Undercurrent surges and thunder appears
Preface: The torrent has arrived, and it's impossible to remain unscathed. Since fate has brought me into this game, I will wield the wisdom of rebirth as my blade, my compassion as my shield, and amidst these surging waves, I will carve a path for my friends. Even if it means patching up the cracks in the sky with my own hands, I will do it.
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Yan Qing threw the bamboo tube off the cliff and disappeared silently into the deep night of Liangshan Lake. In the days that followed, he was like a true civil engineer, rising at dawn every day and treading in the dew to the back mountain. Together with Tao Zongwang, he surveyed the terrain, planned the direction of the canal, and allocated wood and stone materials.
He didn't give orders, instead often rolling up his sleeves and working alongside the craftsmen to lift huge logs and tamp the foundations. His seemingly frail frame concealed remarkable strength, and his movements were imbued with a unique rhythm and deftness, often achieving twice the result with half the effort. After a few days, even the veteran craftsmen, initially skeptical of him, were forced to quietly praise this young leader for his true talent, not just some reckless swordsman.
"Captain Yan, look at this sluice gate base. It's been built layer by layer using 'three-in-one soil' as you said. It's incredibly solid, saving a lot of bluestone!" Tao Zongwang pointed at the sluice gate foundation, which had begun to take shape, his dark face filled with admiration. Coming from a farming family, he was most impressed by people who were pragmatic, hardworking, and able to solve practical problems.
Yan Qing wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled slightly: "Brother Tao, you are too kind. It's just a matter of adapting to local conditions. If it can save some expenses for the stronghold, it's always good." He swept his eyes over the busy craftsmen and minions around him. When these people saw him now, there was less alienation and scrutiny in their eyes, and a bit more natural respect.
All of this, naturally, was recorded by eyes hidden in the shadows and reported to Wu Yong's desk. However, the daily reports, aside from progress reports, consisted of Yan Qing discussing techniques with craftsmen, and even demonstrating how to more efficiently move huge rocks. It was a dull, sleep-inducing affair. Wu Yong twirled his beard, staring at the thick, worthless stack of records, his brow furrowing. Could this Yan Qing truly be content to bury himself in civil engineering, a mere clerk? He simply refused to believe it.
Meanwhile, Yan Qing didn't devote all his energy to the project. Taking advantage of his proximity to the rear mountains, he memorized the layout of Liangshan Lake's rear stronghold, its checkpoints, food storage areas, and even the approximate locations of some of the chieftains' residences. He moved cautiously, never approaching any of the most crucial areas, but simply observing the daily operations of this vast stronghold from the perspective of a conscientious steward.
That afternoon, Yan Qing, under the pretext of investigating a newly discovered spring, wandered to a relatively secluded valley. From afar, he could hear the clatter of blades breaking through the wind, like the howling north wind, tinged with an unquenchable sense of grief and fierceness. He quietly hid behind a huge rock, only to see, in the center of the valley, a man and a spear, wielding a powerful, majestic aura, a breathtaking display of movement, a true legacy passed down by the instructor of Tokyo's 800,000-strong Imperial Guards. Yet, amidst these impeccable moves, there was a constant, melancholy, and resolute tone, like a caged tiger, each lunge carrying the resolve to shake the shackles.
It’s Lin Chong.
Yan Qing watched silently until Lin Chong had exhausted his spear skills and stood with his spear sheathed, pointing the 10-foot-long snake spear at an angle to the ground. His entire body seemed drained of strength, his back slightly hunched, as he gazed at the southern sky for a long time, motionless. The setting sun stretched his shadow to an extremely long, lonely and heartbreaking length.
Yan Qing then slowly walked out, his footsteps startling Lin Chong. He turned abruptly, his eyes gleaming like lightning. Once he saw it was Yan Qing, the sharp light faded slightly, and he became calm again. He simply nodded slightly, "Brother Yan Qing." His voice was hoarse, a sound of long silence.
"Master Lin, your Kung Fu is amazing." Yan Qing praised sincerely, "But the wind is strong in this valley. You need to put on your coat in time after practicing to avoid catching a cold." His tone was natural, as if it was just ordinary concern when he met you by chance.
Lin Chong was slightly startled, as if he had not expected Yan Qing to say this. He was silent for a moment and said, "Thank you for your concern." He paused, his eyes passing over Yan Qing's muddy clothes and hands, "Brother, what's going on..."
"I'm supervising the work in the back mountain, and I'm looking for a suitable water source." Yan Qing said calmly, walking to the side and picking up a blade of grass that was cut by the wind from the spear. "The instructor's spear is too murderous, and it will make you depressed. I'm afraid it's not a good way to maintain your health."
