Chapter 380: Chapter 372: Death Ahead and Behind

On the wide street, people were gradually becoming dense.

Cattle, sheep, and poultry were also rushing over from the side streets, frightened by the mastiff dogs, they scattered in all directions.

As they were about to charge onto the main street, a squad of soldiers hurriedly moved forward to intercept them.

The already frightened citizens were even more anxious and uneasy.

For a moment, the crackling of the large fire, the cries of the animals, the howls of the mastiffs, the cries of the children, and the sounds of battle mixed together, creating chaos all around.

The family members of soldiers capable of fighting were combating enemies everywhere, rescuing people trapped by the relentless fire, while the fleeing citizens, mostly lacking combat ability, were unsure of how to assist the Guard Army and were hesitant, unsure of what to do.

Going forward might lead to being cut down by cavalry, while behind them was blazing fire in a situation of extreme water scarcity, making firefighting impossible, leaving escape as the only option.

With both forward and backward paths blocked, the citizens who barely escaped with their lives were all filled with despair.

The weather outside was too cold, even as the fire swept through most of the town, it barely raised the freezing temperatures.

They were just ordinary people who couldn’t afford fine furs, couldn’t wear cotton winter clothes, and couldn’t withstand such severe cold, now freezing with stiff hands and feet, lips turning blue, feeling their body’s warmth gradually slipping away.

Until Cheng Xiaoxiao opened a big gap.

She shouted loudly, "All soldiers to the right to support, let the citizens through, move to the safe zone ahead, the fire is about to reach here, hurry, hurry, hurry!

Everyone sees the wall on the right, the villagers who’ve crossed, help tear down that wall."

Although everyone heard Cheng Xiaoxiao’s words, no one followed her orders.

They were looking at each other, clearly unfamiliar with this woman, unsure if she was friend or foe, especially since she was asking them to tear down the General’s wall, which they wouldn’t dare do even with ten times the courage. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Only Xiao Luo shouted excitedly, "Mother, Mother, I know her, she is the big sister who saved me, she’s amazing."

The woman looked up and saw the other bravely fighting the enemy, admiring her, but didn’t dare to agree with her words.

Seeing no one moving, Cheng Xiaoxiao tried another way, "Don’t worry everyone, I’m an envoy from Phoenix City and also a citizen of Tianqi Country, here to purchase horses, I have plenty of food at hand, as long as you do as I say, you will be rewarded with five pounds of grain each after, moreover, this is also to save the General’s house from burning, the fire is getting closer, if you don’t want the last house to turn to ruins, then do as I say."

Cheng Xiaoxiao’s words dispelled the suspicion that she was a spy from a hostile nation, revealing her identity as a merchant and offering them benefits they couldn’t refuse.

The citizens finally believed about seventy to eighty percent, but still hesitated without moving.

Only a small part seized the opportunity, breaking through to the right as she suggested, led by Xiao Luo’s mother. Despite being injured, her husband was the Village Chief, and she had a good rapport with the villagers, so many were willing to listen to her, setting a good example.

Seeing this, the soldiers in the melee intentionally made way or quietly shifted the battlefield, leaving a narrow path on the right for the citizens to escape.

People who hadn’t reacted woke up as from a dream, quickly picking up children, supporting the elderly, gathering their few possessions, and cautiously squeezing through.

Seeing everyone evacuating in an orderly manner and quickly passing through the battle zone, Cheng Xiaoxiao continued fighting while shouting loudly, "Everyone help tear down that wall and also dismantle the straw sheds inside."

The group, luckily having avoided the melee area, gathered in front of the mansion gate but did not move forward to tear down the wall.

They didn’t dare to move, glancing nervously, even with the promise of benefits, because Qiao Town was a place with strict military discipline, and without orders from above, it would be breaking the law and punishable with imprisonment.

Even though many vaguely guessed the high feasibility of stopping the fire’s spread, they didn’t take action.

The middle-aged Deputy General, amidst the battle, glanced at the wall and immediately understood Cheng Xiaoxiao’s intention and the villagers’ hesitation.

He shouted, "You Yong, take the villagers to dismantle that wall and the horse sheds inside."

Indeed, the yard not far from the street housed the stables, if the fire spread there, the residence would follow suit and ignite, thus spreading to the entire property.

If the wall and horse sheds were dismantled, it would cut off the fire’s spread.

Vice General Lin, having battled the opposing commander hundreds of times, was evenly matched, neither yielding.

In a momentary break, he glanced towards Cheng Xiaoxiao, a quite formidable girl, agile and sharp-eyed, her heroic demeanor in dealing with the mastiffs surpassing many men.

Most importantly, she was both brave and resourceful, saving many citizens; how could such talent possibly be just an ordinary merchant? If she could be brought under the General’s command to serve him, how great that would be. Besides, the General was yet unmarried, and thinking of this, his gaze upon Cheng Xiaoxiao grew even hotter.

While fighting, Cheng Xiaoxiao felt a malicious gaze following her.

After she dealt with the mastiffs in front of her and turned back, she found nothing.

Strange, who was that just now?

No time to ponder, two more mastiffs charged from the side, these creatures were truly annoying.

More troublesome than the enemy’s high cavalry.

The opponent seemed to have read her combat patterns, starting to use guerrilla tactics. They attacked while she defended, pursued when she chased, moving swiftly, and coordinating with each other.

Not as easy to kill as at the beginning, these mastiffs seemed almost magical.

"Host, isn’t this the tactic you abandoned before? Will you still fall for it now?"

Uh!

How could Tongzi say that, after all, she was its host; how could she be compared to canine creatures, especially with the implication that she was inferior.

Cheng Xiaoxiao didn’t answer the system and directly blocked it out.

Truth be told, sometimes honesty just isn’t necessary.

These cunning beasts, just don’t believe that today this old lady can’t deal with you.

Cheng Xiaoxiao put away her long sword and threw out an electric baton, turning it to the highest voltage.

Today you’ll remember forever, roasting mastiffs, wondering how that tastes.

Saying this, she faced the charging mastiffs, and after two rounds, deliberately revealed a flaw, sure enough, the pouncing mastiff quickly aimed its claws at her chest.

Just as the sharp claws were about to reach her, they encountered the electric baton held before her chest first.

Crackle... Zzzt!

The mastiff let out a yelp, trembling all over, and was kneed by Cheng Xiaoxiao, flying away.

Falling to the ground, sliding a distance, foaming at the mouth, shaking, whimpering, never again displaying its former arrogance.

The other mastiffs, seeing their companion knocked down and not getting up, seemed extremely uncomfortable.

All angrily charged over.

Cheng Xiaoxiao used various tactics, with more and more mastiffs getting knocked down as if playing whack-a-mole, feeling quite satisfying.