Chapter 16

I had another dream, where I saw many familiar faces, as well as those I had only briefly met but left a deep impression, all dead. Amidst the chaos, these lives, whether noble or humble, ordinary or extraordinary, were as fragile as moths dancing around a flame.

Xu Zhen, the chubby boy with a round face and considerable wealth, who was known for his ambition to inherit the family business and become a great merchant, twisted his ankle from exhaustion and was drowned in the torchlight of the pursuing soldiers, crying and wailing.

Su Minghui, who was always shy and gentle, longing for his hometown and planning to marry his childhood sweetheart, was struck by an arrow and fell just a step away from the ship's deck. Despite my desperate efforts to pull him, he slipped into the dark river, exhausted and powerless.

Wei Bo, who was determined to restore the glory of the royal family and usher in a new era of prosperity, was crushed by a burning door frame, and his ideals and ambitions were buried in the flames.

Xu Shengzhi, born with premature white hair but a handsome and charming appearance, dedicated to the family's dragon-slaying techniques and aspiring to assist a wise ruler, hesitated for a moment and was hit by splinters from a broken wooden pole, his body mangled and bloodied, falling into the water.

Changsun Wu, who looked old but was gentle when talking about his daughter, vowed to revive his long-declined clan and restore its glory, charged fearlessly at the pursuers, his body covered in blood, dragging his severed limbs, roaring to attract more enemies.

Guang Pingchao, who swore to achieve the three great accomplishments in his lifetime and become a renowned scholar like Wang Jimo, the youngest lecturer at Jing University, lay on the ship's deck, suffering from a fever due to an infected wound, and passed away with a stiff, eerie smile, his dreams and aspirations unfulfilled.

Lin Tingtao, the champion of the two consecutive inter-school ball games and founder of the Wind Forest Society, volunteered to dive into the water to open the chain at the water gate but was entangled by debris and never resurfaced.

As one of the few survivors from the two schools and three auxiliary forces, I was fortunate to be sent out as a seed of the Shilin faction. Meeting me was both their luck and their misfortune, as I would do everything in my power to help and use them to increase my chances of escaping Luoyang.

When I encountered this group while hiding in the semi-abandoned royal library to find something, I was not spared their suspicions and fears.

On a rare warm afternoon, my brief nap was interrupted. I glanced at the intruder and mumbled, "Mule, you're blocking my sun."

"That's a sin, indeed," he replied with a carefree smile. "How can I make it up to you?"

This young man, wrapped in bandages like a half-mummy, was named Luo Kedi, one of my few visitors. He was the head of the Left Army's Roaming Division, commanding a small group of scouts.

Due to his aggressive nature, he earned the nickname "Big Mule" or "Big Luo," but only a few people he trusted could call him that. Otherwise, they might end up like the head of the Seventh Division of the old camp, who had to speak with a lisp after losing his teeth.

"Skip the compensation, just come by less often," I waved my hand. "I'm just a clerk, not worth such treatment."

Though he was just a minor commander, his influence was significant because his elder brother, Luo Piaoqi, was the chief of the three main generals of the Left Army of Liangshan. Luo Piaoqi, a famous general from the old Sanzhen Army of the Pinglu Circuit, held the military rank of Left Deputy. After the sudden death of his patron, he was framed in a power struggle among the successors, killing his enemies' families in anger and fleeing to Liangshan.

Thus, the Luo brothers and their subordinates were among the few in Liangshan with a legitimate military background. Luo Piaoqi, despite being a member of the Five Armies, maintained a certain distance from the group, rarely showing initiative.

However, his younger brother, Luo Kedi, was more enthusiastic about the group's affairs. He was one of the younger generation I interacted with more frequently, often venting his frustrations about the current situation and expressing his hopes for the future, without the arrogance of some others.

"You can't say that, we've been through life and death together," he said. "That was just your good health and luck."

Luo Kedi was skilled with a flying spear, carrying three to five shorter than usual spears that could be used for thrusting, throwing, and blocking. His scouts were trained in light cavalry tactics, emphasizing speed and agility. However, during the siege of the five states, he was knocked off his horse several times and, unable to escape on foot, his division was reduced to a few dozen wounded men.

Due to heavy casualties and confusion in the command, he was left among the injured, half-dead from blood loss. His subordinates found him and, with knives drawn, threatened the only medic, who was helpless. For some inexplicable reason, he was brought to me, as a captive had mentioned my healing skills.

Under threat, I treated him, removing five arrowheads and several fragments from his body, stitching and applying a special ointment. Despite the risk of infection, his strong constitution helped him survive, and we formed a bond.

Because of this, his brother promised to protect me, and as one of the Five Armies' generals, his word carried weight, allowing me to hide in the storeroom and work on my projects without much interference.

