Chapter 30

Like a Swiss roll, the three factions, entangled layer upon layer, were in a deadlock. Whether it was the radical faction with a numerical advantage around Feng Junzi, or the conservative faction with fewer but elite members around Lu Tianjun, they were both at a disadvantage against the newly arrived reinforcements of the Haifan faction.

Driven by hatred and resentment, the crowd, with bloodshot eyes, pushed and fought, becoming the best targets for the maximum effectiveness of firearms. Although they all knew that a more powerful third party had intervened, those who were in the heat of battle could not let go of their opponents and turn to unite against the greater threat.

The blood-soaked training ground, dyed a dark brown mud, was trampled to reveal the color of the brown earth beneath. Along the main roads, so many people surged into the battlefield that some were pushed to the edges and tumbled down the slopes filled with yellow earth and loose rocks, screaming in pain, their bodies battered and bruised.

More people climbed up the less steep slopes, only to be tripped by the bodies rolling down, entangled and falling again.

Suddenly, a silent group of people appeared. They wore clothing similar to the Haifan faction and only attacked when they were close and loudly scolded, then they suddenly erupted in a frenzy of slashing and fighting.

They immediately broke through the line of shield bearers protecting the firearms team. These once formidable firearms teams began to panic and scatter, only to be cut down in the blood.

A group of military officers with white armbands and shoulder bands were setting up barricades and wooden fences at key intersections in the Xiaoliang Mountains, forcibly gathering and managing the panicked and fleeing crowds and soldiers.

Distributing various weapons and food, even though it was hastily prepared, the dual effect somewhat calmed the minds of the fleeing people.

"Everything has been carried out according to the pre-planned strategy."

"The major generals and heads trapped in the side hall have been rescued."

"The armories and warehouses on the mountain have also been occupied."

"Just as we rehearsed... but..."

"But what?"

"The armor and weapons in the armories are mostly empty."

"Indeed, someone has been plotting to set up a new base outside the mountain."

"But now we have soldiers and food, and we control the strategic points of the mountain."

"Even if the right and front armies are not on our side, we can still maintain an unbeatable position."

At that moment, the sound of sparks and dust spraying and the collapse of the Hall of Heroes could be clearly felt from the top to the bottom of the mountain.

Amidst the smoke and fire, the collapse of the Hall of Heroes buried most of the leaders of Liangshan and their ambitions, but the story of Liangshan in this era was just beginning.

"Didn't find the bodies of Lu Linglong and Feng Junzi?"

In front of the Hall of Heroes, littered with corpses, a voice solemnly said,

"Indeed, most of it was predicted."

Luo Piaoqi touched the blood streaming down his face; his forehead had been cut by flying debris and hadn't even been bandaged yet.

"Indecisiveness leads to death without a whole body."

"Report."

A fast-footed soldier with a flag rushed over.

"The ships of the Haifan faction have already left the harbor behind the mountain."

"Just ignore them."

Luo Piaoqi shook his head.

"They also took..."

The voice became inaudible.

"Damn, use every means to get that key back."

Luo Piaoqi's face changed.

"Don't be afraid to turn against them. As long as we have this territory and connections, even without the虾夷 (Ezo) and the耽罗 (Tamna) factions, we can find another partner."

A moment later,

"Is there anything you don't understand?"

Luo Piaoqi, covered in blood, shouted at the surviving middle-level leaders of Liangshan.

Of course, speaking to his confidants was one thing, but speaking to these people was another.

"We didn't want to get involved. Whether we surrender to the government or continue to serve the factions, as long as we can preserve our base, everything else is irrelevant."

"But their actions will likely leave no survivors in Liangshan."

"Willing to follow the great righteousness of Luo Zhusuo."

The remaining people, understanding the implications, loudly echoed in agreement. As the largest remaining power in Liangshan, even those who were reluctant had no position to resist.

"Why did you..."

Luo Keji, who was closely following, suddenly gritted his teeth and whispered,

"Send Mr. Xia out of the mountain... wasn't that the plan?"

