Chapter 162 You will follow me from now on.

The night was deep.

The streets and alleys of Fengchi County were silent, with no pedestrians around anymore.

"Ugh, damn it, this is really unlucky. We’ve searched the whole city, and there’s nothing left, the rebels have really cleaned it out."

"Damn it, there’s not even anything to eat."

The patrol team was patrolling the streets and couldn’t help but complain.

Suddenly, someone said, "What was Captain Gao doing, going in and out of the Daoist Temple when we attacked Jiyang Mountain?"

"I don’t know either."

"Hush, don’t ask unnecessary questions, just know that the Commander wiped out the rebels on Jiyang Mountain," the captain of the patrol team smacked the back of their heads and said.

"I’m just curious."

"Some things aren’t for you to be curious about."

...

The camp was brightly lit.

"Be careful during patrol, don’t disturb the refugees in the city, they are also unfortunate people. If you really want to vent, wait until tomorrow when we attack the rebels and beat them up properly."

After instructing his subordinates, the captains, deputy captains, and commanders, Chen Mo let them disperse.

"Sir, rest early. I had someone send some hot water to your tent earlier," Gao Zheng smiled meaningfully at Chen Mo before leaving.

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo was initially puzzled, but as soon as he entered the tent, he understood.

Luo Zhen had taken a bath.

There were no women’s clothes in the army, so Luo Zhen changed into a clean hemp garment.

Her figure was graceful, her jet-black hair smooth like a waterfall, and her jade-like skin had a faint blush.

Her fair face had soft lines, her brows carried a hint of frailty, her gentle brows, slightly cool, and her charming eyes flashed with a bit of panic as Chen Mo walked in.

Chen Mo’s tent was simple, with a table and a cushion for work, and a hard bed inside, only one bed...

"Sir..." Luo Zhen, who had learned etiquette since childhood and was not a rural woman from a poor place, bowed as Chen Mo entered.

As she slightly crouched down, from Chen Mo’s point of view, he could see her fair collarbone and a hint of spring scenery from the neckline.

Feeling Chen Mo’s somewhat heated gaze, Luo Zhen’s face gradually turned red.

Soon, the two started an awkward conversation.

Chen Mo: "Have you eaten?"

Luo Zhen nodded: "I have, your people brought it in."

"Judging by age, I should be younger than you, no need to address me formally. By the way, how old are you?"

"Twenty-five..." Luo Zhen said, slightly embarrassed.

Although in this world, a First Grade Martial Artist’s lifespan is about three hundred years or so.

But overall, there are more ordinary people, so the average age is around 50 to 60 years.

In the Great Song Dynasty, although both men and women come of age at 16.

Generally speaking, women would get engaged and married at thirteen or fourteen, and some even had children at this age.

So, in the Great Song, Luo Zhen could be called an "old woman."

But Chen Mo had crossed over.

In his world, many were still single at thirty or forty.

At 25, it was like just graduating from college and joining the workforce for a couple of years.

So, to Chen Mo, Luo Zhen was still in her prime.

"Have you ever been married?" Chen Mo asked.

"No... no."

"That’s good."

"Huh?"

"Nothing, it’s late, you should sleep."

"Ah... okay, what about you, sir?"

"I’ll handle some affairs and sleep later."

"...Alright."

Luo Zhen lay in bed anxiously.

Although she was extremely tired, she couldn’t sleep at all.

A quarter of an hour later.

Chen Mo seemed to have finished his work and ordered the personal soldiers outside, "Someone, bring me a bucket of hot water."

"Yes."

Soon after, Luo Zhen heard the sound of Chen Mo removing his armor.

As the personal soldiers brought in the hot water, Luo Zhen lay on the inside side of the bed, her back facing Chen Mo. She could feel Chen Mo sitting down at the edge of the bed.

After washing, Chen Mo blew out the candle and got into bed.

With the camp’s candle light extinguished, the personal soldiers on duty outside instinctively moved further from the tent.

The inside of the tent was in complete darkness.

But it didn’t affect Chen Mo’s vision.

He watched Luo Zhen’s slightly trembling fragrant shoulders, her hand clutching tightly to the quilt, and he smiled, slowly extending his hand to hold Luo Zhen’s hand.

Despite preparing herself mentally, Luo Zhen felt like she was electrified but held back and didn’t withdraw. The hand covering hers was somewhat bold, gently stroking without haste.

Chen Mo, however, said, "In this world where people are devouring each other, with chaos everywhere, it’s either you kill me or I kill you. It’s hard for ordinary people to survive. You’ve ended up in such a predicament as well, pitiful, lonely, with nowhere to rely on..."

After a long-winded explanation, Chen Mo finally got to the point: "You can follow me in the future; I can be your support."

Luo Zhen’s body trembled.

No response for a long time.

Chen Mo embraced her from behind, placing his hand on her waist.

Luo Zhen’s body began to shake.

Chen Mo started stroking her hair to comfort her, "Rest assured, I won’t force you into anything. I will give you time to consider."

Luo Zhen: "???"

Isn’t this forcing already?

Luo Zhen nodded lightly, her voice as faint as a mosquito.

She understood the implication in Chen Mo’s words.

Chen Mo was not exactly a gentleman who sat with a beauty in his arms without making any move.

It’s just that she had experienced such a grievous event tonight, with Granny Qing passing away.

If he were to take her now, it would feel rather inappropriate.

No rush, according to the simulation, she won’t run away anyway.

Holding Luo Zhen, Chen Mo closed his eyes and started a new day of simulation.

[Do you want to start the Immortal Cultivation Simulator?]

"Yes."

[Day Ten of the Great Turmoil: You defeated...]

[Day Eleven: ...

Luo Zhen agreed to be with you. After using the Red Dragon Demon Arm continuously for many days, you found it hard to suppress, and that night, you and Luo Zhen achieved Yin Yang Balance.]

[Day Twelve: You discovered a clue about the treasures looted by the rebel army from the entirety of Nanyang, being transferred from Liuyin County’s Duanbei Mountain towards Western Shu.]

[Day Thirteen: You found the Vermilion Fruit on Great Yellow Mountain.]

...

...

[Day Twenty-One: Under strategic retreat from the enemy, you recaptured Nanyang. Huangfu Hao learned that there’s another main force of the Yellow Turban Rebel Army in Western Shu, much stronger than the one in Nanyang County. He requested reinforcements from the Imperial Court for an attack on Western Shu, only to be commanded by the Emperor with three decrees to return to court.]

[Simulation ends, you may retain one of the following options.]

[One, the Martial Arts experience of these ten days.]

[Two, the combat techniques of these ten days.]

[Three, the cultivation insights of these ten days.]

Chen Mo chose one.

Instantly, he felt a noticeable improvement in his cultivation.

If he chose ten days of Martial Arts experience two more times, he estimated he would reach a Second-Grade Martial Artist.

What’s crucial is that the Vermilion Fruit on Great Yellow Mountain is still there.

PS: Finding the Vermilion Fruit means being able to eat it.

However, with a higher realm, the Vermilion Fruit’s benefit is not particularly great.