"The story and public opinion you told me about the Rebel King are brilliant," he said, showing me a flyer with the slogans I had provided:

"Rise in the morning, sleep at night, the rich and powerful take your wives,

Eat and wear what you can, the poor struggle to survive.

Open the city gates, welcome Liangshan, no more taxes when Liangshan comes.

Open the gates early, bow to Liangshan, and everyone will be happy."

"Of course, this is one of the successful propaganda methods used by Li Zicheng, the famous postal worker who overthrew the Ming Dynasty, supposedly written by the legendary Li Yan."

"My elder brother specifically asked me to seek your advice," he said. "He is very considerate."

"Indeed," I replied. "He is."

He handed me a package, containing an old, greasy map and a few small metal items. "I got the things."

"I only have a copy from the Shouguang County office; larger maps are kept in the main garrison."

"Supposedly, even larger and more detailed maps are in the overseas colonies, but getting them..."

He shook his head. "Look it over and return it soon."

"Also," he tossed me a sheathed short blade. "My brother specifically asked me to give this to you as a reward."

I held it, feeling its weight. It was too long to be a dagger and too thin to be a short sword, resembling a long bayonet from a later era, encased in a fine leather sheath and harness. The steel handle, partially visible, bore the faint inscription "Secretariat... Military Supervision," indicating its origin. I drew it out, and the sharp edge was impressive, but the other side was only partially sharpened, with a serrated edge, which looked familiar.

"No need to thank me," he said. "Do you really not want to help my brother?"

"He can give you a good position," he added.

"Good position my ass. You want to put me, a recent arrival with no roots or experience, in a position where everyone will scrutinize me?"

I couldn't easily agree. Being tied to the Luo brothers would mean no chance of escaping this bandit stronghold with no future.

"Let's not talk about how your brother's men and the other factions might react. They might use it as an excuse to cause trouble."

"You really think things through," he said, not angry. "If I had a sister, I might have married you. Then it wouldn't matter how you were placed, right?"

"If you became my brother-in-law, you'd have a reason and the right to help me. Even though my family is gone, how about adopting a sister?"

"Hey, you're really saying this to my face? Are you a real man?"

Seeing his serious expression, I felt a twitch in my eyelid. Truly, shamelessness knows no bounds.

Usually, as one of the few people I could talk to on the mountain, he would bring wine and food to share, chat, and discuss life and ideals, broadening my horizons.

After all, I was just a head-injured amnesiac from a distant part of the overseas colonies, somewhat out of place in the Central Plains.

I suspected he had a hidden talkative side, able to chatter endlessly without repeating himself, making me wonder if he lacked attention and expression in his childhood.

But I mostly entertained him with stories. Even on the battlefield, he carried a worn copy of "The Heroes of Water Margin." When he was injured and bedridden, he asked me to read to him, which was one of the reasons we became acquainted. He was particularly fond of the anti-government romanticism and the ideals of justice outside the system described in the novel.

Unfortunately, the Liangshan bandits were more like a rebel group from the Wagon Fort, with the support and indirect control of the overseas colonies, making them far from ordinary desperate rebels.

Despite this, he enjoyed discussing the characters and their strengths and weaknesses in "Water Margin," especially the tragic Lin Chong, the bold Li Kui, and the righteous Lu Zhishen. Occasionally, he would ask questions that didn't seem to come from him, which I ignored.

He would sometimes ask me to read to his men, stories like "Three Bowls and No Crossing the Ridge," "Beating Jiang Men Shen," "The Intelligent Capture of the Birthday Tribute," "The Intelligent Investigation of the Swallow Tower," and "The Secret Meeting with Li Shishi," which were always popular with the crowd.

These storytelling sessions sometimes extended beyond his men, with a group of burly heads gathered, listening intently, which gave me a sense of accomplishment and a bit of unease.

This way, I became somewhat familiar and had easier access to the front camp. Despite Liangshan's power, their entertainment options were limited, and the men spent most of their savings on prostitutes.

So, I "invented" a few simple sports, which helped me gain their trust and provided a cover for my escape plans. In exchange, they helped me obtain paper, pens, books, tools, and some special items from the blacksmith.

With this free time, I used the materials provided by Luo Kedi and others to conduct experiments, creating portable and durable food, insect repellents, multi-purpose backpacks, water bottles for cooking and drinking, and reusable ropes and clips.

For example, the small metal items Luo Kedi brought were combined with cut leather strips to form the beginnings of a marching belt. The short blade easily cut through the tough leather and left a deep mark on the wooden table, proving surprisingly useful.

Holding the sharp short blade, I began to ponder the significance of Luo Kedi's appearance and the signs it might bring.