Chapter 41: 「Casual Encounter」

The flood season had passed long ago, the river level had dropped, and on both banks were vast stretches of withered yellow wild grass and thin, growing saplings.

Occasionally, one could still see movement in the grass; perhaps small animals were hiding inside, or perhaps those things that were even more dangerous.

If one pushed aside the grass, one could see the damp, rotting matter piled up underneath. The fertile soil could provide sufficient nutrients, and it was easy to imagine what a lush scene of vegetation it would be next spring and summer.

Yet in these chaotic times, all of this had become a harbinger of crisis.

The sunlight of the better part of the day warmed the ground, and even the river water warmed slightly.

Somewhere on the opposite bank, there was some commotion; it was the sound of the guards at the other end of the Floating Bridge fighting with evil entities.

Something fell into the water.

The guards on this side of the Floating Bridge looked over alertly, their Arrows and Long Spears ready at all times.

Eerie shadows beneath the water gradually approached the Floating Bridge.

Splash—

Alienated finger bones gripped the small boat beneath the Floating Bridge.

Wet hair matted with water weeds obscured its entire face, and its tattered clothes, no longer recognizable in their original form, were stretched taut by its climbing movements. The limbs exposed were covered in Purple-Brown Spots.

Seen from afar, it looked like a crocodile thinned down to skin and bone.

Smelling the scent of more living people on the County Town side, it gurgled in its throat, emitted a strange, sharp, and hoarse-sounding roar, and charged toward the guards on this bank.

Now that autumn was deep, even at the warmest time of the day, it was still too cold for these monsters, and they could not exert their full strength.

The guards on this side of the bridge and the people on the city wall were already used to this scene; they calmly drew their bows and released their Arrows. After shooting it dead, they used their Long Spears to push it into the water.

Behind a certain rock some distance away.

He Da and Yu Er were shivering, sneaking away.

After a while, they returned to where the group was staying and recounted the scene they had just witnessed to Wen Gu and everyone in the group with vivid gestures and expressions.

"There are Water Ghosts in the river! Ordinary bamboo rafts and small boats aren't safe!"

He Da's teeth were still chattering, clack-clack-clack.

Yu Er was also pale, "If we can take the Floating Bridge, we should take the Floating Bridge; at least there's time to react."

Putting themselves in that position for a moment, if they were crossing the river on a bamboo raft or a small boat and a "Water Ghost" from the water climbed up and grabbed their feet...

And if, in the panic, the bamboo raft or small boat capsized...

Then they shivered again.

Although the others in the group hadn't seen that scene with their own eyes, just hearing the two describe it gave them a mental image.

At this moment, there was a silence in the group.

They had arrived near Bai Lu County, but they didn't immediately enter the town or cross the bridge; instead, they first found a place to rest, wanting to first figure out the situation here.

They were now facing two problems:

How to cross the river.

How to keep their supplies as much as possible.

Originally, some people had thought about going around to other places to make bamboo rafts or wooden rafts to cross. If they made them bigger and made more trips, they could also transport the livestock and carts across.

But now they realized there were still risks.

Then, sneak across the Floating Bridge at night?

Not to mention that both ends of this bridge were guarded by people, they themselves couldn't see at night; if they slipped into the water, the outcome would definitely not be good.

County Lieutenant Zhou said: "We can make our own wooden rafts and cross the river when the temperature is low, in the morning or evening; it will be safer."

Cheng Zhi thought about what he had seen along the way and shook his head: "The larger trees and bamboo in this vicinity have all been cut down; we would have to go much further."

He Da was so conflicted his face wrinkled up: "Then take the Floating Bridge? Who knows how much the bridge toll is. How about someone goes and asks?"

No one made a sound.

Just looking at the stance of the guards over there, one knew that if they went, they would likely be detained along with their goods.

Not knowing what to do, they looked at Wen Gu.

Wen Gu smiled reassuringly: "No rush, let's observe here for two days first."

The place where they were resting was originally a viewing platform, and it even had a pavilion built on it. But just looking at the bird droppings on the side, one knew that no one had come here for a long time.

The survivors in the town spent most of their time inside the city; they were in no mood to come here to look at the scenery.

Bai Lu County was built near the water and even had a moat dug; it was impossible to sneak into the city quietly.

Judging from the logging situation outside the city, the number of people inside should be quite large. The supplies from all the other villages and Towns in the entire county had likely already been scavenged clean.

As for places that hadn't been scavenged and had suitable timber, who knew how much potential danger lay there.

"Since we can't go in, then we'll wait for the people inside to come out. Let's scout for information first."

Wen Gu walked to the side and called for Cheng Zhi.

"Brother Cheng, tell me about the tombstones in that graveyard I had you look at earlier."

When they were traveling along the way, they passed by a piece of abandoned farmland; now that no one was farming, what appeared in that farmland were individual raised grave mounds and standing tombstones.

