Chapter Twenty: Crossing Thin Lake

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The city of Yangzhou had fallen; it was the night of the third day.

Flames surged from the granaries and the dungeons, the fire raging with immense intensity.

At a private school in the West District, Jiang He arrived at the rendezvous point. He had slept for four hours in the granary and was now at his peak, full of energy. The granary fire had drawn thousands of Qing soldiers into a siege, suddenly clearing out a significant portion of the military presence throughout the West District.

The night was deep, and it was still raining.

Two or three hours later, Chu Fuqiang led forty-two prisoners over. Their equipment was clearly insufficient; some were even holding bamboo poles to make up the numbers. Yet, these men all exuded a fierce air—many of them were incarcerated in the dungeons for murder.

"Brother Moke."

Seeing someone emerge, Chu Fuqiang took the initiative to clasp his hands in a salute.

Jiang He lowered his voice. "I entered the granary through a tunnel last night. There might be a secret passage leading out of the city near the He family’s second son's residence, though I lack concrete evidence. Perhaps I am just assuming."

Chu Fuqiang immediately glanced back at the prisoners and whispered, "Even if your guess is wrong, we cannot let these fellows hear it, or they will collapse before the battle even begins. Actually, I had a similar thought. The difficulty of this derivative mission is clearly above the standard baseline. The five of us players cannot possibly handle thirty thousand battle-hardened veterans. Furthermore, the city fell the moment we arrived, leaving us no time to react. Given the player mortality rate since the beta test of the Origin game began, there might indeed be a glimmer of hope near the He family’s second son."

Jiang He nodded. At the very least, Grand Tutor Liu Dingwei must hold the key to a secret passage. Yangzhou was rife with illegal salt trade and served as a strategic hub for the defense of the northern Southern Ming dynasty; with the nobility securing their own escape routes, the underground situation was incredibly complex.

Three hours later, Lord Liu and the elderly Mr. Wu arrived. Beside them was a short, stocky man with a three-foot red snake coiled around his arm.

"The grand plan hinges on tonight. Tie Duo is stationed at the Datai Temple in the North District. His personal guard battalion commands fifteen hundred elite soldiers, and most of his direct core forces are currently looting and burning throughout the city. This is the heaven-sent opportunity we have been waiting for."

Lord Liu had changed into his First-Rank official robes. He appeared high-spirited and majestic. In an era where imperial power was supreme, such a powerful minister made the band of outlaws tremble, effectively stripping Chu Fuqiang of his leadership status.

Jiang He was not surprised by this. Even a mere provincial graduate would be addressed as "Master" here, and a successful imperial examination candidate sent from the capital was revered as a "Hundred-Mile Marquis"—a district magistrate. Grand Tutor Liu stood at the pinnacle of power; in normal times, commoners like them would struggle even to see the gatekeeper of his residence.

"Chaos is also a ladder upward."

The short man, nicknamed "Snake in the Grass," pulled out a map and said, "Datai Temple is located at the end of Center Street. This street is six miles long, and White Banner cavalry are stationed along it. Tie Duo’s personal guard battalion consists of the elite of the elite; no fewer than a hundred of them can draw a one-stone-two-peck bow. The Four Batulus can each tear apart tigers and leopards with their bare hands. Charging them head-on is suicide, but there is the Lean Lake next to Datai Temple, which supplies the main army with water. If we attack via the water, we can strike directly at the heart. Tie Duo’s command tent is three miles from the shore, right next to the eight-story Datai Pagoda."

Lord Liu continued, "With the advantage of terrain and the unity of our people, how can we not prevail? Tie Duo is merely a barbarian from beyond the borders, and his evil deeds are numerous. He shall surely fall in this battle!"

Chu Fuqiang scanned the surroundings: a group of outlaws, bolstered by the previous remnants of the defeated army, the fifty death-defiers sent by Lord Liu’s nephews, and two groups of local men who had been persuaded—a total of one hundred and fifty men. They were, however, a motley crew.

