Chapter 144: Being Discovered

This was also his reason for heading west. The eastern road from Xianling Village was too flat, and burdened with heavy items like carriages, they certainly couldn't outrun the rebels. By heading west, if they seized the right moment, they might be able to descend the mountain with little trouble.

No sooner had he spoken than two bandit soldiers rushed over, explicitly holding a human head. "General, we searched the woods by the western mountain road and found someone who had been beheaded, lying dead and alone. We've brought back his belongings."

The head was grimacing, covered in mud and grass. But as Wu Shaoyi took it for a look, someone nearby exclaimed, "Liu Houzi! This is General Pei's scout, Liu Houzi. We drank together twice at Woling Pass, and he paid both times!"

Before anyone else could speak, He Lingchuan immediately said, "We government soldiers don't have the custom of beheading people. This must be the work of Bandit Lu."

"Pei Xinyong probably sent him to gather intelligence," Wu Shaoyi said. "If he was killed by Bandit Lu, then Bandit Lu has likely obtained Old Pei's intelligence as well." Wu Shaoyi looked at the bandit. "What are you holding?"

The man quickly extended his hand forward. "It looks like a mechanical bird. Liu Houzi was dead on the ground, and I found this on the treetop above his head."

He Lingchuan had long heard that puppet arts existed in this world, and puppeteers could make their mechanical creations move in various ways. However, this was his first time witnessing it firsthand. The mechanical bird in the bandit's hand was the same size as a real pigeon, dark gray and inconspicuous, which suited its function well.

"This man was likely discovered while tinkering with the mechanical bird in the tree. Lu Yao beheaded him but failed to notice a mechanical bird still perched on the treetop above."

Wu Shaoyi turned the mechanical bird over and over, examining it. He then opened its belly, revealing a hidden compartment, which was empty. But his face, serious for so long, finally broke into a smile. "Heaven helps me! This scout was supposed to deliver intelligence, and the mechanical bird can probably fly directly to Old Pei."

Lian Deng clapped his hands. "That's right! We can have the mechanical bird send a message to General Pei. Wouldn't that establish contact?"

Time was pressing. The bandits brought paper and brush. Wu Shaoyi, in one swift motion, wrote dozens of large characters. He then folded the note, tucked it into the mechanical bird's belly, and patted its head. "Go find Pei Xinyong."

The mechanical bird raised its head and flapped its wings. With a whirring sound, it flew into the sky like a real bird, heading west.

"Let's go," He Lingchuan said, standing up. "No time to lose." He had already spent too much time in Xianling Village.

Everyone climbed onto the crocodiles' backs in single file. The giant crocodiles moved a few steps and gracefully entered the water. Despite their immense bodies, they didn't even splash.

Although loaded with humans, the few crocodile demons possessed immense strength and appeared to be moving with ease, their speed hardly slowing down.

The group, initially trembling with apprehension on the backs of these ancient beasts, soon realized they were more stable than boats. With their eyes closed, they couldn't even feel themselves navigating on the water, which greatly eased their minds.

The giant crocodiles carried the group, also swimming west. The water was wide open, allowing them to travel in a straight line, unlike the winding mountain roads on land.

It was deep autumn now; maple leaves on the lake shore drifted red, and the mountains were gilded in gold, presenting an indescribably grand and solemn beauty.

The river wind brushed his face. He Lingchuan stood on the crocodile's head, took a deep breath, and felt his lungs fill with cool air.

Riding a giant crocodile over five *zhang* long, traversing mountains and waters, and following a band of bandits to the battlefield. Half a year ago, would he have dared to imagine such a thing?

***

Lu Yao spurred his horse on the western road.

He urged his horse so fast that it nearly stumbled several times around bends, kicking many rocks down into the ravine, with the echo only heard much later.

He wasn't afraid, but his subordinates were. Galloping at such speed on these ninety-nine winding mountain paths—were they eager to die sooner?

But no one dared to utter a sound.

Earlier, passing Whistle Rock, Lu Yao deliberately took a detour to inspect it.

The ground was a mess, full of signs of combat; blood stained tree bark and blades of grass everywhere.

There were also dozens of corpses on the ground, some killed by arrows, others by swords.

These were his men! The more Lu Yao looked, the more ferocious his expression became, until he finally roared to the sky:

"Pei Xinyong, you old fool!"

The newly recruited subordinates from Wu Shaoyi's faction had explained to him on the way the reason for Wu and Pei's sudden defection.

It truly was a stratagem of discord concocted by that dog of an official, He!

No wonder he had sought him out last night to drink, eat fish, and chat, showering him with attention—he had wanted Wu and Pei's scouts to catch them red-handed.

Those two fools had truly leaped into He's trap without a second thought.

A perfectly good three-way rendezvous had been ruined like this.

When he saw the corpses of his men on the mountain road again, he paradoxically calmed down, merely sneering:

"Doesn't that dog of an official, He Chunhua, like eating roasted fish? When I catch him, I'll dismember his family members in front of him, roast the cut flesh, and force-feed it to him! Heh heh, until he bursts!" After speaking, he swallowed a few times.

Just then, a shrill cry echoed from the sky.

Lu Yao raised his arm, and a red-tailed peregrine falcon landed on it, speaking in human tongue. "The government army's convoy is thirty *li* ahead of you, but the mountain road is winding, so it might take you more time to catch up!"

"Where's Pei Xinyong?"

"He's staying at Zhumapo, not yet moving," the falcon continued, "Our men have already passed Zhumapo and are retreating towards Desheng Town."

"A bunch of useless idiots!" Lu Yao snorted and said to the falcon, "In a moment, go again and urge all the men and horses from Desheng Town to come here."

"They are afraid of Pei Xinyong."

"Once Wu Shaoyi is dead, Old Pei won't dare to oppose me!" Lu Yao laughed. "He'll turn back eventually."

He fed the falcon a few pieces of meat and was about to release it.

The falcon suddenly lowered its voice and whispered into his ear. "Oh, by the way, on my way back, I flew over the lake and saw something unusual at Twin Gorge. Several crocodile demons were carrying many people on their backs, heading west."

"Crocodile demons? Carrying people?" Lu Yao was greatly startled. He knew the temperament of the Crocodile God: indifferent and ruthless. Even though they had cooperated a few times, if he were to seek the Crocodile God now without offering sufficient reward, the creature wouldn't even mind devouring him. "Who did the Crocodile God carry?"

Who could make the Crocodile God willingly become a vehicle and obediently carry people?

"Wu Shaoyi." The falcon's voice dropped even lower.

Lu Yao immediately waved away the bandits behind him, then spurred his horse forward a few steps before staring at the falcon. "What's going on? How is he still alive? Wasn't Wu injured by a crocodile? How could he be riding on one now?"

While his mind was in a turmoil, he also didn't forget to put some distance between himself and his subordinates. Many of these bandits had defected from Wu Shaoyi's command to his; if they heard their former master was still alive, who knew if new complications would arise?

If Wu Shaoyi were still alive, he would be the greatest destabilizing factor. Lu Yao was somewhat worried.

"I'm not sure, but he brought over two hundred subordinates, traveling by both crocodile and boat."