Saving System: Calm Down, My Fleeing Host!-Chapter 149: Interrogation and Schemes

Ah! The man sighed, talking about how their village was hit by a flood, with most neighbors and family members dead or injured. Those who survived luckily wanted to seek a way out into the town, but had no idea it had already been ransacked by bandits.

They could only return to the village, but sadly, the little food they had was almost finished. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

They had no choice but to set out for the county city to make a living, but halfway through, all their food was taken by refugees, leaving them truly at a dead end.

Listening to this group’s self-narration, everyone sighed deeply. Times are tough, and everyone’s plight is pitiful!

Sharing the same misfortune, the people quickly found common ground and topics, and soon the two sides started chatting openly.

The village chief stepped forward, inquired about news from Yu County, and then distributed some coarse grains to them, letting them cook it themselves.

This group of people thanked endlessly, and tried to kneel down to kowtow to them. The village chief, helpless, distributed some pickled vegetables and dried fish again.

Cheng Xiaoxiao carefully observed these thirty-plus people. Most of the elderly, children, and women looked haggard and weary, but among them, there were four men who appeared different.

Those few men had rosy complexions, merely covered by dirt, and their sturdy build was clearly that of someone trained.

In Leng Qi’s eyes, these four had a foundation in martial arts, but Leng Qi’s assessment of martial arts foundation was as Outer Strength Martial Artist, which he thought was unimpressive.

Meanwhile, under the system’s observation, the leading man occasionally glanced at them.

When the village chief gave them food, those few men showed little excitement, only gratitude.

After cooking the food, they distributed it among the elderly and children in the group.

They merely took symbolic bites, seemingly respecting the elderly and caring for the young by feeding them, but under such dire conditions, it’s unwise to focus solely on the old, young, and women.

This isn’t selflessness or a display of caring for the family.

After all, on this chaotic escape road, men are key combat power; if the men falter, it becomes a frightening scenario, as without men’s protection, the elderly, children, and women may not survive.

These individuals didn’t seem hungry from lack of food but rather deliberately refrained from eating.

In doing so, they exposed flaws instead.

The four men didn’t care for coarse grain porridge at all, indicating they lived better lives; why would they deceive for a bit of food here? This was abnormal.

Were there ulterior motives?

Cheng Xiaoxiao thought more and more, unknowingly conjuring several conspiracy theories.

If unusual things happen, there’s usually trouble; this group definitely had issues.

At night, when everyone fell asleep, Cheng Xiaoxiao had the system monitor that group, ready to report any suspicious movements.

The group camped right in the grass embankment house opposite them.

Predicting another troubled night tonight.

But Cheng Xiaoxiao didn’t warn the villagers; as the saying goes, "a fall into the pit, a gain in your wit," it was time they learned the dangers of trusting outsiders and the cost of credulousness.

Cheng Xiaoxiao’s suspicion was confirmed in the middle of the night.

A few strong men from that group, with faces masked, sneaked into their team.

When they noticed a guardian awake, they didn’t seem afraid as the guard was dozing off.

The place was dilapidated, with gaps everywhere, allowing them to easily cross into the courtyard.

Quietly creeping near the cart holding food, they untied the ropes and began transporting the food on the cart.

They moved the items carefully, making no noise.

Just as they were satisfied with moving several bags of grain, a woman who was desperate to urinate held back, trying not to disturb her snoring husband, but couldn’t hold it any longer. Despite the pitch-black night outside, she was incredibly fearful.

In her internal conflict about whether to endure or proceed, she heard a faint sound outside the yard.

Raising her head, she saw shadows moving in the yard through the window without glass and almost screamed in shock, thinking she was seeing ghosts.

Terrified, she clamped her mouth shut, fearing to make any noise.

Soon she noticed something was wrong; the shadow moved rhythmically, as if transporting something; she realized it probably wasn’t ghosts.

Sneaking to the window to peek, she saw people were stealing their food and immediately cried out.

"Help! Thieves!"

"Stealing food!"

At this time, people were startled awake, especially the night watch, who suddenly captured the four masked thieves during their theft, a truly outrageous act.

Caught red-handed, the furious men kicked fiercely.

The four masked ones quickly begged for mercy.

"Don’t hit, please stop!"

Everyone lit torches to see they were the same refugees they had helped that afternoon.

Soon, all were awake; the night watchmen had already tied all thirty-plus of them up.

At this point, the leading man, called Zhuzi, continuously begged, breaking his head against the ground.

He claimed they were extremely hungry, with no food, nearly starving to madness, hence taking the risk to secretly nab a bit of food to eat.

They were doing it for the children, the elderly, to avoid starving death.

Begged the villagers to give them a chance to survive, promising never to dare again.

In the moment of kowtowing, that man fiercely pinched the nearby woman, waking a woman holding a child beside her, who quickly joined in the plea, "Please, benefactors, spare us. We were only too hungry, desperate for the child’s life. We beseech you."

Having failed as thieves, they now played the victim; their tactics were truly remarkable.

Cheng Xiaoxiao chuckled; seeing their poor attempt to feign being one family was mismatched, their acting skills weren’t fit for deception.

It’s completely embarrassing.

Despite such clumsy acting, some still believed them; some kind-hearted village women spoke kindly for them, sympathizing for those driven to desperation by natural disasters, feeling they too were pitiful.

Considering they didn’t succeed in stealing, thereby not having a grievous crime, and advocating releasing them.

Truly, their food supplies were abundant, sharing a bit with these people was trivial.

Cheng Xiaoxiao was speechless; these people were clearly performing, couldn’t they see the poor act?

She found great amusement...

The clan leader, an astute person, could foresee the problem; these people definitely had issues.

The village chief wasn’t naive; regardless of their intent, they shouldn’t again plot against them, or harsh repercussions would follow.

The village chief initially planned to release this group, advising them not to extend their criminal hands here, unwilling to meddle more.

But the group refused, claiming they’d starve to death outside, pleading for shelter.

They offered to serve as slaves and servants, toil for the villagers in exchange for just one meal.

Two women particularly started pleading with village women, hoping their soft heart could be swayed.