novelnext Chapter 38 Preparing to Cross the River
Chapter 38 Preparing to Cross the River
Four days passed in the blink of an eye, and the sounds of training in the camp grew more and more intense each day.
Early in the morning, Mo Qin slung his gun over his shoulder and walked around the old shed.
Liu Gao was eating a pancake while holding his shield when he saw him like this, and he almost spat out the pancake in his mouth.
"Brother Qin, why do you walk with that swaying gait?"
Mochin glanced at him.
"What do you know?"
He pointed the tip of his gun into the snow, his tone extremely arrogant.
"From this day forward, I am Zhao Zilong of the Ming Dynasty."
"This spear is the Dragon Gallant Silver Spear."
After a moment of stunned silence, Liu Gao looked at the blackened old spearhead, then at Mo Qin's cotton armor with several stitches.
"Brother Qin."
"Um?"
"Your gentian seems a bit old."
Lin Jun was just coming out of the shed when he heard this and burst out laughing.
Mo Qin's skin is incredibly thick, honed through countless trials.
"What happened to the old one?"
"Only antiques are valuable."
Yan Qi passed by and glanced at it upon hearing this.
"Where is Bright Silver?"
As expected, his words were as sharp as ever, leaving Mo Qin speechless for a moment.
Seeing Mo Qin's discomfiture, Liu Gao laughed and slapped the lion-head shield repeatedly.
"Yeah, where's Bright Silver?"
Mo Qin looked at the group and said in a serious tone:
"Bright Silver is in my heart."
Lin Jun nodded.
"You have lofty ambitions in your heart, don't you?"
"Thank you for the compliment."
"I wasn't praising you."
"I'll take that as my opinion."
As time went on, these words reached Zhao Tou's ears.
That day, during a fight, he struck him on the shoulder with a training pole.
"I heard you compare yourself to Zhao Zilong?"
"Um."
"So, you're still using the Dragon's Gallbladder Silver Spear, huh?"
"...I just said it offhand."
"I think you're all talk and no action."
That night, behind the weapons shed.
Old Ding squatted in his usual spot, while Mo Qin sat opposite him, having just finished going through the breathing exercises according to the booklet.
Immediately, Old Ding reached out and placed his hand on his shoulder.
He traced the area around the chest, back, and waist, inch by inch.
"relax."
Mo Qin couldn't help but say, "You're touching it like you're picking out pork."
Old Ding's hands never stopped moving.
"Even pork has lean and fatty parts, this thing of yours is much weirder than pork."
Mochin shut up.
When Old Ding's palm landed on his back, he suddenly pressed down.
The ball of air in Mo Qin's chest and abdomen suddenly contracted slightly.
Old Ding's eyes froze instantly.
It took him quite a while to pull his hand back.
"It implies a hidden strength."
Mo Qin immediately looked up, thinking to himself, "Internal strength? Bullshit, it's just internal energy!"
It's the kind of internal energy found in martial arts novels, where one palm strike can hit a cow across a mountain, allow one to fly over rooftops and walk on walls, and ultimately even cross a river on a reed.
Thinking of this, Mo Qin smiled in an especially lewd way.
Old Ding could tell at a glance what this kid was thinking.
"Right now, you're at best a shadow."
"Really?" Mochin asked with some regret.
"Will it be able to fly in the future?"
"Heh," Old Ding chuckled.
"You still want to fly?"
"It's not that you can't think about it."
Mochin said earnestly, "Everyone has to have dreams."
Old Ding tapped his knees, becoming serious.
"Your physique is not that of an ordinary person."
"Plus this energy cluster, if it continues to grow at this rate, once you've honed your muscles, bones, and blood into a single entity, and nurtured this energy to its full potential, perhaps..."
He paused intentionally at this point.
Mo Qin quickly sat up straighter.
"Perhaps one day I will be able to touch the legendary ability to control qi."
Mochin's eyes widened in surprise.
"To travel by air?"
"The kind that flies in the sky?"
Old Ding remained expressionless.
"legend."
"It's just a legend."
"Don't even think about flying high right now. You're not even on solid ground yet."
Mo Qin coughed.
"How long will it take to master that skill?"
Old Ding looked at him as if he were a sleepy idiot.
"I can only say there's a chance! After all, others might practice their whole lives and still not be able to get to where you are now."
Mo Qin was about to feel smug.
