RWNEFE -Chapter 53 Seizing Weapons!

On another mountain, every cave, large and small, was brightly lit. Inside, people were tirelessly forging and smelting at this hour.

Shen Lanxi watched the cruel overseers whipping the workers nonstop, and her hands itched to draw a blade.

“The fire on the mountaintop is too big, they’re calling us to help put it out!”

“Quick, everyone, all hands to the mountaintop to fight the fire!”

As the overseers swung their whips midair, they suddenly fell backward.

“All the guards at the foot of the mountain have gone to fight the fire! Kill them and run!”

Shen Lanxi shouted, demonstrating how to fight and escape. Two swift strikes ended the lives of two of the cruel overseers.

“Run, brothers! If you don’t run now, you’ll never get another chance!” a blacksmith shouted, and over half the people immediately responded.

Armed with tongs, hammers, and iron spoons, they fought back.

Years of blacksmithing had made them strong; swinging glowing-hot tongs, the overseers barely had a chance to react before retreating in panic.

Resistance was surprisingly easy.

The once-intimidating, brutish overseers now cowered like frightened mice.

The blacksmiths quickly rallied, surrounding the overseers with their makeshift weapons, slaughtered them, and surged down the mountain in a wave.

Shen Lanxi glanced at their retreating backs and turned into the armory.

Inside, she was shocked—piles of weapons filled the room!

According to the law, all forged iron items, whether from government workshops or private smiths, must bear an official mark.

She opened ten chests and inspected every weapon—none had a mark.

The armory was packed with at least five or six hundred large crates, tied tightly with straw ropes. Where were they being sent?

She had a strong feeling that these weapons were connected to the theft of supplies from the Wei family army.

Unfortunately, with unknown paths ahead and pursuers behind, there was no time to investigate.

The fire today would surely alert enemies. Even if she returned later, all traces here would be cleaned up.

She cleared the warehouse, stashing all the iron ore, half-finished weapons, and forging tools into her spatial pocket.

Before leaving, she tossed a fire into the armory—since it would be cleaned eventually, better that she completed the job herself.

From the front to the back of the mountain, everyone imprisoned surged down like a tide, their escape astonishingly smooth. Few were killed, and they reached the foot of the mountain safely.

Liu Yanhui looked at the scattered bodies: “These people were obviously dealt with by Master in advance!”

Liu Laohu: “Master? Has he returned?”

Liu Yanhui: “Master told us to wait at the city gate. We follow his orders.”

Liu Laohu, who had wanted to wait, immediately nodded.

“All officials, count the prisoners!”

“All prisoners, report your numbers! Anyone missing, speak now. If you shout mid-route, we won’t come back to rescue you!”

“Don’t even think of running. If you meet starving wolves of the displaced, they’ll gnaw your bones clean!”

Hearing Liu Laohu’s warnings, those who had been restless instantly fell in line.

“All present, let’s go!”

At the early hours (Yin time), Shen Lanxi led Qiushuang and the others to the inn, retrieved their stored belongings, bought all available food, and headed straight for the city gate.

“Master, last night every official’s residence in Cangzhou City caught fire. Many soldiers and civilians rushed to help!”

“I’ve never opened the city gate myself—no wonder it’s so heavy!”

Qiushuang, Chunxue, and Nanny Li’s family pushed hard, swinging the gates open, and the group boldly exited Cangzhou City.

Soon, they ran into Liu Laohu and others, along with many displaced people.

The refugees eyed the wagons and supplies like starving wolves.

Moments ago they had fought alongside them, now they were mortal enemies.

Liu Laohu cursed in frustration—outnumbered, how could they risk encountering the refugees’ pack after escaping the mountain?

“Liu, keep going!” Chunxue and Qiushuang distributed weapons to the officials.

Liu Laohu stared at the large swords—they were government-issued for the officials, weren’t they? Weren’t they stolen by those villains?

“Master told us to give them to you!” Chunxue said.

Holding the sword, Liu Laohu regained his courage, drew it, and threatened: “Anyone dare come near, my blade won’t show mercy!”

“You all are ungrateful, forgetting how you escaped that den of evil!”

“All officials and prisoners, get in the wagons. Anyone blocking us will be killed without mercy!”

The refugees, intimidated and ashamed, dared not approach. Liu Laohu cracked his whip on the wagon, then looked back.

After running over a hundred meters with no pursuit, he finally slumped onto the wagon, drenched in sweat.

“Damn it,” he muttered.

They ran tirelessly for over half an hour before slowing down.

After Qiushuang and Chunxue distributed food and water, they were about to eat when a sharp eagle call froze them in place.

Shen Lanxi, asleep in the wagon, only woke at night.

Where were Chunxue and Qiushuang? Normally, they’d rush over as soon as she woke.

Just after dismounting, she saw them standing at a distance, pointing uphill.

She looked back and understood—they had stayed far away for a reason.

“Xiaoxue, come down!” She raised her left arm in command.

With a sharp eagle call, the giant eagle circled above Shen Lanxi and then landed steadily on her left arm.

Those watching held their breath.

One strike of its talon could break bone; one bite could pluck out an eye.

The timid immediately turned away.

Shen Lanxi held the hundred-plus-pound eagle steadily on her left arm, played with it briefly with her right, and opened the bamboo tube on its leg to retrieve something.

The letter read:

The Wandu Sect emerged over a decade ago, initially obscure. Later, it became infamous for a poison called the Green Silkworm. Its brutal deeds drew the attention of the imperial court, with members killed or captured, and survivors fled to the Western Regions. They have not appeared in the Central Plains since.

Although Guigu remained hidden, he knew all worldly affairs. This intelligence is reliable.

“Chunxue, ink and brush!”

“Yes!”

She wrote the reply, placed it in the tube.

Xiaoxue was reluctant to leave. Shen Lanxi understood its thoughts from its glimmering eyes.

Controlling humans requires incentives, a balance of reward and punishment, boldness, and caution. Controlling an eagle only requires a few tasty snacks. Humans are no match for an eagle!

“Go!”

Whether demon or monster, it will show itself eventually.

By the next day, news of the Wandu Sect’s return spread swiftly across cities, villages, and among refugees.

Three wagons trailed behind the exile group.

“Young General, time to change the medicine!”