Seeing this, he spoke up: "Tie Duo is a Prince of the Iron Cap; his power knows no bounds. Right now, all the wealth of Yangzhou is in Datai Temple. Once we succeed, there will not only be high positions and rich rewards, but I, Chu, will not take a single coin of that treasure. Lord Liu, acting for the sake of the nation, will surely care nothing for such petty gains."

A flicker of dissatisfaction crossed Lord Liu’s eyes; he did not like being pushed into the spotlight, but he knew he could not let morale drop. He immediately declared, "When the time comes, you may all take what you wish."

The crowd was incensed. Yangzhou was prosperous, and the sheer scale of the wealth was unimaginable. Several outlaws exchanged glances, abandoning thoughts of slipping away. Risking one's life for fortune had been common since ancient times; the ancestors of the Yang clan had fought bravely to seize the remnants of the Overlord's power, which eventually led to the rise of the Hongnong Yang clan.

...

The night deepened.

The group broke into smaller units and reached the edge of Lean Lake.

Due to the importance of the water source, a hundred-man squad was stationed there. Near Center Street, dozens of White Banner cavalry patrolled. The leading cavalry officer held a beautiful woman he had abducted, stroking her repeatedly, yet the temptation of looting the city had not caused the Qing soldiers to neglect their defensive duties.

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In the tall grass, Jiang He looked solemn.

A direct assault on this unit would inevitably trigger a brutal battle, drawing a violent reaction from Tie Duo. Someone had to lead them away, and the probability of that person surviving was slim to none. After all, there were thousands of White Banner cavalry on Center Street, and the area was wide open with nowhere to hide.

Lord Liu and Chu Fuqiang also wore grave expressions. This was a suicide mission; one wrong move and their side might collapse without a fight.

"I will go."

Elder Mr. Wu picked up an iron spear.

"Warrior Moke is the spearhead for the assault, Warrior Chu needs to coordinate the men, and Mr. Snake in the Grass is not suited for a hard fight. I am the obvious choice. I have passed on all my life’s knowledge; if I die, so be it. It is better than dying in a sickbed before long."

Elder Mr. Wu clasped his hands. "Everyone, I shall take the first step."

The group was silent. Jiang He handed him a short crossbow and a short blade. "A first strike, for what it’s worth."

Chu Fuqiang whistled through his teeth. Before their eyes, the soil suddenly transformed into a stone horse.

[Name: Galloping Stone Horse]
[Category: Summoning]
[Quality: Common]
[Effect: Summons a stone horse every 48 hours. It can travel a thousand miles a day, its body is hard as stone, and it lasts for 48 minutes.]
[Remark: Looking east to the Jieshi rocks, the Great Wei Emperor whips his steed.]

Chu Fuqiang took out four yellow paper talismans given by Cangshan Fuxue and whispered, "Elder Mr. Wu, tear these when needed. Each will manifest a two-meter-tall pagoda shadow to protect you. One can block ten heavy arrow shots or a full-force slash from a Qing soldier. They should be stackable; you decide how to use them."

"Truly a miraculous art."

Elder Mr. Wu took the crossbow and the yellow paper talismans, bowed in farewell, and led the stone horse into the woods.

The hundred-plus men remained silent in the grass.

Half a quarter of an hour later, a lone rider charged onto the street.

The old man was robust, dressed in plain clothes and holding a spear. He raised the short crossbow with his left hand and fired from a distance. The bolt struck a cavalryman’s helmet with a clang of metal.

"Thieves, release my daughter!"

The angry shout was full of vigor, sweeping across the street.

The cavalry officer holding the woman was startled, then revealed a bloodthirsty grin. He carelessly shoved the woman off; her wailing did not last long, as several horse hooves trampled over her, leaving a mangled mess.

"Form up! Kill him!"

A dozen riders immediately began their charge. They leveled their lances, and a ferocious aura erupted.

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The cavalry officer accelerated, leading the charge. The scenery on both sides of the street blurred as they moved, whipped up by a fierce wind.

Elder Mr. Wu’s face was as savage as a hungry ghost. With one hand, he tore a talisman, and a two-meter-tall yellow pagoda shadow enveloped him. He did not dodge or weave, charging straight into the cavalry formation.

