"The casualty report is out. We have a hundred and thirty-seven people left, including seventy-eight Gu Masters and fifty-nine mortals," a vice-leader reported publicly.
At this moment, inside this tattered tent, all the surviving leaders of the caravan gathered to discuss a way out.
The atmosphere was heavy and oppressive.
The caravan leader, Jia Long, furrowed his brows. When he heard this, his brows were almost twisted into a knot.
Who would have thought that a massive caravan of over a thousand people would be reduced to just this. Seventy-eight Gu Masters sounded like a lot, but only twelve of those present were Rank 3 Gu Masters. There were twenty-eight Rank 2 Gu Masters, and the remaining thirty-eight were Rank 1 Gu Masters.
From this number, the injured and crippled had to be excluded. In reality, those who still possessed combat power were less than half.
Mortal lives were cheap. Those family slaves could be abandoned, but Gu Masters were different.
Every Gu Master was a precious asset of the clan. It was impossible to give them up.
Although Jia Long knew that these crippled Gu Masters were a huge burden on the caravan, and that maintaining their lives and treating their injuries would worsen the caravan's already collapsed logistics.
But Jia Long did not dare to abandon them. Once abandoned, morale would completely collapse, every Gu Master would fear for their own safety, and the entire caravan would fall apart. Their ultimate fate would be to be swallowed by the beast horde.
At this moment, the vice-leader who was giving the report changed his tone. "The only thing worth celebrating is that quite a bit of the caravan's goods remain. If we distribute those ownerless goods evenly, it will be a large amount of primeval stones, enough to compensate for many of our losses."
In the disaster that just occurred, many people died, but the loss of goods was relatively light.
If distributed equally, the survivors would actually benefit from this.
Hearing this, almost everyone in the tent had their eyes light up.
Merchants pursued profit. Even in a perilous situation, they did not change this nature.
Everyone exchanged glances for a while, then the vice-leader Chen Shuangjin coughed and said, "Equal distribution, I think, is a bit inappropriate. In that battle just now, my Chen family sacrificed the most and also killed the most White Feather Flying Elephants. Of these ownerless goods, I want at least thirty percent!"
"Thirty percent?"
"How is that possible!"
"Your Chen family sacrificed the most? My Yuchi family sacrificed a young talented genius at the peak of Rank 2."
"No matter what, our Zhi family needs at least twenty percent."
...
Everyone talked at once, gradually turning into a quarrel. With such benefits at stake, no one was not red-eyed with greed.
Only Shang Xin Ci, among them, remained silent.
The stronger teams wanted to demand more. The weaker side insisted on equal distribution.
The noise of the quarrel grew louder, spreading outside the tent and attracting countless probing gazes.
Shang Xin Ci suddenly stood up.
The tent suddenly fell silent.
"Everyone," Shang Xin Ci's beautiful eyes swept across the room, "the most pressing matter right now is not these goods, but how to survive. Perhaps the beast horde will arrive in the next moment! We are already grasshoppers tied to the same rope, bound together by fate. However, each of our strength is limited. Only by helping each other in the same boat can we have hope of survival."
Having said this, she paused for a moment.
"I propose that we first contribute our own goods and take out the items that are helpful to us. Right here, on behalf of the Zhang family, I will set an example. I voluntarily contribute all the goods in my hands, without compensation."
"What?"
"Contribute without compensation?!"
For a moment, many were stunned. The faces of Chen Shuangjin, Jia Long, and others also flickered uncertainly.
"I am tired. I hope that you all can quickly discuss and come up with an effective method. I take my leave." Having said this, Shang Xin Ci nodded in acknowledgement, turned around, and lifted the tent flap.
She had taken less than five steps out of the tent when an even louder wave of noise erupted inside.
Now with the addition of the Zhang family's goods, the value of these benefits had increased, driving people even more frantic.
Shang Xin Ci slowed her pace, clenched her fists, and let out a deep sigh.
She was also a merchant, and naturally had to pursue profit. The so-called "voluntary contribution" just now was certainly not from the heart.
It was just that the situation forced her hand. She was like a baby carrying a huge sum of money, walking among adults, and had to protect herself.
Returning to her own tent, Xiao Die, her eyes red, was huddled in a corner, sobbing quietly.
She and Shang Xin Ci had grown up together since childhood. The fright from the White Feather Flying Elephants earlier had only just now erupted.
"Xiao Die," Shang Xin Ci sighed inwardly, sat down beside her, and tried to comfort her.
"Miss, I'm so scared. Wuwuwu... Lord Zhang Zhu never came back. Could it be, could it be..." Xiao Die buried her head in Shang Xin Ci's chest and wept bitterly.
Shang Xin Ci patted her back and said a few words of comfort, but Xiao Die still wept without stopping.
"Xiao Die, Uncle Zhang Zhu is probably never coming back," Shang Xin Ci said in a low voice.
As soon as she said this, she could clearly feel Xiao Die's body tremble in her arms.
"Miss... no, no!" Xiao Die lifted her head, her eyes red, and shook her head incessantly.