Chapter 402: Rebuilding The Northeast City ( 1 )
"Hey, kids, are you alright?" the soldier asked when he was 2 meters away from them. He didn’t want to scare them with his blood-covered body, so he kept his distance.
Hearing this, the teenagers returned to their senses. When they met the soldier’s worried gaze, they were unable to hold back their emotions anymore and burst into tears. No matter how strong they pretended to be, they were just boys between 13 and 15 years old.
Seeing them crying, the soldier was stunned. He let out a sigh and said helplessly, "Don’t be afraid. We are the White Tiger Army. The barbarians have been killed. You are safe now."
He thought that his comforting words would make them stop crying. Unexpectedly, after he said this, they cried even louder.
Their crying finally alerted the other soldiers, and they came to take a look. Seeing the boys, 1 of the soldiers went to report to his Squad Leader while the rest stood there, not knowing what to do with them.
After a while, Fu Chen’an arrived with a soldier. Seeing the boys, he said, "If you finish crying, tell your families and friends to come out. The army has prepared food and water for everyone in the city center area."
As soon as they heard this, the boys stopped crying instantly. They looked at him for a second before nodding and running away.
The soldiers were stunned by the situation. 1 of them turned to Fu Chen’an and said, "Squad Leader, you are so good at handling children."
Fu Chen’an gave him a side glance and replied calmly, "They are no longer children."
After a moment of pause, he continued, "Check the alleys and bring the civilians to the city center area. Also, inform the military physicians to be on standby. Most of the civilians are injured and sick."
The soldiers cupped their fists and replied in unison, "Understood."
Although they were not under Fu Chen’an’s team, they admired him greatly. Not only because of his contributions to the army, but also because of his strength and personality.
He treated everyone with respect, no matter what their rank was. As one climbed higher, they tended to become arrogant and look down on those below them. Therefore, while it looked simple, treating ordinary soldiers with respect was something difficult to do.
2 hours later, the civilians finally gathered at the city center. This was a public area where events were held in the past. So, the area was big enough to accommodate everyone.
At the back of the city center area, several porridge stalls had been built, and large pots of porridge could be seen cooking. Not far from the food stalls, 2 temporary clinics had also been set up.
This time, the ones attending to the people were not Physician Mu or his disciple. The physicians who came this time were more adept at treating external and internal injuries.
While Mu Luo was the head physician, his expertise was in poison, plague, and surgery. So, they were left behind in the barracks to take care of the rest of the army.
When the civilians saw the porridge stalls, they couldn’t help but cry and kneel in gratitude. The soldiers quickly stopped them.
Fu Chen’an had already seen their conditions before, so he was calmer. He stood at the front of the crowd and channeled his inner energy into his throat.
"Everyone, line up properly and don’t cause delays. Everyone will receive a bowl of porridge and 2 steamed cakes. Water is provided at the side stalls. If you are sick or injured, go to the temporary clinic for a check-up."
Although he wasn’t shouting, his voice was clear and loud. Even those standing far away could hear him clearly.
Everyone quickly nodded and lined up. They moved in an orderly manner while the soldiers distributed food and water.
There were not many civilians left in the Northeast City. Before it was attacked by the barbarians, more than 100,000 people had lived there. But right now, only around 12,000 people remain.
There wasn’t a single healthy adult man in sight. Only the elderly, children, and women in relatively better condition remained.
The men who survived until now were mostly crippled. Either their hands or legs were broken. Some had even lost 1 of their eyes or ears. As for those locked in the dungeons, they had long lost their minds or died from torture.
When the soldiers saw their conditions, they clenched their jaws to control their emotions. They didn’t want these men to live in self-pity or embarrassment. So, they treated them like normal people.
What others needed to do, they also had to do. What others received, they also wouldn’t receive more.
Even though their actions seemed cruel, it preserved the last dignity of these people.
Those women who had been humiliated by the barbarians didn’t even dare look at the soldiers. But when they saw that the soldiers treated them the same as everyone else, and no one looked at them with disdain or disgust, they finally regained the courage to live on.
The soldiers took turns cooking and distributing food and water. The stalls and clinics continued operating despite it already being past midnight.
When the last person finally received food and water, the soldiers finally heaved sighs of relief. They cleaned up the pots and went to rest.
The next day, before dawn, the fragrance of porridge already filled the city center area. The civilians arrived soon after to receive their food and water.
But unlike yesterday, Lu Qianxuan was present today. Standing in front of the large crowd, he said, "The army’s provisions are limited. So, starting today, anyone who wants food and water must work."
Everyone was surprised by this, but no one said anything. They waited for the General’s next words.
"The city and city walls need to be repaired. So, after breakfast, those who can work should report to the city wall. Those unable to do construction work can go to the Magistrate’s Office."
