Chapter 5

As the bamboo raft floated down the small river and merged into the larger one, Niu Youdao put away the bamboo pole and let the raft drift with the current. He had no reason to doubt himself, for a dying man's words are sincere, and there was no need to be overly suspicious.

Sitting on the bamboo raft, he used a machete to cut some small bamboo strips, gathered some dry firewood he had prepared in advance, and took out a fire starter to light a small fire on a flat rock. He then began to roast the bamboo strips, sweating out the greenness until they were sufficiently flexible. He cut the bamboo strips into small segments and pulled out some hemp twine from his pocket, testing its strength to ensure it was sturdy enough. He then tied the small bamboo segments to the hemp twine at intervals, securing them in the middle of each segment.

He then pulled out a wheat straw from his pocket, cut it into small pieces, and bent the flexible bamboo strips, using the small wheat straw segments to hold the ends of the bamboo strips together, preventing them from springing apart. He fished out a handful of wheat grains from a hole in his tattered clothes, which he had collected one by one from the muddy ground in the village, likely dropped by bandits during a raid. He inserted a grain into the hole of the wheat straw that held the bamboo strips together, creating a simple trap. He repeated this process, setting up over a dozen such traps on the hemp twine.

He then lowered the hemp twine into the water, tying one end to the raft, and left the rest to fate. Niu Youdao didn't worry about it, taking a bamboo tube to draw water from the river, warming it in his mouth before swallowing. He sat on the raft, roasting by the fire, enjoying the scenery along the riverbanks, his eyes filled with curiosity about this world.

After some time, he felt a slight movement under the raft, indicating something was pulling at it. His face lit up with excitement. The movement continued, but he remained seated, waiting. Soon, the movement stopped.

He pulled the hemp twine from the back of the raft, and soon a fish weighing two to three pounds emerged from the water. The fish's gills had been pierced by the bamboo strips, leaving it half-dead. These simple traps were effective because the gills are the fish's respiratory system, and any obstruction would cause the fish to drown even in water. The bamboo strips' elasticity made it difficult for the fish to escape, and the lack of oxygen quickly drained its strength, making it hard for the fish to get away. In contrast, fish caught on hooks could struggle for a longer time.

Of course, these small traps had their limitations, making it difficult to catch larger fish.

With limited resources in the village and no food to carry, Niu Youdao had to make do with what he could find. He needed to find ways to sustain himself on the journey. He removed the fish, reinserted the wheat straw, and baited the traps again before lowering them back into the water. The other wheat grains had swollen, increasing the chances of attracting more fish.

He picked up the half-dead fish, took out a dagger, and cleaned it in the river before roasting it over the fire. Since he could catch fish, it seemed the ecosystem here was healthy. He planned to stay on the raft for his basic needs, as he had heard the area was in turmoil, and it would be safer to remain on the raft.

Just as the fish was done, and Niu Youdao was about to take a bite, he felt another tug under the raft. He was delighted.

Meanwhile, on the distant shore, a horse-drawn carriage was being pursued by a group of riders. They quickly caught up, and the cavalry on both sides fired arrows into the carriage, causing screams to erupt. The carriage was quickly brought to a halt.

As the raft passed by, Niu Youdao watched soldiers drag several bodies out of the carriage. One person seemed to be alive, kneeling and begging for mercy. A general rode up and thrust his spear, killing the kneeling person.

Seeing such violence in broad daylight, Niu Youdao, who had experienced a different world, found it excessive. The soldiers' actions in the village had already given him a poor impression, and he could only watch coldly.

The general, noticing Niu Youdao, found it curious that he was roasting fish on the raft.

Niu Youdao also noticed the soldiers' attention and pretended to be a commoner, busy with his own tasks. He pulled up the hemp twine from the back of the raft and retrieved another fish.

The general's eyes sparkled with interest. "In the dead of winter, dressed in tattered clothes, yet he manages to find food. This young man seems resourceful. With some training, he might be a good recruit," she said in a woman's voice.

Her subordinate understood, realizing she wanted to recruit the young man. He shouted to Niu Youdao, "Young man, come ashore! We have questions for you."

Niu Youdao, fearing for his safety, pretended not to hear, wiping his hands on his clothes and continuing to eat his fish, acting deaf.

