Sweep Yuan

Chapter 147 The Black-Faced Demon God Descends to the Mortal World

Zhou Wendao was practically racing against the collapsing political situation, and he completed Shishan's important task with astonishing efficiency.

We have to hurry!

The military advance of the Xu Song regime was faster and fiercer than he had anticipated!
At the end of January, Xu Song general Xiang Pulue launched a rebellion of White Lotus followers in Jiangzhou. By February 11, the flag of the Xu Song regime had been raised on the city wall of Dehua County, the seat of Jiangzhou.

The news was like a spark thrown into boiling oil, quickly igniting the dry tinder throughout the Jiangnan region.

The wealthy merchants of Jiangzhou Road were terrified at the mere mention of it. They filled mule carts and passenger boats with their gold, silver and valuables, and their families were pushed and shoved into the carts and boats amidst their terrified cries. They fled in panic to the surrounding roads and prefectures like stray dogs.

What followed was the suffocatingly terrifying rumor—"The White Lotus Army ransacked homes and wiped out entire families, leaving no one alive!"

Panic, like a leech, gnawed at every inch of the still-breathing land in Jiangnan through the mouths and hooves of refugees.

Amidst the tense atmosphere, the officials in charge of managing the artisans secretly sold off their land and houses, and secretly sent their families to what they considered safe rural areas. They themselves always prepared plain clothes and valuables for escape, ready to flee at any moment if the situation changed.

Although the artisans were tightly confined to their workshops by the government and were completely unaware of the dramatic changes happening outside, they could sense impending doom from the tense atmosphere in the air emanating from the officials who were once arrogant but were now pale and had unfocused eyes.

The artisans themselves were not actually afraid of war; even in chaotic times, skilled craftsmen were needed.

But they feared that once war broke out, their unarmed wives, children, and elderly relatives outside the high walls and in their humble homes would be reduced to dust in an instant.

Under the guise of purchasing, Zhou Wendao evaded the eyes and ears of the government and made a solemn promise to the fearful craftsmen: generous wages, stable housing, and the ability to settle their families as well.

Ultimately, they successfully attracted more than a dozen artisans with exceptional skills who were exploited by the government, and even a scholar who was passionate about alchemy and mechanical arts volunteered to join them.

However, this is also extremely risky.

Shishan was, after all, a notorious bandit on the imperial court's list. Could the Red Flag Battalion survive the siege of the imperial army? The craftsmen had never witnessed the Red Flag Battalion's prowess, so how could they risk their lives on this unknown rebel?

Zhou Wendao knew that once the deal was settled, it had to be done quickly, so quickly that the craftsmen wouldn't have time to back out, and so quickly that the government wouldn't have time to react! He used a combination of inducement and coercion to arrange for the secret relocation of the craftsmen's families after the deal was reached.

Furthermore, with a major war looming, the imperial court will sooner or later mobilize its navy for patrols and blockade all the docks, making it impossible to escape even if one wanted to.

Therefore, even though he knew that the imperial court had already dispatched a large army to besiege the Red Turbans in Xuzhou and the Red Flag Camp in Haozhou, Zhou Wendao still dared not delay in the slightest. As soon as the craftsmen and their families arrived, he immediately led them and his own family onto the large ship that had been rented in advance.

"Weigh anchor! Depart!"

When Zhou Wendao shouted those two words, his face was full of relief and joy at escaping the quagmire.

The large ship slowly sailed away from Dangtu Wharf, its stern stirring up the turbid river water. Zhou Wendao stood at the bow, watching the riverbank gradually recede into the distance, and the huge weight in his heart lifted slightly.

"Boss! Look over there!"

A sharp-eyed waiter exclaimed in surprise, his voice trembling.

Zhou Wendao turned his head sharply, his heart leaping into his throat. To the northwest, the river was covered with a forest of sails, countless boats of all sizes with their sails billowing in the wind, like moving dark clouds, rapidly pressing in with the current.

The sheer size and unique shape of the ships clearly indicated that they were no ordinary merchant caravans. On the flag aboard the leading, imposing multi-story ship, several large, embroidered gold characters were strikingly visible in the sunlight: "Jiangzhe Province, Pingzhang Jiaohua" (meaning "Enlightenment and Education").

