty.

From the moment he discovered the scout's trail, his entire being had been stretched taut like a bowstring. Now, as the string suddenly snapped back, a wave of exhaustion and lingering fear washed over him.

He was indeed gambling just now.

I'm betting that the scout leader is suspicious and values ​​his life.

They dared not linger in such a strange place in the dead of night.

He gambled that the "reputation" of the Black Wind Mountain bandits could provide him with cover.

He won his bet.

However, if any one of these steps goes wrong, the consequences could be disastrous.

He put down the water bag and looked at Su Jin beside him.

The night was deep, and he couldn't see her expression clearly, only a blurry outline. She was still holding the unconscious Su Tang tightly, her posture full of protectiveness.

This woman maintained an astonishing level of composure throughout.

Qin Shaolang knew very well that it wasn't a lack of fear, but rather a tenacity that forcibly suppressed fear with a strong will.

"Thank you," he said softly, handing the water pouch back to her.

Su Jin silently accepted it without saying a word.

A silence fell between them, but it wasn't awkward. The relief of surviving the ordeal made this silent companionship all the more precious.

Qin Shaolang took a deep breath, forcing himself to break free from the momentary relaxation.

It's far too early to relax.

He stood up and stretched his somewhat stiff body. The cold night wind made him even more awake.

He walked to the other side of Su Jin, squatted down, and gently placed two fingers on Su Tang's wrist.

The pulse was steady, only slightly faster than normal. Breathing was also even.

"She's fine, just too frightened. She'll be fine after a good night's sleep," Qin Shao-lang said, withdrawing his hand with a confident tone.

This simple diagnosis carries a compelling power.

Su Jin's tense body seemed to relax a little. She lowered her head and gently rubbed her cheek against her younger sister's forehead, her movements tender and affectionate.

Qin Shaolang didn't bother them any longer and turned to walk towards Wang Tiezhu and the others.

The men were still kneeling on the ground, and when they saw him coming, the fanatical worship in their eyes did not diminish in the slightest.

"Get up, all of you." Qin Shaolang's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable sense of command.

Wang Tiezhu and the others then scrambled to their feet and stood before him with their hands at their sides, like soldiers waiting for a general to give instructions.

"Mr. Qin, what... what should we do next?" Wang Tiezhu asked cautiously, rubbing his hands together.

This question is also the biggest question in the minds of everyone who is awake in the valley.

The officers and soldiers have left for now, but they are like a knife hanging over our heads, ready to fall again at any moment.

Nearly a hundred people in the valley, the old, the young, the sick, and the weak, all stared expectantly at Qin Shaolang.

This young man, whom they had relied on not long ago, had now become their only god.

Qin Shaolang glanced around, taking in everyone's expressions. There was fear, there was confusion, but more than anything, there was a sense of reliance after finding a pillar of support.

He knew he had to give them confidence.

"From now on, everyone must abide by the rules I have set." His voice was exceptionally clear in the silent valley.

"First, absolutely no fire is allowed. Not even a tiny spark."

"Second, everyone stay in their hiding places and are not allowed to move around or approach the valley entrance."

"Third, control all food and water sources and distribute them uniformly. From now on, eat only one meal of dry rations per day."

"Fourth, everyone, especially children, must remain absolutely silent. If any child cries, immediately find a way to cover their mouth. This is not a joke, it's an order!"

With each point he made, his tone grew more stern.

When he got to the last point, his indifferent gaze swept across the crowd, and everyone who met his eyes instinctively shivered.

That wasn't ferocity, but an absolute calmness, a ruthlessness that allowed one to abandon all unnecessary emotions in order to survive.

They had no doubt that if anyone dared to break the rules at this time, this seemingly thin young man would not hesitate to take the harshest measures.

"Mr. Qin, we'll all listen to you!" Wang Tiezhu was the first to speak up, patting his chest forcefully. "Anyone who dares to disobey will be the first to face my wrath!"

"Yes! We'll do whatever Mr. Qin says!"

"We'll listen to you, sir!"

The crowd immediately stirred, expressing their absolute obedience.

Qin Shaolang nodded and continued, "Wang Tiezhu, pick ten of the most alert men, divide them into five groups, and have them take turns keeping watch at the valley entrance. Remember, they are only to observe, and not to make any noise. If anything happens, signal using the method we agreed upon."

"Yes!" Wang Tiezhu immediately accepted the order and began to select the men.

"Aunt Li," Qin Shaolang then looked at a middle-aged woman who seemed quite composed, "you are responsible for calming down all the women and children and telling them that if they don't want to die, they should keep their mouths and legs to themselves."

The woman, Aunt Li, trembled slightly and nodded emphatically, "Don't worry, sir!"