"Refuel!"
"Host, keep going!"
"I meant refuel the car!"
"Oh..."
A moment later, the System said, "Host, I've filled up your tank. This consumed 500 points. Your current balance is 98,700."
Qi Huan took a sip of her ice-cold cola and dozed off in the air-conditioned space. When the alarm went off, she reluctantly left the space.
In the forest, Yan Jiu and Yan Qing were still leaning against tree trunks, resting with their eyes closed. They opened their eyes one after another when they heard her footsteps.
"Why aren't you sitting down?" she asked.
"It burns our butts."
Despite the sparse leaves overhead providing some shade, the ground was still scorching hot, like a heated iron plate.
Qi Huan thought for a moment, then took out the folding chairs she had acquired earlier and gave one to each of them.
After eating self-heating hotpots for several days, she wanted to change up their dinner menu. She began browsing the shelves in her space.
She took out some ready-to-eat chicken breast and shared it with Yan Jiu and Yan Qing. Then, she brought out a mille-crepe cake and some Huaniu apples, and they all ate happily together.
After finishing, they cleaned up the trash. Qi Huan secretly left a large number of Shandong-style steamed buns and bottled water on the ground.
Although the water bottles were made of special material, she wasn't worried. Because apart from Yan Jiu and Yan Qing, no one knew she had left them.
When night fell, the three continued their journey.
Around dawn, Qi Huan received a notification from the System: "Act of kindness +1, Points +50."
"Act of kindness +1, Points +50."
...
The fifty points indicated that someone had saved their life thanks to the water and steamed buns she left behind.
"Act of kindness +1, Points +1."
"Act of kindness +1, Points +1."
...
Among the refugees who found the buns and water, some were in less dire straits, so the System only added one point when they received the supplies.
Before leaving, Qi Huan had left behind supplies worth 1,000 points, helping a group of refugees and earning 4,789 points.
Adding this to her original 98,700 points, plus the points for giving Yan Jiu and Yan Qing folding chairs, food, and water, she now had a total of 103,495 points.
"System, I'm giving you 100,000 points. Level up again!"
"Certainly, beautiful, kind, adorable, clever, brave, confident, big-eating, and lively host."
"System 4.0 program loading—"
"Loading complete."
"Congratulations, host. You now have a level four system at your service."
Qi Huan's eyes sparkled as she asked, "What's the protection feature for level four?"
"Your passenger seat can now accommodate people, host. You can protect those important to you."
"Can I bring Yan Qing to sit in the space while Yan Jiu carries us?"
"Sorry, host. You haven't unlocked the space's mobile function yet. Once you enter the space, it will remain stationary in the void."
Qi Huan sighed softly, resigning herself to continue walking forward.
At first, they had two horses and could ride. Later, the horses suffered from heatstroke...
After cooling them down with water, they improved slightly.
But soon after, they suffered from heatstroke again...
Over and over.
They eventually died from the heat...
The three had no choice but to continue on foot, planning to reach the next county town to see if there were any horses for sale.
However, all the county towns they passed had their gates tightly shut, with guards on the walls day and night, refusing entry to refugees.
They had no choice but to keep moving forward.
They walked until the seventh day of the seventh month.
It was the Qixi Festival, also Qi Huan's birthday.
They finally reached Yunzhou City.
At the hour of Chen (7-9 am), refugees wiping away sweat gathered at the base of the city wall, eagerly waiting for food distribution.
The ancient and imposing riveted city gate remained tightly closed. Except for the brief opening when the guard troops entered the city a few days ago, the gate hadn't opened since, clearly rejecting these refugees who had walked until their legs were sore and feet were blistered.
However...
Every day at the first quarter of the Chen hour, guards on the city wall would use ropes to lower wooden buckets filled with thin porridge.
As soon as the buckets touched the ground, refugees would rush forward, desperately scooping with their bowls and quickly gulping down what they could get.
Although the porridge had pitifully few grains of rice, with the broth almost clear enough to see through, even getting a bowl of water to drink was a blessing.
Soon, the buckets were pulled back up.
Many people hadn't managed to get even a single mouthful.
The sun beat down mercilessly, and the air was filled with the stench of sweat and the faint smell of corpses.
In recent days, many people had died from starvation, thirst, or heatstroke. Some of the dead were buried in hastily dug holes by their families. For those whose entire families had perished, their bodies were left exposed in the wilderness.
As the weather grew increasingly hot, the refugees rioted.
"Everyone said Yunzhou City had water and food. They said if we could make it here, we'd be saved. I've worn through the soles of my shoes on this journey, and only seven of my family's thirteen members survived. But now that we've reached the prefectural city, there's still no hope in sight."
"No matter what, we can't escape death. Rather than dying of hunger or thirst, why not stake our lives on one last gamble? Let's storm the city together!"
"Let's break in and see if that legendary spring that never runs dry still has water! Let's see if the Yunzhou Prefecture Office still has food reserves! Let's ask Governor Wu if our lives don't count as lives!"
A farmer named Chen Guang stepped forward, rallying the refugees to cut down trees and use the trunks to ram the city gate.
For the water and food within the city, many refugees responded to his call, ready to risk everything.
When Governor Wu heard the news, he angrily swept the teacups off his table.
He had bought his official position and had just taken office when this natural disaster struck.
Some bastard had spread the rumor that Yunzhou City had water and food, attracting a horde of refugees.
It was true that Yunzhou City had a spring that hadn't dried up, but the water level had dropped significantly. He had ordered it to be cordoned off and was selling water for a tidy profit.
He had also secretly diverted the official grain reserves to his concubine's family, colluding with them to drive up grain prices and line his own pockets.
To cover his tracks, he had even set fire to the granary, blaming it on the hot weather and negligent guards. He wasn't afraid, even if an imperial envoy were to arrive.
Despite all his scheming, he hadn't anticipated that these wretched commoners would dare to riot.
How presumptuous!
Wu Liangxin gritted his teeth and, ignoring the advice of his deputy and advisor, stubbornly ordered, "Send out the archers!"
Upon receiving the order, soldiers carrying bows and arrows climbed onto the city wall.
They had barely loosed a few volleys when spears were pressed against their throats.
"Stop!"
Following the source of the sound, a few among the refugees recognized that the man in black with his hair tied up on the city wall was Prince An, who had previously distributed food to them.
Prince An's guard army was now holding long spears, threatening the official soldiers.
When Qi Huan and her two companions arrived outside Yunzhou City, this was the scene they witnessed.
The refugees at the foot of the city wall looked up at the man on the wall, whispering to each other with joy on their faces.
The archers, with spears pointed at them, dared not move.
The guards in black armor wore solemn expressions, their long spears imposing.
Among the countless people, Qi Huan's gaze fixed directly on Li Shuchen, her eyes more intense than the sunlight, causing Li Shuchen to momentarily lose focus.
After sneaking a glance at her, Li Shuchen quickly averted his eyes.
The various factions in Yunzhou City were complex, and he couldn't show too much concern for her.
These past few days, he had been trying to sway Mo Wangshan, to make him follow his orders and jointly resolve the Yunzhou issue.
Mo Wangshan was stubborn, insisting that the governor of Yunzhou would handle it. Only when he heard that the official soldiers were about to shoot civilians did he finally yield to Li Shuchen's persuasion.
Fortunately, it was not too late.