Before passing by there, Wen Gu had asked Cheng Zhi to note down the more impressive-looking graves, especially the newly built ones.

Now, Cheng Zhi recalled them earnestly and repeated them word for word.

Wen Gu wrote them down on paper, listed them, circled two of them, and tapped them with a Charcoal Pencil.

"Still missing a professional."

Wen Gu looked at Qingyi Daozhang.

Qingyi Daozhang's vigilant nerves tightened.

Wen Gu: "Daozhang, come, let's rehearse."

Qingyi Daozhang:???

The next day.

Early in the morning, at the gate of the County Town, the drawbridge over the moat was lowered, and a few people walked out from inside the city.

They were likely commoners from the city going out to cut firewood.

Wen Gu took a look, then called He Da and Yu Er over to give them a few instructions.

A moment later, the two of them, having made slight adjustments, headed toward that graveyard, where some county residents carrying baskets were there to pay their respects.

He Da and Yu Er took on the identities of peddlers and went over to inquire for information.

They claimed they were former peddlers who had hoarded some goods at home and had been hiding all this time. Now that they could no longer hold out, they had come to Bai Lu County to seek refuge with a relative, even reporting which street and alley they lived on and what their surname was.

The county residents, who had been full of wariness, saw their expressions soften slightly upon hearing this, but their eyes remained vigilant, and they kept their hands gripped on their Firewood Knives.

It was not until He Da, looking full of furtive intent, took out a small paper packet and shoved it to the other party: "I trouble you to help me deliver a message..."

The county resident carefully opened the paper packet. Such a small paper packet was too little to hold grain, so it could not move him. But inside was coarse salt!

In the current world, salt was an even rarer and more precious commodity.

Ordinary people had no salt in their hands nowadays, which added a few more points of credibility to He Da's identity as a peddler.

Under the influence of profit, the county resident was willing to say more.

He Da and Yu Er had both been people who mixed in the marketplace in the past, and by bringing out profit to entice them, it was even simpler to fish for information.

And for the county residents, these were not considered important pieces of information, so they spoke without any burden.

As for whether they would go to deliver the message after entering the city, that was another matter entirely.

However, He Da and the others were not there to deliver any message at all; they were just using it as a lead to scout for information.

After completing the task and returning, the two of them reported the information they had gathered.

"The County Magistrate of Bailu County took people north last winter. The one in charge of the city is the County Lieutenant. He, along with the Yamen Runners under his command, has united the various large and small factions in the city to control Bai Lu County..."

As they spoke, they couldn't help but look toward Zhou Shan.

The others looked over as well.

Zhou Shan was ashamed and angry.

What are you looking at!

A County Lieutenant is a County Lieutenant, and a County Town is a County Town; can these be the same?

They are all officials, but can a poor place be compared to a wealthy one?

Look at their city walls, their moat, the weapons in their hands, and then think about his own poor little county, and the brothers who backstabbed him...

Zhou Shan felt aggrieved.

But he also had to admit that there really is a gap between people.

Zhou Shan gripped his sword hilt tightly and took a deep breath. Once he reached Beidi, he must strive to win some dignity!

Fortunately, the focus of the information He Da and the other gathered was not on the County Lieutenant.

Two days before they arrived here, a caravan heading north had passed by.

"A caravan..." someone said with envy.

How wealthy must one be to be able to organize a caravan!

"I don't know how much bridge toll they collect, but the ordinary county residents only know that the government officials above have collected a new batch of grain. Inside the city, you either use firewood to trade for grain, or you go do labor to trade for food. For firewood cut outside or supplies found, half is deducted upon entering the city."

"That much!"

The people in the group looked at their own stock.

To hand over half—how could they bear it! They were just passing through and weren't even living here!

"What if we don't enter the city and just cross the bridge?" someone asked.

"Do you think they're stupid? We have few people and many goods; it's possible everything would be confiscated! The goods would be snatched away, and the people would be sent to do hard labor."

Even if they didn't detain the people, having half the goods shaved off—unless there was no other choice, they really couldn't bear it.

In troubled times, one cannot expect those guarding the passes to harbor compassion. They rely on this to earn supplies!

Of course, one could also directly join Bai Lu City and become a county resident there.

However, they had traveled all the way north not just to survive, but to go to the north to fight for a future!

Bai Lu County was a bit tempting, but not much.

Wen Gu observed their expressions and comforted them: "Wait a little longer, and see if there's an opportunity."

Another day passed.

The drawbridge of the moat was lowered, and a carriage came out of the city.

Four riders guarded the sides, and six more martial artists on foot followed.

It looked like the configuration of a wealthy household.

Wen Gu's spirits lifted, and he called for Qingyi Daozhang.

"Let's go, Daoist Priest! Let's go have a 'chance encounter'!"

(End of chapter)