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Every stretch of road seems meant to unfold a new journey. No matter where from or where to, people walk it. The world is vast, yet few are willing to leave their hometowns, their native soil, to drift afar.
Because humans are inherently territorial creatures.
Those you know, fine, can stand closer. Those you don't, please stay away. Hometowns have familiar trees, familiar fields, familiar doors that creak when opened or closed, even that crooked tree at the village entrance where you once pissed.
All those are familiar. Even after three liang of old liquor, groggy, you can still find your own door.
But everything here is unfamiliar. Even the roadside grass looks strangely shaped…
The old, weak, and feeble commoners coerced from Yong'an County town sat listlessly in twos and threes by the roadside. Dull, vacant, bewildered gazes—seeming to look at you, yet also behind you—made fine hairs of sweat involuntarily rise on the back of one's neck.
Sturdier men were mostly taken as laborers or coerced into the White Wave army. Women with some beauty faced calamity: first, the larger commanders picked over a batch, then various minor leaders searched again. Finally, even petty officers within the White Wave, though unable to take people to their tents like leaders, could still take advantage…
Thus, those remaining were either madwomen or ugly hags. Anyone even slightly passable hadn't escaped violation.
Initially, some tried to run, escape, resist. But those people died—dragged to death by horses, hanged bound to trees, some publicly had legs chopped off, dying from pain…
Men were taken, most women seized. Often, only the old and young remained in families. Even if they wanted to flee, in these times, without able-bodied labor, a family collapsed. So there was nowhere to go. Some White Wave "preachers" occasionally brought thin gruel to distribute, preaching some ambiguous doctrine. Gradually, many old and weak, with no other support, became followers of the Way of Great Peace…
Zhang Lie witnessed such scenes. Formerly farming folk, though poor, could still show some smiles. Now, they resembled clay or wooden puppets, holding starving children, alive yet seemingly already dead.
Watching, Zhang Lie said nothing, but a nameless anger accumulated in his heart…
These White Wave captured Yong'an City. Setting aside killing officials, what hatred did these commoners bear against White Wave or Yellow Turbans? Only knowing plunder, not production. After consuming Yong'an, attack Xiangling, then what?
After consuming Xiangling, attack other cities?
Then what?
Even after capturing all cities under heaven, then what?
After eating through all cities under heaven, where else to go?
How are these Yellow Turbans, White Wave, just like Hu people?
No, even more despicable than Hu!
Zhang Lie silently lowered his head, attempting to hide the hatred in his eyes.
On the parched road, yellow mud, trampled by travelers, formed hard, slab-like pieces. Each step raised yellow dust from cracks between slabs, scattering.
Zhang Lie's group of over five hundred wore White Wave clothing, hair disheveled, only a blackened yellow cloth strip tied on their foreheads, impersonating White Wave troops transporting provisions. They passed through scattered, helpless commoners in the rear, slowly escorting supply carts towards the White Wave main camp ahead.
Twenty supply carts lined up. The carts seemed loaded with provisions, grain sacks tied with ropes, bulging. Axles pressed deeply into yellow earth, creaking under the strain.
This sound seemed so alluring, drawing the gazes of some starving commoners lying by the roadside. They propped themselves up, heads unconsciously, dully following the supply carts.
Someone, somewhere, instinctively stood first, began following Zhang Lie's supply carts. Gradually, more and more people, as if gaining strength in that instant, eyes fixed tightly, as if they could pierce the grain sacks, scrape out some food…
Zhang Lie felt uneasy. Facing such a situation, he momentarily didn't know how to handle it. Zhang Lie had never experienced this, never impersonated anyone else.
After interrogating survivors and learning they came to Yong'an for provisions, Fei Qian conceived this plan. Originally intended for Huang Cheng, but Zhang Lie stepped forward, took the task.
After all, Zhang Lie was from Bingzhou, local accent and all. Huang Cheng was from Jingxiang; however he disguised his speech, his accent could still give him away.
But Zhang Lie considered many things before departure, even how to act upon entering the camp. Only he hadn't considered this current situation…
These were originally Yong'an City's commoners!
Drive them away?
Zhang Lie truly couldn't bear it.
But not driving them away, seeing more and more gathering, trouble was inevitable…
And once any flaw was exposed, his own group's lives were minor; ruining Commander Fei's plan was major!
Soldiers with Zhang Lie also looked over, awaiting his decision…
Just as Zhang Lie hesitated, more commoners gathered. Some even trotted closely alongside supply carts, eyes darting, swallowing nearly dried saliva. A few bold ones even slowly placed hands on grain sacks, using grimy claws to secretly tear and scratch…
Seeing more and more commoners swarming, chaos about to erupt!
Zhang Lie couldn't care anymore, strained his neck shouting, trying to stop them. Accompanying soldiers also attempted to push away these hunger-reddened commoners. But the hungry commoners, completely captivated by the food before them, turned a deaf ear, starting to imitate, tearing at grain sacks on trailing supply carts with bare hands…
Zhang Lie sweated anxiously. These were commoners; making him ruthlessly strike them—he truly couldn't. Bingzhou had droughts before, Hu invasions causing many commoners to become displaced, but never like today—completely lost reason, all order gone…
Or perhaps, transformed into beasts only knowing hunger?
Just as Zhang Lie was bewildered, the White Wave camp gates swung open, a group of soldiers rushed out!
Zhang Lie turned sharply, thinking his group had some flaw, discovered by White Wave. Preparing to order resistance, he suddenly noticed these soldiers' eyes weren't focused on him at all…
A minor White Wave leader commanded soldiers rushing from the camp to viciously attack the hungry commoners clustered around supply carts. They ran past Zhang Lie, drew blades, casually severed a hand clawing at a grain sack, then kicked the person down.
The minor leader shouted loudly, completely ignoring the commoner clutching a severed arm wailing at his feet. Seeing the situation largely under control, he stomped angrily to Zhang Lie, swung his arm, slapped Zhang Lie hard across the face, spraying spit as he roared: "You melon rind! What's your blade for? Damn your mother! Idiot! Hurry up, move the provisions inside!"
"Yes! Yes!" Zhang Lie covered his bleeding face, nodding while using his eyes to stop personal guards behind him intending to act. He bowed, smiling apologetically…
Perhaps due to this incident, Zhang Lie and his men, following the supply carts, entered the White Wave camp without even a single inquiry…