Chapter Four: The Chance for Survival

As soon as Xue Chengqian woke up, he immediately crossed his arms over his chest.

Fortunately! The broken blade was still there!

In these turbulent times, a weapon was no less than a second life. Although the ice scraper was convenient, it was ultimately a disposable item.

Now that he had the broken blade in hand, his sense of security greatly increased.

Last night, he was constantly on edge, even when sleeping, he kept one eye open.

However, the sudden counterattack and even killing the villains had drained him both physically and mentally, and by the middle of the night, he had truly fallen asleep.

Luckily, the retaliation last night had a deterrent effect; no one dared to casually lay hands on the siblings again.

Xue Chengqian turned to look at his sister, who was still sleeping soundly. Feeling relieved, he could not help but sigh deeply.

Their crisis was far from over.

The gang led by Yapozi would do anything for profit.

Since they had set their sights on his sister, they would not give up easily.

If he didn’t prepare early, he wouldn't even know how he died.

“Hey, kid over there.”

Xue Chengqian was startled and turned around to see a woman leading two men approaching him.

All three wore clothes far more colorful than the other refugees, and more importantly, they openly carried weapons!

Xue Chengqian was meeting these people for the first time, but he could already tell—they were powerful.

But they were not from Yapozi’s gang.

They would never greet him willingly; they would rather take advantage of his defenselessness and chop him down on the spot.

“Who are you?”

Xue Chengqian showed no hostility but stepped forward to shield his sister behind him.

A certain amount of caution was still necessary.

Kang Yu did not understand why the boss favored this obviously skinny brat.

Now seeing him without any flattering expression, only suspicion, she felt even more displeased.

“Have you heard of the Northern Border Yongxing Army? We brothers are all military households under Yongxing!”

“You’re lucky. Boss Luo summoned you. Hurry up and come with us.”

Luo Fang had originally been impressed by Xue Chengqian’s ruthless spirit.

Summons had different forms, and this was one of them.

Kang Yu personally looked down on this powerless brat and was naturally impatient.

But Xue Chengqian was too preoccupied to care about her attitude. He was thinking about the tension between Luo Fang and Yapozi.

Both forces had their own backing and controlled communication routes within Wangjiang City, yet they were both building power among the refugees.

As the saying goes, two tigers cannot share one mountain.

Though they hadn’t fought directly, Luo Fang could definitely contend with Yapozi, and the two were certainly hostile.

At that moment, Xue Chengqian received a system prompt.

【Ding! The host’s life trajectory has changed. Please check.】

【By relying on your exceptional ruthlessness, you not only avenged the villains who targeted you and your sister but also caught the attention of the big shot among the refugees, Luo Fang. His influence can rival Yapozi’s.】

【However, Luo Fang comes from a military household and is himself a disgraced border soldier, fierce and battle-hardened, with countless kills. If you want his protection, you must be prepared to risk your life at any moment. Is this a blessing or a curse? Facing Yapozi’s threat, do you really have another choice?】

Xue Chengqian was very clear about his situation.

If he wanted a stable life with his sister, relying on Luo Fang’s protection was not an ideal choice.

The laws of the world dictate that to gain something, one must give something in return—especially in such a ruthless era!

But he truly had no better option.

“Since Boss Luo summons, then wait a moment. My sister and I shall go see him.”

Now, Xue Chengqian would never allow his sister out of his sight.

He gently woke her and followed Kang Yu onward.

Seeing his hesitation, Kang Yu grew even more impatient.

She had no good impression of him and didn’t bother explaining the situation on the way.

She’d just wait to see how he handled Boss Luo.

Though Luo Fang was a prominent figure among the refugees, he was accompanied by only a few men.

Xue Chengqian observed silently, noting that Luo Fang’s confidence in his own skills was evident—he was unafraid of ambushes.

But was there another reason?

Xue Chengqian kept recalling the rumors about Luo Fang among the refugees.

“You’re surnamed Xue? What’s your name? So young and already daring to offend Yapozi’s men. Are you eager to feed the street dogs or be thrown into the dry riverbed?”

Luo Fang toyed with a short blade in his hand as he teased him.

Xue Chengqian did not hide anything and replied directly, “I don’t want trouble with anyone, but if Yapozi dares to set his sights on my sister, I have no choice!”

“In the eyes of people like Yapozi, I’m nothing. For profit or to assert dominance, they won’t spare me. So of course I won’t just sit and wait for death.”

The last sentence was Xue Chengqian’s way of stating his position.

Not everyone deserved to be summoned by Luo Fang, and sending people meant he saw value in him.

Luo Fang’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

“Good! You’ve got guts. Not a coward!”

“Surely Kang Yu has told you about me. Since you’ve angered Yapozi, few will dare protect you. I, Luo Fang, am one of those few!”

“Young as you are, you’re willing to use real weapons and stay calm in battle. Though not from a military household, you’re qualified to serve under me!”

Kang Yu hadn’t expected Xue Chengqian to pass Luo Fang’s test so easily.

Even if the boss liked him, joining wasn’t that simple.

“Boss!”

Luo Fang raised a hand to interrupt and fixed his gaze on Xue Chengqian.

“But what I hate most are cowards who shrink from the enemy! If one day I ask you to fight tooth and nail against Yapozi, and you start making excuses, our military household rules aren’t a joke!”

Though blunt, Luo Fang was confident in Xue Chengqian’s choice.

No matter how brave or reckless he was, he was still a boy. Against Yapozi, Luo Fang’s backing was his only chance to live.

Or rather, the only chance for him and his beloved sister.

The choice was obvious.

Luo Fang also understood Kang Yu and the others’ attitudes, so he had prepared a test for the young man.

Merely killing some idle refugees wouldn’t qualify him to join; Luo Fang wanted someone ruthless enough to fight Yapozi’s henchmen without hesitation.

Hearing this, Xue Chengqian answered without hesitation.

“Yapozi’s men aren’t worth me risking my life for. And if something happens to me, no one will care about my sister’s life—not even you, Boss Luo!”

“If you want me to risk it all, Boss Luo, your price better be high enough!”