Chapter 5: Northward perilous path meets desperate strait, system upgrades again to break the deadlock

Before dawn, the rain gradually eased.

Only the pattering drizzle remained, dripping from the eaves into the mud puddles, making a monotonous sound.

The air was filled with the earthy smell of soil and a faint trace of blood.

Chen Wen stuffed the last hard bun, mixed with bran, into his chest.

He also carefully examined the broken knife at his waist and the sharp-tipped wooden stick wrapped repeatedly with cloth strips.

His movements were swift, his eyes calm!

With fourfold efficiency, he finished all this in only a short time.

Wang Ru shoved a small packet of medicine powder wrapped in oil paper into his hand:

"Little Brother Chen, there are many snakes and insects in the mountains; this powder can help prevent bites, and if you get hurt it can be used as an emergency remedy."

"Please… please be careful."

Zhang Cheng's eye sockets were slightly red as he gripped the short stick in his hand firmly:

"Wen Ge, go ahead without worry!"

"I will definitely look after Aunt Wang's home, and wait for you to bring back Elder Sister and Sister Wan!"

Chen Wen looked at the old and young before him, and a warm current surged in his heart.

He firmly patted Zhang Cheng's shoulder, then nodded at Wang Ru.

He said nothing more; everything was understood without words.

He glanced one last time at the people still asleep in the corner, then resolutely turned around.

His agile figure slipped into the night and morning mist that had not yet fully faded, heading northward.

Leaving the relatively familiar ruins of Jiao Tu Zhen, the true wilderness revealed its ferocious aspect.

After the heavy rain, the roads were mired in mud; many places were even washed away, turning into swamp-like traps.

Chen Wen had to expend extra strength to detour or struggle through the mire.

【Arduous trekking, falls under the 'Labor' category, Diligence Points (WP) +0.1……+0.1……】

The system's alert tone sounded occasionally; the increase of WP was slow but steady.

The fourfold physical strength and recovery speed allowed him to far surpass ordinary people in adapting to this arduous journey.

But loneliness and the unknown dangers ahead weighed on his heart like an invisible boulder.

He remained highly vigilant all along, relying on the wilderness survival skills honed during the disbanded soldier period and his hearing and vision far beyond ordinary people's (the system seemed to have also slightly enhanced his senses).

He repeatedly avoided small groups of wandering Khitan scouts and several bands of refugees who looked anything but good.

The further north he went, the more shocking the traces of war became.

Abandoned villages grew more numerous; some still wisped thin black smoke, and corpses uncollected could be seen from time to time beside the road.

Attracting large flocks of crows to feed, the stench of decay in the air was almost nauseating.

Chen Wen's heart also sank a little bit.

In such a hellish scene, how could his frail mother and young sister survive?

He dared not think too deeply; he could only grit his teeth and quicken his pace.

At the same time, he searched more carefully for any possible clues.

At noon, beside a small road washed out by flood, he discovered the wreckage of a mule cart.

The cart's body was shattered, empty inside, but beside it in the mud lay half-buried a small, faded red embroidered shoe.

Chen Wen's heart clenched suddenly!

He rushed over and carefully picked up the shoe.

The shoe was tiny, about the size of a girl just over ten years old.

It was covered in mud, but the original fine embroidery could still be made out—certainly not something an ordinary farming family would own.

When my younger sister Chen Wan celebrated New Year, Mother seemed to have made her a similar pair of new shoes!

Is it a coincidence? Or……

He searched frantically all around, but found no other trace.

The downpour washed everything away.

Perhaps this was merely an item lost by another unfortunate girl.

Hope and despair intertwined, tormenting his nerves.

He carefully tucked the little red shoe into his chest and continued on the road.

In the afternoon, the weather cleared, and the scorching sun beat down.

The ground's mud began to harden, making travel somewhat easier.

But Chen Wen felt a hint of unease

——the surroundings were too quiet, with birdcalls and insect chirps far rarer than before.