His robe was tattered from the smoke and fire, and blisters from burns were visible. This was the result of leading the attack on the firearms teams.

"If it weren't for his strategy..."

"Are you questioning me?"

Luo Piaoqi, exhausted, massaged his forehead.

"It's just a temporary measure, a test to see if he can be of use to us."

"I didn't expect their determination to eliminate him to be so strong, even the secret team around the Zhusuo was swayed."

...

A despairing end-of-the-world scenario, after several months, once again descended upon me. Even the wealth accumulated over the years in the mountain might be lost.

I looked at the mountain peak with some nostalgia. The false comfort of a short time had made me feel a sense of weariness, and I realized I was not suited to stand out in this chaotic era.

Due to the upheaval on Liangshan,

The remaining people split. The elderly, with families and ties, hoped to return to the mountain to see if their families were safe.

The newly added members, unwilling to take more risks, preferred to return to the surrounding villages to wait for news. The previous battles had left them exhausted and disheartened.

This led to two camps accusing each other, almost coming to blows. In the end, the old soldier Deng Fang stepped in, killing a troublemaker and forcefully suppressing the dissent, deciding that each group would go their own way.

So, the spoils and supplies on the wagons were divided, and they parted ways, splitting into several groups to find their own paths.

The largest group, led by Deng Fang, consisted of about half the people, with the best-equipped forty to fifty men. Whether they returned home, joined the army, or became bandits, they had enough support.

"Do you know..."

Deng Fang, before parting, said to me calmly,

"I once owed a life to the leader. But now, I no longer owe him."

"Does Xia Sheng really not want to go with me?"

Then he extended another invitation.

"Um, sorry, I have other matters... perhaps we will meet again."

After experiencing so much, the opportunity for my freedom was suddenly before me, and I was eager to seize it.

"I was too abrupt."

He seemed to misunderstand something, but I didn't bother to correct him.

"Wherever Xia Sheng goes, I believe he will find opportunities to stand out."

After refusing to go with him, I was alone again.

However, before leaving, he, despite the failed invitation, still remembered our last connection and gave me a much-needed mule, some travel gear, and portable food and utensils.

"If we can meet again..."

Although there were horses, for someone lacking riding experience, they would be difficult to handle. I chose a more docile red mule instead.

I decided to name the chestnut-colored mule "Red Tiger" to commemorate a distant memory that has been repeatedly respected by history and common sense.

I could only apologize to Aguda and Sanmei, who were still on the mountain, hoping the things I left behind and the preparations would be useful to you.

To prepare for possible upheavals on Liangshan, I dug a small shelter behind the miscellaneous warehouse, storing some emergency supplies. Due to the lack of time, it was only half-dug, enough to accommodate two people.

The saddle on the mule was not very suitable, so I had to be extra careful when riding, but it was better than walking for a long time.

The river, once used for fishing and transportation, now flowed with a red color, and floating corpses occasionally got stuck on the banks. Various charred and broken fragments indicated that even the outer areas of Liangshan, the reed-covered marshes, had become battlefields. However, for the time being, it was still safe.

Avoiding the main roads, I followed the edge in the direction I remembered. It soon got dark.

Since it was already night, walking in the dark was not a good idea. I found a semi-circular depression behind a hill near the road, and used broken stones and soil to build a perimeter.

Then, using the reeds for cover, I wove a roof. The fire and smoke at night would be hard to detect unless someone was very close.

In the reed field, I cut a circle of reeds to prevent fires. The reed stalks were bundled into several similar-sized long bundles, slightly roasted and cut, and then covered with thick leather to make a good bed.

Another part of the smaller reed bundles was stacked in a cross to form a small, sloping triangular shelter, just enough to fit one person. Pressing the sides with stones and applying a mixture of mud and water, it could serve as a wind and rain shelter.

A small crossbow was placed within reach, and a sharp short saber was inserted into the shelter, a personal memento from Deng Fang. I also set up a few simple traps with grass and branches around the area.

These simple traps had no killing power but would make a clear sound when touched, breaking branches or something similar.