Lin Chong tightened his grip on the spear shaft and did not answer. Instead, he asked, "Brother Yanqing, when you were in Daming Prefecture, did you... did you hear about the old stories in Tokyo?" He asked vaguely, but his eyes, which contained hope and fear, revealed what he really wanted to ask.
Yan Qing sighed inwardly, knowing that the only thing he was thinking about was his long-lost wife. He shook his head, his expression sincere, "To be honest, Master, I left the capital in such a hurry that I haven't heard any news about your wife. However, things in this world aren't always hopeless. Gao Qiu, that wretch, has so many enemies. Perhaps...your wife has already left this troubled place and is living a peaceful life."
He didn't offer a definitive answer, but in that hopeless darkness, he cast a faint ray of light, a glimmer of possibility. Lin Chong's tense jawline relaxed slightly, and a complex, inexpressible emotion flashed in his eyes, ultimately transforming into a long, heavy sigh that dissipated in the evening mountain breeze.
The two stood side by side in the deepening twilight. The noise of the distant village was blocked by the mountains, and the only sound here was the howling wind.
"This Liangshan..." Lin Chong looked at the lights that were gradually lighting up, his voice so low that he seemed to be talking to himself, "It seems that everyone is united in purpose, but in fact... people's hearts are hidden." He finally revealed a hint of his true thoughts hidden deep in his heart.
Yan Qing also looked at the light and shadow, his tone calm and unperturbed: "The human heart is like water, its flow is unpredictable. I just hope that I can live with a clear conscience."
Lin Chong tilted his head and gave Yan Qing a deep look. This young man, seemingly gentle, possessed an unshakable composure. He said no more, simply gripping the heavy snake spear tightly.
At this moment, a burst of hurried and chaotic footsteps and panicked shouts came from afar: "Chief Lin! Chief Yan! It's bad! Gather the generals in the Juyi Hall! Something big has happened!"
Yan Qing and Lin Chong exchanged a glance, each seeing a solemn expression in the other's eyes. Gathering these generals late at night was truly extraordinary!
When the two hurried into the Gathering Hall, it was already packed with people. The flickering candlelight illuminated faces filled with surprise, anger, and bewilderment. Song Jiang sat upright on a tiger-skin chair, his face livid. His fists clenched and trembling on the armrests. Wu Yong stood beside him, his usual composure gone. His brow furrowed, and he had forgotten to wave his feather fan.
An oppressive atmosphere as if a storm was about to come enveloped the entire hall.
Seeing that the heads had almost all gathered, Song Jiang slammed the armrest, his voice distorted with anger. "Brothers! Disaster!" He took a deep breath and spoke through gritted teeth, "The envoys we sent to Lingzhou to secretly contact Sun An of the Dragon Slaying Villa were ambushed by elite government troops at Black Wind Valley on the border! The twenty-eight accompanying brothers, including their leader, 'General Shi,' Shi Yong... were completely wiped out. Not a single one survived!"
"What?!"
"Brother Shi Yong also..."
"How do the government troops know our whereabouts?!"
The news exploded through the crowd like thunder! Lingzhou was the key to Liangshan's further expansion. This covert operation had suffered such a precise and fatal blow, not only losing a leader and many elite soldiers, but also signifying that Liangshan's strategic intentions had been completely exposed!
Before everyone could recover from the first piece of bad news, Song Jiang, in an even more sorrowful and even somewhat unbelievable tone, threw out the second, more shocking piece of news:
"Also! According to reliable intelligence, Lu Junyi of Daming Prefecture has joined forces with Dong Ping, the military commander of Dongping Prefecture, and Cheng Wanli, the prefect. They have assembled over 20,000 cavalry and infantry. Under the banner of 'Assisting the government in suppressing bandits and pacifying the region,' they are marching towards the northern border of Liangshan! Their vanguard cavalry is less than 80 miles from our waterfront!"
If the first piece of news was a thunderclap, then the second piece of news was a sharp knife piercing the heart!
Lu Junyi! The "Jade Unicorn" who had just escaped from prison and should have kept a low profile, instead of staying silent, he took such a strong stance, allied with the government, and put the blade directly on the neck of Liangshan!
The hall was dead silent for a moment, and then an even greater uproar and commotion broke out!
"Lu Junyi! How dare he!"
"How ungrateful! I shouldn't have let him go in the first place!"
"Someone must have tipped off the police!"
"Who else could it be? It must be the new Yan Qing!"
Countless gazes, like poisoned arrows, instantly focused on Yan Qing, standing in the crowd! Li Kui's eyes were red, and he screamed and was about to pounce, but was held back by several people beside him. Wang Ying, Bai Sheng, and others even started to make a commotion, and the hall was filled with murderous intent and tension!
Wu Yong stepped forward at the right moment, pointing his feather fan directly at Yan Qing. His voice was icy cold, carrying undisguised murderous intent:
"Yan Qing! What else do you have to say?!"
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Chapter 40 End
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