Chapter 8: Snatching Food from the Mouth of a Deer
At the end of the Old Street, a large number of houses had been shaken by the aftermath of the battle, turning into a pile of ruins.
“Squeak squeak…”
The Large Rat Guard’s body was covered in slash marks, like a porcelain piece that could shatter at any moment.
“Isn’t this guy just a low-level troop from the Rice God of Wealth Church? It clearly isn’t even a Silver-Flesh soldier, so why is it so troublesome? Who the hell fabricated it?”
Across from it, Commander Lu wasn’t doing much better. His expression was grim, his breathing heavy, and his armor was pitted with craters from being struck by the Jade Ruyi.
One could see the flesh and stark white bones underneath, and two of his eight severed limbs had been smashed.
He hadn’t undergone the Mouth of the Purified Altar ritual, and there wasn’t enough flesh and blood here for him to repair his wounds. He could only rely on his own powerful physique to endure.
But that wasn’t the key issue.
The Vajravārāhī Cavalry he had dispatched earlier to hunt down Jiang Yan had been gone for nearly half an hour and had yet to return.
A shadow of doubt loomed in his heart.
Those idiots had most likely met with trouble.
It seemed he had underestimated that southern barbarian.
Without the flesh-and-blood anchor chosen by the long river of history, there was no way to remain in the present world for long.
If he couldn’t offer the Prince a present-world anchor, he would not only fail his mission, but also be punished for losing an elite cavalry unit.
In the Corpse-Dissolution Court, it was survival of the fittest.
Once one lost their value, life became worse than death.
“Damn it.”
Thinking of this, Commander Lu couldn’t help but feel agitated, especially since the Large Rat Guard before him had already raised the remaining rice flesh, preparing to heal itself again. It made him feel as if he had swallowed a fly.
Absolutely cheating!
“Diamond Slash!”
Commander Lu swung his banner pole, taking advantage of its length to charge and thrust like a mounted archer, but the Large Rat Guard blocked with the Jade Ruyi.
Crack crack crack!
The fractures on the Large Rat Guard’s body spread further under the heavy impact.
However, it didn’t care. While suppressing Commander Lu, it opened its rodent jaws, ready to swallow the remaining rice flesh and heal.
But just then—
A streak of blood-red silk howled in, piercing through it and yanking it away, causing its bite to land on empty air.
“Squeak!”
The Large Rat Guard roared in fury upon seeing this, but Commander Lu wouldn’t let such a precious opportunity slip away.
Six broken limbs stomped the ground, shattering and sinking the surrounding bluestone pavement within a meter radius. The banner spun in his hands, and a swastika symbol appeared before him.
“Great Diamond Slash!”
“Great” meant all-encompassing, complete, and wise. “Diamond” was the essence of metal, indestructible.
Golden brilliance turned into a blade, cutting through all things!
“Squeak squeak!”
The Large Rat Guard had no room to retreat and chose to take the blow head-on. It blocked again with the Jade Ruyi, but its body had already reached its limit.
The cracks quickly gave way, collapsing. Losing its balance, it fell to one knee with a crash, shattering the bluestone beneath.
“Squeak!”
The Large Rat Guard was gravely wounded but managed to catch the Dragon Banner with the Jade Ruyi.
Just as it was about to seize the weapon and sweep it across with its strength, it saw a flash of cold light before it.
That was…
Commander Lu’s antlers!
Commander Lu aligned his waist and legs, suddenly twisting his head.
The antlered deer bowed!
With a loud crack—
The Large Rat Guard’s head rolled off, and its massive body collapsed, kicking up dust and sand.
“My sword is more than just one.”
Commander Lu spoke indifferently, showing no joy at killing a powerful enemy. He turned his head and looked toward the corner of the street.
There, Jiang Yan leaned against the wall, watching leisurely and slowly clapping.
Commander Lu really hated that kind of gaze.
It was like that of a spectator beside a theater stage, watching an actor perform.
Many in the Corpse-Dissolution Court had looked at him that way too, but...
Why should a mere southern savage look at him like that?
