Chapter 399: Chapter 391: The Devastation Wrought by Natural Disaster

"Thank you, young master!"

Yang Bingbing was delighted. If the other side sent assassins again, with her heavily injured body, she wouldn’t be able to fend them off. With the young master’s protection, her safety level increased significantly.

Yang Bingbing carried the unconscious little boy, following Cheng Xiaoxiao’s footsteps step by step. Looking at the slightly slender figure ahead, she couldn’t describe what she felt in her heart.

Everything happened too suddenly, too fantastically. She thought she was doomed, but unexpectedly, she found hope in despair.

In these times, encountering a master capable of saving you while traveling is a very slim chance.

Who could this person be? Judging by age, they look younger than her, yet capable of reaching such a level in martial arts; surely, they must have a background and a story.

Thinking about her status as the young lady of Yang Yuan Escort Agency in Han Zhong already made many people look up to her, envied by others.

The legendary masters, usually only heard of from some sects or lords, turned out to be such a young person. It made her realize even more that she hadn’t worked hard enough.

Yang Bingbing took a few quick steps forward, catching up to the person in front of her. She blinked her beautiful almond eyes, feeling a bit awkward and shy, and cautiously mustered up the courage to speak: "May I know the young master’s name?"

She stared intently at Cheng Xiaoxiao, with a slight blush on her pale face, her gaze containing a certain emotion, as if she was expecting something, yet fearing something?

Uh, could the young lady be hinting at feelings for her?

The heroic demeanor was gone, replaced by the shyness of a young girl.

If that were true, wouldn’t her sin be great? She didn’t have that kind of... preference!

She suddenly stopped in her tracks, turning sideways to look at Yang Bingbing.

"Let me correct something."

Cheng Xiaoxiao looked at the other party blankly, not knowing where to start explaining.

She was currently an envoy in Phoenix City, always dressed as a man when out and about, without the need to explain so much to an outsider. But she also feared the young lady might misunderstand her intentions; she couldn’t hurt a blooming flower.

Yang Bingbing swallowed and cold sweat appeared on her forehead. Had she said something wrong? Why did the young master seem so serious?

"Are you very nervous?"

"No, no. I don’t know if the young master has any guidance. If there’s anything inappropriate in what I’ve said, please forgive me."

Cheng Xiaoxiao suspected that the straightforward girl had been possessed.

Why was she speaking so timidly?

Forget it. Anyway, they’ll soon part ways. How could a young lady from Yang Yuan Escort Agency possibly end up in her bowl?

So there’s no need to explain so much.

"My surname is Cheng, let’s go!"

With that, she turned and strode forward.

Yang Bingbing was bewildered. Mr. Cheng?

Didn’t Mr. Cheng just want to say something? Why did he suddenly not say it? Did she say something wrong?

For the first time, Yang Bingbing doubted her ability to comprehend and communicate. Had she been in Han Zhong for too long? Was she having problems with social interactions outside?

Before Yang Bingbing could figure out all the twists and turns, they had already reached outside the city gate.

At this time, the sky was just beginning to lighten, and the rescue workers were still carrying torches.

Under the flickering torchlight, the damaged and collapsed city walls were reflected, the streets filled with dust and debris, and the mournful cries of anguish.

All previous emotions were cast aside; facing this scene could only move people to grief.

In the face of the death of loved ones, no amount of comfort could suffice.

It seemed as if heaven was oblivious to the suffering of the common people. Those who suffered in the earthquake were now being baptized by sleet.

Beneath the sky, the night seemed tireless, with rain and snow falling harder, turning the people digging out bodies into drenched cats.

The tragic state of the world, only so.

"Take this!"

At some point, Cheng Xiaoxiao had already opened an umbrella for herself and handed another to Yang Bingbing.

She was very curious when the young master had an umbrella on her.

But the current situation didn’t allow her to think about it too much.

She wanted to quickly hand the little boy over to his family and hurry back to collect Uncle Yang’s body.

Hopefully, it’s not too late, and hopefully, those people haven’t done anything excessive.

The two of them trudged through the muddy ground, where many unearthed bodies lay in a row. Numerous soldiers in uniform were trying to save those with a sliver of hope left alive.

With the temperature so low and being rained on, it’s believed these people won’t last long and may soon become corpses.

Sometimes, when people are cold to the extreme, they no longer feel cold, as the body’s mechanisms are severely impacted, no longer showing normal perception.

Those who froze to death might be found without clothes, as they previously felt warm, not cold at all, but upon touching them, their body is as cold as ice.

Many people unknowingly freeze to death without realizing it.

In these times of severe material shortages, a warm piece of clothing or a half bowl of rice porridge can determine life or death.

Looting and murder have become commonplace. Those without abilities can only wait for death. Such situations are happening across the continent, with countless people silently falling during this splendid extreme cold, desperately closing their eyes.

Those still alive struggle bitterly in the quagmire. Like the scene before them, these people may seem alive, but if they stop to rest and make no preventive measures, death would only be a matter of sleeping.

When the body reaches extreme coldness, it exhibits many adverse reactions, similarly ignoring the body’s warnings due to the cold and thereby missing the best time for first aid.

So, the rescue organized by the Prefectural Governor might very well be a futile effort.

It might even cost many lives.

So she must do something.

"Qiqi, have you found the Prefectural Governor’s location?"

"Host, the Prefectural Governor is a bit far from us, in the north of the city, but the son of the Commandery Chief Mansion isn’t far from us; perhaps finding him is the same."

"Oh, where is he?"

Following the location guided by the system, Cheng Xiaoxiao found a complete pavilion in the distance.

The distance was somewhat far, and even Cheng Xiaoxiao’s eyesight couldn’t see very clearly.

However, judging by the serious and solemn guards around the pavilion, obviously, this young man’s status in the Governor Mansion wasn’t low.

Cheng Xiaoxiao held the umbrella, bypassing collapsed areas and rescue personnel, and kept walking forward.

The current situation was very dire, and Yang Bingbing also knew that going to the Governor Mansion now might not find anyone. She had nowhere else to go, so she could only carry the little boy and follow Cheng Xiaoxiao’s steps forward.

Five zhang away from the pavilion, she was stopped by guards on the roadside.

Cheng Xiaoxiao lifted her umbrella to cover her eyes, looking at the young man in the pavilion. Clad in a scholar’s robe, he looked like a literate person, with an elegant demeanor and extraordinary bearing.

As she evaluated the other person, they also sized her up.

"May I ask, is the young master in the pavilion someone in charge of Dayan City affairs?"

Cheng Xiaoxiao’s question was quite subtle.