They arrived quickly and left just as fast, not forgetting to close the door behind them. Truly well-bred, cultured, and polite children.
After the two withdrew, the innkeeper and the other patrons stared at Wan Lei with utmost shock.
The terrifying aura they had just felt made their hearts tremble.
Fortunately, this person seemed to be a good sort; otherwise, he wouldn't have driven away the soldiers for their sake.
The two soldiers who had left seemed to have warned their comrades that there was a master in the inn, advising them not to approach. Thus, for a good while, no soldiers entered to loot.
Seeing this, the patrons relaxed.
One brave patron walked up to Wan Lei, cupped his hands in a bow, and said,
“Thank you, great hero, for saving our lives.”
Great hero?
*Tsk.*
Wan Lei smiled faintly. This was still a world where chivalry was prevalent.
He waved his hand, and the patron immediately retreated to his seat.
The other patrons around, seeing Wan Lei in a good mood, all offered their flattering words. After all, the sudden chaos meant that currying favor with a strong individual could also guarantee their personal safety.
It was then, amidst the string of compliments, that an discordant voice suddenly emerged.
“Hmph, what great hero? All brawn, no heroism to save the nation and its people. If you were truly a hero, you should go outside and drive away these bandit soldiers, protecting the common folk of this small town.”
Upon hearing this, Wan Lei immediately chuckled. Truly, no matter where he went in this world, he encountered moral blackmail.
He looked up. The speaker was the very person who had been speaking so effusively, as if he had witnessed everything firsthand.
Seeing Wan Lei’s gaze, the man instinctively flinched, then, feeling his own posture lacking, he stiffened his neck again.
It was fortunate that Young Master Lei was in a good mood now, at peace, and was cultivating his state of mind, unwilling to lose his temper.
In the past, encountering such moral blackmail would have led to his immediate execution.
But now, with nothing else to do, he decided to debate with the man.
“What do the townspeople outside have to do with me? With this war breaking out, it’s not only this place that’s fighting; battles are happening everywhere. It’s not only the people here who are suffering.
Can I manage this small town, or can I manage the entire world?”
“Then you should at least do something within your capabilities. Things far away are unseen and thus out of mind, but what about what’s right before your eyes? Those people are being slaughtered; how can you bear to ignore it?”
“Then why don’t you go and do something?”
“I lack the strength. If I had your power, I would definitely charge out and kill all these bandit soldiers.”
“They have two arms and two legs, just like you. What are you afraid of? Pick up a knife, charge out, kill one and you’re even, kill two and you’ve profited. The town’s residents will surely be grateful for your kindness. Go ahead.”
“I…”
“Go on. As soon as you charge out and shout ‘Dog thieves, give up your lives!’, I will charge out with you.”
The man’s expression shifted repeatedly. Finally, he snorted coldly and lowered his head to drink.
If he were to charge out, he’d likely be shot into a porcupine before he could even utter the words “Eighteen years later, I’ll still be a good man.”
“To demand others do what you dare not do yourself, and you still have the nerve to say it.
You are receiving my protection here, spared from the suffering of war, yet you stand here and preach, wanting to command me.
Where is your shame?”
Wan Lei lost interest, no longer wanting to deal with this self-righteous hypocrite.
The so-called saintly person is one who thinks, “This person is so pitiful; I must help them.”
The so-called saintly hypocrite is one who thinks, “This person is so pitiful; all of you, hurry and help them.”
*Heh.*
Despicable.
A moment of silence fell over the inn, the atmosphere becoming slightly awkward, with no one speaking.
Wan Lei paid it no mind, nor did he crack a witty remark to lighten the mood as he might have done before. He simply continued drinking to himself.
A strong person should have the demeanor of a strong person, the composure of a strong person.
Yes, Master Lei was now a strong person.
The quietness within the inn made the screams and cries from outside even clearer. The desperate wails vibrated through everyone’s hearts.
These heroes, who constantly roamed the martial world, claiming to eliminate evil for the people and draw their swords when encountering injustice, all cowered like quails in the face of organized troops.
“Stop! Who ordered you to plunder the civilians!”
Suddenly, a woman’s sharp shout echoed from outside.
Everyone inside the inn immediately perked up. Some even wore expressions of schadenfreude.
They wondered which fool, thinking they could take on an army, dared to shout at these bandit soldiers at this moment.
What a hothead.
“I wonder which newbie, fresh into the martial world, dares to speak at this time. Truly clueless.”
“I’m eagerly anticipating the scene of her being chopped to death next second.”
“Indeed, and she’s a woman, too. I wonder if she’s good-looking.”
“Let’s go take a look.”
These people absolutely wouldn’t dare to mock Wan Lei, but with a reckless fool seeking death outside, they could afford to make a few jokes.
Such was their mettle.
They were quite anticipating the scene of the woman’s death.
It was because the woman outside was doing what they wanted to do but dared not.
Therefore, that woman must die.
If she didn’t die, how could their prudence be highlighted? How could their wisdom be underscored? If she didn’t die, wouldn’t it prove they were wrong?
Whether it was to witness a killing or to see if the woman was attractive, these dozen or so people rushed to the window to look outside.
Even Wan Lei curiously released his divine sense.
Since he was idle anyway, it would be foolish not to watch a spectacle.
However, the scene they had anticipated – a swift sword stroke and a corpse on the ground – did not materialize. The scene before them felt like a slap to their faces.
On the street outside the inn, a woman in white robes, riding a Pixiu, was coldly observing the scene ahead.
The woman was exceptionally beautiful, with a heroic spirit in her brows, exuding the air of a woman who was no less capable than men.
Behind her, there was a squadron of cavalry, but they were not clad in armor, but in similar white robes.
It was evident that they were the woman’s personal guards.
At this moment, some of the cavalry had already galloped forward and knelt on the ground, repeatedly kowtowing.
“Go and summon all your generals and officers. I want to ask them what exactly they think they are doing!”
The woman’s tone was imperious, carrying the unyielding authority of a superior, demanding absolute obedience.
Those dozen or so people immediately dispersed to find their superiors.
“It’s Xi Ren Yuanjun! It’s Xi Ren Yuanjun!”
The first person to recognize the woman was the storyteller from before.
“Xi Ren Yuanjun? Who is that? Someone from the Xi Ren family? Are they allied with the people outside?”
“You don’t even know Xi Ren Yuanjun? She’s the direct daughter of the Xi Ren family patriarch, and also the second strongest in the Xi Ren family, even stronger than Xi Ren Jun.”