He instinctively chose to leave the relatively open depression.

He walked toward a nearby small hill that was slightly higher, with scattered rocks and sparse trees.

He hoped to gain a better view.

Just as he was about to reach the hilltop!

Suddenly, from far behind, came a frantic, chaotic thunder of hooves and arrogant whistles!

Khitan scouts!

And judging by the sound,

they were indeed heading straight for him!

Chen Wen's face changed, and he immediately lowered his body.

Using the scattered rocks and withered wood to conceal his form, he carefully poked his head out to observe.

Only five or six Khitan cavalry were seen, moving along the edge of the depression he had just passed, guest scholar, as if on routine patrol.

Their speed was not fast, their eyes sharp as they scanned the surroundings.

Obviously after the rainstorm, they also intensified patrols of the controlled area.

Must not be discovered!

Chen Wen held his breath, pressing his body tightly against a cold boulder, praying in his heart that they were just passing by.

However, heaven seemed to deliberately go against him.

As the cavalry approached the small mound, their speed slowed.

The leading rider seemed interested in this high ground, raising his hand to gesture, as if wanting to come up and have a look.

Chen Wen's heart leapt to his throat in an instant!

The hilltop was completely bare, with nowhere to hide!

Once they came up, he would surely be exposed!

What to do? Run?

In the open terrain he could not outrun a warhorse!

Fight? The enemy had five or six men, all elite cavalry; a head‑on clash would be suicide!

Desperate situation!

Cold sweat instantly soaked his back.

His eyes darted around, finally landing on a few loose stones nearby.

An extremely risky idea surged into his mind.

He exerted force suddenly, and four times his strength exploded.

He shoved one of the sizable rocks!

The rock rolled down, making a rumbling sound as it tumbled down the steep slope!

The Khitan cavalry about to ascend the slope were instantly drawn by the sound.

They warily looked toward the direction of the rolling stone, instantly drawing their horse bows.

Now!

Chen Wen shot forth like an arrow from a bow, using the boulder and withered wood for cover.

Not running down the hill, but toward the steeper side of the mound where cavalry could not pursue, he sprinted with all his might!

At this moment his four‑fold speed was pushed to the limit, his silhouette moving so fast it almost left an afterimage!

"Someone over there!"

"Fire!"

The Khitan cavalry spotted his silhouette, and a few harsh shouts and the twang of bowstrings came.

Several sharp arrows whistled past, scraping the stones beside him and embedding deep into the earth!

Chen Wen dared not look back, pouring all his strength and speed into his legs as he ran desperately!

The steep descent made it nearly impossible to control his body, several times he almost fell.

He relied solely on his extraordinary reflexes and balance to stay upright.

【Extreme running, falls under the 'labor' category, Diligence Points（WP）+0.5……+0.5……】

【At the critical moment, potential erupts, stamina consumed heavily……】

The system's alert tone and the feeling of bodily fatigue struck at once.

He could feel his lungs being pulled like bellows, his legs as heavy as if filled with lead.

Finally, after bearing down a near‑vertical steep slope.

He staggered, then crashed hard into a dry riverbed at the bottom of the slope, his whole body aching as if his bones had fallen apart.

Yet he also managed to break free from the Khitan cavalry's line of sight and arrow range.

He lay on the gravel of the riverbed, gasping heavily, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst from his chest.

Too close!

A little more and he would have bought it here!

【Successfully avoided mortal danger, high‑intensity labor, judged: effective! Reward Diligence Points（WP）+50！】

【Current level: 2(77/500)】

WP increased sharply all at once, but Chen Wen had no mood to be happy right now.

The desperate run just now consumed huge energy; even with four‑times recovery speed, he still needed time to catch his breath.

He struggled to sit up, checked his body, and aside from a few scrapes there was no serious injury.

He leaned against the gully wall, about to take a sip of water to rest.

