“Village Chief, everyone’s about to run out of water. We have to figure out a way to find more!”
The sturdy man walking at the front spoke anxiously to an elderly man.
“That’s right. Without water, how are we supposed to continue the journey?”
People gradually gathered around in small groups.
Wang Daniu’s family was also among those near the front.
Lin Yan quickly pulled his daughter toward the back of the crowd.
His face was unfamiliar here, and he did not want to attract the villagers’ attention.
Even if someone questioned them, they could still explain themselves—but it was always better to stay low-profile and avoid unnecessary trouble.
“Ahhh, this cursed heaven really won’t let people live!”
“Exactly! First the barbarians, then mountain bandits!”
“Anyone who’s made it this far is already lucky. Do you know how many never got out alive?”
The villagers complained noisily all at once.
“Alright, alright, enough complaining,” the village chief interrupted.
“At least we left early. Look at the people behind us—they’ll have it even worse.”
His words sounded both comforting and helpless.
“During the day, Asheng studied the map. By tomorrow noon, we should reach the border between Yiyang and Mingshan. After crossing the border, it’ll only take another day to reach Yiyang.”
“Then we’ll see if we can enter the city. If not, we’ll search the mountains for water. There’ll always be a way out.”
“Now disperse. Rest if you need rest, eat if you need eat.”
With a few final words, the village chief waved everyone away.
Several villagers went down from the official road to inspect the surroundings, only to return grumbling loudly.
“There isn’t a single patch of flat ground! It’s all rocks!”
Indeed, stone cliffs lined both sides of the road, while the ground below was scattered with rocks of all sizes.
With over three hundred people, they had no choice but to rest where they were.
Families with carts or ox wagons had it better; the elderly and children were arranged to sleep atop them.
Everyone else simply spread straw or old clothes over the ground and lay down directly.
Some gnawed on dry rations.
Others were so exhausted they collapsed asleep immediately.
Almost no one bothered cooking anymore.
Though the night was pitch-black, the village chief still ordered several small fires lit.
Even if the heat was unbearable, they had to endure it.
Otherwise, refugees or thieves might sneak in to rob them.
Tonight, Wang Daniu had been assigned to guard the first half of the night for the group at the front.
Both Zhuzi and Wang Daniu each ate a flatbread.
But Zhuzi’s mother and grandmother did not eat at all.
The three of them squeezed together on the cart while Zhuzi whined for water.
Unable to bear it, his mother finally let him sip a tiny mouthful.
Lin Yan glanced around before quietly pulling Lin Zhiyue over beside Wang Daniu’s cart wheel.
In a low voice, he said,
“Daughter… why don’t you go rest inside your space-home?”
Lin Zhiyue shook her head.
“Dad, wherever I enter the space is where I come back out. What if something happens and I can’t find you afterward?”
She had already tried pulling her father into the space before.
It had not worked.
Lin Yan was also afraid of becoming separated from her, so he reluctantly gave up the idea.
“Dad, how are your feet? Any blisters?”
Lin Zhiyue wondered if there might be medicine in her apartment that could help.
Maybe Yunnan Baiyao?
“Not at all. Dad’s carried you around searching for doctors for years already. This little bit is nothing.”
Lin Yan replied with a faintly proud tone.
Hearing that made Lin Zhiyue’s chest tighten painfully.
She felt both heartache and a strange warmth from being cherished so deeply.
Father and daughter quietly ate two steamed buns with water before falling asleep.
In the dead of night, around the Hour of the Tiger, the sound of galloping horses suddenly thundered along the official road.
More than ten riders approached rapidly.
The leader held a torch high, and every single man carried a blade at his waist.
They were heading directly toward the villagers of Daxi Village.
Lin Yan and Lin Zhiyue woke simultaneously.
Perhaps because of the spiritual spring water, both their senses had become far sharper than before.
Lin Yan pressed himself against the ground to listen more carefully.
