Chapter 108: Don't Go to Gao Family Village After Dark
Today is a momentous Monday, and the show begins.
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Cheng Xu exclaimed, "Damn it, these strange-looking Plastic Catapults actually work! How did they manage that?"
The Deputy Military Inspector was equally bewildered. "With these, Bai Family Fortress now has ten Plastic Catapults! The more rebels there are, the easier it will be for the catapults to hit them."
Cheng Xu scoffed, "Fool! How many men can a catapult actually kill? The true purpose of these things is to shatter the rebels' morale! These bandits are already a disorganized rabble, unwilling to fight with their lives on the line. Just a few large stones crashing into their ranks, and the rear lines will falter and retreat. Meanwhile, the desperate men in the vanguard will charge headlong, splitting their formation into two halves, which can then be easily broken apart."
After speaking, he threw up his hands and let out a dismissive "Hmph!" "Even if we slice the rebel army in two, making them unable to support each other, with our current troop strength plus the Bai Family Fortress militia, we still can't resist them."
Compared to the Plastic Catapults, Cheng Xu was more concerned about that peculiar large vehicle. It was simply too massive, too imposing! It could even transport catapults that were over six meters long and wide. If used for transporting soldiers or provisions, it would be... well...
He recalled the last time that strange vehicle had stormed into the Little Tyrant's rebel army, rampaging through their ranks, sending bandits flying in every direction. He thought to himself, *That* is the truly formidable weapon!
Unfortunately, it was too clumsy and couldn't traverse rough terrain.
Still, Bai Family Fortress was ultimately indefensible.
His mind was still fixated on escape, and he half-heartedly discussed the "defense of Bai Family Fortress" with Bai Yuan, letting everything said go in one ear and out the other. Two hours later, when mealtime arrived, the Bai family's steward began preparing food for the soldiers, and Cheng Xu mentally prepared himself to feast on their largesse.
Just then, a rumbling sound echoed in his ears once more.
Cheng Xu took two steamed buns from the Bai family's steward. Chewing on them, he climbed the watchtower and looked towards the source of the sound—the strange colossal vehicle was back...
Bai Yuan went out to meet it again.
Gao Chuwu and Zheng Daniu parked the vehicle at the fortress gate, grinning widely. "Master Bai," Gao Chuwu called out, "the Heavenly Lord has sent us to deliver a second load of good things!"
Bai Yuan watched, intrigued. This time, they had brought a pile of colorful Giant Crossbow Vehicles...
These Giant Crossbow Vehicles were specifically customized 1:200 models from the Ningyang Toy Company, the same one that collaborated with Li Daoxuan on his short-video e-commerce project for his "Little People's Kingdom Chronicles." Li Daoxuan had sent another ten units to Bai Yuan.
Aside from being made of plastic, these Giant Crossbow Vehicles were identical in overall design to ancient siege crossbows. Bai Yuan and Cheng Xu didn't even need instructions; they understood their function at a glance.
Bai Yuan was overjoyed. "Many thanks, Heavenly Lord, for sending me such formidable siege-defending implements once more!"
Cheng Xu, too, pondered, *The Giant Crossbow Vehicles will be far more effective for defense than the Plastic Catapults. Catapults rely purely on luck to hit someone, but these crossbows can strike exactly where aimed. However... what in the world are these arrows for the Giant Crossbow Vehicles?*
It turned out that the standard bolts for these Giant Crossbow Vehicles were just small plastic arrows, children's toys with blunt tips, making Cheng Xu shake his head in dismay.
Bai Yuan waved his hand. "My lads, the Heavenly Lord is merciful; the arrowheads aren't sharpened. But we can attach new arrowheads ourselves. Go carve some bamboo tubes and fit them over the tips!"
The villagers of Bai Family Fortress immediately sprang into action. They chopped down massive bamboo, fitted the hollowed tubes over the blunt arrowheads, and then sharpened the other end. Just like that, the plastic arrows were transformed into piercing weapons.
The Giant Crossbow Vehicles lacked the ability to lob projectiles, so they couldn't be placed behind the fortress walls; they had to be mounted *on* them. Fortunately, these contraptions were much smaller and lighter than the catapults. With more villagers, working together and chanting "Heave-ho, heave-ho!" they hoisted them onto the fortress walls and installed them on the ramparts.
Cheng Xu looked left, then right. Before he knew it, Bai Family Fortress possessed ten Plastic Catapults and ten Giant Crossbow Vehicles! He slapped his forehead, startled, and exclaimed, "Wait, what? This tiny Bai Family Fortress now has more siege weapons than a major general in the border army!"
The Deputy Military Inspector beside him was equally bewildered. He leaned closer and whispered, "General, if Bai Family Fortress is making these things, isn't that considered treason?"
Cheng Xu cocked his head, thinking seriously. Privately forging armor was definitely treason, and privately hoarding firearms was also treason, but privately manufacturing siege weapons? He'd never heard of such a thing!
This truly entered his blind spot of knowledge.
He scratched his head, pondering for a long time. "I don't know, and why worry about it so much? The more formidable Bai Family Fortress becomes, the more I benefit. If they can hold back the rebel forces here and prevent them from entering Chengcheng County, that will still ultimately be *my* achievement. I'll just say these siege weapons were crafted under my command. Hmph, then wouldn't all the credit be mine? Why would I insist on claiming Bai Family Fortress prepared them themselves and accuse them of treason? Causing trouble for others gains me nothing. I'm not one of those meddling, good-for-nothing bureaucrats who love to make petty reports, hmph!"
The Deputy Military Inspector said, "Exactly, General."
The two engaged in awkward conversation as they watched the colossal, strange vehicle outside the fortress slowly turn around once more and head back the way it came.
Cheng Xu suddenly grew curious and walked up to Bai Yuan. "Mr. Bai," he asked, "where does that strange colossal vehicle come from? And where are all these siege machines being transported from?"
Bai Yuan replied, "They're brought from Gao Family Village."
"Gao Family Village! Again, Gao Family Village?" Cheng Xu's mind suddenly flashed with the two different scenes he'd witnessed during his visits there, and an inexplicable chill ran down his spine. "Mr. Bai, which Gao Family Village are you talking about? The one during the day, or the one at night?"
Bai Yuan was greatly astonished. "Does Gao Family Village distinguish between day and night?"
Cheng Xu explained, "Once, I arrived at Gao Family Village just before dark and saw colorful city walls, and inside, a group of villagers with strange, frenzied expressions. Another time, during the day, I visited Gao Family Village and saw a tall, grand fortress, and I even picked up the heads of Zheng Yanfu and Zhong Guangdao there..."
Bai Yuan chuckled. "Oh, General Cheng, the two Gao Family Villages you saw are one and the same! It simply changes very quickly, transforming all the time. As for Zhong Guangdao and Zheng Yanfu, they overestimated their abilities, attempting a night raid on Gao Family Village. Ha! Is Gao Family Village a place one can raid at night?"
Bai Yuan wasn't making things up; every word he said was true.
But as Cheng Xu heard these words, they conveyed an entirely different meaning, and the hairs on his body stood on end.
The Deputy Military Inspector beside him also felt a chill run through him, and cold sweat streamed down his face.
The two retreated to the side. The Deputy Military Inspector whispered, "General, if I understand Mr. Bai correctly... going to Gao Family Village during the day is fine, but going at night... it's a village of fierce ghosts... hundreds of rebel soldiers were all killed by ghosts."
Cheng Xu was drenched in sweat. "From now on, never go near that haunted place after dark! I certainly don't want to meet my great-grandmother."
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