Chapter 188: Soldier

The village has a well, and the earthen building even has a stove that's ready to use. Finally, they could enjoy comfortable, hot meals.

Taking a sip of wild vegetable soup and a bite of multigrain bun, Li Huowang felt utterly content, as if the blisters around his mouth had significantly reduced.

After swallowing, Li Huowang looked up at Gao Zhijian, who had been on night watch, and asked, "Did anyone come to probe for anything last night?"

"No... no one. Not a single person."

Glancing again at Mantou, who was squatting motionlessly under the table, Li Huowang's thoughts returned to the somewhat peculiar wedding banquet from the previous night. Although there was no immediate anomaly, he still felt something was off about that man's gaze. He wasn't sure when it started, but he seemed to be able to vaguely discern the meaning behind people's eyes. That man's look was certainly not benevolent curiosity; it was a mix of apprehension and caution.

"Let's rest today and resume our journey tomorrow morning. This afternoon, Gouwa, please go to the village to collect some dry rations; our main provisions on the cart are getting low. Gao Zhijian and Chun Xiaoman, you go with him, and don't be careless."

"Alright, leave these minor tasks to me, Cao Cao."

After another glance at Bai Lingmiao, who was whispering with Chun Xiaoman, Li Huowang said nothing further and concentrated on his meal.

That afternoon, seizing the rare free time, Li Huowang took out the 'True Scripture of Fire Mantle' again and resumed his practice. However, he still hadn't found an effective way to cultivate compassion within his heart. Just as he painstakingly managed to condense the white wax into a solid mass, he suddenly sensed someone outside staring intently at his lodging.

When Li Huowang swiftly put away the 'True Scripture of Fire Mantle' and opened the window, he saw the village guardian from the previous night, his nose dripping, standing outside with a cheerful smile.

"It's him? Can I possibly extract some information from him?"

A thought struck Li Huowang. He quickly went downstairs, grabbed a few multigrain buns from the kitchen that were intended for dinner, and walked towards the village guardian. Li Huowang held up a bun and dangled it in front of the man, whose eyes fixed on it. "I have a question. If you can answer it, this bun is yours. What do you say?"

"Good!" The simple-minded village guardian nodded eagerly.

"What's your name?"

"I don't know. My mother said my surname is Hua."

"Excellent. Here's your bun."

Realizing that talking truly earned him a bun, the village guardian surnamed Hua was so delighted that snot bubbles formed at his nose.

"How about another question? At the banquet yesterday, who was the man who played the gong? What does he do?"

"Hou... Hou Lao Er. He's a soldier. Hou Lao Da got married, so he came back."

"A soldier?! Is he a soldier from Later Shu?" If so, wouldn't that mean he's an official?

He had been in this world for so long, and apart from the common soldiers guarding the border, he had never interacted with anyone from official circles. Li Huowang remained somewhat puzzled by this. In the face of this chaotic world and its inexplicable malevolent entities, he wondered how those in official positions managed to maintain order and resolve problems.

Faced with this question, Hua the simpleton fell silent, gazing wistfully at the bun in Li Huowang's hand. As soon as he received the bun, his words flowed freely again. "I don't know what kind of soldier he is; he's just a soldier. He has a very, very large iron spear. I can't lift it; it's very heavy."

Frowning slightly, Li Huowang's gaze followed the path, sweeping towards the stone lions at the entrance of the Hou family's home in the distance. "Where is he now?"

"He left. Once Hou Lao Da married, he departed."

Hearing that the man had left, Li Huowang felt a little more at ease. Regardless of the man's origins, as long as he wasn't one of those chaotic malevolent entities, it was fine. Furthermore, he likely wouldn't have any further interaction with that person. If his guess was correct, the current authorities were probably preoccupied with finding the cause of the widespread decay and disappearance.

Just then, Li Huowang turned slightly, and an aged voice came from behind him. "My boy, are you eating someone else's bun here?"

Li Huowang recognized the newcomer: the groom's father from the previous night, still wearing his watermelon-shaped hat and silk clothes. "Greetings, Elder."

"Oh, you've already partaken in our banquet, Daoist priest. Please don't be so formal with me; it makes things feel distant."

As the two conversed, the village guardian, seeing no more buns, turned and shuffled away with an inward-pointing gait. Watching his grimy back, Li Huowang turned to the elder and asked, "Elder, everyone says this village guardian can avert disasters. Can he truly do so? Has he ever helped ward off calamities for you in the past?" Although Gao Zhijian had only mentioned it in passing, in this world, anything was possible.

"Hmph, what talk of averting disaster? If a true disaster struck, could a simpleton like him possibly stop it? Two years ago, when the drought hit, he ate just as much as anyone else. The village only has this saying to prevent a simpleton like him, with no kin or connections, from starving to death. Anyone with eyes can see through it."

"Elder, that's truly benevolent of you."

"What benevolence? It's just a rule passed down from our ancestors: a village can only support one simpleton. Any more, and we wouldn't have enough food. Oh, Daoist priest, will your escort pass through Jicheng?"

Hearing the abrupt change of topic, Li Huowang was quite surprised. He realized that this wasn't a chance encounter during a stroll, but that the elder had specifically come to seek him out.

"My eldest daughter also lives there. Would you be able to deliver a message for her? There's nothing else, just tell her that her elder brother has taken a wife, and the family will soon have another addition. How much silver would you need?"

"Elder, you are too kind. Having partaken in your banquet, I am your guest. Why would I need silver to deliver a message for my host?"

Hearing Li Huowang's words, the elder didn't hesitate and proceeded to tell him the location of his daughter's home. After noting it down, Li Huowang suddenly recalled something. "Didn't your second son happen to leave just now? Why didn't you have him deliver it? He travels by horse much faster than our escort cart."

"My second son was returning to his camp. How could he go to his sister's place? He couldn't. He had to beg for those two days of leave for a long time. Ah, I wonder if another war is brewing."

"Elder, what position does your son hold in the camp? Is he a high-ranking officer?"

Li Huowang's words clearly struck a chord with the elder, whose voice grew louder as he began to proudly boast. "It's quite impressive! He's a 'short soldier' in the camp."

"A short soldier? What does that mean?"

"Ah, you don't understand, do you? Truth be told, I didn't understand it myself before. My second son told me. He said that a 'short soldier' is a personal guard stationed right beside the great general. You know how scholars talk about 'short weapons clashing'? That refers to when generals from both sides engage in battle. Tell me, could someone who serves right beside the great general be a low-ranking official? Look at our grand house, my ox cart, and those two stone lions by my gate—those were all acquired by my son."