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Chapter 756: Ask Him All Your Questions

Feitian Shu chuckled. "Oh, I've been out of the game for ages, didn't expect my name to still be circulating out there, did I?"

Wang Chengong was quite taken aback. He truly hadn't expected to encounter such a seasoned rebel veteran from Hengshan here. His admiration surged within him like an endless, rushing river.

"Brother Feitian Shu," Wang Chengong began, a touch of curiosity in his voice, "after you joined Wang Jiayin's main army, you vanished. Everyone in our circles thought you were dead, but to think... you'd actually be here?"

Feitian Shu sighed. "Oh, it's a long, unlucky story. Back then, I advanced into Hequ County with Wang Jiayin. During the assault on Hequ County's city walls, I was at the very forefront, leading the charge, and ended up getting injured."

Wang Chengong nodded. "That's Brother for you, always leading the charge."

Feitian Shu continued, "My injuries were too severe. For several months, I couldn't get out of bed, completely incapacitated. And just then, the imperial army laid siege to Hequ County. Wang Jiayin led a breakout, fleeing... and just left me there, wounded and confined to my bed."

Wang Chengong could only stammer, "This..."

That was certainly awkward.

Feitian Shu explained, "I blended in with tens of thousands of old, weak, women, and children who couldn't break through the siege. I was treated as an ordinary sick and feeble person and handed over to Censor Wu Shen. Wu Shen then entrusted us to Shi Kefa, who led us, marching and marching, until we finally arrived here."

Feitian Shu replied, "Several years now. Let me see, one, two... Ugh, too much trouble. Why count so precisely? It's been a few years, anyway."

Wang Chengong asked, "Brother, your injuries still haven't healed?"

Feitian Shu grinned. "They healed ages ago."

Wang Chengong lowered his voice. "Then why didn't you escape? This place doesn't seem to be guarded very strictly."

"Escape?" Feitian Shu found it amusing. "Why would I escape? Here, there's good food and drink. Isn't that better than wandering around outside?"

Wang Chengong blinked. "Good food... good drink? Isn't this where prisoners are gathered for hard labor, and if you don't work hard enough, they shoot you in the head with a flintlock rifle?"

Feitian Shu looked utterly bewildered. "Who told you that?"

Wang Chengong replied, "The boss here told Regional Commander Luo Xi that."

He quickly recounted the situation as it had happened.

Feitian Shu laughed. "That was Shi Jian's lie, concocted to save you and prevent the imperial court from killing you. He deliberately made it up to deceive Regional Commander Luo Xi."

Wang Chengong was dumbfounded. "Huh? Saved me?"

Feitian Shu elaborated, "No doubt about it, he saved you. Didn't you say Shi Jian asked why you didn't charge with the Mongols? Well, your answer satisfied the Heavenly Lord, and so the Heavenly Lord decided to spare your life."

Wang Chengong looked utterly confused; he hadn't quite understood.

Feitian Shu was about to explain further when he saw Zhong Gaoliang approaching with a group of prison guards. He waved at Wang Chengong from afar. "Oh, you must be the new arrival, Wang Chengong, right?"

Feitian Shu whispered, "That's Warden Zhong. He's very good to people, and all the inmates here adore him. Don't you dare offend him, otherwise... the other labor reform prisoners will deal with you."

Wang Chengong was utterly bewildered. This was the first time he'd ever heard of prisoners defending their warden... What the hell kind of situation was this?

Zhong Gaoliang walked up to them, introduced himself briefly, then instructed, "Wang Chengong, you and your two thousand brothers are new here, and I don't know what your specialties are. Also, you're not familiar with this place, so for now, I'll assign you the task of reclaiming wasteland. The slopes next to the Thirty-Two Labor Reform Valley are undergoing large-scale reclamation. All the land needs to be prepared, then planted with corn, sweet potatoes, and potatoes. You don't yet know how to plant them, so you'll be responsible for preparing the land. The planting work will be handled by Feitian Shu's people."

Feitian Shu responded with a smile. "Alright!"

Seeing Wang Chengong standing there stunned, Feitian Shu lightly patted him. "Answer him," he prompted.

Wang Chengong looked utterly bewildered. "Huh? Alright!"

Zhong Gaoliang smiled. "I know you have many questions. Just ask Feitian Shu. He's been here for many years; he knows everything."

With that, Zhong Gaoliang left.

Wang Chengong remained completely baffled.

Then, prison guards came over and arranged dormitories for him and his men.

For over two thousand people, eight per room, hundreds of rooms were arranged in total.

Only then did Wang Chengong realize how vast the Thirty-Two Labor Reform Valley was. Hundreds of empty rooms were arranged so casually, and there were still many unused rooms.

Feitian Shu grinned at him triumphantly. "Impressive, isn't it? My people built all these houses. My men used to fight battles as if their lives meant nothing; now they build houses the same way."

Wang Chengong didn't know what to say for a moment. He could only offer an awkward laugh.

A deep, resonant thrumming began.

Suddenly, a rhythmic "thump-thump-thump" echoed through the labor camp. He couldn't tell what strange instrument was playing.

Feitian Shu chuckled. "Oh, it's time for the news," he said.

"News?" Wang Chengong asked, greatly surprised. "What's that?"

Feitian Shu explained, "This is called 'Gaojia News,' and it's an important entertainment program here in the labor reform valley. For us folks in the mountains, the outside world is a complete mystery. We rely entirely on the news to know what's happening out there. Come on, gather your men, let's go together."

Wang Chengong gathered his men and followed Feitian Shu.

He saw people emerging from all the dormitories in the Thirty-Two Labor Reform Valley. They merged with Wang Chengong's group, eventually forming a large contingent of five thousand people.

Everyone walked to a large plaza. In the center of the plaza stood a giant Immortal Treasure Mirror.

This was Wang Chengong's first time seeing such a device. He was a bit bewildered. "What's that?"

Feitian Shu chuckled. "This is a Divine Mirror. The Heavenly Lord sent it down from the Heavenly Palace to the human world. With this, you can see things happening a thousand li away."

"What did you say?" Wang Chengong demanded.

Then Zhong Gaoliang stepped in front of the Divine Mirror. He reached out and swiped a finger across the mirror's surface. Along the bottom of the mirror, a row of strange square icons appeared, and Zhong Gaoliang tapped twice on them, seemingly selecting something.

Then, the entire Divine Mirror shone brightly, and a picture appeared.

It was Gao Yiye! A massive image of Gao Yiye, filling the entire screen.

Wang Chengong gasped in alarm at the sight. "Oh, my heavens! This... this must be a goddess, right?"

Feitian Shu corrected him, "She's the Saintess."

Gao Yiye, her lips slightly parted, began to speak to the space beyond the screen. "Today is the nineteenth day of the sixth month, in the sixth year of Chongzhen. First, I bring you news concerning the development of Huanglong Mountain... All the labor reform prisoners from Labor Reform Valley No. 18 in Huanglong Mountain, united in their will and striving tirelessly, have finally conquered the perilous 'Hard-to-Reach' Great Steep Slope. They have driven a cement road straight through 'Hard-to-Reach,' transforming the natural barrier into a thoroughfare."