Chapter 893
Survival
The branches and leaves drooped low, weighed down by the remnants of last night's snow. Occasionally, snowdrifts slid down from above, striking the road with a muffled thud, like distant, muffled drumming. The wind swept through the forest, carrying the crisp scent of pine needles and the damp chill of distant mountain streams, causing the horses' manes to tremble slightly. As the caravan moved, the horses' hooves pounded the half-frozen earth with a deep, rhythmic sound. The twenty-three riders formed a long, thin black line, casting long shadows in the post-snow sunshine.
Zheng Yi rode at the head of the group, his chestnut horse moving steadily. The wind lifted the hem of his cloak, revealing the scabbard of his purple-gold longsword at his waist, its sheath gleaming faintly in the sunlight. Guo Tianyou followed on the left, his armor covered by a cotton-padded jacket, his right hand constantly resting on the longbow beside the saddle, his gaze occasionally sweeping towards the woods on either side. Zhao Sanhuai rode on the right; although his broken leg could now exert force, his footing in the stirrups was still somewhat unsteady. He muttered curses under his breath.
"Sir, why does this road seem to be getting worse and worse? That grove of trees ahead doesn't look clean, and I can smell blood in it."
Zheng Yi's gaze fell on the forest path ahead, where the snow was trampled and disordered, and a few strips of dark red cloth clung to the branches, swaying in the wind like hastily torn pieces of clothing. His voice was calm:
"Someone is waiting for us."
No sooner had he finished speaking than a sharp bamboo whistle suddenly rang out from both sides of the woods.
"call out--!"
Before the whistle had even faded, dozens of dark figures leaped out from behind the pine trees, landing silently. The swords and knives in their hands gleamed coldly in the sunlight. The leader was a burly man with a long, old, pale scar running from his brow to the corner of his mouth, still menacingly menacing. He carried a broad-backed cleaver, the back of which was crudely engraved with a wolf's head. Behind him, more than forty men formed a crescent shape, completely blocking the main road.
Scarface took a step forward, his boot crushing the thin ice on the ground, his voice rough yet tinged with mockery:
"Guys passing by, leave your toll and we'll let you pass."
Guo Tianyou's right hand instantly nocked the bowstring, and he roared:
"Dare to rob Hongyun City in broad daylight? Are you tired of living?"
Scarface's gaze sharpened, landing on Zheng Yi in the center of the group. He looked him up and down for a moment, then suddenly grinned, revealing a set of teeth stained yellow by smoking:
"Hey, this guy in the fox fur looks familiar... Could he be the Dark Night Master who stabbed the Li family patriarch with a sword a few days ago?"
A murmur of gasps immediately rose from the ranks.
Zhao Sanhuai's short sword was already half-drawn from its sheath, his voice as cold as a blade:
"Knowing it's us, you still dare to block our way? Are you looking for death?"
The scarred man waved his hand, and although his henchmen didn't lower their swords, their murderous aura noticeably lessened. He stared at Zheng Yi, a hint of complexity in his voice:
"My name is Black Wolf. I used to hang around the upper reaches of the Blackwater River, but later... sigh, never mind. I won't rob you, sir. I just want to ask one question—is Li Wuji really dead?"
Zheng Yi looked at him calmly:
"died."
Black Wolf was silent for a moment, then suddenly threw his head back and laughed, but his laughter was choked with sobs:
"Good! Good! Heaven has opened its eyes!"
He was laughing for a moment when he suddenly knelt down on one knee, his broad-backed machete plunging heavily into the snow, the hilt sinking half a foot into the ground, his voice hoarse:
"I, Black Wolf, thank you, sir, on behalf of my thirty-seven brothers who died in the Li family mine!"
More than forty people behind him knelt down in unison, their swords and knives plunging into the ground, making a series of crisp metallic clanging sounds.
Guo Tianyou's hand was still on the bowstring, his face full of astonishment:
"What...does this mean?"
Black Wolf looked up; Scarface gleamed in the sunlight, and his voice was deep:
“We used to be from Hanyuan City too. Our family’s land was seized by the Li family, and our parents were forced to jump into the river. I led a group of brothers to the mountains to become outlaws, intending to rob the rich and help the poor. But then… the Li family sent cultivators to surround the mountain and killed half of our brothers. The rest of us had to become more and more ruthless in order to survive.”
He paused, his gaze falling on Zheng Yi's face:
"I heard that Li Wuji was killed by your sword, sir. We, the leaders, discussed it all night and decided... not to rob you, sir. We only want to ask you for a word."
Zheng Yi looked at him:
"What?"
Black Wolf took a deep breath, his voice trembling:
"We are willing to accept punishment. We will take responsibility for the murder and arson ourselves. We only ask that you... help us clean up the mess left by the Li family. Let those brothers in Hanyuan City who were forced to go up the mountain have a way back."
The line fell silent.
The only sounds were the wind blowing through the pine forest and the hoarse cries of crows in the distance.
