Where Immortals Once Walked

This was also why they had chosen to head west. The road east from Immortal Spirit Village was too flat and open, so they would never outrun the rebels, especially since they were dragging wagons and carts along. But if they timed their move westward just right, they might get down the mountains safely, perhaps even without a fight.

No sooner had he finished speaking than two brigands rushed over, clutching a severed head. “General, we were searching the woods along the western mountain road and found this fellow, beheaded, left there alone. We brought back his belongings.”

The head’s face was twisted in a grimace, covered with dirt and grass. Wu Shaoyi took one look, and someone immediately exclaimed, “Liu Monkey[1]! That’s General Pei’s scout Liu Monkey. We drank with him twice at Woling Pass! He picked up the tab both times!”

Before anyone else could speak, He Lingchuan cut in at once, “Our state troops don’t have the habit of taking heads. This must be Lu Yao’s doing.”

“Pei Xinyong probably sent him out to scout for them. If Lu Yao killed him, then he may also have seized some of Old Pei’s intelligence,” Wu Shaoyi said grimly. He turned to the brigand holding the items and asked, “What do you have there?”

The man hurried forward and held it out. “It looks like a mechanical bird. Liu Monkey was dead on the ground, but I found this perched in the branches above him.”

He Lingchuan had heard of such puppetry spells before. He had heard of puppet masters who could craft mechanical contraptions that could move in lifelike ways, but this was the first time he had seen one up close. The mechanical bird was the size of a pigeon, its feathers a dull gray, inconspicuous and perfectly suited to its work.

“He must have been tinkering with the bird when he was spotted,” He Lingchuan reasoned. “Lu Yao cut him down but didn’t notice the thing still perched above his head.”

Wu Shaoyi turned the mechanical bird over in his hands, opening its belly compartment. It was empty. At last, his grim features softened into the faintest smile. “Heaven favors us. If this scout used the bird to send reports, then it can surely fly straight to Pei Xinyong.”

Lian Deng clapped his hands. “That’s it! As long as we send a message to General Pei, then we’ll have made contact with him!”

Time was tight. The brigands fetched paper and brush, and Wu Shaoyi swiftly wrote out several dozen bold characters. He folded the slip, stuffed it into the mechanical bird’s belly, then tapped its head. “Go find Pei Xinyong.”

The mechanical bird lifted its beak, wings beating in a whirr of feathers, and took to the sky just like an actual bird. It soared westward to look for Pei Xinyong.

“Let’s move,” He Lingchuan said, rising to his feet. “We’ve wasted enough time at Immortal Spirit Village.”

One by one, the men clambered onto the crocodiles’ backs. The giant crocodiles lumbered forward a few paces, then slid into the water with surprising grace. For such colossal bodies, they made barely a ripple.

Though laden with human cargo, the crocodile monsters moved effortlessly. Their pace was hardly slowed by the added weight at all.

At first, the riders sat stiff with fear, but after a while, they realized the monsters were even steadier than boats. With eyes closed, one could almost forget they were skimming the surface of a lake at all. Their hearts finally settled.

And so, borne on the backs of primeval terrors, the company sped westward. Where the mountain roads twisted and wound endlessly, the broad waters opened straight before them.

It was late autumn now. Red maple leaves floated on the water’s surface, and the mountains were bathed in golden light. The scene was majestic and tinged with the somber chill of war.

A river breeze brushed against He Lingchuan’s face. Standing at the Crocodile God’s head, He Lingchuan drew a deep breath, filling his lungs with icy air.

Riding a beast that was seventeen meters long across mountain waters, leading a band of brigands to the battlefield—six months ago, could he have ever even imagined himself doing such a thing?

* * *

Lu Yao was spurring his horse hard along the western road.

He pressed it so relentlessly that the mount nearly stumbled off the path more than once, kicking rocks down the cliffside. The stones clattered for a long time before echoes returned from below.

Lu Yao himself felt no fear, but his men were terrified. Galloping so recklessly on this twisted, perilous mountain road. Was he in such a hurry to die?

Yet not a single one dared to voice their thoughts.

When they passed Whistle Rock, Lu Yao had deliberately detoured to inspect it.

The place was in disarray, with bloodstains smeared across the tree bark and grass. Corpses littered the ground, some were riddled with arrows, while others were cut apart by blades.

They were his own men.

The more he saw, the darker his expression grew, until at last he threw his head back and howled, “Pei Xinyong, you dumb-ass donkey!”

On the road, the former subordinates of Wu Shaoyi, whom he had just absorbed, explained how Wu and Pei had suddenly turned coat.

So it had all been a ruse of division, spun by that dog official surnamed He!

No wonder that dog official had been so eager last night, drinking, feasting on fish, and laying on the honeyed words. He only wanted Wu and Pei’s spies to stumble into the net themselves!

And those two idiots had marched straight into it without a second thought.

What was supposed to be a three-way alliance had been ruined in a single night.

When Lu Yao looked again at the corpses on the mountain road, he unexpectedly calmed. Instead, a hideous grin split his face.

“So, that dog official, He Chunhua, likes roast fish, does he? Then, when I catch him, I’ll flay his family alive before his eyes. I’ll roast their flesh piece by piece, and I’ll force it down his throat until he eats himself to death!” He licked his lips, swallowing noisily.

Just then, a piercing cry split the air.

Lu Yao raised his arm, and a red-tailed peregrine falcon swooped down to perch upon it. The bird spoke in a human voice, “The state convoy is fifteen kilometers ahead, but the mountain road winds endlessly. You’ll need a lot of time to catch up to them.”

“And Pei Xinyong?”

“He’s still stopped at Horse-Mounting Slope.” The falcon then added, “Our men have already passed the slope and are retreating toward Desheng Town.”

“Useless trash!” Lu Yao snorted. He then said to the falcon, “In a while, I need you to make another trip. Head to Desheng Town and have all of the men there come here.”

“They fear Pei Xinyong.”

“With Wu Shaoyi dead, Old Pei won’t have the guts to oppose me.” Lu Yao laughed. “Well, he’ll be following behind Wu Shaoyi soon enough.”

He tossed the falcon a few scraps of meat and was about to release it when the bird lowered its voice, whispering in his ear, “On my way back across the lake, I saw several crocodile monsters carrying men on their backs, heading west.”

“Crocodile monsters? Carrying people?” Lu Yao started in shock. He knew the Crocodile God’s temperament well. It was cold and merciless. Though they had cooperated before, if he approached now without proper tribute, the beast might very well eat him instead. “Who could make the Crocodile God stoop to a beast of burden?”

“Wu Shaoyi.”

Lu Yao immediately waved his men back, spurred his horse a few steps ahead, and fixed the falcon with a hard stare. “How is that possible? Wasn’t he mauled by the Crocodile God? How could he still be alive? And he’s even alive enough to be riding on its back?”

His thoughts tangled into chaos, but he did not forget to keep a distance from his troops. Many of them had once belonged to Wu Shaoyi. If they learned their old master still lived, who knew whether their loyalties might shift again?

If Wu Shaoyi were alive, then he would be the greatest source of instability. At this, Lu Yao felt a stab of unease.

“I don’t know, but he had over two hundred men with him. Some were riding on crocodile monsters, while others were in boats.”

1. Only appears here, so I took the liberty of translating his name directly, since it’s kinda funny. ☜