They were mainly to deal with wild animals and other uninvited guests. I used leather straps and hair ties to make a new release mechanism, as the one I had made was lost on the battlefield and couldn't be recovered.

Because of the rapid stringing of the crossbow, my fingers were still bruised. I then checked the available supplies.

Most of the things I had prepared for months were left on Liangshan with Aguda, which was a bit regrettable and painful, but there was nothing I could do.

Besides the crossbow, dagger, and some small parts on the leather strap, there were few usable items. Fortunately, I had brought a lot of portable food and miscellaneous items from the wagons, filling two large bags. A makeshift compass could be made with a needle and a leaf, and bedding was made from cut fabric and felt. Spare clothes and leather-lined garments, water bottles, and utensils were taken from the enemies.

However, things like ointments, alcohol, and sweets were unavailable.

A dried sausage, a piece of roasted bean cake, and a small piece of salted fish were selected as my dinner ingredients. I needed to fetch water to make a hot soup.

Because the river was contaminated, I had to walk further to fetch water using a leather bladder, which served as a good filter through the complex root system of the dead reeds.

As I pressed down, I heard a gurgling sound.

I even spotted a bird, likely a wild duck, sitting on a nest. It squawked and flew away when I startled it, and I shot it with an arrow, piercing its wings and chest. It struggled and fell into the water, then slowly floated away.

I cursed my bad luck.

These precious custom-made short arrows were made from the best materials and iron, with three-point and diamond-shaped heads. I had only about thirty in total, and each one used was one less.

I had to take off my boots and roll up my pants to wade into the water to retrieve it. However, the waterfowl, weighing over a pound, would still provide a good amount of meat after plucking and cleaning, along with the seven or eight eggs in the nest, compensating for the wetness.

Feeling the cold water and the muddy bottom, I could sense fish touching my legs.

I suddenly saw a white object floating slowly towards me. I cursed again, thinking it was bad luck that it had floated here even though I had chosen a different path.

I reached out to grab it, but it wouldn't budge. I pulled it up and cut it with a knife, revealing a metallic sheen in the cut. This piqued my curiosity.

Fortunately, the body was not stiff or swollen, and it was a child or young teenager.

It was a drowned boy. After some thought, I decided to bury him, though it was a bit regrettable. His delicate face made me feel a sense of helplessness and sorrow that beautiful things are often easily destroyed.

Dragging him through the mud, I lost my grip and he fell, making a low groan and spitting out some water. He was still alive.

When I tried to perform CPR, I was surprised to find that, despite his boyish appearance, the inner clothing was clearly female. I confirmed this by feeling his groin. It was a girl, and I felt a sense of relief.

Although her body was cold, I could still feel a faint heartbeat. Instinctively, I undressed her, dried her body, massaged her, and wrapped her in cloth and a blanket, placing her by the fire.

The process made me sweat and I was hungry, so I started preparing dinner.

The sausage was hard like leather, and the salted fish was like a stone. I had to crush them with a stone and mix them with broken bean cake in an open pot, making a thick porridge. I added some dried sauce for flavor.

The waterfowl was skewered, its feathers and coarse hair burned off, and then wrapped in wet mud and buried in the ashes.

As I slurped my soup, she groaned and moved, slowly waking up. Her eyes remained closed, but she was licking her lips and making a smacking sound.

I thought for a moment and brought the eggs.

Half of the eggs had hatched into small chicks, which I discarded. The rest were cooked in a small pot with dried vegetables, ginger, and sauce, and I fed her a spoonful, her white body re-emerging from the blanket.

Although the saying goes that fullness and warmth lead to certain things, after being exposed to countless images of beautiful women, I found it hard to be aroused by a flat, boyish figure.

"Anything to say?"

A moment later, I patted her dazed face.

"Uh... uh..."

When I spoke louder, she turned and crouched, covering her head and crying.

I was taken aback by her defensive posture and felt a bit helpless. Was I that scary? Or did she only know how to act like an ostrich?

...