“Didn’t expect you to come back. Is it that coffin giving you confidence?”
Commander Lu sneered, casually waved the banner, and sword aura slashed through dozens of blood threads behind him, shattering them into blood-plum blossoms on the ground.
The sword aura didn’t stop and swept toward Coffin Grandpa, who barely dodged in time to avoid being cut in two.
Commander Lu scoffed, looked at Jiang Yan not far away, reached out his hand, and slowly said, “But since you helped me deal with the Large Rat Guard, I can give you a chance.”
“I can represent the Prince, represent the Corpse-Dissolution Court in accepting you. From now on, you’ll enjoy endless wealth and glory, higher levels of transcendental inheritance, and a long life.”
“Sounds tempting. So what do I need to do?” Jiang Yan, being a proper straight man act, asked.
“What you need to do is just one thing: like your ancestors, kneel and beg me. Then I can take you in as a subordinate hound!” Commander Lu said arrogantly.
He disdained lying.
But it wasn’t out of goodwill either.
It was just that he realized he didn’t understand the current world well and needed not only an anchor point but also a proper contact to prepare for the Corpse-Dissolution Court’s return to supremacy.
The greatest difference between generals and soldiers was that the former could think.
In this way, not only could he make up for the loss of the cavalry unit, but the Prince would also praise him for his foresight.
“How about it? Any requests?”
Commander Lu pressed forward, thinking he was being generous, offering such favorable conditions to these southern savages who were supposed to be ruled by them.
Even the famous Ming general Qi Jiguang once humbly called himself a watchdog before Zhang Juzheng—so it wasn’t exactly a derogatory term… right?
As long as the savage before him had any sense, he ought to be grateful.
“I do!” Jiang Yan cautiously asked, “Can I really say it?”
A mud-legged bumpkin, as expected!
A trace of contempt flickered in Commander Lu’s eyes as he calmly said, “Speak.”
Jiang Yan scratched his head and said shyly,
“Can you call me ‘Huang Ama’?”
Commander Lu froze, then growled, “Insolence!”
Jiang Yan showed no fear, only looked at him with a fool’s gaze and laughed, “At a time like this, you’re still basking in past glory. With fools like you around, the Great Qing—oh no, the Corpse-Dissolution Court—is bound to perish. Wealth and glory, huh? I seem to recall there’s still a lot of indemnity left to pay. You’re more like a debtor, and if living longer means turning into something like you—neither human nor ghost—I’d rather lie in the coffin.”
At that last sentence, Coffin Grandpa couldn’t help but straighten proudly.
He really was the master’s most beloved child.
Otherwise, why would he be mentioned so often?
He was already prepared to let the master lie comfortably on his board anytime!
Jiang Yan’s every word pierced the lungs, making Commander Lu’s face so dark it could drip water. He said coldly:
“Unaware of your circumstances, ignorant of fate—then… I’ll use your flesh as an anchor!”
Commander Lu completely lost patience, swung his banner, and prepared to kill Jiang Yan outright, anchoring this borderland.
“What’s happening?!”
Just as he was about to strike, Commander Lu’s expression suddenly changed.
He felt an unparalleled dullness, as if he were deep under the sea, with layers of resistance pressing in.
Before him, endless rust-colored historical dust had already appeared, gathering together into a torrent of rusty mist, beginning to flow backward, pushing him into the past.
Even as Commander Lu struggled with all his might, it was like a fish thrashing in a flood—only to be swept away by the current.
“When fortune comes, heaven and earth aid you. When luck runs out, heroes lose their freedom!”
“I’m stalling. What are you waiting for?”
Jiang Yan chuckled lightly—this was, of course, the result of his careful calculations.
The task hints from the river of history weren’t just nonsense; they hid much information.
For instance, the river of history mentioned that this place was a borderland, not a diseased domain.
If there was a junction, there would be a detachment.
That was the survival time mentioned in the mission.
If the monsters including Commander Lu were likened to seashells, they would be washed ashore by waves stirred by deep-sea turbulence.
