Chief Armaments Master of the Ming Dynasty

The barking of dogs was like knives, tearing apart the tranquility of the canyon at night.

Lin Fan instantly snapped out of his excitement at finding the "闯" (Chuang) flag. His blood rushed to his head, then quickly cooled, turning into a cold sensation.

"Don't run!" he shouted, stopping Tian Ergou and Han Jinhu, who instinctively wanted to shrink back.

run?

Where are you going?

Behind them was a rugged canyon path, two weary mules, and five refugees who were almost completely exhausted.

In this unfamiliar and treacherous mountainous region, blindly fleeing in the dark means either falling into a deep ditch or being caught and killed; there is absolutely no chance of survival.

And rushing towards them were Li Zicheng's men.

Whether they are friend or foe remains to be seen.

"Put down your weapons! Crouch down! Put your hands behind your head!" Lin Fan spoke very quickly, his voice low, yet carrying an unquestionable command.

He threw the short spear in his hand to the ground first, squatted down, and put his hands behind his head.

Han Jinhu, Lao Geng, Shuanzhu, and Tian Ergou were stunned for a moment, then did as instructed.

Five people, five pairs of mud-covered hands raised high above their heads, crouched behind the rocks like five quails waiting to be slaughtered.

A dozen or so breaths later, the footsteps were already upon them.

The torchlight pierced the darkness, so bright it was blinding.

"Don't move! If you move, I'll stab you to death!"

Amidst the rude shouts and curses, several cold, sharp spearheads were pressed against Lin Fan's back and neck.

He could feel the chill of the metal, penetrating his skin through his tattered clothes.

Someone roughly searched him, took the tinderbox and a small knife hidden in his bosom, and tore open a sewn-closed pouch at his waist. Several dark gunpowder cakes rolled out, bounced on the ground, and raised a small cloud of dust.

"What is this?" a voice asked in surprise.

"Gunpowder! Damn it, it's gunpowder!" Another voice exclaimed, filled with both wariness and excitement. "These guys are no ordinary people! Take them away! Let the general decide their fate!"

General.

Lin Fan silently repeated the word in his mind.

In this place, who else could be called a "general" besides Li Zicheng?

Their hands were tied behind their backs and strung together with a rough hemp rope. They were pushed and shoved like livestock as they walked toward the camp.

The mule and the few belongings were also taken away.

Throughout the journey, Lin Fan refrained from turning around or speaking.

He could sense the tension and fear in his companions behind him. Tian Ergou's breathing was rapid, like a bellows, and Han Jinhu's heavy breathing carried suppressed anger. Lao Geng and Shuanzhu were unusually silent, but something more dangerous was hidden in that silence.

The campfire in the campsite grew closer and brighter.

The flag bearing the character "闯" (chuǎng, meaning "break through") finally revealed its true form in the firelight—

A faded, worn-out old cloth flag with a large "闯" (chuǎng, meaning "break through") character written in bold ink, the strokes rough and powerful, conveying a sense of reckless ruthlessness.

Several people were standing under the flagpole.

The leader was a tall man wearing a worn-out iron armor covered by a dirty battle robe whose original color was no longer discernible, and a well-worn scabbard hanging at his waist.

The firelight illuminated his face—

He had a broad face, dark skin, prominent cheekbones, tightly pursed lips, and small eyes that exuded a calm, almost piercing power.

Lin Fan had seen this face before.

At Yinchuan Post Station, on the loess plateau where the cold wind was like a knife, in the dilapidated stables and snowy night.

"Raise your head."

The man's voice was not loud, somewhat hoarse, and carried a strong Shaanxi accent.

Lin Fan slowly raised his head.

Eyes facing each other.

The flickering firelight cast interplay of light and shadow on Li Zicheng's face.

He stared at Lin Fan for a few moments, a fleeting, extremely subtle flicker of emotion flashing in his eyes—

It wasn't surprise, but rather a confirmation that had been anticipated and validated by time.

"It's you," Li Zicheng said.

Just two words, as bland as saying the weather is nice today.

Han Jinhu and the others behind Lin Fan were stunned.

Brother Lin...do you know this "trailblazer"?

"It's me." Lin Fan's voice was a little dry, his throat felt like it had been rubbed with sandpaper. "General Li... we meet again."

Li Zicheng didn't reply. He shifted his gaze from the man's face, glanced at the gunpowder cakes that had been found on the ground, and then looked at the two skinny mules being led and the five people tied together.

"Untie it," he ordered.

The guards around him were stunned for a moment, but immediately did as he was told and cut the ropes binding him.

Lin Fan moved his wrists, which were numb from being constricted, but didn't rub them; he just let them hang by his side.

"From Wang Ziyong?" Li Zicheng asked again.

This time, Lin Fan did not hide anything and nodded, saying, "Yes. Wang's troops were trapped in Huanglong Mountain and besieged by government troops. Internal strife broke out, and we took advantage of the chaos to escape and head north to join the general."

"Vote for me?" Li Zicheng's lips twitched slightly, it was hard to tell if he was smiling or something else. "Just these few men, a few pieces of gunpowder, and two mules?"

"And I also have skills," Lin Fan said. "I can smelt iron, I can quench it, and I can make... things that make noise. The people behind me each have their own skills. Han Jinhu is a blacksmith, Lao Geng and Shuanzhu are from the border army and have fought in wars. Tian Ergou is clever and can run errands and learn new skills."

Li Zicheng remained silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the faces of Han Jinhu, Lao Geng, Shuanzhu, and Tian Ergou in turn.

Everyone straightened their backs, meeting the scrutinizing gaze. Although they were dressed in rags and looked pale, there was no evasion in their eyes.

"Craftsmanship..." Li Zicheng repeated the word, his gaze finally settling on Lin Fan's face. "You said the same thing at Yinchuan Post Station. Back then, you said the stirrups weren't sturdy enough, and that sulfur and saltpeter would make a lot of noise. Later, that bang inside the post station was quite a commotion."

Lin Fan nodded: "Yes. A small packet of gunpowder, just to scare people."

"Just to scare people?" A tall, thin bodyguard beside Li Zicheng couldn't help but interject. "I heard that bang really scared the tax-collecting officials and yamen runners half to death! Otherwise..."

"Shut up," Li Zicheng interrupted him calmly.

The guard immediately shrank back and fell silent.

But Lin Fan had already sensed something amiss.

On that day, following Li Zicheng's instructions, he created an explosion and chaos in the backyard of the post station, and Li Zicheng took the opportunity to kill officials and start a rebellion.

The gears of history began their irreversible rotation with that resounding bang.

"You've got some nerve," Li Zicheng said, his tone neither praising nor criticizing. "You dared to show off your skills right under Wang Ziyong's nose, and you even dared to run away with his men. Wang Ziyong isn't a very magnanimous man. If he knew you'd surrendered to me, he'd probably hold a grudge."

"Wang Ziyong is in dire straits himself," Lin Fan said bluntly. "Huanglong Mountain is besieged, Liu Sanba and Hu Laowai are fighting amongst themselves, he is seriously injured and unconscious, and his subordinates have scattered like birds and beasts. It won't be long before the government troops sweep the place clean. Whether he holds a grudge or not, he can't cause any trouble now."

This statement is direct, even somewhat cold.

Upon hearing this, many of the soldiers from the "Breakthrough" camp showed expressions of surprise.

This thin young man spoke of the life and death of his former leader with remarkable calmness.

Li Zicheng, however, did not find it strange.