Transmigrated Into an Ancient Famine Novel as a Scumbag Alpha (ABO, GL) - Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Scared by Ye Qing’s words, the man’s arrogant attitude vanished. He glanced nervously at the door, where the guards were laughing and talking loudly, then sat back down.

Ye Qing, seeing him behave, shifted her gaze back to the door. The guards were drinking from bowls, and outside the warehouse, it was lively, as if they were slaughtering livestock to celebrate catching a fat sheep.

Ye Qing wanted to study the stronghold’s layout, but it was too dark to see anything clearly, and she couldn’t act rashly.

Soon, the smell of roasted horse meat wafted over. The bandits had seized nearly twenty horses and wouldn’t keep them all. They had just slaughtered one on the spot, cooking the meat and offal in two large iron pots, while roasting the rest.

The scent of sizzling fat spread through the warehouse. The guards at the door each got a bowl.

“Damn, it smells good. Fresh meat is the best.”

“Yeah, this offal goes great with liquor. So tasty.”

“Man, if we could catch these fleeing fat sheep every day, we’d eat meat and drink all the time.”

“You said it.”

Though Ye Qing had eaten dinner, the long night had left her hungry, especially with the smell of roasted meat. Her stomach growled.

With a thought, three pieces of beef jerky appeared in her hand. Ye Qing discreetly reached for Jiang Jinhuang’s hand and slipped the jerky into it.

At first, Jiang Jinhuang thought Ye Qing was touching her hand. But given Ye Qing’s restraint, she figured Ye Qing had something to say but couldn’t speak openly, maybe wanting to write in her palm. Jiang Jinhuang opened her hand to see what Ye Qing would write.

Instead, she felt something in her palm and realized it was beef jerky.

Ye Qing leaned down to whisper a few words to the little one, then slipped a piece into her hand.

The little one obediently nestled in Jiang Jinhuang’s arms, eating the jerky. Jiang Jinhuang ate too.

Though Ye Qing had carried her sister most of the way, the forest where they’d been was far from the stronghold. After being herded so far, Jiang Jinhuang was truly hungry. Plus, with the noise outside, no one in the warehouse noticed them.

Ye Qing ate while opening her space panel to check for useful items.

Her space could store various items, but people couldn’t enter, or the problem would be simple.

The panel mostly held food and daily necessities, even toothpaste, but Ye Qing didn’t need that now. Scanning it, she found something useful—a large bottle of laxatives. But she didn’t redeem it. Even if she did, she couldn’t get out.

Sighing, Ye Qing rubbed her brow and kept chewing her jerky.

With so many people in the warehouse, Ye Qing didn’t dare sleep. She said to Jiang Jinhuang, “You and Yangyang lean on me and rest. It’ll be dawn in a couple of hours.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll keep watch. It’s chaotic here, and I’m worried about trouble.”

“Okay.” Jiang Jinhuang was exhausted but didn’t lean on Ye Qing. Instead, she rested against the wall, holding the little one.

Ye Qing stayed awake. Many others didn’t sleep either.

With so many people locked together, the smell of piss and sh1t grew stronger. Unable to leave, the refugees had to relieve themselves in the warehouse.

At dawn, Jiang Jinhuang woke up, her legs numb from holding the little one all night.

Seeing her wince, Ye Qing took the little one. “Legs numb?”

“Yeah, a bit. It’ll pass. Have they come yet?” Jiang Jinhuang glanced at the door.

“Not yet.”

As they spoke, the little one woke up, her blackened face looking at Ye Qing. “Sister Ye, when can we leave?”

“Not yet, but soon. Be good and listen, okay?” Ye Qing soothed her gently.

The little one nodded obediently. “Okay, I’m very good.”

The man who had mocked Ye Qing before sneered again, addressing the little one. “Kid, don’t believe her lies. None of us are getting out alive. We’ll all die here.”

The little one shrank into Ye Qing’s arms, scared. Ye Qing glared coldly at the man. “If you want to die, no one’s stopping you. Don’t scare my sister.”

“Tch, acting tough. If you were so capable, you wouldn’t be caught here,” the man scoffed.

Ye Qing ignored him. He was clearly a nervous wreck. It was best not to stand out now.

Soon, the guards at the door changed shifts. Ye Qing noticed they rotated every two hours, but since these bandits were just lowlife thugs, the timing wasn’t precise.

As Ye Qing pondered this, the warehouse’s iron door was opened from outside. The guards shouted, “Everyone out! Get out of the warehouse now, move it!”

Ye Qing quickly picked up the little one with one arm and helped Jiang Jinhuang with the other. They stayed in the middle of the crowd, heading to the courtyard outside.

Ye Qing looked ahead. The bandit leaders from yesterday were there, and a young male Kunze stood beside the leader, chatting and laughing as they watched Ye Qing’s group.