So unless the terrain of this area was altered, they ultimately had no place to stand and would be swept back into the deep sea with the receding tide.
To remain, one had to find a hiding place unaffected by the tide—a place to anchor—thus the “flesh-and-blood ritual” Commander Lu spoke of, and why he was so desperate to find Jiang Yan.
Either someone on the beach picked up the seashell, serving as a contact from the outside.
Unfortunately, Commander Lu had neither option—and he’d even been tricked by Jiang Yan into killing the Large Rat.
After all, the Large Rat Guard didn’t belong to the past—it was a hidden threat.
During this process, Commander Lu couldn’t see the mission hints from the river of history.
He only knew he would be swept away, but not when.
This created an information gap.
“Now, offense and defense have switched!”
Jiang Yan smiled.
The Spirit of the Burial Coffin beside him acted again.
Crack crack!
The coffin lid opened, and blood threads swept out.
Taking advantage of Commander Lu’s focus on resisting the historical torrent, they wrapped around his right arm and tightened, drawing out blood beads.
“No!!!”
Commander Lu roared, but could only watch helplessly as his arm was severed, along with the Dragon Banner, swept away and delivered to Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan grinned proudly and reached out to receive the spoils of war—at that instant, Commander Lu, still struggling in the historical tide, had his fury replaced by a cold sneer.
Did Jiang Yan really think his arm would be severed so easily?
As long as he killed Jiang Yan,
Used flesh to anchor this world—he could still make it…
But in the next second, Commander Lu’s sneer froze.
Because Jiang Yan’s hand, which had been reaching out, suddenly pulled back, stepping away and forming the Vajravārāhī Seal—brilliant golden light shone.
Buzz!
The Dragon Banner’s pole trembled, like the low cry of a deer, unleashing a wave of blood-colored sword aura that slashed in all directions.
Unfortunately, Jiang Yan had already anticipated it, and with the Vajravārāhī Seal blocking it, no harm was done.
“Nice tactic, but unfortunately, I have never underestimated the heroes of this world!”
“This weapon made from your antlers—I'll be taking it!”
Jiang Yan’s lips curled into a smile.
As an outstanding youth of the new era, caution was his greatest trait—he never popped the champagne halfway!
Commander Lu used the banner pole as a weapon, and its length just happened to be about the same as his remaining antler.
Most crucially, when he killed the Large Rat Guard, he had also used the horn atop his head.
It really was hard to guess!
In fact, Jiang Yan’s original target had been the Large Rat Guard; attacking Commander Lu was just a probe.
He hadn’t expected the other party, in trying to counterkill him, would instead gift him an arm and the Dragon Banner.
The greatest illusion in life—“I can turn this around!”
“I… lost.”
Commander Lu looked on at this scene, knowing that the tide had turned and no longer resisted, letting himself be swept away by the historical backflow.
At the last moment, before being swallowed by the red mist of history, he asked:
“Human, what is your name?”
In the army, strength commanded respect, and strategy was part of one’s strength—he now viewed Jiang Yan as a worthy opponent deserving full effort.
“Sima Luoshui. Sima from the Sima family, Luoshui like the Luoshui oath!” Jiang Yan replied.
Just because you ask ≠ I have to tell the truth.
There was no way he’d reveal his real name—what if the Corpse-Dissolution Court had some name-based curse methods?
“Very well, Sima Luoshui. I’ll be waiting for you in the Corpse-Dissolution Court!”
“We will meet again!”
As his words fell, Commander Lu’s figure was consumed by the receding historical tide and disappeared.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
The shadow that had covered the entire Old Street began to retreat, wild winds howled, and dust flew everywhere.
The Dragon Banner fluttered, snapping and flapping in the gale.
On the eaves above Old Street, the woman from the Rice God of Wealth Church who had earlier gifted the Large Rat Guard a doll, gazed at the figure holding the Dragon Banner amid the roaring wind through her gilded golden eyes beneath the God of Wealth mask.
A line of words surfaced in her mind.
The wings of a roc hang in the air, laughing at the world—vast and empty.