Cannon Fodder in an Era Drama — I Survive with Acting-Chapter 176: Backed into a Corner

He shot to his feet and took a step forward.

Almost by instinct, Fei Jin reached out and gently pulled Song Qingya behind him.

Seeing this, Yang Kai quickly retreated two steps and raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. He plastered an ingratiating smile on his face and said hurriedly,

"Fei Village Chief, Doctor Song, I really don’t mean any harm! I’m just... so eager to get this settled! Time is of the essence!"

He spoke in a rapid-fire burst, barely pausing to breathe, and a thin layer of sweat had already beaded on his forehead.

Song Qingya peeked out from behind Fei Jin, her gaze still calm as she watched Yang Kai.

In the moment he’d lunged forward, she had inadvertently glimpsed the bandage on his left arm.

"Mr. Yang," she said suddenly, "what exactly happened to your arm?"

Yang Kai froze, then stammered, "This... this is from a few days ago... I took a fall. Slipped on the stairs and hit the corner of a wall."

The corner of Song Qingya’s lips curved into a scornful arc. "A fall did that? So bad you need a bandage? And the wound is still bleeding through?"

Yang Kai was left speechless, the sweat on his forehead beading more heavily.

He snuck a glance at Fei Jin, only to find the man staring coldly at him.

He grew even more flustered. His palms began to feel clammy, and his breathing quickened.

Finally, his voice barely a whisper and his lips trembling slightly, he quietly admitted, "I... I clashed with Wang Kang’s men. Got a little injured by accident."

After hearing this, Song Qingya had already made her judgment.

’Daring to fight Wang Kang head-on and even getting wounded... it seems Yang Kai isn’t just putting on an act.’

’At least he has a kind of courage most people lack.’

’Perhaps he really does have some critical information, forcing him to take this risk.’

She called out softly, "Cheng Peng."

"Here!"

Cheng Peng snapped to attention in response.

Song Qingya lowered her voice and gave her orders in a hushed tone. "Go take a walk outside and discreetly ask around. Find out what kind of reputation this Yang Kai has among the common folk. Someone needs to verify on the ground whether the things he’s saying are true or not. Things are tense right now, so be careful."

"Understood!"

Cheng Peng replied in a low voice, immediately grasping her intentions.

Fei Jin gazed at Song Qingya. In the firelight, her features were serene, her eyes deep and profound.

’This woman seems gentle, but in reality, her mind is meticulous. She knows when to advance and when to retreat. She’s no ordinary person.’

’No wonder she was able to survive in such chaotic times and make it this far,’ he mused.

He turned his head, his gaze falling on Yang Kai. "You should go back for now. That’s all for today. We’ll talk tomorrow."

Yang Kai’s expression changed instantly upon hearing this.

His voice trembled as he cried out, "How can I do that? You can’t just send me back! The situation back home is about to collapse! Those people... they’re lying on the ground, one by one, with unrelenting high fevers, coughing up blood, unable to even drink water! If we delay any longer, people are really going to die!"

His voice was filled with a nearly desperate plea. "I came today specifically to discuss borrowing money to buy medicine! The apothecaries outside the city have been out of stock for ages, and the market price has tripled! But no matter how expensive it is, we have to buy it, or they’ll all die! Fei Village Chief, if you don’t agree, what am I supposed to use to save them? How am I supposed to help them hold on to that last breath?"

Song Qingya watched Yang Kai quietly, her gaze steady and direct.

She saw the fine beads of sweat on his forehead, his face flushed red, and his eyes bloodshot. He looked like a man pushed to the brink.

Her heart stirred. She carefully observed his expression and behavior, and the more she watched, the less it seemed like an act.

She bit her lower lip gently, hesitating for a moment before finally speaking. "What if... I go with him? I’m a doctor. Maybe if I go there and see the patients’ conditions with my own eyes, I can determine if this is real and provide timely treatment. If there are truly critical patients, we can’t just stand by and watch them die."

"No."

Fei Jin’s voice was firm and decisive, without a trace of hesitation.

His brow was tightly furrowed as his sharp gaze swept over Yang Kai’s face. He said coldly, "It’s too dangerous. This man’s story is full of holes. What if you rashly follow him to a place like that and there’s an ambush, or you get taken hostage?"

Song Qingya knew he was worried about her, and a warmth spread through her heart.

She didn’t argue, just nodded lightly, her voice soft. "Alright, I won’t go. I’ll listen to you."

Hearing this, Yang Kai froze on the spot, unable to move.

He had finally made his way here and was on the verge of getting the money, only to be completely shut down by a "we’ll talk tomorrow."

But he didn’t dare cause a scene or say anything more.

The two people before him were a village chief with military power and a doctor with influential backing. As an outsider from the countryside, he had no right to act out.

He could only soften his tone. "Then... Fei Village Chief, could you lend me a little money first, even just ten or twenty? I swear, once we take the city, the first thing I’ll do is pay you back! I, Yang Kai, swear to the heavens I won’t go back on my word!"

Song Qingya didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she slowly rose and walked to the window.

She was beginning to understand.

’This Yang Kai... he most likely heard that Wang Kang was captured and the city is now without a leader. That’s why he’s so eager to pop up, using ’saving people’ as a pretext to seize the opportunity, take control of resources, and gain fame and power.’

"How about this, Mr. Yang."

"Tomorrow morning, I’ll personally bring medicine and make the trip with you. We’ll go to the village you mentioned and see the patients. At that time, I will tell you Fei Village Chief’s final decision in person. Rest assured, regardless of the outcome, as long as the patients genuinely need treatment, I, as a physician, will do my utmost and will not stand idly by."

Yang Kai was stunned.

He stared at Song Qingya, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"Doctor Song, you... are you serious?"

Song Qingya didn’t offer any further explanation, nor did she spare him another glance.

She gave a slight nod.

This time, Yang Kai believed her. He was so excited he nearly jumped for joy.

He thanked her profusely, his voice trembling. "This is wonderful! Thank you so much! Doctor Song, you’re a living Bodhisattva! You’re saving our entire village!"

Fei Jin stood to the side, his hands in the pockets of his military uniform, silently watching the scene unfold without saying a word.

He knew Song Qingya wasn’t the type to make promises lightly. She had always been measured and principled in her actions, never agreeing to someone’s request without careful consideration.

Since she had agreed to go, he knew she must have her reasons. She just never liked to spell things out, so Fei Jin chose to remain silent.

"Mr. Yang, don’t be so quick with your thanks."

Fei Jin finally spoke up. "My wife agreeing to go with you comes with a precondition."

Hearing the word "precondition," the smile on Yang Kai’s face slowly faded.

He looked at Fei Jin with a serious expression.

"Tell me, tell me! I’ll agree to any condition! As long as I can save the people, I won’t even bat an eye, even if you ask me to climb a mountain of swords or plunge into a sea of fire!"

After a moment, Fei Jin spoke slowly. "You’ll find out when you get there tomorrow."

He deliberately left him in suspense, not spelling out the condition.

Yang Kai’s heart was racing; he felt like an ant on a hot pan.