Thud! An arrow embedded in the raft, trembling near Niu Youdao, nearly startling him. If it had been a bit off, it could have hit him.

He looked up angrily and saw the general who had just killed the man.

She sat on her horse, bow in hand, and shouted, "Young man, come here!"

Her voice was clear and bright, pleasant to the ear. Niu Youdao realized she was a female general, her gender hidden by her battle armor. He was furious and gave her the middle finger, shouting, "Bitch!"

The general, though not understanding the gesture, could tell it was not a compliment from his curse. A commoner daring to insult an officer was bold, and she found it intriguing. She laughed coldly.

Her subordinates immediately drew their bows and aimed at him.

"Damn!" Niu Youdao exclaimed, realizing he had forgotten about their archery skills. He should not have provoked her. He flipped over and plunged into the cold river.

A series of thuds followed as arrows hit the spot where Niu Youdao had been sitting, the fire on the raft flickering and the burning wood scattering.

The general exclaimed, "Hmm," her eyes showing increasing admiration. She found the young man's quick reaction impressive. Most people would have panicked, but he immediately sought to avoid danger, confirming her belief that he was a good prospect. She raised her hand to stop her subordinates from shooting again and watched him with a mocking smile, leading her troops to follow the raft.

Underwater, Niu Youdao grabbed the edge of the raft and surfaced to see that the pile of dry wood on the raft was on fire. He quickly splashed water to extinguish the flames, knowing that if the raft burned, he would have no means to transport the body to Shangqing Sect.

Seeing the soldiers following him at a steady pace, Niu Youdao swam the raft to the opposite shore.

The general casually drew an arrow from her quiver, nocked it, and shot it across the river, embedding it in a crooked tree trunk on the opposite bank. Niu Youdao's mouth twitched. The river was at least sixty to seventy meters wide, and she had easily hit a small tree on the other side. Her message was clear: if he tried to land on the opposite shore, she would shoot him down.

Niu Youdao did consider it, thinking of giving Dongguo Haoran a water burial and escaping to the other side. It wasn't that he was heartless, but the water was too cold, and staying in it for too long would be fatal.

The general smiled mockingly, watching to see how long he could stay in the water. She slowed her horse, keeping a close eye on Niu Youdao, and had her men set up a long line along the riverbank to prevent him from escaping by diving.

After a while, Niu Youdao's teeth began to chatter from the cold. He finally shouted, "General, we have no grudge. Why are you trying to kill me?"

The general replied, "No grudge? Who did you call a bitch just now?"

Niu Youdao was speechless for a moment, then shouted, "Can't you let bygones be bygones?"

The general said firmly, "No!"

Niu Youdao asked, "What will it take for you to let me go?"

The general replied, "Simple. Come serve under me and atone for your insolence. Join my army!"

Niu Youdao, thinking she would torture him, was skeptical. He didn't trust her and suspected she wanted to trick him into a trap. Since she wasn't being reasonable, he decided to be blunt, shouting, "I have no interest in joining your army. How about being your man instead?"

The general laughed coldly, "You're just a kid, and you still have the nerve to talk back. Let's see how long you can stay in the water!" She nocked an arrow, ready to shoot.

Niu Youdao took a deep breath and dove under the water, grabbing the vines under the raft and hiding beneath it.

After a while, seeing no movement, he cautiously surfaced, only to be met with the general's bow being drawn again, forcing him back under the water.

After several attempts, Niu Youdao realized she was toying with him. He couldn't risk her actually shooting him, so he had to hide. He moved to the pile of dry wood, where Dongguo Haoran's body was, not caring if it put him in danger.

Fortunately, the terrain ahead became complex, making it difficult for the horses to follow the river. The river began to meander, and distant mountains loomed, suggesting the river would flow through a mountainous area, increasing its speed.

A subordinate rode up to the general and whispered something. She looked ahead, then fell silent. She pulled out a token, attached it to an arrow, and shot it onto the raft, shouting, "Listen up, boy! Since you entertained me today, I'll give you a chance. The world is in chaos, and life is hard. If you change your mind, bring this token to the government in Guangyi County, and you'll find me. I can't promise much, but I can ensure you'll have food and shelter, and maybe even a future. Don't be ungrateful!" She then turned her horse and led her troops away, galloping off.

Niu Youdao, relieved, continued his journey, grateful for the unexpected reprieve.