As we approached the border, the weather grew increasingly gloomy. Dark clouds often rolled overhead, and gusts of cold wind, like icy little snakes, crept up our sleeves and down our backs, making us shiver with cold. But it rarely rained, and when it did, it was just a light drizzle that only dampened our hair.

The sun has been out for half a month, and when it occasionally manages to shine down, it is quickly covered by thick dark clouds, leaving the sky always gray.

The army seemed to be walking in another world where there would never be a sunny day, and the soldiers' morale was greatly diminished.

Lin Lan's worries grew as gloomy as the weather each day. If the weather continued to be so damp and cold, the grain would mold and spoil.

Wanwan tried every means to keep the rations dry, often reaching out to touch them to check if they were warm. If they felt warm to the touch, it meant the rations were about to spoil.

It would be best to get it to the military camp as soon as possible. Wanwan was also secretly worried. Unfortunately, the land route was blocked near the border, so they had to switch to waterway.

Lin Lan's team had no boats, and waterways were always slower than horses and mules. By the time they reached the border, the soldiers fighting there would either starve or run out of food.

The delivery time could not be delayed any longer, so Lin Lan had no choice but to quickly find a boat to travel by water.

Unexpectedly, one problem after another arose, and the river channel also encountered some issues.

When they reached a calm stretch of river, Wanwan suddenly noticed some green algae ahead. This was not a good sign, as it meant that the water ahead was stagnant and there was no path ahead; the group had gone to the wrong place.

The river is narrow here, and even setting aside the time constraints of this route, it is extremely difficult for the boat to turn around.

Wanwan quickly returned to her cabin to inform Lin Lan.

Lin Lan, who already had a worried look on her face, felt even more depressed after hearing these words.

For some reason, he encountered various intractable problems on this expedition. The once cheerful and playful young man had become much more profound and composed, and even his clothing had become much simpler.

When Wanwan went in to tell him about the river, she found that he had changed out of his elegant and clean white clothes and put on a simple and durable black shirt. The jade pendant was no longer at his waist, and the folding fan in his hand had been replaced by maps and a writing brush. His eyes were dark with worry, and some unkempt blue mustache had sprouted from his mouth.

Upon hearing Wanwan's report, Lin Lan did not rush to reply. Instead, he silently put down the brush he was using to make annotations, stared at the map in front of him, and fell into deep thought. A complex emotion welled up in his deep black eyes.

In his eyes, Wanwan hadn't changed at all.

The carefree little girl of the past has grown up and has developed some girlish sentiments. At such a beautiful age, she has taken on responsibilities that are not her own.

The heavy burden weighed down on her, causing her eyes, which were warm even when she wasn't smiling, to lose some of their cunning. Her usually lively, flowing hair was styled into a high ponytail like a boy's, and she changed into a brown or black short-sleeved shirt.

When Wanwan hastily lifted the curtain to report, both of them were startled by each other's state. Having been focused on official business for a long time, the siblings were so surprised to notice each other's changes that they fell silent for a moment.

Lin Lan rested her chin on her hand and pondered for a while. The rare, cold sunlight outside the ship shone into the cabin, and the dust swirled rapidly in the beams of light. The pale sunlight did not provide any warmth.

"Could it be that the problem isn't with the wiring, but with the riverbed?" Lin Lan said slowly, glancing at Wanwan as if asking for her opinion.

“Let’s go explore by ourselves in a small boat now. The river ahead is even narrower, and if a large boat goes by and the route is wrong, it will be inconvenient to turn around.” Wanwan made a quick decision, her eyes still bright and clear, much warmer and clearer than the pale and weak sunlight.

Lin Lan immediately agreed and instructed his subordinates to prepare a small boat.

The two boarded the small boat one after the other, and Lin Lan took off his sword.

For some reason, an ominous feeling lingered in his heart.

Wanwan rowed the boat at the bow, carefully observing the water. The water wasn't very clear, and the algae wasn't thick. Before the boat even came close, the waves from the small boat parted it. The thickness of the algae made it seem as if the water had recently blocked the river channel, rather than being stagnant for many years.

Both of them noticed something amiss, and their premonition grew even stronger.

"Look, Wanwan." Lin Lan pointed to both sides of the river.

Wanwan then realized that much of the soil on both sides of the river was newly added. This was an artificial way to narrow the river channel, which should have been much wider and was not a dead end!

"Oh no!" the brother and sister exclaimed simultaneously.

Suddenly, the stagnant water surged up, violently crashing against the bottom of the small boat as if a giant beast sleeping beneath the river had awakened.

Having already experienced a man-made flood discharge, Wanwan immediately realized what had happened. She channeled her spiritual energy, and several dazzling red lights surged along the direction of the water flow, creating powerful water jets that struck the soil on both sides of the river.

The newly added soil had little adhesion and was quickly washed away by the water column. At this moment, the undercurrents at the bottom of the river surged even more violently, and the sound of a flood came from ahead.

"Someone has blocked the river and is going to wash away the grain!" Wanwan shouted to Lin Lan. The latter's hand, which was gripping the edge of the boat, trembled. His eyes widened, his back straightened, and he gripped the hilt of his knife.

As they were talking, the floodwaters upstream roared and rushed in like a ferocious beast. Downstream was the grain supply, and they absolutely could not let this wave wash over them!

Wanwan immediately channeled all her spiritual power to create a crimson air barrier that blocked the water flow. Once the turbulent waves subsided, she opened up the two sides, allowing the water to flow slowly down from both sides.

Fortunately, the river channel had widened, the waves were successfully blocked, and the river flowed downstream at a slow speed.

The large ships carrying grain downstream were completely unaffected.

Before the brother and sister could even catch their breath, they suddenly heard shouts all around them: "Charge! Kill them!"

Oh no, it's an ambush!

These people always use the same tactics when they set up an ambush!

While feeling anxious, Wanwan took a moment to grumble.

Seeing the bandits lying in ambush surging up like a tide, Lin Lan simply drew his sword and jumped off the boat. The river water immediately soaked his clothes, but he stood like a statue, refusing to retreat.

"Wanwan, you take the food first! Your brother will cover the rear!"

There was no time to say goodbye to each other. Wanwan picked up the oar and started rowing wildly, shouting, "Brother Lin, be careful! Let's meet again safely!"

Without hearing Lin Lan's response, the bandits rushed up. Lin Lan raised his knife and killed several of the pursuers, but he was still outnumbered. Many of them broke through his obstruction and headed straight for Wanwan.

Wanwan used her mind to control the water flow, repelling several pursuers, but she still couldn't stop the ever-growing number of assassins.