Old Ding delivered another blow.
"Of course, you'll have to live to see that day. With your personality, you might die faster than others on the battlefield."
"..."
Why?
"Because you are too arrogant."
Old Ding reached out and tapped his chest. "You have to nurture the energy ball; you have to wait for it to come to life on its own. You can't rush it, you can't force it, and you certainly can't gamble with your life."
"If you really think you're the chosen one, then when you get to North Korea, the first thing you do is rush into a crowd. I guarantee you'll die with a lot of style."
Mochin remained silent for two breaths.
"Old Ding."
"Um?"
"You're swearing like Zhao Tou now."
"Don't compare me to Zhao the Cripple."
Old Ding closed the tumbler. "He curses with his mouth, I curse with my experience."
"Understood."
Meanwhile, things are getting better and better for Lin Jun and Liu Gao each day.
Liu Gao no longer simply clung to his shield and fought to the death.
Wang De taught him to tilt, to unload, to bump, and to collide.
"A shield is not a door panel."
"The door is waiting for someone to smash it."
"You took the shield yourself."
"If you tap the edge of your shield, the enemy's attack line will be disrupted."
"When you push with your shoulder, everyone else's footing gets messed up."
"If he causes chaos, the person next to you will survive."
Liu Gao only half understood what he was hearing at first.
After being hit with a wooden knife several times, I finally understood.
Yan Qi spent less and less time in the shed.
One time, Liu Gao couldn't hold back any longer and asked:
"You really aren't going to the night watchman's office?"
Yan Qi was cleaning the arrow.
The action didn't stop.
"I'm not going."
Why?
"Not now."
Liu Gao scratched his head.
What's the difference between now and later?
Yan Qi put an arrow back into the quiver.
"Now I'm on your team."
Liu Gao was taken aback.
Yan Qi then said:
"Let's talk about it after we cross the river."
Liu Gao opened his mouth, but in the end, he couldn't say anything.
Half a day later, he hugged his shield and muttered something to himself:
"Alright."
"You have good taste."
During this period, Shen Weijing has been much more well-behaved.
My leg hasn't fully recovered yet, so I can't run around. I can only hop back and forth between the central camp and the front camp on one leg during the day.
But his mouth was never idle.
However, with a limp, one's imposing presence is inevitably diminished.
That evening, Li Rusong called a small meeting.
The tent wasn't placed in the center, but rather in a side tent.
Not many people participated.
Zhou Hu, Han Shouyi, Mo Qin, Lin Jun, Yan Qi, Liu Gao, the instructor, Monkey, and Shen Weijing.
Liu Gao and Yan Qi were able to enter not because they were able to discuss military matters.
It was because they were from the same squad who survived that night at the cliff's edge.
Zhou Hu only said one sentence to the guards at the door:
"The Cliffside Squad".
The guards then let them pass.
Before entering the tent, Han Shouyi whispered a warning:
"What you hear today, you are not to spread a single word of it outside the tent."
The brazier inside the tent was burning brightly.
As soon as Shen Weijing entered, he tried to move a few steps closer to the brazier.
He looked up and met Li Rubai's eyes, so he had no choice but to stand up straight again, feeling rather embarrassed.
Li Rusong didn't waste any words. He placed his hand on the edge of the map and got straight to the point.
"The time for crossing the river has been set."
The tent fell silent immediately.
These past few days, everyone knows it's coming soon.
But hearing him say it himself still makes a difference.
Tomorrow night.
"Make final preparations during the day."
"After nightfall, the camps moved in order."
He pointed to a spot on the map.
"After crossing the river, first stabilize Uiju, then advance towards Pyongyang."
"Pyongyang must be attacked quickly."
Upon hearing this, Shen Weijing's eyelids twitched noticeably.
Li Rusong looked at him.
"you say."
Shen Weijing licked his dry lips and glanced at the picture.
"Go back to Li Shuai."
"Pyongyang may not be considered a formidable fortress, but it is certainly not an easy place to conquer."
"Furthermore, there are more than one faction within the Japanese army. Konishi Yukinaga is, after all, a businessman by origin. This faction is willing and able to negotiate, but his willingness to negotiate with me earlier does not mean he is willing to back down."
"What he wants most is to drag things out."
"The longer Xiaoxi delays, the more he will have to report back. The longer the Ming army delays, the more problems will arise with their supply lines, the weather, and the morale of the troops."