The crisis in Jiangnan has terrified Dadu, which is willing to abandon Luzhou Road, which has not yet been fully pacified, in order to subdue and subdue the southward advance and suppress the sparks that are about to spread in Jiangnan.

A chill ran down Zhou Wendao's spine instantly, cold sweat soaked through his inner shirt, and he stared intently at the ever-approaching massive fleet, only one thought screaming in his mind:

"What a stroke of luck! What incredible luck!!"

Two hours later, the port of Dangtu would have been completely congested by the massive troop transport fleet.

At that time, in order to facilitate the landing of soldiers and the unloading of supplies, the government troops will inevitably take control of the docks. For civilian ships like theirs, which are full of unidentified craftsmen, it is tantamount to walking into a trap.

Once caught, Zhou Wendao will face the monstrous disaster of having his family and clan wiped out!

Fortunately, the government troops were in a hurry to get back to the south bank and did not have the energy to deal with the civilian boat that was passing by.

Two hours later, the large ship docked at the Jiangbei Hezhou Wharf.

Hua Yun led his soldiers to leap off the plank and take control of the pier.

"Master Zhou, why did you hastily stop here after leaving Dangtu? Where is this place?"

Having successfully reached the shore, Zhou Wendao calmed down somewhat. Seeing that the questioner was Tao Chengdao, a scholar obsessed with the art of craftsmanship, he replied:

"Jiangbei, Hezhou."

Tao Chengdao was from Wuzhou and had never been to Jiangbei in his life. Upon hearing this, his attention was indeed diverted.

"Hezhou? Are there any skilled craftsmen here?"

As the two talked, curious craftsmen gradually gathered around. One craftsman, his face showing impatience, couldn't contain himself any longer and raised his voice to question them:
"Weren't we supposed to be going to Hangzhou? Why did we change our route to this desolate dock in Hezhou?! Is there some kind of trap?!" Zhou Wendao's gaze swept over the increasingly sparsely populated Hezhou dock, then he slowly turned to the craftsman, his face cold as he said:

"You boarded my ship only because you were greedy for the generous rewards. Did you really think that I, a merchant who is meticulous about every penny, would do a good deed that would result in a loss?"

Hua Yun and his group had already taken control of the dock passage. Although there were only ten of them, the shadow of a coordinated military formation could be vaguely seen.

The craftsman, who had been curious about why the caravan had such a formidable guard, now guessed what was going on. Cold sweat poured down his back, and he hurriedly lowered his head.

"I was being presumptuous."

The road ahead was fraught with danger. Zhou Wendao knew that once these craftsmen's doubts were resolved, unforeseen events were bound to occur. He took a deep breath, looked around at everyone, and said:
"Gentlemen, now that things have come to this, I, Zhou, will not hide it from you. The world is in chaos, and civil unrest is breaking out everywhere in Jiangnan. Soon there will be no place for us to stay."

But north of the Yangtze River lies a pristine land, and a powerful ruler, vacant in his position, awaiting you master craftsmen to display your life's work. I, Zhou, have been entrusted by this powerful ruler to invite you north, not to harm you, but to bestow upon you an immeasurable fortune. Believe it or not, wait and see what lies ahead!

The craftsmen looked at each other, filled with doubts, but they were already here, unfamiliar with the place and the people of Jiangbei, and resistance would be futile.

Especially seeing the imposing aura of Hua Yun and the others, no matter how much surprise and doubt he had, he could only suppress it and nod silently.

Traveling north, the merchants and travelers were all filled with anxiety, their eyes filled with vigilance and wariness as they looked at strangers. Some unscrupulous thieves and defeated soldiers lurked in the woods by the roadside, trying to rob this seemingly wealthy caravan.

However, before these scoundrels could even get close, Hua Yun easily dismissed them as if swatting away mosquitoes and flies.

From the captured defeated soldiers, Zhou Wendao was shocked to learn of the great victory at Chishui and that Marshal Shi's army was already heading straight for Chuzhou! While overjoyed, he was also worried that the Yuan army's defeated soldiers in Quanjiao were like locusts, which might endanger the caravans. He hesitated whether to temporarily avoid the enemy's advance and decide whether to stay or leave once the situation became clearer.

Hua Yun sensed his meaning, his face as black as iron remained expressionless, but his voice was as deep as muffled thunder.

