Chapter 00103: Each Has Their Own Plan
# Each Has Their Own Plan
Chapter 103
Novel: After the Immortals Disappeared
Chapter 103: Each Has Their Own Plan
"Two hundred bandits disguised as villagers, led by General Lu, hiding weapons in the Water Spirit Temple."
The handwriting was messy, clearly written in haste.
He Lingchuan took the paper and sniffed it, detecting a metallic scent: "It's blood."
Though the message was brief and straightforward, its content was chilling:
The villagers were actually bandits in disguise, led by a man called General Lu, and they had hidden their weapons in the Water Spirit Temple.
Madam Ying gasped, clutching He Chunhua's arm and exclaiming, "Husband!"
Her fear was palpable.
Could they really be so unlucky? Just this once, they decided to stay overnight in the wilderness, and they ended up walking straight into a den of wolves?
The information was explosive.
He Lingchuan noticed that both his father and younger brother looked grave.
He quickly suggested, "Father, why don't we strike first? There are only two hundred bandits. Let's arm ourselves and take them down!"
"Fool!" He Chunhua glared at him.
"Do you really think there are only two hundred? And do you believe everything a village woman says? Can her words be trusted?"
He turned to his personal guard, Zhao Qinghe, and ordered, "Sneak into the Water Spirit Temple. If there are weapons hidden there, check the quantity."
Zhao Qinghe nodded and left through the door.
The man was of average height and appearance, easily overlooked in a crowd.
If He Chunhua hadn't chosen him for the guard, He Lingchuan would never have noticed him.
With Uncle Hao absent, He Chunhua entrusted such an important task to Zhao Qinghe, showing both his trust and understanding of the man.
Once again, He Lingchuan realized how little he truly knew about his father.
Madam Ying whispered, "That man surnamed Lu had a fierce look in his eyes. He doesn't seem like a good person!"
He Lingchuan thought to himself, *You were just about to go with him to the Twin Moon Pond earlier.*
But he didn't dare say that out loud.
About fifteen minutes later, Zhao Qinghe returned, his expression grim.
"The temple guard went to relieve himself, so I took the chance to sneak in. There are several boxes hidden under the altar and in the inner room, covered with cloth. Inside are swords and axes, roughly a hundred and fifty of them. They've been sharpened and used to kill—the stench of blood is strong!"
This confirmed the blood-written message.
After all, what kind of farming and fishing village would have so many deadly weapons?
Zhao Qinghe added, "By the way, the Water Spirit tablet is indeed broken in half."
Madam Ying's face turned pale.
"If they're bandits, why didn't they flee when they saw the soldiers? Why pretend to be villagers and stay?"
This was the question on everyone's mind.
The mystery of Xianling Village was growing deeper.
"They're up to no good," He Yue said, glancing at his father and brother.
"Zhu Shi said there are two hundred bandits. No wonder there are so many young men in this village."
"They're keeping quiet, clearly waiting for the right moment to strike," He Lingchuan said, his expression darkening.
He turned to his parents and asked, "Did you drink any water in this house?"
"As soon as we entered, the host offered water to the master. I had him pour it out and boil it again, and I watched the entire process," the steward, Old Mo, replied.
"Later, when the maid was cooking, I also kept an eye on her in the kitchen. There shouldn't be any issues."
He Chunhua pointed at the blood-written message.
"What I'm concerned about is this—is 'General Lu' a person's name, or does it refer to a general surnamed Lu?"
The difference between the two was significant.
In a group of a hundred people, there are all sorts of characters.
It wouldn't be too unusual for a bandit leader to have a penchant for being called a general...
Wait, no.
That still didn't sit right.
"There's only one way to find out," He Lingchuan said, standing up.
"I'll go find Zhu Shi."
"She's definitely being watched," Madam Ying said, puzzled.
"How are you going to find her?"
"I'll just take a stroll. The village isn't that big. How long could it take to walk from east to west?" He Lingchuan chuckled.
"Besides, I already noticed which house she went into earlier. It's not too far from here, just a dozen or so thatched cottages away."
This kid—sometimes he was so meticulous, and other times he was careless.
But now, he even remembered where the young woman lived.
Madam Ying could only sigh.
"Be careful!"
She rarely showed concern for He Lingchuan, and he felt an unexpected warmth in his heart.
He nodded.
He Yue, however, said, "These people are lying low. They either plan to poison us or attack in the middle of the night when everyone's asleep! It's already late. Why don't we strike first and capture Lu Han?"
He Lingchuan waved his hand.
"Stay calm. Wait for me to come back."
No one was in the mood to eat, except for He Lingchuan, who was devouring his food with gusto.
After the brutal battles in his dreams, he felt much more composed when facing crises.
Madam Ying sighed.
"You can still eat."
This kid really had a big heart.
"If we're going to do something big later, I need to eat my fill to have the strength," He Lingchuan said, finishing his meal in less than half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
He wiped his mouth and stood up.
"I'm off. Delays could lead to trouble."
He Chunhua watched his son's retreating figure, nodding and sighing.
Just as he was about to call his wife and son to continue eating, someone announced that Zeng Feixiong had arrived.
As the leader of the personal guard, Zeng Feixiong had to report regularly.
Given tonight's events, He Chunhua immediately called him in.
￥￥￥￥￥
Zhu Shi's house was in the western corner of the village, not particularly close to where He Chunhua and his wife were staying.
Her husband had died under mysterious circumstances, and her mother-in-law had gone mad upon waking, alternating between laughter and tears.
The bandits couldn't afford to leave a madwoman in the village to draw the soldiers' attention, so they killed her with a single blow and threw her body into the lake to join her son.
Her father-in-law, in a daze, was taken away along with the young children.
So, Zhu Shi was the only one left in her home.
She walked back with her head down, and two soldiers approached her, asking for a cup of water.
These soldiers were staying in the granary, unlike the officials who were lodged in the villagers' homes.
Getting hot water wasn't as convenient for them.
He Chunhua had already instructed the village chief to arrange food and water for everyone, but it hadn't been sorted out yet.
Drinking untreated water could easily lead to illness, so it was best to boil it.
Only in the wilderness would one resort to drinking untreated water.
"Wait a moment, I'll boil some water," she said, carrying some clean water to the kitchen to heat.
The soldiers said it wasn't necessary to go through so much trouble.
Most people wouldn't bother waiting just for a cup of hot water.
But she couldn't miss this opportunity.
"It's no trouble. I'll need it later tonight anyway."
While they waited, the soldiers stood in front of the house, perhaps drawn by her good looks, and chatted with her for a while.
The atmosphere was quite friendly.
But Zhu Shi knew that the bandits around her were watching her every move.
Seeking help or giving hints now would be too risky.
She was anxious, trying to think of a roundabout way to convey her message, when a few urgent whistles sounded nearby.
The two soldiers hurried off to attend to their duties, leaving without even drinking the water.
Zhu Shi was deeply disappointed.
Just then, a figure suddenly emerged from the shadows behind the house!
Zhu Shi nearly screamed, but the man clamped a hand over her mouth and nose, his grip surprisingly strong.
He whispered, "Shut up, or I'll break your neck! Understand?"
His breath reeked as he spoke, and when Zhu Shi looked up, she saw a burly man with a face full of rough features.
Zhu Shi quickly nodded.
The man released her.
"What were you trying to do just now? Warn the officials, weren't you?"
"No, no! It's not like that!" Zhu Shi shrank back.
"The village chief and his lackeys have been bullying me. Three months ago, they beat me up. I just wanted to take this chance to get back at them."
(End of Chapter)