Sometimes we don't have to know where we are in life, even if we can't figure out the chaotic ideas in the past, we can live by ourselves with survival instincts.

***

Li Zhi County.

Night has completely fallen, and the alleys that are not part of the bustling area are quiet, and the lights and candles are lit in silence.

In the darkness, there was the sound of something rubbing against the wall, and the person who was a little awake in his sleep was the commonplace mouse, and ignored it, but his neck suddenly became cold, and the man was quickly taken away by his familiar blade.

The daughter-in-law holding the lamp and candle outside the door was about to enter the door, and when she heard the sound of "hmm", she immediately turned around and ran quickly, but unfortunately the guy with the knife in the house kicked the door unceremoniously and cut over, and the daughter-in-law had to shout loudly, and by the way, she was not at all like a civilian woman and fought with the perpetrator.

The distant scream was like a battle horn, and Apple opened her eyes suddenly, and there was a ping-pong sound from the front store, judging from experience, it should be the crispness of the swords when they were intertwined, and there was a faint question from the man.

The night air was slightly cool, and she got up and put on a coat, holding a sharp short knife in her left hand. The burn on the right hand is not yet healed, and the slightest touch will cause a fine burning sensation. Apple's left-handed knife is actually good, but it doesn't seem to be able to rely on a short knife to protect itself at the moment.

For a while, many alleys were shouting, passing on the whereabouts of the intruders. I don't know who started to fire first, and the red flames gradually engulfed this place of neighborhood harmony during the day, and even the residents and innocents who didn't know anything lost their lives.

Killing, arson......

Unclear where the intruders were hiding, Ping ran out of the blood-soaked alley and chose a remote place to hide, wondering why the battle had suddenly broken out today.

This year, Ping is fifteen years old.

Decorated with crockpots and weeds on her body, she grasped the things in her arms, and her eyes were a little determined.

A few letters, a few silver-stamped tickets.

The envelopes are the iconic Fire Paint stamps, and Apple must deliver them.

Vigilant eyes swept the empty path outside, and Apple breathed slowly, trying not to make a noise.

The flames burned the alley, and several masked men stepped on the rooftops, coughed, and ran a few steps before they swooped down on death like moths; The baby in the woman's arms hugged her tightly; The man who was screaming with his blind eyes was still chopping something with a kitchen knife and colliding with a "thing" that was on fire......

At dawn, the officers and soldiers surrounded the burned area, covering their noses and searching for the living, occasionally smelling the smell of meat, and lifting the straw, only empty clay pots.

"There's no one here, go over there and search!"

***

Hungry.

With her back to the trunk of the tree, Apple unwrapped the package, and several copper coins fell out, crashing against the stones with a loud sound.

The currencies currently issued are gold-patterned bills, silver-patterned bills, silver coins, and copper coins. Ten copper coins and a silver stamped ticket are of similar value, with occasional fluctuations.

After a pause, Ping picked up the copper coins one by one and put them away, and took a large piece of cake with salted radish and gnawed it for a long time, and finally left half of it to wrap up.

The scorching sun leaks through the gaps in the dense foliage, and the stars are dotted. Fortunately, the shade of the trees is wide, and there is still a cool place in the hot summer.

"Urn-" The sound of cicadas chirping is long and wanton.

Apple licks the scraps in her hands and continues to hurry, the letters in her arms are not precious to her, but only by delivering them can Apple have a place to go.

Living in a tree for several days in a row, enduring mosquito bites, Apple walked into the town with the food in her package, standing in the bustling downtown with some confusion.

The shops are decorated with a variety of colors, some of them hang red lanterns as if to celebrate something, people are busy and exaggerated, and noisy and indistinct sounds sweep in, making people fall into a phantom confusion.

I don't know how long it will be, but the beautifully dressed woman comes out of the opposite building and talks to the man who is laughing loudly and acting loudly. Ping stepped back and stayed away.

She has never had a good impression of Qinglou.

***

North German Town.

A bowl of pork stewed cabbage, and two white flour steamed buns.

Chi Ran poured a glass of water and handed it to Ping: "Don't worry, it's all yours." ”

"Uh-huh......" Ping replied vaguely with chopsticks in her left hand, chewing on pork.

Chi Ran smiled, read a book of medical skills in his hand, and occasionally said a few insignificant jokes to Ping. The breeze is elegant, his demeanor is pleasant, and he doesn't look like a twenty-eight-year-old Ben San person in navy blue clothes at all.

"Tomorrow morning, will you eat jajangmyeon?"

"Everything."

"This place is not written correctly, it should be ......" Chi Ran frowned.

"Uncle Chi, what's going on in the alley today?"

"Call my brother."

"Brother Chi Ran."

"Well, I'm investigating the things in the alley, you don't have to worry about it, have a good rest, and stay with my brother for two days." Chi Ran turned the page gently, the printing of the paper was a little unclear, and the fingers rubbed it, and it was even more blurry.

Hearing this, Ping Mo was silent, solved the meal, sat upright, and looked at Chi Ran with blazing eyes.

After a quiet half-sound, Chi Ran buttoned up the book, sighed lightly, approached Ping, and helped her wipe the greasy corners of her mouth.

"Can't you accompany my brother?"

There seemed to be a small, soft baby girl in front of her, babbling and scratching, her eyes bright and watery. In a flash, she is fifteen years old, with wheat-colored skin, and her facial features are somewhat similar to her mother Bai Xiuwen, but it is more of a kind of sharpness that only a man has......

Looking at it, Ping smiled, and two shallow pear vortices appeared, beautiful, innocent, and brisk:

"I can't."

“……”

Arrange for Apple to rest in a bungalow. The two of them walked through the hallway, and in a large clearing, a group of nine- and ten-year-olds were waving short knives in a mess.

The sun is hot and cruel, and under the sun is the young shadows of children.

One of the children was being beaten, crying in pain, and the wooden sword was thrown aside. More beatings and education after that forced him to bite his lip and endure as much as he could, continuing to wield the wooden sword.

You must not lay down your weapon at any time.

Around the corner of the hallway, several men in night clothes passed by, their steps were extremely light, and one of them had a bleeding arm that ticked down his fingers. The ground is long rendered in black and red, with different shades.

There were many beds side by side in the room where Ping was staying, and the shabby bedding was neatly folded.

A corner area belonged to her.

"Tomorrow they will take you to training. Let's get some sleep today," Chi Ran paused, hugged Ping and rubbed it, "Brother has to go to Chang'an recently, I said hello to the head of the sect in charge of you, and if you can't stand it, you can rest, and here, I am 'Li Ransheng', you are Li Ransheng's sister, Li Ping." ”

“…… Li Ransheng. ”

"Yes, I'm leaving, Li Ping, little earth girl."

Seeing Li Ransheng walk out of the house, he stepped on the wooden bed that was not soft and only had a layer of sheets, and Ping stood for a long time, unable to explain his thoughts.

The windows in the walls are high and airy, and most of the wall skin has fallen off, and small cavities are leaking. The beams are high, and the roof has straw to fill the holes to protect it from rain.

Apple unfolded the thin quilt covering her whole body, including her head, closed her eyes and waited for the dream to come, exhaustion slowly wrapped her whole body, and many things flashed in her head.

Neighbors, literati, raiders, coachmen, beautiful women...... Disturbed, the faces of others were filled with hazy mist, and their thoughts gradually dulled, and when they opened their eyes for a moment, Ping seemed to see another little girl licking the sugar gourd, and the whole string of hawthorns was shining red.

Sleepiness eroded her brain, and Apple's eyelids drooped and struggled a few more times, and the burning sensation in her right hand continued unabated.