He paused for a moment, then looked at the map again.
"So, if we talk, he'll be all smiles."
"If he plays slowly, he'll laugh so hard he'll be doubled over."
"But if we attack quickly and fiercely, until he can't make any arrangements or turn around, he won't be able to laugh."
Li Rusong said calmly:
"I know."
"So I'm not going to drag things out with him."
Upon hearing this, Shen Weijing seemed to relax a bit.
"Li Shuai's words hit the nail on the head."
Li Rubai gave him a cold glance from the side.
"You knew too?"
Shen Weijing gave a dry laugh.
"I have always known this."
"It's just that while I'm making peace verbally, I secretly hope someone will break through his defenses soon."
Someone inside the tent chuckled softly.
The smile vanished in an instant.
Li Rusong didn't laugh.
He pressed his finger on the spot in Pyongyang again.
"This battle is not about capturing a city."
"It's to revive the situation in North Korea."
"If this strike goes smoothly, there will be a path to follow."
"If this move is delayed, there will be a lot of mess to come."
No one spoke inside the tent.
Liu Gao didn't understand much, but he did understand two words.
Quickly.
His hand unconsciously tightened around the lion-head shield.
Yan Qi stood at the back, not saying a word, but only focusing his gaze on the mountain roads and river lines on the map.
Lin Jun observed even more closely.
She was noting down place names and routes.
Mochin stared at the words "Pyongyang," his mind racing with thoughts of what lay ahead.
In official history, after the Ming army crossed the Yalu River, Pyongyang was the first major battle.
Only by winning this battle can a breach be made in the situation in North Korea.
If things don't go smoothly, everything will fall apart.
But now, with the added variables of the clear stream and the players...
The meeting was very short.
Li Rusong summoned them not to discuss anything.
It's to give them peace of mind.
When they left the side tent, it was already completely dark.
The wind was strong in the camp, and the corners of the flags fluttered loudly.
The instructor and the monkey walked behind.
The monkey pulled the cloak tighter around itself, turned its head, and whispered:
"We found out the names of those two guys who appeared out from behind us at the cliff a few days ago."
Mo Qin turned his head to look at him.
"Which one?"
"A pair of swords."
"A demon."
The coach replied, his voice very low.
"The one with dual swords is called Miyamoto Musashi."
"That Yasha guy is called Fuma Kotaro."
Mochin was shocked, but he didn't stop walking.
When he saw the ronin's face and the stance of his twin swords during the battle at the cliff pass, he had already guessed about 70% of what was going on.
After all, he owns the complete set of Takehiko Inoue's Vagabond.
At the time, however, he felt it was too outrageous and didn't dare to confirm it completely.
This is now confirmed.
"Miyamoto Musashi".
Mo Qin exhaled a puff of white breath, "It really is him."
The monkey glanced at him.
"You know?"
"Know."
"Then you should also know that something's wrong with this era. According to this world, he's only eight years old."
Mochin nodded.
"Therefore, he is not from this timeline."
The instructor said:
"right."
"Also from another timeline, they were chosen by the park and became players."
Mo Qin thought to himself, "The names that were hyped up in games, comics, and novels in my past life, now that I'm actually standing in the snow and drawing my sword to kill someone, I don't feel any excitement at all. Looking back, when I faced such a god of death, all I feel now is a chill down my spine."
"That Fuma Kotaro is the same."
The monkey gave a cold laugh.
"The name 'Fuma Kotaro' is already quite controversial in Japan."
"Some say he was the head of the Hojo clan's ninjas, some say it's a name passed down from generation to generation, and there are a bunch of ghost stories that get more and more fantastical as they're told."
"People use it this way in the amusement park too."
"Which timeline it came from, and which generation it belongs to, who knows?"
At this point, his expression darkened.
"But one thing is certain."
"The other side has brought quite a few helpers this time."
"This group of people only care about money and profit."
"If you give them enough, they'll kill for you."
The coach continued:
"If they fail in Liaodong, they will inevitably become even more ferocious after crossing the river."
"If you run into them again, don't think you're unlucky."
"That just proves that you've already established your worth."
Upon hearing this, Mo Qin smiled.
"That's good."
The monkey frowned.
"Where is it good?"
"That means they're afraid of me."
Mo Qin placed his hand on the white wax spear. "Fear is what makes people spend money to hire assassins."
