Chapter 278 - 126: Lord Saint Monarch, Your Most Loyal Subordinate Has Found You

Chapter 278: Chapter 126: Lord Saint Monarch, Your Most Loyal Subordinate Has Found You

Unexpectedly, Zhang Da Yong and Yang Mo were even more tight-lipped than him.

It was enough to make him feel withdrawn.

But at least the outcome was good.

The gloom that had been building up for days was swept away.

"Mm..."

Yang Mo grunted noncommittally, staring blankly at the fire.

He could clearly sense Xiao Shenke’s excitement and feeling of accomplishment.

’I should feel that way too,’ he thought.

He had saved eighteen lives, so he should be even more excited.

Just as Xiao Shenke had said, they had brought the fates of many families back from the brink.

But strangely...

He didn’t.

He felt none of the excitement he’d expected.

Not only that...

When he saw those people grabbing his wrist as if clutching a lifeline, he even felt an indescribable sense of disgust.

’So similar!’

’They’re too much alike!’

’They... are too much like me!’

Just like when he’d first gone to the Tenth Prince’s Mansion, fighting for a spot as a Mansion Official, clinging to Zhao Ci.

A desperate person.

A helpless person.

Grasping at a lifeline.

For a fleeting moment, when Yang Mo looked at them, it was like looking at himself.

But he didn’t understand. Saving people who were so much like him should have been a good thing.

Yet seeing their ecstasy and gratitude, he felt no positive emotions at all.

’The gratitude of the weak feels worthless. Once we’re out of these mountains, our paths will likely never cross again. Their thanks won’t bring me any benefit, not even a single point of merit for this mission.’

Instead, it was their wretched state, their desperation.

It was as if he were seeing the person he used to be.

’Or even... the person I am now!’

’Tomorrow...’

’I have to lead them down the mountain.’

’They’ll become a burden.’

’Just like how I burdened Zhao Ci.’

’This is the ugliness of the weak!’

’As ugly as I am!’

’I hate them.’

’Just like I hate myself.’

Xiao Shenke sensed something was off with Yang Mo’s mood and couldn’t help but ask, "Brother Mo! What’s wrong?"

"It’s nothing!"

Yang Mo forced a smile. "Saving so many people is a great accomplishment. Let’s get some sleep!"

With that, he glanced up at the gloomy night sky, then turned his back to the fire and lay down on his side.

「The next day.」

The poison in most people’s bodies had mostly subsided. Although they were still quite weak, if they gritted their teeth, there was still hope of climbing out of the mountains under Xiao Shenke’s lead.

Even the Boatwoman, who had been the most severely poisoned, could now walk with assistance.

Yang Mo’s head felt a bit fuzzy. He’d been plagued by auditory hallucinations all night again and hadn’t slept well at all.

He stood up and shouted, "Let’s go!"

"Sir, sir!"

The Boatwoman, who had just regained consciousness, staggered over with help, dropped to her knees with a THUD, and began kowtowing, her head hitting the ground with a THUD, THUD. "Please, sir, save my husband! Please, sir, I beg you..."

A flash of irritation crossed Yang Mo’s brow. "Your husband?"

The Child Scholar supporting the Boatwoman quickly explained, "Sir! Her husband is the Boatman. If it weren’t for his superb skills, the Carp Spirit would have capsized us all into the water."

"We were all badly poisoned earlier, so the boatman entrusted his wife to our care and went with two others who know a little about medicine to look for herbs. They haven’t come back yet."

"Sir, your Divine Techniques are vast. Could you possibly..."

He found it hard to finish his request.

The other Child Scholars were also moved. "Sir, your Divine Techniques are vast. We beg you to save them."

There were many wild beasts in the mountain forest. Before, when the group was together, the beasts didn’t dare to make a move.

But if there were only three of them...

Yang Mo: "..."

’They think I’m a good person?’

’Am I... a good person?’

He was deeply irritated.

He knew a request like this was perfectly normal.

’But I don’t even have the face to beg Zhao Ci like this.’

’How can you ask for help so shamelessly?’

Xiao Shenke and Zhang Da Yong exchanged a look. The poison in these people had been mostly neutralized, but they would need proper treatment back home to clear out the rest.

Their stamina would only continue to decline, and food alone wouldn’t be enough to replenish it.

They absolutely couldn’t afford to linger in the mountains for too long.

Going back to search for people...

...was not a rational thing to do.

Besides...

Zhang Da Yong lowered his voice. "Brother Mo, we’ve already done enough to complete the mission. And those few people..."

’The mission is complete.’

’Saving a few more people won’t add any extra credit.’

’Besides, there’s no guarantee they’re even still alive.’

Yang Mo: "..."

The auditory hallucinations in his mind were incessant. Amid the cacophony, Yang Fang’s voice was exceptionally clear.

’A bunch of rabble from the mountains. Even if you save them, what will they ever amount to?’

’A bunch of rabble from the mountains. Even if you save them, what use will they ever be?’

...

For a moment, Yang Mo’s head felt like it would split open.

Seeing the trio’s attitude, the Boatwoman panicked. She grabbed Yang Mo’s pant leg, tears streaming down her face. "Sir! My-my husband has been a good man his whole life! You’re a good person, too! Please, save him, I... I..."

She was, after all, just a simple country woman. She knew only how to beg, but she couldn’t articulate anything more.

All she could do was kowtow, her head striking the ground with a THUD, THUD.

’A good person?’

Yang Mo’s heart trembled. He didn’t know if he was a good person.

’But... if I could become a good person, that would be a good thing, right?’

’Because Zhao Ci is a good person, too.’

’Besides.’

’I’m one of the weak, too.’

’I’ve been scorned my whole life.’

’I... should hate this act of ignoring the weak, shouldn’t I!’

He struggled internally for a moment, then finally let out a breath and turned his head. "Waizi, Da Yong, you two escort them back!"

Zhang Da Yong: "???"

’After observing him for so long...’

’He’s still a saint?’

Xiao Shenke grew anxious. "But Brother Mo, without the two of us to guide and provide cover..."