A fragile spark of hope flickered back to life in Fan Shangzheng's hollow eyes when Great Hero Xiao Qiushui appeared with five hundred flintlock soldiers.
Yet the hope felt unbearably thin.
Firearms were powerful, yes—but they were slow to reload, prone to misfires, and notorious for bursting barrels. Against ten thousand rebels, what could five hundred guns really do?
Even with firearms… the numbers are too lopsided, he thought bleakly.
Then—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The flintlock soldiers opened fire.
"Huh?" Fan Shangzheng froze. "That's… not right."
The weapons in their hands were nothing like the bird guns he remembered.
The firing rate was terrifyingly fast.
A soldier discharged his weapon, tilted it slightly, and swiftly cleared the barrel. His hand darted to his pouch, pulling out a paper cartridge. In one fluid motion, he loaded, primed, and raised the gun again—smooth, practiced, effortless.
There was barely any need to aim.
The rebels were everywhere.
Thwack!
Another shot.
Another rebel collapsed outside the city walls.
Fan Shangzheng stammered,
"Ah… ah ah ah? This is…"
His personal guards gasped.
"So fast! These guns are too fast!"
Outside the walls, even the rebels were shouting in disbelief.
"Such fast guns!"
"No—wait!"
The Eight Great King of the Southern Camp suddenly remembered something, his face darkening.
"Those soldiers on the boats… when we crossed the Yellow River at Mengjin County… they used these exact firearms!"
"Damn it—these aren't government troops!"
"It's those people again!"
"The ones who took Xiaolangdi!"
"Who in the hell are they?!"
The Eight Great King of the Southern Camp knew all too well what followed whenever these people appeared.
A few volleys.
Then—
Morale collapse.
He had personally experienced, several times over, how to rout one's own army in the shortest possible time.
"Retreat!" he roared. "Fall back!"
The order was decisive.
The rebel army withdrew rapidly, abandoning hundreds of corpses where they fell. In the blink of an eye, the Southern Camp's presence evaporated.
Fan Shangzheng gaped.
"What? They retreated… just like that?"
Li Daoxuan chuckled.
"When things turn unfavorable, retreating swiftly is the height of wisdom."
Then he added lightly,
"But… this doesn't look like a real retreat."
Fan Shangzheng blinked.
"Oh?"
Li Daoxuan lowered his telescope.
In the distance, the rebels had withdrawn far enough to be safe—but not far enough to leave. Figures lurked among the trees, peeking cautiously toward Wenshui County.
"They haven't given up," Li Daoxuan said calmly.
"They're watching us."
"They'll come back."
Chen Yuanbo and the militia captain arrived, nodding in agreement.
"They're unwilling to accept defeat," Chen Yuanbo said. "They'll likely organize another assault."
By now, Fan Shangzheng's mind had finally cleared.
"If they attack again," he said slowly, "it won't be during the day. With Great Hero Xiao's flintlock formation here, they'd be slaughtered."
He drew a breath.
"So if they come… it will be at night."
Li Daoxuan nodded approvingly.
"Correct. Everyone, rest up. Prepare for a night raid."
The county gradually quieted.
Soldiers rotated shifts on the walls. Those resting carefully wiped down their flintlocks, cleaning barrels, checking mechanisms, ensuring nothing would hinder the next volley.
The seven hundred-plus villagers slowly emerged from their homes.
When the rebel army had surged earlier, they had been certain Wenshui County was doomed again. None of them had believed those five hundred soldiers brought by the new magistrate could repel such a force.
Yet they had.
At last, peace returned to their hearts.
In this chaotic age, the common people wanted little—food, warm clothes, and safety.
With just those, even a shattered county could pulse with life.
Elders, women, and children lit fires and cooked for the militia. Able-bodied men returned to repairing the walls. Their renewed energy caught Fan Shangzheng's attention.
He had served as county magistrate, prefect, grand prefect—he had seen countless places.
Yet he had never seen such vitality bloom from the ruins of war.
"They truly see a future," Fan Shangzheng sighed softly. "That's why they possess such strength."
He found himself genuinely impressed with Chen Yuanbo.
Turning back, he clasped his hands and bowed slightly toward Li Daoxuan.
"Great Hero Xiao, we are once again deeply indebted to you. Last time, it was you who held the Yellow River and prevented the rebels from crossing. Today, it is your men again who have saved us."
He paused, bitterness creeping into his voice.
"As for those government troops… alas. I will deal with each and every one of them when I return."
Li Daoxuan thought to himself, So I've been upgraded to 'Great Hero' now. What'll it be next time?
Fan Shangzheng continued,
"I had heard of your deeds before, but only now do I understand. To possess such a flintlock militia… it commands true respect."
Li Daoxuan put on a troubled expression.
"Illegally manufacturing firearms is against the law, isn't it? Governor Fan, are you planning to arrest me?"
Fan Shangzheng laughed.
"In times of national crisis, expediency outweighs formality. Why argue over trivialities?"
He shook his head.
"Look at my officers—gone the moment battle appeared. Yet you provide money, grain, manpower, and risk everything to suppress the rebels. That alone is virtue enough."
"As for these firearms," he added meaningfully, "they are far better off in your hands."
Li Daoxuan chuckled inwardly.
This governor has truly been driven mad by his subordinates.
As dusk fell, the sky dimmed.
After dinner, the militia rested in the colorful tents. Fan Shangzheng and his retainers were invited inside as well.
In the fading light, Li Daoxuan could still see rebel scouts lurking at the edge of the distant forest, watching.
Chen Yuanbo stood beside him.
"There's a high chance of a night attack."
Li Daoxuan smiled.
"At night, vision collapses. Our flintlocks' range drops from hundreds of meters to mere tens. The Southern Camp King understands this."
Chen Yuanbo said, "Then I'll order constant vigilance."
Li Daoxuan shook his head.
"Constant vigilance exhausts soldiers and frays morale. That's exactly what the enemy wants."
Chen Yuanbo hesitated.
"Then what should we do?"
Li Daoxuan calmly flipped open the panel on his chest.
A palm-sized cc-01 reconnaissance-type Dao Xuan Tianzun unit sprang out, hovering silently in the air.
"You all get proper rest," Li Daoxuan said lightly.
"I'll scout ahead."