After Being Abducted by the General

chapter 125

Li Li unexpectedly sent unarmed civilians to the battlefield, using them as human shields.

Yuan Li was so infuriated that his hands trembled slightly.

He knew that such things could happen on the chaotic battlefield, but witnessing it with his own eyes still felt absurd and enraging, leaving him with a deep sense of powerlessness.

This was how the world worked.

This was how the chaotic times were.

The lives of common people were of no concern to anyone. The ruling elite looked down upon the ants beneath their feet. If tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of peasants died, it didn't matter as long as there were still more people alive.

No one cared about whether the common people wanted to die or were afraid. Even the value of a piece of armor or a big sword was deemed more important than the lives of two or three commoners.

Exploitation, plundering, indifference.

Taxes, corvee labor, wars, hunger, suffering... these were things that common people experienced from birth in turbulent times.

They were at the bottom of society, struggling just to survive. How could they think of rebellion? The farmers who died on the battlefield, used as human shields, might never have had a full meal or tasted salt that wasn't bitter. They had never experienced the warmth of winter without the cold invading them.

This was the chaotic world, a world that left no room for the survival of the common people.

Lu He passed by and glanced casually, retracting his gaze without any concern. A vague remark was carried by the wind and reached Yuan Li's ears, "Li Li is really stingy..."

Yuan Li found it funny and actually burst out laughing.

No one thought it was wrong, nor did anyone feel angry about it. They even thought those who would be angry about the deaths of these common people were just pretending for show; true emotions were seen as strange.

This was the battlefield; weren't dead people a common sight?

Oh, it's just ordinary farmers without armor or weapons. So what's the difference?

Yuan Li said nothing. He calmly stood up and calmly looked at the mountainous pile of corpses.

Chu Hechao's expression wasn't good either, and he sneered, "Letting farmers come to the battlefield, no wonder Luoyang is running out of food."

When the people who cultivate the land die, can the land not become barren?

Chu Hechao looked down on people like Li Li and despised such actions. But he had seen too much, and he had become accustomed to it, even losing any emotional response. He withdrew his gaze and quickly put his arm around Yuan Li's shoulder, giving it a squeeze before lowering his voice, "Don't be upset."

Yuan Li shook his head, "Let's go back."

The battlefield was filled with corpses, and the stench of blood was nauseating.

As soon as they returned to the camp, they saw Yuan Dan and Zheng Rong, both pale-faced, retching in a corner.

It was the first time they had seen such a bloody scene up close, and they couldn't handle the shock. Their legs were even trembling.

In comparison, Yuan Li remained calm. The previous excitement and exhilaration had disappeared when he saw the innocent deaths of the common people. At this moment, he felt that his mind was calmer than ever, understanding clearly that war was not something to be excited about.