His ear suddenly caught a faint, intermittent groan.

Not an animal's sound, but a human voice!

And it seemed to come from not far away!

Chen Wen instantly became alert, gripped his wooden stick, and cautiously moved toward the sound.

At a bend in the riverbed he saw the source of the sound.

A man covered in blood, his armor severely damaged, lay on the ground.

He too seemed to have fallen from above, and beside him lay a broken sidearm.

One of his legs was twisted at an unnatural angle, obviously broken; his breathing was weak, and he looked like he wouldn't last much longer.

Judging by his armor style, he seemed to be…… an officer of the Later Jin?

That officer also seemed to notice someone approaching, and with difficulty opened his cloudy eyes.

Seeing Chen Wen's figure, his lips trembled, uttering a sound almost inaudible:

"\"...... water...... seek...... water...... \""

Chen Wen hesitated a moment.

In these troubled times, it's better to have less than more.

But seeing the familiar uniform and dying state of the other, the camaraderie among comrades ultimately moved him.

He took off his own waterskin, carefully brought it to the other's dry, cracked lips, and dripped a few drops of clear water inside.

The officer greedily sucked, his eyes regaining a glimmer of clarity.

He made out Chen Wen's face, seeming not an enemy, and haltingly spoke:

"\"...... many...... thanks...... little brother...... you...... you are...... \""

"\"A scattered soldier. \" Chen Wen said concisely.

The officer's face showed a grim, bitter smile:

"\"...... all...... the same...... finished...... all finished...... \""

He suddenly, like a dying flare, fiercely grabbed Chen Wen's wrist, with astonishing strength, and a final light burst in his eyes:

"\"...... little brother...... please...... please you a matter...... \""

"\"...... I...... I can't survive...... \""

"\"...... but...... the family members I was escorting...... \""

"\"...... inside...... there...... is...... my young lady...... \""

"\"...... fled...... scattered...... \""

"\"...... to...... to the west, Black Wind Gully...... \""

He coughed violently, blood foam spilling from the corner of his mouth:

"\"...... please...... please...... \""

"\"...... if...... if by chance...... \""

"\"...... tell...... tell her...... \""

"\"...... Zhong...... Zhongshu did his best...... \""

Before his words faded, he loosened his grip on Chen Wen's hand, his head lolled to one side, and he completely lost breath.

Chen Wen silently gazed at the officer called Zhongshu, his feelings complex.

Another tragedy in these troubled times.

He was about to rise and leave when his gaze was suddenly drawn to the officer's other hand clenched tightly.

In that hand, he seemed to be clutching a small piece of cloth.

Chen Wen carefully bent back his already stiff fingers.

It was a small piece of pale blue, decent-quality cloth.

On it, with thread of the same color, was embroidered an exquisite, inconspicuous — 'Wan' character.

Boom!

Like a thunderbolt from a clear sky exploding in his mind!

Chen Wen froze on the spot, his pupils suddenly contracting!

Wan?!

His younger sister Chen Wan's name contains the character 'Wan'!

Their mother loved to embroider a hidden mark of their names on their clothing!

This cloth……this embroidery……is extremely similar to Mother's technique!

Zhongshu escorted the family……inside was his young lady……

And there is this cloth embroidered with the character 'Wan'……

Could it be……that Mother and younger sister once were with this troop……?!

They went to the west, Black Wind Gully……?!

Hope flared up again, yet accompanied by deeper fear

——The west's Black Wind Gully, it's said that bandits run rampant there, even more vicious than Hu Biao's gang!

He must immediately change direction!

Chen Wen sprang to his feet, took one last look at the dead officer, and bowed slightly.

"Zhongshu, rest in peace. If I find them, I will tell them."

Having said that, he without hesitation turned and rushed out of the dry riverbed, toward the west

——toward that more dangerous, unknown Black Wind Gully direction, he sprinted at full speed!