The officer was suspicious, but man and horse merged, shifting positions. That yellow phantom was clearly no ordinary thing.

When they collided, Elder Mr. Wu channeled his strength throughout his entire body. His arms moved like a roaming dragon as he whipped out his iron spear. A sonic boom rang out; his force, a blend of overt and hidden power, unleashed a thousand pounds of force. The two leading cavalrymen were sent flying backward. After hitting the ground and bouncing a few times, they could only collapse weakly, unable to rise—the power of his hidden energy had turned their internal organs into pulp.

The Qing soldiers attacked with their lances, aiming for his head, shoulders, chest, and horse, their coordination flawless. The officer, after gaining distance, drew his bow and notched an arrow. With a draw of one-stone-two-pecks, he struck the back of the enemy’s head while both were moving at high speed—his marksmanship was astonishing.

They passed each other completely. Elder Mr. Wu had only two talismans left. The cavalry’s charge was so fierce that two spear strikes could shatter the yellow pagoda shadow, far more effective than blades or arrows.

The charge commenced again. Elder Mr. Wu cut down two more men, his spear shattering. His stone horse collided with an enemy mount; the horses butted heads, and as the enemy fell, Wu leaped off, drew the short blade Jiang He had given him, and slit the man's throat. He then spun around, unleashing his hidden energy; the short blade knocked another man unconscious. He snatched the mount, remounted, and picked up a lance, which looked menacing.

The elite cavalry had lost five men with one injured.

In the distance, by the lake, the leader saw the situation was dire and immediately led the main force to reinforce them, leaving the adjutant and a ten-man squad to continue guarding the post.

In the grass, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. If the enemy leader had guessed this was a ruse to lure the tiger away from the mountain and sent men to search the surroundings, they would have failed, and Elder Mr. Wu’s life would have been wasted. Even so, the remaining adjutant and the ten-man squad were still a problem; the Qing officer had not been caught off guard.

Lord Liu did not lack decisiveness. "Going to lure more would be too obvious. We must take them out directly. Elder Mr. Wu can still hold on for a while. Even if his body is discovered, it will take time for the report to reach Tie Duo, and by then, we will have crossed the lake."

Jiang He said, "Give me two long spears. I can hit a target within fifty paces; beyond that, I can't guarantee accuracy."

Chu Fuqiang took out the Infiltrator’s Badge. "Brother Moke, Snake in the Grass, you two come with me."

The three left the grass, advancing under the cover of night.

At a distance of thirty paces, the adjutant suddenly turned, shouting angrily, "Who is there? Come out!"

The response was two long spears.

One pierced the adjutant’s neck, and the other skewered the heart of a nearby Qing soldier.

Jiang He activated Garuda Mode 3. His heart gave a violent jolt, his skin turned a scorching red, and his speed increased by thirty percent. He covered the thirty paces in an instant, his movement as fast as a cheetah. He thrust the Long Hatred Spear, shattering the chest of the enemy before him, then followed with a powerful sweep. His tendons and bones hummed as the "Overt Energy Strike" turned the spear into a blur. With a ton and a half of force behind the blow, two more bodies burst apart.

A Qing soldier was about to shout, but the red snake crawled onto him and bit his lips.

The other four had already reacted; seeing the situation was dire, they immediately prepared to call for the leader who had gone to reinforce.

Chu Fuqiang threw the badge. This common-grade item, capable of reducing attention, fell among the enemies and enveloped them. A bizarre scene ensued: the four men screamed at the top of their lungs, but it was in vain. To outsiders, it sounded no more than the chirping of birds.

In the blink of an eye, Jiang He rushed to the enemy, sparing no energy to unleash his Overt Energy Strike. As the Long Hatred Spear came down, he unleashed the "Collapse" technique recorded in the first page of the *Arm Scripture*. It felt like Mount Tai crushing down, exploding into a mist of blood.

Snake in the Grass threw his daggers, and Chu Fuqiang swung his axe. The three combined forces quickly eliminated the remaining squad.