Girl, There's Something Wrong With You - Chapter 15

Jingkou Town

Located about 70 kilometers downstream along the Yangtze River from Jiankang City, Jingkou Town is only 60 kilometers from the front line established by the Shenwu Army in Changzhou. It is currently the largest gathering point for northern refugees.

The reason is simple: northern refugees have three routes to reach the Jin Empire. The western route goes to Xiangyang and then Wuchang, the central route goes to Liyang and then Jiankang, and the eastern route goes to Jingkou and then Jiankang or Lin’an.

The western and central routes are controlled by the Longxiang Army and the refugee army, respectively. These two armies mainly guard their strongholds, making the journey along these routes extremely dangerous, with the risk of being forcibly conscripted.

Only the eastern route, patrolled by the Xiaoqi Army with their guerrilla warfare tactics, frequently sweeps the demons in Qingzhou, Xuzhou, and eastern Yuzhou.

As a result, many refugees from the Central Plains prefer to take a detour and travel the eastern route southwards, despite the extra effort.

Upon reaching Jingkou, most refugees have exhausted their resources and are unable to cross the Yangtze River, so they settle there.

Over time, this area has developed into a rapidly expanding settlement with a chaotic road layout, fragmented neighborhoods, and rampant illegal construction, becoming a prime example of a disorderly, rapidly growing city.

Due to its disorderly nature, even the Xiaoqi Army only nominally governs this place. The actual governance is reportedly divided among two large refugee gangs and dozens of smaller refugee groups, leading to constant unrest and power struggles. Every household is armed, creating a fierce and lawless environment.

The advance team of the Shendu Cheng family arrived in Jingkou Town hurriedly, just as the New Year was approaching. Apart from the special Tianluo unit, Cheng Jinyang also brought along the hastily assembled staff team.

Chief Clerk Wang Jinglun, who heads the Secretariat, equivalent to the secretary-general.

Registrar Xie Youdu, also acting as the recording officer, responsible for various administrative tasks, equivalent to the head of the organization department.

Judicial assistant Cheng Huaiyan, in charge of laws, sentencing, litigation, and military affairs, equivalent to a military judge.

Hucang Yuan Cheng Yuexian, responsible for household registration, land, granaries, and finances, equivalent to a financial officer.

Naturally, four people were not enough, so Cheng Jinyang brought along the ladies as well.

Publicly, they were presented as ladies out on a leisure trip, but internally, Wang Wanrou, Xing Yunzhi, Chu Qingqing, and Cui Jinqi, who all had experience and abilities in handling family affairs, could assist in the staff team.

Li Qingwan, lacking experience in family affairs, was appointed as the captain of the personal guard, responsible for Cheng Jinyang’s safety.

Xiao Wangshu, having no particular strengths, was given a symbolic position as a military advisor. In the current development of the Jin Empire, the role of a military advisor had become largely ceremonial.

With this arrangement, the staff team now had nine members, enough to establish a foothold in Jingkou… hopefully.

As for military strength, it was much more formidable.

The Tianluo unit consisted of over 70 seasoned assassins, fully equipped with flight suits, optical camouflage, and smart firearms.

The ladies, despite being labeled as such, were actually part of a formidable sixth-grade team. It was likely that even if all the refugee gangs in Jingkou joined forces, they wouldn’t be a match for their side.

Of course, the goal of this trip was not to eliminate the refugee gangs but to restore order in Jingkou and bring it under control. Therefore, dealing with the refugees wasn’t simply a matter of killing them off.

Those who could be assimilated would be, turning them into their strength. Those who couldn’t be assimilated, the high-level members would be eliminated and forcibly absorbed.

Refugee gangs typically lacked clear, deeply rooted organizational principles, with most members following the “whoever has the weapons is the boss” and “whoever feeds us is in charge” mentality.

Settling into the best high-end inn in the area, they began reviewing the information on the refugee gangs in Jingkou.

“Currently, there are two major refugee gangs in Jingkou.”

“One is the ‘Yanzhao Gang,’ mainly composed of northern refugees from Ji, Yan, Qing, and Yu states, led by Liu Daojian. His father was an old general of our family, so we can use this connection to win him over,” said Xie Youdu calmly. “If he refuses, he can be removed and replaced.”

“The other is the ‘Da Jiang Gang,’ mainly composed of local residents of Jingkou and refugees from southern Xuzhou, led by Sun Wuzhong. This man is from Guangling County, known for his bravery. Although there are tensions with the Yanzhao Gang, he has always ordered his men to avoid full-scale bloodshed,” added Wang Jinglun, bowing slightly. “If we want to recruit him, I am willing to speak on your behalf.”

Cheng Jinyang: ?

Wait, we’ve only just sat down for five minutes, and you two have already formulated a plan?

“Let’s do it this way then,” he decided firmly. “Huaiyan, send a few seasoned Tianluo to ensure the personal safety of Chief Clerk Wang and Registrar Xie.”

“Understood,” Cheng Huaiyan responded.

With that, the staff began to act. The Chief Clerk and Registrar set out separately to contact the leaders of the two vagrant gangs, while Cheng Jinyang took the opportunity to go out and inspect the real situation locally.

The settlement in Jingkou was located on a peninsula called “Fanziwei,” which jutted into the Yangtze River like a boot. Due to the densely built houses, cars couldn’t drive on the roads, but boat transportation was quite developed, with vessels coming and going along the riverbank in a busy weave.

These northern refugees seemed to prefer living along the river. When Cheng Jinyang asked the local residents, he learned it was because the Kui-Zhang couldn’t swim; they could survive by jumping into the water if they encountered them.

Thus, the first refugees to arrive in Jingkou built houses along the riverbank. Later arrivals built on the outskirts, layer by layer like fish scales, expanding ever larger, leading to the current state of Jingkou with no municipal planning whatsoever.

With such a crowded layout, even without demon attacks, a large-scale fire could trap many people inside with no way to escape.

As he continued forward, Cheng Jinyang came across a boat market where two armed gangs of refugees were showing off and shouting insults at each other.

“Stinking dog food, short and dark, you lousy Malays are swaggering here!” yelled a group of crew-cut men across from them, brandishing rifles.

Although they spoke Mandarin and every word was understandable, the meaning was unclear, except that it was insulting.

“Tungusic wild boar skin, you think you’re tough? Want to eat bullets?” the other group, dressed more neatly and armed with pistols, laughed mockingly.

Cheng Jinyang could just barely understand this as local slang from the rural areas near Jiankang, meaning “You savage, think you’re so great? I’ll make you eat bullets.”

After cursing for a while and seeing the other side continuing to laugh without responding, the crew-cut men demonstratively disengaged their safety catches and raised their rifles as if ready to shoot.

The leader on this side waved his hand, and numerous men suddenly appeared on the rooftops, also holding guns and aiming down at the crew-cut men.

“What the hell, setting an ambush?” the crew-cut men exclaimed in shock, “Damn you!”

Cheng Jinyang quickly ducked into a nearby alley as gunfire erupted like thunder outside, accompanied by sporadic screams of pain.

Jingkou’s people were too wild!

Damn, were these roughnecks going to be part of the private army he was supposed to build in the future?