Chapter 617: Hold On A Little Longer
Northern Shanxi.
Li Zicheng, who had just suffered a beating from Sun Chuanting's personal guards in Daizhou, was now heading south, intending to return to the Jinzhong region.
"Report!" a scout raced to Li Zicheng, shouting, "Government forces are encircling us in great numbers! Zhang Zongheng, the Supreme Commander of Xuanfu and Datong, is leading a force of eight thousand men, including generals Bai An, Hu Dawei, Li Bei, He Renlong, and Zuo Liangyu!"
"The newly appointed Governor of Shanxi, Xu Dingchen, commands seven thousand soldiers from the divisions of Zhang Yingchang, Gou Fuwei, Shi Ji, Po Ximu, and Ai Wannian!"
"The government troops have formed a massive encirclement, closing in on our position!"
Li Zicheng frowned, remaining silent as he absorbed the news.
Li Guo, standing beside him, whispered, "Uncle, what should we do?"
Li Zicheng furrowed his brow for about ten seconds, his mind already forming a plan. "Send word to Zijing Liang and Gao Yingxiang, tell them to move east and join our ranks. We'll serve as the vanguard and push deep into the Taihang Mountains. Once we're in there, the government troops will never find us."
Li Guo countered, "Uncle, the Taihang Mountains are largely uninhabited. What will we eat once we're in there?"
"Henan?" Li Guo asked, "Why Henan?"
"Things are getting tough here in Shanxi," Li Zicheng sighed, then pulled out an intercepted imperial gazette. "Look at the imperial news: the Yellow River burst its banks at Mengjin, flooding thousands of li, leaving the people destitute and turning to banditry. Heh, this situation is perfect for us. Once we reach Henan, we can immediately replenish our ranks with a huge influx of fresh recruits."
Li Guo's face lit up with understanding.
"Up ahead are the Yellow River Three Gorges, not far from Mengjin!" Bai Yuan commanded loudly, "Everyone, stay sharp, we're almost there!"
"Experienced boatmen familiar with the currents, take the lead and navigate!"
"Hold the helm steady!"
The Gao Family Village rescue team was currently navigating the Yellow River Three Gorges.
The scenery here was breathtaking, comparable to the Yangtze Three Gorges, but at this moment, no one had the luxury of admiring the view. All were straining with all their might, rushing forward at top speed.
Heaven favored them: the rain had stopped, the wind had died down, and the summer sun had climbed into the sky.
This was a rare opportunity!
Bai Yuan ordered, "Unfold the solar panels, charge the batteries while maintaining full speed!"
The awnings on the boat roofs were pulled back, revealing the solar panels.
The fleet recharged its energy as it pressed onward, cutting through the Yellow River Three Gorges...
***
On the high slope.
The floodwaters hadn't receded, and the villagers huddled on the high slope were reaching their breaking point.
Days of relentless rain, no food, not even a large pot to boil water, forcing them to drink rainwater or muddy river water – how could anyone endure such conditions?
Many were already dizzy with hunger, their minds clouded.
Jiang Cheng and his group, being experienced merchants, had some dried rations on hand, making them better prepared than the common folk who had merely fled to the slope. But their dry food wasn't enough to feed hundreds, so they could only look out for themselves.
After several days, most of the hundreds of people on the slope lay prostrate, only Jiang Cheng and his ten subordinates still had some energy to move.
He worried about those water bandits...
Yet, in this world, what one fears often comes to pass.
The same group of water bandits he had repelled a few days ago returned.
The same dozen-odd boats, the same fifty or sixty bandits, defiantly rowed to the foot of the slope. They looked up at Jiang Cheng and his group on the high ground, saying nothing, simply staring.
Jiang Cheng's heart sank.
Just as despair consumed him, the Cotton-thread Heavenly Lord on his chest suddenly spoke: "Don't be afraid. Hold on a little longer. Just a little longer."
Jiang Cheng was overjoyed. "Heavenly Lord? You're here again!"
The Cotton-thread Heavenly Lord chuckled. "I am! And rescue is here too. Unleash your strength, just hold them off for one wave!"
Jiang Cheng's morale surged. He reached into his tunic, pulled out his last mouthful of dried rations, and tossed it into his mouth. Chewing, he bellowed at the water bandits, "Come on! Attack if you dare!"
"Villagers who still have some strength, pick up sticks!"
"Just hold on a little longer!"
Jiang Cheng roared, "Just a little longer! We can climb from the eighteen layers of hell back into the human world! Get up, all of you, get up!"
The starving villagers, their steps unsteady, struggled to their feet and gripped their wooden sticks.
Cruel smiles spread across the bandits' faces. "Lads, prepare to assault the slope! Once we're up there, we'll chop all the men to feed the fish, and we'll toy with the women slowly. They'll learn the consequences of opposing us, hahahaha!"
The bandits moored their boats to the slope and swiftly scrambled up. The slope wasn't steep, not even 45 degrees. The exhausted villagers weakly threw a few stones, which did nothing to hinder the bandits. A group of howling bandits charged upward.
The villagers' raised sticks were all feeble, crooked, and utterly useless.
Jiang Cheng had no choice but to rely on his ten subordinates for resistance. His waist-saber flashed, clanging against the leading bandit's weapon twice. Having eaten little for days, his arm lacked strength, and his saber nearly flew out of his hand, but he clung on with sheer willpower.
Suddenly, a chorus of clanging weapons erupted around him, accompanied by screams from some villagers, and then... a strange sound filled his ears.
"Bang!"
It was loud, deafening.
The sound of a firearm.
Then, the ferocious bandit in front of Jiang Cheng fell with a thud.
The villagers who hadn't joined the fight looked in the direction from which the gunshot came...
They saw a medium-sized flatboat approaching from afar. It had a shallow draft, no sails, and no oars, yet it sped incredibly fast across the calm water.
Standing at the bow was a middle-aged man in flowing white robes, holding a firearm whose muzzle still emitted faint smoke.
With a casual flick, he shook out the paper wadding and gunpowder residue from the muzzle, then reached into his pocket, pulled something out, loaded it into the firearm, and raised it again.
"Bang!"
Another bandit fell in response...
Jiang Cheng was overjoyed, roaring wildly, "The Heavenly Lord's rescue has arrived! Hahahaha! Rescue is here!"
These past few days, the villagers had been listening to Jiang Cheng tell stories of Dao Xuan Tian Zun, half-believing and half-doubting. Now, seeing the reinforcements' divinely elegant appearance, even the disbelievers were convinced.
Those who had been on the verge of collapsing from hunger suddenly erupted with the last reserves of human potential.
Their wooden sticks swung wildly, forcing the water bandits to retreat repeatedly.
(Note: I have used "Li Zicheng" instead of "Chuang Jiang" for clarity and consistency as per glossary and general literary adaptation principles. "Huochong" has been adapted to "firearm" or "gun" based on context, choosing "firearm" for the first appearance for a slightly more formal feel before using "gun" later for pacing.)
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