Chapter 15: The Desolate Mountain
After resting, they set off again, but this time, the pace was even slower. They had originally hoped to cross the desolate mountains in one stretch, but a group of women and children simply lacked the strength, and with two ox carts to push, by nightfall, they had only barely managed to climb over the first small hill.
At this rate, the prospects ahead looked grim. Wang Keyue gazed at the undulating mountains in the distance, rubbing her brow, her heart heavy with anxiety.
As dusk settled, everyone began to set up stoves and light fires. The bag of pristine white rice that Wang Keyue had brought was quietly ordered by the old matron to be cooked into thick rice porridge. With a side of pickled vegetables, the old lady, Wang Keyue, and Jiang Shi from the second household sat inside the carriage, savoring this rare and delicious meal. The only child from the third branch also finally got to drink the rich rice broth.
Everyone in the group gathered around the fires—these were the various concubines, their children, and their closest maids. Because there were so many people, most of the other servants dared not approach. Even in times of hardship, the master’s family remained the master’s family, and the ingrained servility in their bones was hard to change.
So, the large group of servants set up three more bonfires around the main family, inadvertently forming a protective barrier.
As night fell, an experienced old servant advised Zhang Mama that it was best to bake the ground before sleeping, as it would be warm and keep away dampness. It was also necessary to arrange shifts to watch over the fires through the night, ensuring they burned until dawn and kept wild animals at bay.
Zhang Mama agreed and immediately began organizing the preparations. Fortunately, they had been collecting firewood along the way, or else the bonfires might not have lasted through the night.
Wang Keyue looked at this group of women and children who had transformed a corner of the desolate mountain into a tidy camp. A layer of dry grass was carefully spread over the warmed earth, with a thin blanket on top—sleeping there under cotton quilts was remarkably cozy.
By this time, the old lady had already fallen asleep from exhaustion. Age, recent shocks, and the hardships of the journey weighed heavily on her. If not for the burden of her family responsibilities, she would likely have collapsed long ago.
Wang Keyue, however, was wide awake. System 6538 began its real-time broadcast. “Host, the main system is issuing a temporary mission. Do you accept?”
“What kind of mission?” Wang Keyue asked.
“The first mission is to establish a small combat unit of one hundred people, each with a minimum of ten points in stamina, speed, and endurance,” replied System 9538.
“Ten points? How do I verify that?” Wang Keyue frowned.
“No need to worry, Host. We come equipped with detection instruments and can test at any time,” 9538 replied.
“Then… could you check the condition of my body right now?” Wang Keyue suspected that, in her current frail young lady’s form, her combat ability was probably negligible.
“Certainly, please wait.” Barely ten seconds later, 9538’s voice returned: “Host’s stamina: 5, speed: 6, endurance: 9. Generally, an adult male would score about 15 points. A man trained in martial arts would be around 20. In this mission world, those with over 20 points are exceedingly rare!”
Wang Keyue was surprised her endurance was so high, but upon reflection, it made sense. Endurance was linked to mental strength, and she had survived two years of high-pressure struggles in her original world—without some endurance and willpower, she would never have made it through.
As for stamina and speed, Wang Keyue believed that this arduous escape would transform her body completely.
And not just herself—she was convinced that, sooner or later, the hundred or so women and children of the Wang family would all reach this so-called ten-point threshold.