Zheng Yi remained silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the more than forty people kneeling on the ground.
They were dressed in rags, their faces were covered with scars, and their hands were calloused like tree bark, yet they knelt upright, not one of them raising their head.
He suddenly spoke:
"A life for a life, a debt for a debt. That's the rule."
Black Wolf lowered his head:
"I understand."
Zheng Yi continued:
"But rules aren't set in stone."
He looked at the black wolf:
“You are not inherently bad, you have just been driven to a dead end.”
"So... I'm giving you two options."
"First rule: Put down your knives now and come back to Hongyun City with me. We will settle the old scores of murder and arson one by one. Those who deserve to be killed will be killed, those who deserve to be imprisoned will be imprisoned, and those who deserve to be exiled will be exiled. But from now on, you are not allowed to become outlaws again."
"Second rule: Continue to be your Black Wolf Gang. But remember—if you rob innocent people again, or harm civilians again, I will personally come to take your lives."
The black wolf looked up, its eyes turning red:
"Sir...give us a way out?"
Zheng Yi nodded:
"A way out."
"But the premise is—you dare to turn back."
The black wolf's throat bobbed, and it slammed its head against the snow, creating two deep craters.
"I, Black Wolf... am willing to return to Hongyun City! I am willing to accept your discipline, sir!"
More than forty people behind him kowtowed simultaneously, their voices unified and heavy:
"I wish to return to Hongyun City!"
Snowflakes fell on their backs.
It instantly turned into water droplets.
Slide down the spine.
It dripped into the snow.
Zheng Yi looked at them.
a long time.
He spoke:
"stand up."
"Keep up with the group."
"Back to the city."
Black Wolf stood up, his eyes bloodshot, yet carrying a long-lost ease. He waved his hand, and his henchmen behind him sheathed their swords, the sound echoing clearly in the wind and snow.
Guo Tianyou walked over and asked in a low voice:
"Sir... are you really taking them back?"
Zheng Yi nodded:
"bring."
"The city is short-handed."
"If they are willing to turn back, give them a way out."
"If he commits this again..."
His voice lowered:
"kill."
Guo Tianyou clasped his hands in a fist salute:
"understand!"
The procession continued onward.
More than forty people were added.
It was much quieter now. Black Wolf walked at the back of the group, accompanied by several old brothers. As they looked at Zheng Yi's back ahead, their eyes no longer held murderous intent, but rather a long-lost... hope.
Most of the snow outside the east gate of Hongyun City had melted, leaving the road a muddy, dark brown pavement, churned up by tire tracks and footsteps. Puddles reflected the grey-blue sky and the occasional shadow of a crow. Newly erected temporary wooden sheds lined the base of the city wall, their roofs a mixture of tarpaulin and thatch, rustling and crackling in the wind like someone beating a wet blanket in the distance. A clearing was enclosed in front of the sheds by thick hemp rope, with a sharpened stake every three feet along the rope, its tip worn white and smelling of fresh sawdust.
Forty-three former members of the Black Wolf Gang stood in four rows in the center of the open space. Each held a shovel or a carrying pole, their cotton-padded jacket sleeves worn smooth, and their trousers splattered with fresh mud. Zhao Sanhuai stood at the front, leaning on a thick wooden cane. Although his broken leg could now bear weight, he still walked with a slight limp. He slammed his cane into the ground, the sound as rough as a grinding wheel scraping iron.
"Listen up, all of you! From today onwards, you're all under my command. Work starts at 7 AM and ends at 5 PM every day. You'll be provided with a hot meal at noon and a hot soup in the evening. The work isn't heavy, but no slacking off is allowed. Anyone who dares to cheat on the construction site, I'll personally chop off their hand!"
Someone in the group muttered to themselves:
"Chopping off your hands? We used to survive for three days without food on the mountain, what kind of hard labor is this?"
Zhao Sanhuai, with his sharp ears, heard it and pointed his cane forward:
"Sixth Brother! What the hell are you muttering about? Say it again if you dare!"
The man called Lao Liu was tall and thin, with a burn scar running from his ear to his chin. He shrank back, but still stubbornly said:
“Brother Sanhuai, that’s not what I meant… I meant that this job… is much more comfortable than working in the mountains.”
Zhao Sanhuai was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, his scar contorted with rage.
"Comfortable? I haven't even started punishing you yet! Comfortable my ass!"
He turned around and shouted towards the back of the shed:
"Bring the food up! Let these bastards see what the laborers of Hongyun City are eating!"
Two Guo family support soldiers pushed two wooden carts over, each carrying four large wooden barrels. As soon as the lids were lifted, the aromas of steaming white rice, braised pork, and pickled fish soup wafted out. Next to them was a basket of freshly steamed buns, each the size of a fist, with a shiny white crust and a soft, honeycomb-like texture inside.
A collective chorus of swallowing filled the air in the group.
Someone couldn't help but exclaim:
"Damn it... is this for prisoners?"
