Gu Qingcheng stepped forward to take a torch from a team member and walked inside. A strange smell hit her, the stale, suffocating odor of long-term confinement, so foul and putrid it could kill a person. It was hard to imagine how anyone could survive in such an environment.
When the torchlight illuminated the scene within, she couldn't help but gasp.
The cellar was packed with women, all naked. Some looked terrified, others vacant, and some appeared crazed.
As the torchlight flickered, the women instinctively retreated, their pitiful cries echoing.
No wonder Fu Dadi had been so terrified.
Gu Qingcheng's chest tightened, her expression darkening. She walked out of the cellar and addressed the hunters guarding outside.
"Watch them. I'll deal with them later. No one else enters except me!"
"Yes."
"Fu Dadi, come with me."
Gu Qingcheng called out.
"Yes."
Fu Dadi quickly followed.
Gu Qingcheng walked to the place where the bandits were being held and commanded,
"Kill them all!"
Seeing the tragic state of the women, Gu Qingcheng could no longer entertain any thought of leniency for the bandits.
During an avalanche, not a single snowflake is innocent.
Mi Guo's eyes narrowed. Seeing the murderous look on his sister's face, he hesitated no longer. With a swift stroke, he struck down the bandit leader.
The other hunters followed suit.
The bandits' screams were silenced as they were all annihilated.
"Everyone, go find some clean clothes and bring them to the cellar entrance."
Gu Qingcheng issued her next order.
Although they didn't understand why Gu Qingcheng wanted clothes, they obediently went to search for them.
Before long, they delivered the clothes to the cellar entrance. Gu Qingcheng, carrying the clothes and a torch, entered the cellar and spoke to the women.
"Here are your clothes. Everyone gets some. Put them on. Also, the bandits have all been killed and wiped out by us. We are here to rescue you."
At Gu Qingcheng's words, the women's cries faltered. They seemed disbelieving, their breathing falling silent.
Gu Qingcheng understood.
"We are good people. We've killed all the bandits! Quickly put on your clothes, and we will take you down the mountain."
Upon hearing that it was true and not a dream, the women began to move, accepting the clothes Gu Qingcheng handed them and dressing.
The clothes were all men's sizes, but they didn't mind. Having something to cover themselves was far better than being naked.
Gu Qingcheng went in and out repeatedly, bringing batches of clothes into the cellar.
Finally, the last woman was clothed.
"Now that you're all dressed, come out. We're heading down the mountain."
Gu Qingcheng said.
Her voice sounded like heavenly music to the women. Hearing that they could truly leave the cellar, they all hurried to their feet and emerged.
Outside the cellar, the world had indeed changed.
Torches blazed everywhere, and people were all around, but these were not the bandits who had tormented them before.
"All of you line up here. This young man will escort you down the mountain. We are from Phoenix Village. If you have nowhere to go for the time being, you can stay in our village. If you have a home to return to, come to Phoenix Village first, and then we will notify your families to pick you up."
Gu Qingcheng clearly explained the arrangements.
Having survived, these women dared not say anything more. They thanked her profusely and were then escorted down the mountain by Fu Dadi and a few other young men to Phoenix Village.
The rest of the group inspected the bandit stronghold's granaries and supplies, confiscating everything, taking clean blankets and clothes, and then setting the entire mountain stronghold ablaze.
This stronghold, which had extorted and plundered others, now reaped its own destruction.
Gu Qingcheng signaled for everyone to descend.
Flames soared into the sky, and after they left, the stronghold slowly turned to ashes in the conflagration.
They returned to Phoenix Village as dawn broke.
Gu Qingcheng first went to check on the condition of the women.
Hehua had been woken up overnight to boil water and cook, working tirelessly.
Everyone envied the communal canteen's good benefits and abundant provisions, but Hehua, after taking over, realized that while the communal canteen did offer some perks, allowing one to eat heartily, the work was all-consuming, blurring day and night.
Just tonight, over thirty women rescued from the bandit stronghold had arrived. They were already in a terrible state, had traveled a long distance, and were hungry and exhausted upon reaching Phoenix Village. It was imperative to cook for them immediately.
Three large pots of noodles were cooked, and once they had all eaten their fill, a large amount of water had to be boiled for them to bathe and rid themselves of any parasites.
By the time it was all done, dawn was approaching.
It was then that Gu Qingcheng and his group returned.
"Young Master Gu, you've returned safely. It's wonderful. Seeing these women last night truly frightened us. You did the right thing. Without eliminating these bandits, we wouldn't have our current peace."
Hehua exclaimed emotionally upon seeing Gu Qingcheng.
"Thank you for your hard work, Auntie Hehua. How are they now?" Gu Qingcheng asked with a smile.
Her bow and arrows slung over her shoulder, she looked exceptionally spirited after a night of travel.
"They've been assigned guest rooms, have eaten their fill, and bathed. Their spirits have recovered quite a bit, and they've likely fallen asleep."
Hehua reported quickly.
The division of labor wasn't strictly defined now. She had taken charge of feeding and bathing the women and had been busy with Qin Yue. Only after arranging everything for them was the task complete.
Gu Qingcheng greatly admired Hehua's initiative, her not simply handing over the food and baths and washing her hands of the matter, but seeing a task through to the end.
Details revealed one's character.
Hearing that they were all asleep, Gu Qingcheng nodded with satisfaction and said,
"Then you should go rest too. Tomorrow morning, arrange for others to do the cooking. You can catch up on sleep. No need to come in."
"No, no, it's fine. There's still an hour until dawn, I can just doze off. I'll do it. They don't quite know where the flour, rice, and oil are stored. If I'm not here, it'll be chaos."
Hehua said earnestly.
"Alright, thank you for your hard work." Gu Qingcheng yawned and stretched. "I'm going back to sleep."
The supplies salvaged from the bandit stronghold were left to Qin Yue to receive and inventory.
When Gu Qingcheng returned home, Mi Guo had already prepared a bath and, thoughtfully, cooked her a bowl of wonton noodles.
After eating the noodles, Gu Qingcheng went to soak in the bath.
She added jasmine essential oil to the hot water, its refreshing scent dispelling any lingering odors and opening her pores.
After her bath, Gu Qingcheng dried her hair and fell asleep the moment she hit the bed.
She slept for about two hours before waking up.
Gu Qingcheng got up, changed into a clean, practical outfit, tidied her hair, and after washing up, saw Mi Guo frying glutinous rice cakes.
These rice cakes were made by Mi Guo himself, with white rice dough encasing a savory meat filling. Gu Qingcheng had tasted them before; they were delicious.
"Sis, breakfast."
Mi Guo placed the fried rice cakes on the table. Their golden-brown skins sizzled with oil, and a bowl of soup with sliced meat and red mushrooms was also ready.
Gu Qingcheng ate her fill, wiped her mouth, and then went to the supply cooperative to check on the inventory of supplies Qin Yue had brought in yesterday.