Then he suddenly sprang up and shouted,
“Not good! Everyone run!”
As he yelled, he snatched up the bundle, grabbed his daughter, kicked Wang Daniu’s cart hard, and bolted.
Fortunately, they had been resting near the front of the group, so there were not many obstacles ahead.
While running, Lin Yan continued shouting warnings.
Those with sharper instincts had already begun fleeing.
The slower ones woke groggily, still muttering in confusion about what was happening.
Because of Lin Yan’s kick, Wang Daniu’s entire family jolted awake as well.
The moment they sensed danger, they abandoned the cart completely, grabbed their bundles, and started running too.
Moments later, screams and crashing noises erupted from the rear of the group.
As he ran, Lin Yan spoke urgently to Lin Zhiyue.
“Daughter, if there’s real danger, you must enter the space immediately. Don’t worry about Dad.”
At this moment, he had never been more grateful that his daughter possessed the space.
“Dad, let’s put more distance between us first and find somewhere hidden.”
Inside the space, Lin Zhiyue first grabbed a dagger.
Then she reconsidered.
The blade was too short—hard to kill anyone quickly.
So instead, she switched it for an electric baton.
Lin Yan ran for nearly two li in one breath before finally leaving the official road under the moonlight.
This area contained many large boulders, some over a person’s height.
They hid themselves among several clustered rocks.
Panting heavily, Lin Yan finally set Lin Zhiyue down, pulled out the water pouch, and gulped several mouthfuls.
The moment he finished, Lin Zhiyue grabbed the pouch and flashed into the space.
When she returned, it was once again full—this time with spiritual spring water.
“Dad, drink some more.”
Lin Yan accepted it suspiciously and took a few more swallows.
Instantly, he sensed the difference.
The exhaustion from running vanished completely, as though strength had been poured back into his body anew.
Lin Yan was stunned.
This water…
It was far too heaven-defying.
“Daughter, no matter what, you must never let outsiders learn about either the space or this spring water.”
“I know, Dad.”
As she replied, Lin Zhiyue tested the electric baton.
Crackling sounds burst from it.
Full battery.
Lin Yan watched curiously as his daughter fiddled with the strange rod.
After turning it off, Lin Zhiyue handed it to him.
“Dad, this is an electric baton. It can shock people. I’ll teach you how to use it.”
Lin Yan was intelligent. Just hearing the name, he immediately understood it was a weapon containing lightning.
Carefully, he copied his daughter’s motions and switched it on.
The crackling buzz sounded once more.
“Dad, hold this end and switch it on like this. Then jab the other end directly against someone. It can shock them unconscious.”
“Daughter… is this something from your era?”
His voice was filled with amazement.
“To trap heavenly lightning inside a stick… how miraculous.”
For a moment, Lin Zhiyue had no idea how to explain modern electricity to him.
Maybe later.
Just then, sounds drifted over from the official road.
Father and daughter immediately fell silent.
The surroundings were utterly still, causing every faint noise to seem amplified.
Several people hurried past nearby.
Not long after, more footsteps approached.
This time there were many more.
Some people cried as they ran.
Others cursed loudly.
Lin Yan listened carefully but did not dare peek out.
He could only hope more villagers from Daxi Village had escaped alive.
He also wondered whether Wang Daniu’s family had made it out safely.
He had already done everything he could to warn them.
Beyond that, fate was in each person’s own hands.
If not for the years he had spent carrying his daughter everywhere searching for doctors, strengthening his body in the process, he would still only be a frail scholar.
About half an hour later, the sound of horses returned.
Father and daughter instantly held their breath, remaining perfectly still, terrified of making even the slightest sound.
The hoofbeats of more than ten horses grew steadily closer.
This time, however, the horses were no longer galloping.
Mixed among the hoofbeats came the cries of women.
And the teasing laughter of men.
Judging from the voices—
They were not barbarians.
They were mountain bandits.