“We got it out.”
Zhang Liang sneered, “These fellows are fiercer than anyone when bullying others, but once in our hands, they’re more cowardly than the next. I only had Erkui use a bit of pressure, and they spilled everything at once.”
“What did they say?”
“At first they tried to fool me, claiming Scarface and the big chief of Dengtai Mountain bandits were sworn brothers. After our people wiped out Dengtai Mountain, they were all invited by Scarface to avenge it.”
Zhang Liang sneered again, “Then they said a lame man named Liu hired them, specifically to assassinate sir.
But none admitted any connection to County Lieutenant Zhao. I had Erkui keep pressing, but I think nothing more will come out.”
“I think so too. Someone like County Lieutenant Zhao wouldn’t leave such obvious traces. He’d use middlemen and excuses.”
Jin Feng said, “Lame Liu is probably one of the middlemen, and Dengtai Mountain is the pretext.
Can we find this Lame Liu?”
“Yes, they gave several of his lairs. I’ve already sent men to grab him.”
Zhang Liang said, “But I agree with sir, Lame Liu is likely just a middleman. Even if caught, he probably can’t directly implicate County Lieutenant Zhao.”
“No matter, follow the vine to the melon, catch him first.”
Jin Feng said helplessly.
This happened too suddenly. Jin Feng hadn’t expected the county lieutenant and gentry to be so bold, catching him off guard and putting him on the defensive.
“Looks like I need to build my own intelligence network soon, or I’ll be like a blind man, only knowing when they strike at the door.”
This incident reminded Jin Feng again, renewing his idea to create an intelligence organisation.
He glanced at the moon, “Brother Liang, the village people should arrive soon. Let’s go wait.”
“Good, I’ll arrange it.”
Things were chaotic today. Zhang Liang also feared the Heishuigou bandits might escape.
Jin Feng and Zhang Liang led men to the earlier battlefield site, arriving around three or four in the morning.
Before coming, Zhang Liang had roughly learned the battle details.
But seeing the bandits strung up along the roadside, Zhang Liang still felt a chill.
“Sir, luckily you held back a trick this time, or it would have been dangerous.”
“Today was indeed dangerous, and very lucky.”
Jin Feng said, “If Old Tang hadn’t warned early, we might have walked straight into the ambush and never come out.
If Ame weren’t so skilled, we couldn’t have held until dark, the flash bombs’ effect would have been greatly reduced, and we might have been finished.”
“Sir, I don’t think this was luck, it was inevitable.”
Zhang Liang said, “In the army, the marquis once said great families train dead warriors from childhood, each with extraordinary skills. Miss Mulang is Xichuan Mu’s own sister, how could she travel without one or two experts as guards?”
“True, I always thought Ame was skilled, but not to this extent.”
Jin Feng sighed.
This was actually his first time seeing Ame fight full force.
Last time pursuing Zhou Wenyuan, the guard was skilled too, but Ame seized the chance, kicked him flying, and before landing, old soldiers riddled him with arrows.
Thinking back, Jin Feng realised Ame’s kick was perfectly timed, incredibly fast, and powerfully strong.
Kicking a over-two-hundred-jin guard flying that far.
Not an expert, impossible.
But then Jin Feng’s focus was on the guard and Zhou Wenyuan, overlooking it.
“Not just Ame, but Old Tang and the messenger Han Feng, also inevitable.”
Zhang Liang continued, “Sir, you may not realise how many in Jinchuan County are grateful to you, to our Xihewan.
Every day, many commoners bring precious food and game to Heishuigou, begging us to stop the bandits.
Some with grudges against Heishuigou bandits kowtow when seeing us, even kneel on the road begging me to take them to fight bandits.
So even without Old Tang today, you’d meet Old Zhang or Old Liu. This is the merit you’ve accumulated.”
“Merit again, say more and I’m a god.”
Jin Feng laughed.
“Sir, no flattery, in Jinchuan commoners’ hearts, you’re mightier than any god.”
Zhang Liang said, “You bring real good days, what can gods bring?
I’ve heard some now set up longevity tablets for you at home, worshipping with ancestors. Over time, aren’t you a god?”
Jin Feng was speechless.
But Zhang Liang’s scenario was possible.
Historically, many gods started as ordinary mortals who did meritorious deeds for commoners, gradually deified, becoming gods in people’s mouths.
Jin Feng calculated, Xihewan’s team would take at least another hour.
But shortly after talking with Zhang Liang, he saw a torch procession like a long dragon winding along the mountain road.
From the torches’ speed, the team was clearly running, not walking normally.
Jin Feng and Zhang Liang went downhill, and the torch team arrived just then.
Seeing this, Jin Feng’s eyes moistened slightly.
Tiechui hadn’t lied, from twelve-thirteen-year-old lads to fifty-sixty-year-old elders, nearly all village men came.
Xihewan to here was far, all uneven mountain roads, pushing carts and running wasn’t easy.
Strong young men like Liu Tie panted heavily leaning on carts, too winded to speak, let alone elders and children.
Seeing Jin Feng safe, all relaxed, smiled and waved, then plopped down on the road, chests heaving like bellows.
Only now with better Xihewan life, months ago those older ones would have collapsed.
Actually, after intense exercise, one shouldn’t lie down immediately, bad for the body.
But Jin Feng didn’t lecture now, just shouted back, “Erkui, get some warm water to quench thirst.”
“Prepared long ago.”
Erkui quickly directed several old soldiers over.
Each carried a wooden bucket.
Jin Feng took a clay bowl, scooped for Liu Tie first, “Brother Tiezi, hard work.”
Liu Tie still catching breath, waved, gulped the bowl down, reached to scoop more, but Jin Feng snatched the bowl.
“You just ran here, can’t drink too much at once, sip to wet the throat, rest then drink.”
Jin Feng said, then moved to the next villager.
Nearby, several old soldiers also distributed water to villagers.
Reaching the middle of the team, Jin Feng saw faces under torches and froze.
