Chapter 56: River Mouth Pass
Chapter 56: Chapter 56: River Mouth Pass
’How dare he?!’
Zhu Ge was inwardly stunned.
’This isn’t just tyranny; this is a complete and wanton disregard for human life!’
’That was a Second Realm expert!’
A Second Realm expert could protect hundreds of square li of land from being invaded by other races, sheltering the Human Race and allowing it to prosper.
’And yet, the Raincoat Fisherman killed him just like that?’
"SWISH!"
The black shadow that had shattered the black-bearded man’s head flew back, and only then did Zhu Ge see that it was a palm-sized fishhook, its color an intertwining of black patterns and brass.
"Ju Zi! The Ju Zi has been killed!"
"The Jingzhe Official is killing people! The Jingzhe Official is killing people!"
"This is bad! He must have found out about the Hongmi Seed!"
The few First Realm Cultivators immediately fell into a panic.
"What nonsense are you all spouting!" The remaining Second Realm youth turned and shouted coldly. He then cupped his hands at the Raincoat Fisherman and said:
"We do indeed possess a lower-grade Spirit Level Hongmi Seed born from the terraced fields, but it has already been planted. Besides, such an item should not be classified as part of the tax levy!"
The young man’s eyes were filled with tears, but he still suppressed his voice:
"The Jingzhe Official may be in charge of taxes, but my ancestors included a Guyu Official, a Mangzhong Official, and a Qingming Official. We are not some rootless nobodies."
"For the Jingzhe Official to so flagrantly disregard my father’s life, shouldn’t you offer an explanation?"
Furious, yet rational.
"Oh? Your ancestors were among the Nine Officials of the realm? Not bad." The Raincoat Fisherman narrowed his eyes, then said, "But he himself said it. He guaranteed it with his life."
"His life, or another thirty thousand shi of Hongmi from you. Make your choice."
"If you feel you should pay the tax, then prepare thirty thousand shi of Hongmi. I will be sure to report today’s events truthfully and ask my superior to punish me."
"If you feel your father deserved to die, then let him be dead."
As he spoke, the Raincoat Fisherman asked nonchalantly, "By the way, what did you call your father earlier?"
The youth faltered, then frowned. "My father taught us the knowledge of the Mo Family lineage, allowing us to become Mechanism Masters. What’s wrong with us calling him Ju Zi? It is merely a title of respect."
"Hehe, is that the reason?" A sharp glint flashed in the Raincoat Fisherman’s eyes.
"From beginning to end, the Mo Family has only ever had one contemporary Ju Zi. If I find out you are guilty of impersonation, it won’t be a matter that can be solved with just one death."
"We are not." The youth’s face was grim.
"My father’s death was brought upon by his own careless words. However, Jingzhe is approaching, and the insects are numerous. We of Mengla Slope Third Village are sealing our pass. I must ask the Jingzhe Official to leave."
With that, the youth bowed deeply.
"Hahaha, very good, very good." The Raincoat Fisherman roared with laughter, then turned and left with Zhu Ge.
Zhu Ge sat on the edge of the boat and looked back.
The youth paid no mind to his father’s corpse beside him. Instead, he stared intently at the retreating figures of the Raincoat Fisherman and Zhu Ge, as if searing their images into his memory for future revenge.
’This Raincoat Fisherman...’ Zhu Ge seethed inwardly.
’He has a complete disregard for human life!’
’We’re already in chaotic times, yet instead of targeting other races, the Raincoat Fisherman is constantly thinking about how to exploit other members of the Human Race?’
But Zhu Ge showed none of this. As always, he began to act.
After all, a Second Realm expert from the Mo Family had been crushed like an ant before the Raincoat Fisherman.
If Zhu Ge wanted to kill him in a single blow, he would have to wait until the spider’s web was woven, ensuring the Raincoat Fisherman had no escape.
"Zhu Ge, did you see that?" The Raincoat Fisherman’s voice held a trace of glee. "The power of life and death. Isn’t it exhilarating?"
"I hope that one day, I can be like that too." Zhu Ge said with a look of longing.
"Haha! You’re in luck. It just so happens I’m in need of a Quanya." The Raincoat Fisherman laughed.
"These clan folk are too united. They could never be used by me."
"Besides, seeing how they’re growing stronger, they might one day come to Yuan Yang City and compete with us for resources."
"So I might as well just kill him. Now, during Jingzhe, they’ll be scrambling just to survive. It’s highly unlikely they’ll make it to Yuan Yang City."
"And in the future? By the time one of them reaches the Third Realm, perhaps I will have already grown even stronger."
’Such a vicious heart...’ Zhu Ge agreed on the surface, but inwardly, he thought the Raincoat Fisherman was a madman.
