In a chaotic world of infrastructure development, a woman's path to survival after being reborn

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zexuan glanced at Sun Dalang and Sun Erlang beside him, and then asked again, "Where did the person who first fell ill go, and who did they come into contact with?"

Hearing this, the villagers assumed that Zhao Zexuan wanted to know the truth, so they honestly replied, "That person was no different from usual. The only difference was that he disappeared for two days and then returned to the village. When others asked him what he did during that time, he wouldn't say."

"Where is that person now, and how is he?" Zhao Zexuan continued to inquire.

“That man died long ago, a few days after contracting the plague,” the people honestly replied.

“Dead.” Zhao Zexuan murmured, then looked at Sun Dalang and Sun Erlang, who were trembling slightly beside him, and said, “I don’t need to ask anymore, you two tell me what happened.”

Upon hearing this, Sun Dalang and Sun Erlang remained silent for a long time, as if they knew that if they spoke, they would be finished.

Whether or not they speak now is no longer up to them. Liu Quan stepped forward and dislocated one of their arms.

Ah, a scream rang out, and the two of them curled up on the ground in pain, cold sweat pouring down their foreheads.

"So, are you still not going to talk about it?" Liu Quan asked coldly.

Both men clutched their arms and cried out in pain, remaining silent for a long time. Sun Dalang was simply putting on a brave face, while Sun Erlang was in so much pain that he couldn't speak.

The two remained silent, which made Liu Quan lose patience. Just as he was about to step forward to remind them, Sun Erlang cried out, "I'll talk, I'll tell you everything!"

Upon hearing Sun Erlang speak, Liu Quan stopped what he was doing, looked at Sun Erlang without saying a word.

With Liu Quan keeping a close watch on him, Sun Erlang dared not take any shortcuts and said, "That man was arranged by my elder brother. He had already been infected with the plague, and my elder brother sent someone to send him back to the village."

Upon hearing this, Sun Dalang closed his eyes in despair, his body went limp, and he knew it was all over.

The villagers, who hadn't known why they had been summoned, immediately understood upon hearing this. They glared angrily at Sun Erlang and said, "The reason our village has suffered such a calamity is all because of you, because of your selfishness."

The people have now confirmed the situation and do not need Sun Erlang to admit it. Their gazes toward Sun Erlang are piercing, as if they want to tear him to pieces.

If it weren't for the soldiers guarding them, Sun Dalang and Sun Erlang would have been torn apart by the people. They are still safe and sound, and they have the soldiers to thank for their presence.

"General, we beg you to do justice for us and kill these two culprits!" a commoner cried out.

Once one person spoke up, many more followed suit. Soon, all the villagers present knelt down before Zhao Zexuan again, their voices filled with sobs, saying, "Our village was already struggling, but we have been subjected to this devastating disaster for no reason. They don't treat us like human beings. How could they bear to do such a thing, taking so many lives?"

No one could answer the people's questions. Of course, the people knew in their hearts that the fate of the lower classes was never in their own hands.

Among those present were women whose children had died from the plague. They had initially thought the plague was an accident, but now that they were told it was intentional, the women could no longer contain their anger. Ignoring the soldiers guarding them, they rushed forward and began to fight.

Sun Dalang and Sun Erlang were both tied up, so they could only endure the beatings from the women.

A fist only hurts when it lands on you. For example, right now, Sun Dalang and Sun Erlang felt the pain and shouted, "Stop hitting me! Stop hitting me!"

The pain of losing her son was unforgettable. Even though she was recovering from a serious illness, the woman still had considerable strength in her hands. She used all three parts of her strength and saw that Sun Dalang and Sun Erlang were about to be beaten to death. Only then did Zhao Zexuan speak up: "Don't kill them yet. We need to ask about other matters. After we've dealt with those matters, we'll leave their fate to you."

Zhao Zexuan's words were like a switch; the women who heard them all stopped, somewhat unwilling, but ultimately withdrew their hands.

They wished Sun Dalang and Sun Erlang would die quickly, so before leaving, the women gave them something: some saliva. They gave each of them a mouthful, and in the end, both of their faces were covered in saliva.

After glancing at the spittle on their faces, Zhao Zexuan looked away and said, "These two are still somewhat useful for now. Once I've dealt with things, I'll hand them over to you."

Upon hearing this, the people below spoke up, saying, "We will listen to the general's orders, but we only ask that these two culprits not be let off in the end."

“Now that you all know the truth, let’s go back. We have the prescription and enough herbs. As long as nothing unexpected happens, the situation should stabilize,” Zhao Zexuan said.

Upon hearing this, the people quickly bowed and said, "Thank you, General, for saving our lives."

The people had something to say, so they didn't rush to leave. They hesitantly asked, "General, what are the conditions for joining you?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zexuan looked at the expectant crowd and said, "You can join, but you still need to go through an assessment. If you pass the assessment, you can join; if you don't, then..."

Having understood Zhao Zexuan's unfinished words, the people exchanged glances and nodded, saying, "We will definitely work hard."

Knowing that Zhao Zexuan had other matters to attend to, the people wisely left quickly.

After everyone had left, Zhao Zexuan looked at the disheveled Sun Dalang and Sun Erlang and ordered the soldiers, "Take them away and lock them up. We'll discuss it later."

The soldiers obeyed the order and pulled the two disheveled men away. Only then did Liu Quan step forward and ask, "General, are we going to pass the message on to Old Master Sun?"

"Let someone inform Old Master Sun and see what his choice is," Zhao Zexuan said.

Upon hearing this, Liu Quan asked curiously, "General, aren't we going to make a move?"

“Old Master Sun is a smart man. It would be best if we could do it without losing a single soldier. If not, then we’ll have no choice but to take action,” Zhao Zexuan said directly.

Upon hearing this, Liu Quan immediately understood and nodded, saying, "General, you are indeed wise."

Hearing Liu Quan's words, Zhao Zexuan suddenly thought of something and asked, "Zhou Ping, how is he?"

When asked about this, Liu Quan replied, "That kid was lucky. Although he was unfortunately wounded by an arrow, it didn't hit any vital organs, so he's not in any danger."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zexuan nodded and said, "That's lucky."