"The craftsman's heart is still uneasy, and his lingering here only adds to the uncertainty. Since Master Zhou has already arrived at the Chu River, why hasn't he crossed it? Is it because he doesn't trust the Marshal's methods, or does he think the spear in my hand isn't sharp enough?!"

Zhou Wendao was deeply shaken. He had only known Hua Yun as a platoon leader in the Red Flag Battalion, and while he admired his strength, he had never imagined that in this chaotic situation, Hua Yun would possess such a commanding presence and resolute decision-making ability! He marveled at the hidden talents under Marshal Shi's command, and immediately bowed deeply, saying:
"Zhou is afraid of losing his life when he is about to do great things, and he is far inferior to Brother Hua, who has thunder in his heart but a calm face! I am ashamed!"

Upon entering Quanjiao County, they indeed found the caravan scattered with defeated soldiers. At first, the small groups of about twenty soldiers, intimidated by the number of caravan members and the imposing presence of Hua Yun and her companions, dared not act rashly. However, the situation changed when a group of about twenty defeated soldiers set their sights on the caravan.

The caravan's goods, mules, and horses were, in the eyes of these desperate men, the capital to turn their lives around in the chaos of war.

They had received some military training and knew the tactic of harassing and pestering, like maggots clinging to bones, gathering more and more, soon swelling to nearly a hundred, and electing a fierce soldier with a face full of scars as their leader.

Under his command, the routed soldiers scattered like a pack of wolves, beginning to outflank the caravan from both sides, attempting to encircle it!
Hua Yun's eyes flashed with cold light. Knowing that he could no longer hesitate, he abruptly turned his horse around and shouted sternly to his soldiers:
"Protect the caravan, full speed ahead! Leave these chickens and dogs to me!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already transformed into a black whirlwind that tore through the air, charging straight at the leader of the fleeing soldiers!

The fleeing leader, gesturing wildly from the back of the crowd, never imagined that a single enemy soldier would dare to charge against nearly a hundred of his men. In his shock, he forgot to flee, instinctively burying himself even deeper into the throng, howling hoarsely:
"Brothers! Charge together! Kill this black bastard, and all the gold, silver, mules, and horses are ours! Kill—!"

"Awooo—!" The fleeing soldiers roared wildly, fueled by greed and their numerical advantage. They raised their broken swords and spears and surged towards the lone knight like a tidal wave.

The harsh reality instantly extinguished the flames of greed.

Hua Yun was seven feet tall, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, clad in iron armor, and his warhorse was also exceptionally powerful. The momentum of the man and his horse charging forward was like that of a ferocious humanoid beast, and the earth seemed to tremble under the heavy iron hooves.

The 13-foot-long iron spear in his hand transformed into a deadly black light.

The fleeing soldier who was leading the charge with his spear saw a flash of light before his eyes. Before he could even extend the spear shaft, the spear tip had already pierced his chest and emerged through his back.

With a flick of her wrist, Hua Yun sent the corpse flying like a broken sack, knocking down the two people behind her.

Two waist knives slashed down simultaneously from the left and right, but Hua Yun neither dodged nor avoided them, and her long spear swept across the battlefield.

"Clang! Crack!"

The clang of metal against metal was accompanied by the cracking sound of bones breaking. The swordsman on the left was swept away by the force of the blow, sword and all, while the swordsman on the right was struck hard on the neck by the gun barrel and collapsed to the ground without even uttering a sound.

The fleeing soldiers' leader finally realized that the black demon was unstoppable and was about to retreat when Hua Yun broke through the brief gap. His warhorse's iron hooves slammed down a fleeing soldier blocking his way, and his spear, as fast as lightning, went straight for his chest and abdomen.

The leader was terrified and hurriedly grabbed one of his men to shield him.

"puff--"

The spear pierced the scapegoat's chest without any resistance, and the remaining force even pierced both of them!
"Anyone who blocks my path shall die!!"

Hua Yun's tongue roared like spring thunder, its sound shaking the entire wilderness! Its terrifying appearance, like a demon god descending to earth, instantly shattered the remaining courage of all the routed soldiers.

"Oh my god! It's a ghost!"

Terrified screams replaced greedy roars, and the nearly one hundred fleeing soldiers, who had just been so aggressive, instantly turned into frightened pikas and rabbits, running away in a sorry state.

"Run! Run!"

(End of this chapter)