“Boss, we brought them all. There were over sixty, but a few died last night. Now it’s just over fifty. Look, those two up front are the Li family’s young masters. I checked yesterday—they’re both Kunze,” the man said eagerly.

The bearded leader laughed loudly. “Pampered young masters, huh? Must be quite a treat. Where are they? Bring them here for a good look.”

In the crowd, two thin male Kunze trembled like leaves, but bandits already went to grab them, amid screams.

“No, no! I’ll give you all the silver you want, just don’t take me. My family has plenty of silver.”

“Yeah, please, our parents were killed yesterday. Let us go, we beg you.”

The leader examined the two male Qianyuan closely, laughing heartily. “They cry so prettily. No wonder they’re from a rich family. Such delicate male Kunze are rare. My room’s been empty lately…”

The lackey fawned immediately. “The boss picking you two is your good fortune. Thank him already.”

The two men refused, sobbing uncontrollably.

The bandit leader’s face darkened. “What? Unwilling? If you don’t want to follow me, I’ll let my brothers have fun with you. How’s that?”

“No, please, no!”

“Don’t do this. My family has property in the south. Name your price, just don’t touch us.”

“What? You think I need your silver?” The bandit leader signaled to the side. “Take them to my room first. When I’m done with them in a few days, the brothers can do whatever they want.”

“Thanks, Boss!”

“Thanks, Boss!”

The surrounding bandits laughed loudly, some even commenting on the two male Kunze, clearly used to this.

Ye Qing’s brow furrowed slightly. These bandits had no humanity left. She held the little one tightly with one hand, her other fist clenched.

If it came to it, she might have to fight. Ye Qing thought it over. Her space had a crossbow that could fire ten bolts in a row, but against two or three hundred bandits, it was a long shot. Plus, she didn’t know the terrain or how to escape.

But waiting to die wasn’t an option. Ye Qing prepared for the worst.

She took a deep breath and handed the little one to Jiang Jinhuang. Jiang Jinhuang took her without a word, her right hand ready to draw the dagger from her sleeve. She guessed Ye Qing might be planning to act.

At that moment, the bandit leader spoke again. “Aren’t there some Liu family servants too? There are a few young Kunze among them. Not bad looking. Brothers, go pick your favorites.”

“Thanks, Boss! Let’s go, brothers! Grab them!”

“Let’s go, grab them!”

Most of the front row were Liu family servants and maids, dressed cleanly with neat faces, unlike the dirty, ragged refugees behind. A dozen burly bandits rushed forward, snatching eight Kunze and five Zhongyong.

These bandits didn’t care for finesse. Some hoisted people over their shoulders and ran straight to their rooms.

The young man beside the bandit leader frowned tightly. “Father, you haven’t sent them back yet. How can they act so recklessly? Is there no order in this stronghold? Just a bunch of crude thugs!”

The bandit leader, listening to the young man, scolded, “What’s the rush? I gave them to you, so no one’s taking them. Let the men take their picks to their rooms first.”

“Heh, sorry, Boss, my bad,” the bald man quickly apologized.

Some were unhappy but didn’t dare speak against the leader’s authority.

Seeing them fall in line, the richly dressed young man nodded, satisfied, scanning the group.

“Boss, what about the rest? There are a dozen Kunze among the refugees,” the bald man said, fawning.

The leader frowned, looking disgusted. “What good can come from refugees? Filthy. Give the Kunze to the brothers to play with. As for the Qianyuan, take them to build the stronghold’s walls. If they’re disobedient or too weak to work, kill them. No need to ask me.”

“Got it, Boss! Brothers, let’s—”

“Wait.” The richly dressed young man cut off the bald man. “I don’t want to see such vulgar scenes again.”

He turned to the bandit leader. “Father, didn’t you say you’d pick a Qianyuan for me from these rich families?”

“Right, you didn’t like the last one. Pick first, then I’ll let them choose from the refugees’ Kunze so it doesn’t upset you,” the leader said kindly to the young man.

The richly dressed man stepped down from the platform, guarded by escorts. His gaze passed over the Li family’s Qianyuan, landing on one with decent looks.

Pointing at him, he said, “Father, him.”

The male Qianyuan, hearing this, collapsed to his knees in fear. “Spare me, spare me! Please don’t pick me.”

The young man’s face darkened at the sight.

The bandit leader was furious. “My son choosing you is your good fortune, and you dare refuse? Tie him up and take him to the young master’s room.”

The guards obeyed, dragging the wailing Qianyuan away.

“Alright, split the remaining Kunze and Zhongyong among yourselves. Take the Qianyuan to build the walls. No food for them. If they starve, toss them out to feed the wolves.” The bandit leader turned to leave.