The others also had some doubts about the existence of the mountain pond.
Wang Shi said bluntly, “At your current pace, we won’t reach it even by tomorrow.”
Tong Shi’s expression stiffened slightly, but as she looked at the infant in her arms who was too weak to cry and her five-year-old daughter’s dry, pale lips, she felt nothing but guilt.
“Mom, I’m thirsty,” the eldest Wang daughter said weakly, her gaze lingering on her mother’s chest.
Her younger brother could drink milk, and she wanted some too.
But how could Tong Shi possibly have any milk left now?
She could only pretend to be angry and glare at her daughter, her heart aching as she watched the girl lower her head in disappointment.
Wang Dayou surveyed the group. Everyone had fled in such a panic that they couldn’t bring anything with them.
Moreover, even before the vagrant army arrived, most households had already run out of surplus grain.
Though the deep mountains were full of trees, the leaves on the branches were either dried up or fallen. It was impossible to find fresh, tender leaves to chew on.
The family holding the dog struggled with their emotions as they looked at the yellow dog they had raised for ten years, now on the verge of death, and couldn’t help but swallow repeatedly.
Another person had a goose in their arms. Driven by extreme thirst, they couldn’t resist biting the goose’s neck and drinking its blood to quench their thirst.
But though the blood provided momentary relief, soon after, their throat felt as if it were on fire, so dry that they couldn’t stop scratching at it.
Going without food for a meal or two was manageable, but a day without water was unbearable—not just for people, but even for livestock.
Xu Da’s wife was right. In this condition, they wouldn’t reach the pond even by tomorrow.
Wang Dayou swallowed hard and shouted to the villagers, “Everyone, push harder! The sooner we get there, the sooner we’ll have water to drink. If not for yourselves, think of the children. We have to grit our teeth and keep going!”
The people looked at their children, then at the sun almost directly overhead, clenched their teeth, and nodded.
Wang Dayou sighed and glanced at Wang Shi, signaling that she need not hold back.
Seeing this, Wang Shi’s expression softened slightly, and she encouraged, “Everyone, hang in there! The pond isn’t far now. If we move fast enough, we can reach it by noon!”
With this assurance from Wang Shi, the group mustered their strength and significantly picked up their pace.
Even the seven- or eight-year-old children puffed out their cheeks and struggled to keep up with the adults, not falling behind a single step.
In these times, it was a miracle that underage children had survived this long. Xu Yue, carried on her brother’s back, watched these children striving to keep up with the adults and felt deeply ashamed.
By comparison, she realized how fortunate she was.
However, just as they were about to reach the mountain pond, Xu Yue suddenly noticed trampled marks on a patch of weeds.
At first glance, it seemed like tracks left by some large wild animal, but as such footprints appeared one after another, Xu Yue suddenly had a bad feeling.
But if even she could spot these traces, Wang Shi certainly could. After measuring them with her fingers, her face darkened.
“Someone has been here!” Wang Shi frowned.
The people from Dawang Village were stunned. Exhausted and parched, they looked numb, unable to immediately grasp what this meant.
But Xu Yue and Xu Erniang immediately sensed that something was wrong.
Wang Shi instinctively raised her hand, making a stealthy advance gesture. When she turned and saw the bewildered expressions on Wang Dayou and the others’ faces, she realized these weren’t her soldiers. She gave an awkward cough and said in a voice loud enough for all to hear:
“It seems someone may have beaten us to the pond. Xu Da, lead everyone forward quietly. I’ll go check the situation first.”
As she spoke, she pointed at Wang Dayou. “You come with me.”
Wang Dayou shot Wang Shi a surprised glance, then looked at Xu Da. Seeing him nod in agreement, he hesitantly followed Wang Shi as they moved ahead.
Watching Wang Shi dart far ahead in just a few movements, effortlessly avoiding rocks and obstacles underfoot each time, Wang Dayou—though merely a blacksmith—sensed there was something different about Wang Shi compared to ordinary women.
But before he could ponder what exactly set her apart, lively chatter reached their ears. The two had emerged from the forest into a patch of low-lying grassland.
In the center of the grassland lay a circular pond about five meters in diameter.
Seeing the clear water and feeling the moist air against his face, Wang Dayou swallowed hard, nearly weeping with joy.
However, gathered around the small pond were over twenty people dressed similarly to them—clearly villagers from other areas who had also fled to the mountains due to the drought and warfare.
They were gathered in a clearing by the pond, building fires to boil water and prepare meals while chatting and laughing in their local dialect.
Wang Shi looked at Wang Dayou, her eyes questioning whether he could understand what they were saying.
As the saying goes, customs change every ten miles, accents every hundred. The entire Shanyang Commandery was vast, with varying accents across regions.
For instance, though Dawang Village and Yangjiao Village were only ten miles apart, their accents differed slightly. However, frequent interaction between the two villages had made them accustomed to each other’s speech.
Wang Dayou strained his ears for a moment. It sounded like the northern Shanyang accent. A daughter from a family in Dawang Village had married into that area, so by piecing together context, he managed to grasp the gist.
“They seem to have just arrived too. They’re discussing taking over this pond to shelter here.”
The drought in northern Shanyang was slightly less severe than in the south. These people appeared much better off than those from Dawang Village, with fifteen strong young men among them.
Hearing Wang Dayou’s words, Wang Shi’s expression darkened.
Wang Dayou stared at the glistening pond, swallowing repeatedly. He had been enduring his thirst, but now that water was right before him yet out of reach, the torment was unbearable.
Had Wang Shi not stopped him, he might have rushed over impulsively.
But judging by the other group’s demeanor, charging over would likely get him killed.
Wang Shi quietly noted the situation with the group and signaled Wang Dayou. The two stealthily made their way back.
As soon as they rejoined the others, Wang Dayou reported that the pond had been occupied. The Dawang Village villagers immediately erupted in chaos.
Their desperate thirst brought out a wild side—they raised hoes and sickles, ready to risk everything to seize the pond.
Seeing this, Xu Da smugly raised an eyebrow at Wang Shi as if to say, “See? This is where strength in numbers matters.”
Wang Shi ignored him and stepped forward, stopping the Dawang villagers who were hoisting their tools to charge the pond.
“They outnumber us and are stronger. If we rush over recklessly, we’ll surely lose.”
“What do you suggest we do then?” The villager Wang Dahai, who was holding a goose, spoke with aggressive tone, thinking what right did a woman have to meddle in men’s affairs?
Wang Shi was momentarily choked by this blatant sexism, but soon, she unleashed her battle-hardened powerful aura. With just a faint glance, Wang Dahai felt as if he had fallen into an icy abyss, the words in his throat stuck and silenced.
It wasn’t just Wang Dahai; the other villagers also sensed this formidable presence and involuntarily quieted down, staring at Wang Shi in astonishment.