Zhao Sanhuai waved his cane:
"What are you all standing there for? Line up! One bowl of rice, two pieces of meat, and one bowl of soup each! Eat and then get back to work!"
The forty-three men looked at each other, and finally formed a crooked line. The sixth man was the first to receive his bowl. He held the bowl, sniffed it, and his eyes instantly reddened.
"Brother Sanhuai... this meat... is it real meat?"
Zhao Sanhuai snorted:
"Nonsense! The master said that you have to eat your fill before you can work. How can you have the strength to work if you're not full?"
The sixth brother didn't speak again, lowering his head to shovel rice into his mouth. The hot rice, mixed with the oil from the braised pork, brought tears to his eyes as he ate, wiping them away as he spoke, his voice muffled.
"I...I spent three years on the mountain without ever having a hot meal...I ate cornbread and chewed on tree bark every day..."
A short, stocky man next to him patted him on the shoulder, his voice choked with emotion:
"Sixth Brother, stop talking... Eat. If we're full... we can survive."
Halfway through the meal, someone suddenly asked:
"Brother Sanhuai, are we... really not going to get beaten up?"
Zhao Sanhuai glared at him:
"The master said that if you make a mistake, you should be punished or imprisoned as appropriate. But no vigilante justice or mistreatment is allowed. You are now laborers, not death row inmates."
The short, stocky man looked up:
"So... after we finish our work, can we take a break?"
Zhao Sanhuai chuckled:
"We'll finish work at 5 PM, then you can do whatever you want. Sleep if you want, chat if you want, play cards if you want... I have an old deck of cards here, whoever loses has to carry two more loads of stones tomorrow."
A low chuckle suddenly rippled through the group.
Someone whispered:
"This isn't suffering...this is pure bliss..."
Zhao Sanhuai, with his sharp ears, heard it and tapped his cane on the ground:
"Enjoy life? I haven't even started punishing you yet! The day you actually commit a crime, you'll know what regret is!"
Despite saying that, he couldn't help but smile.
After the meal, everyone started working.
The job was to move the black rock blocks piled up on the open ground to the dormitory construction site. The stones were heavy, and each person could only carry two at a time, their shoulders turning red from the pressure. But no one complained of being tired.
Because you can rest for 15 minutes after each move.
In the fifteen minutes that followed, some people squatted on the ground smoking pipes, some dozed off against the corner of the wall, and some chatted in groups of three or five.
Old Six squatted beside the pile of stones, gnawing on half a leftover steamed bun, and whispered to the short, stocky man beside him:
"Old Zhang, tell me... why is the gentleman so good to us?"
Old Zhang, a short, stocky man, wiped his sweat:
"Who knows? All I know is... following the master, I have food to eat, sleep to rest, and someone to take care of me... It's a hundred times better than being on the mountain."
The sixth man was silent for a moment, then suddenly looked up:
"I've made up my mind."
"After I finish this job, I'll go talk to Brother Sanhuai... I want to stay and become a city guard."
Old Zhang was taken aback, then burst into laughter and slapped him on the shoulder:
"Great job! I'll go too! Let's join the army together!"
In the distance, Zheng Yi stood on the rooftop balcony of the dormitory building.
The balcony was surrounded by a steel railing, which was covered with a thin layer of frost. He looked down at the busy crowd below, watching the former bandits carrying stones, one trip after another, their faces showing a long-lost ease.
Guo Tianyou walked over and handed him a cup of hot tea:
“Sir, those Black Wolf Gang members… don’t seem to be faking it.”
Zheng Yi took the tea; the teacup was warm, and the warmth traveled from his fingertips to his palm.
"Ah."
"They weren't born wanting to be bandits."
"But... there's no way to go."
Guo Tianyou looked down:
"How does the master intend to punish them?"
Zheng Yi looked at the tea swaying slightly in his cup:
“Kill those who deserve to die, imprison those who deserve to be imprisoned, and exile those who deserve to be exiled.”
"But... let's give them a way to survive first."
"Let them know that turning back... comes at a price, but it's also possible."
Guo Tianyou nodded and said nothing more.
The two stood on the balcony.
Look below.
Looking at those figures carrying stones.
Watching the smiles gradually appear on their faces...
Snow stopped.
The sunlight shone down.
The light made the black rocks shine.
It made everyone's face shine.
It's like saying:
"Live."
"There is hope."
Zheng Yi finished his tea.
He handed the empty cup to Guo Tianyou.
He turned and went downstairs.
"Walk."
"Go to Hanyuan City."
"The stone... should be bought."
Guo Tianyou followed.
The official road outside the east gate of Hongyun City was slightly softened by the winter afternoon sun. The mud on the road, repeatedly compacted by cart wheels, left two deep, parallel ruts, filled with shallow snowmelt that reflected a shimmering silver light. Zheng Yi rode on a chestnut horse, his fox-fur cloak billowing in the wind like a grey-black flag. The horse's hooves splashed through the puddles, sending tiny specks of mud landing on his boots, only to be shaken off by the horse's movements. (End of Chapter)