The next two days were simple.
Six villages on the Jinshui Riverbank, five hamlets by Banban Bridge, and some other settlements in flat areas like Cao Dam and Hua Dam—in total, more than thirty villages had their taxes collected, one by one.
As a Jingzhe Official, the Raincoat Fisherman exercised his power to the absolute fullest.
He either killed dissenters on the spot or was entertained with fine wine, good food, and beautiful women.
Wanton murder, raping the local women, and indulging in lakes of wine and forests of meat.
For the Raincoat Fisherman, the journey was indeed exhilarating.
Zhu Ge went from being mostly silent at the beginning to a subordinate who could talk about anything with the Raincoat Fisherman.
Sometimes, he would even act the part of a true lackey, such as motioning for the villagers to present wine and meat.
And so, it seemed the Raincoat Fisherman truly began to treat Zhu Ge as his "Quanya."
Until the last stop.
...
"That’s River Mouth Pass up ahead!"
The Raincoat Fisherman was already young, and now his complexion was much ruddier than it had been a dozen or so days ago.
"River Mouth Pass? Our last stop?" Zhu Ge’s eyes lit up, and he licked his lips. "Doesn’t that mean there will be a lot of fresh river delicacies?"
"Hahaha, curb that gluttonous mouth of yours!" The Raincoat Fisherman’s expression turned serious as he warned:
"This place is not under the jurisdiction of my Yuan Yang City. It’s governed by a border general. Be careful after you enter the pass, and don’t cause any trouble for me."
"And by ’trouble,’ you mean?" Zhu Ge’s eyes darted around.
"Those wearing silk and satin, and those in armor holding halberds," the Raincoat Fisherman said with a smile.
"Ooh~" Zhu Ge’s voice carried a tone of, ’I understand.’
’The meaning was clear: aside from the powerful and noble, everyone else is free for me to prey on.’
’Prey on the common folk, prey on the villagers!’
As they drew closer, a structure resembling the Great Wall gradually came into view in the distance.
The Raincoat Fisherman’s boat came to a stop at an appropriate distance, hovering in the air, and he cupped his hands toward the structure.
"I am the Raincoat Fisherman, a Jingzhe Official from Yuan Yang City. My attendant and I are weary from our long journey. Might we rest for a while at the pass?"
The Raincoat Fisherman’s voice carried a hint of exhaustion.
Before long, a figure appeared from the distant pass and flew toward them.
"It is spring, and the land is swarming with insects. I didn’t expect a Jingzhe Official from Yuan Yang City to come all this way. I wonder, have you brought the army’s provisions?"
The newcomer’s voice was deep and resonant, filled with a sense of martial might.
When the man flew before them, Zhu Ge instantly felt as if he were looking at a bear.
This man, nearly two meters tall, had a square, stately face. He wore armor covered in countless slash and claw marks, from which emanated an aura of iron and blood.
"My name is Li Zhongguo, defender of River Mouth Pass. I greet the Jingzhe Official." The man before them clasped his fist.
"Greetings, Li Zhenshou." The Raincoat Fisherman bowed and then gave a bitter smile. "On my journey here, I saw nothing but widespread misery, the land littered with the bodies of the starved. Taxes? There was almost nothing to collect!"
"Alas, the hardships of the people..." Li Zhongguo sighed at the sight, then looked at Zhu Ge next to the Raincoat Fisherman. "And this young brother is?"
"My name is Zhu Ge. Greetings, Li Zhenshou." Zhu Ge clasped his fist in salute.
"I am the Raincoat Fisherman’s Quanya. Though I am but a humble Martial Artist, I am willing to serve him faithfully, seeking only to do my part for the Human Race."
"Quanya?" Hearing this, Li Zhongguo’s expression shifted. He gave a solemn salute. "Greetings, Zhu Wufu. We are in your debt."
Then he looked at the Raincoat Fisherman. "Fisherman, please follow me into the pass to talk and rest for a few days."
"Many thanks!" The Raincoat Fisherman bowed.
Li Zhongguo then led the Raincoat Fisherman’s boat into the pass.
Upon entering the pass, Zhu Ge frowned almost imperceptibly.
Below the scarred stone walls, maggot-ridden corpses and skeletons were piled haphazardly, some still pierced with arrows or blades.
"The River Demons in the river are running rampant. My soldiers at the pass don’t know if they can survive this spring."
Li Zhongguo sighed. "Not only have our food supplies been depleted, but even our blacksmiths are growing scarce."
"But if we cannot hold River Mouth Pass, the Nanyue Barbarian Race to the south will swarm out in full force. I fear that the Three Prefectures and Eighteen Cities of Yunjiang will be plunged into devastation..."