"If you're not afraid, who would be willing to part with this book?"
The monkey was delighted to hear this.
"Your mouth does resemble Shen Weijing's a bit."
Mo Qin immediately said:
"Don't be ridiculous."
"I care more about my reputation than he does."
Shen Weijing's voice came from behind.
"Who is talking about me behind my back?"
Liu Gao, carrying the lion-head shield, walked to the side and said irritably:
Nobody's making fun of you; it's just that your ears can't stay still.
Shen Weijing said earnestly:
"Having sharp hearing and eyesight is also a skill."
"Shut up."
"Why must you be so heartless, brother?"
"Say that again, and I'll really hit you with my shield."
"...Then I'll say less."
A group of people walked and dispersed.
At the same moment, in an abandoned village outside Guangning Guard, someone reported to Yinzhen: the news has spread. If the Japanese army wins, the Paradise will receive a higher reward, and the Qingliu faction will also offer an extra large reward.
The prince only said one sentence:
"Alright, let them figure it out themselves."
When the second watchman's drum struck, the old shed became eerily quiet.
Liu Gao was holding the lion-head shield; he was clearly asleep, but his eyebrows were still furrowed.
He muttered something under his breath every now and then.
"Don't run away..."
"Again..."
"I'll give you a taste of the lion's head..."
Lin Jun sat by the pillar of the shed, his short knife tucked into his sleeve, but his eyes were not closed.
Mo Qin sat cross-legged on the dry grass, with the white wax spear held horizontally in front of his knees.
Now, every night, he goes through the breathing exercises according to the booklet.
The air mass now resembles a small nucleus that is slowly solidifying.
Lin Jun looked at him for a moment, then spoke softly:
"Are you thinking about Pyongyang?"
Mochin opened his eyes.
"Can you tell?"
"These past few days, when you're thinking about serious matters, you've stopped being so frivolous."
"I'm usually very serious."
Lin Jun glared at him.
Mochin changed his tune.
"Being serious occasionally."
Lin Jun lowered her voice, trying to keep it so that others couldn't hear it.
"After crossing the river, according to the current route, it should be Uiju first, then Pyongyang."
"Pyongyang was the first to fall."
Mochin nodded.
"If this battle goes smoothly, the Ming army will be able to establish a foothold in Korea."
"North Korea can finally catch its breath."
"Only after the Japanese army was pushed back could there be any further negotiations."
Lin Jun then said:
"But if this shot misses, there will be a big problem."
"The supply lines for the Liaodong army have been lengthened."
"It's cold."
"North Korea's terrain is also troublesome."
"With the interference of other players, as long as the Qingliu Association and the Japanese players can stall the situation, many fence-sitters will start to settle scores."
Mo Qin gave a soft "hmm".
"I guess Yinzhen thinks the same way."
"If you can't win on the battlefield, win people's hearts."
"I can guess what he'll say. He'll say that following the Ming army might not be the most profitable. As long as we sabotage the progress of aiding Korea, the benefits might be greater."
Lin Jundao:
"Most players only care about profit."
"The crucial point is that he wasn't entirely lying."
Mochin paused for a moment.
Lin Jun is right; people with principles and a strong stance are, after all, a minority.
Lin Jun looked at him.
Don't overthink it.
Mo Qin was taken aback.
"What do you mean?"
"Your face screams four words."
Which four?
"I want to save the country."
Mo Qin coughed.
"Isn't this good?"
"Good."
Lin Jun said calmly, "It's suicide."
Mochin looked at her.
Lin Jun also looked at him.
After a moment, she continued:
"Don't take on everything yourself."
"Pyongyang is not a battle you fought alone."
"Li Rusong is here, Zhou Hu is here, Han Shouyi is here, Zhao Tou is here, and Lao Ding is here too."
"And me too."
Mo Qin smiled.
"Putting oneself last shows humility."
I'm afraid you'll be too touched.
"That's true to some extent."
"Then you'll have to bear with it."
They both chuckled softly.
After the laughter subsided, the shed fell silent again.
Wolong's private message popped up at this moment.
There is only one sentence.
[Wolong is from Chengdu: He crossed the river alive.]
[Central Nine-Headed Bird: Understood.]
Mo Qin looked at the tip of the gun, and a phrase from a very distant past flashed through his mind.
With heads held high and chests puffed out...
The army will set off tomorrow night.