After issuing his command, Dao Xuan Tianzun immediately shifted his co-sensing toward Dragon Gate Ferry.
Shi Jian was stationed there.
In the past, Shi Jian had only been a centurion, limited to commanding a single thousand-man unit, with no authority to exceed that number. But after his promotion to commander, those rigid restrictions vanished. He now possessed broad discretion to deploy troops as circumstances demanded.
Given the immense strategic importance of the Dragon Gate Yellow River crossing, it naturally warranted a heavy military presence.
Gao Family Village had assigned one thousand freshly trained recruits to Shi Jian. At the same time, Zheng Gouzi, who had once followed Flat Rabbit everywhere like a shadow, was transferred here as deputy commander—there simply wasn't much left for him to do in Xi'an.
At that very moment, Shi Jian and Zheng Gouzi were addressing the newly arrived greenhorns.
Suddenly—
The colossal Dao Xuan Tianzun statue standing atop Dragon Gate Ferry slowly lowered its arm and descended from the mountaintop.
A calm, authoritative voice echoed:
"Deploy troops into Yansui.
Relieve Yanchuan County."
No further explanation was needed.
Shi Jian and Zheng Gouzi immediately broke off their briefing and sprang into action.
"Which of us leads?"
"The recruits shouldn't face bandits directly yet—leave some behind to guard."
"But they still need real combat experience."
"Then take three hundred."
"Seven hundred veterans, three hundred recruits."
Decisions were made in breaths.
Weapons were distributed. Supplies were packed. Orders flew.
Dragon Gate Ferry moved like a taut bowstring drawn to full tension.
Meanwhile, deep within Huanglong Mountain.
Bus 86 continued racing forward, wind howling past its sides.
Several labor-reform prisoners leaned out the windows, laughing as they waved at the messenger riding alongside.
"Brother! Stop abusing that horse!"
"Dao Xuan Tianzun ordered you onto the bus!"
"We'll carry you—much faster!"
The messenger hesitated, then shouted back, breathless,
"This is an eight-hundred-li urgent military dispatch!"
"All the more reason to get on," someone laughed.
"We're clearly faster than you."
…That was impossible to argue with.
The messenger swallowed.
"What about my horse?"
"Bring it along!"
"This bus is huge!"
The horse, exhausted and lathered in sweat, could barely continue anyway.
After a brief internal struggle, the messenger gritted his teeth.
"…How much does it cost?"
"Dao Xuan Tianzun gave the order—free of charge!"
The bus stopped.
The messenger boarded, leading his horse awkwardly into the aisle between the seats. The horse snorted unhappily, cramped but alive.
The bus surged forward again.
Wind rushed through the open windows.
The messenger clutched the seat, heart pounding.
"This… this vehicle is incredible. You people from Chengcheng County have been traveling through Huanglong Mountain like this for a long time?"
The prisoners laughed proudly.
"Of course!"
The driver handled the wheel with practiced ease, drifting through curves and gliding across drainage grooves. Before long, a fork in the road appeared.
A small building stood beside it.
Tongle Village Station.
The driver slowed.
"Old brother messenger, this is as far as I go. My route heads south. Dragon Gate lies east."
The messenger hurriedly replied,
"You've already helped me immensely. My horse is rested—I can continue."
"No need," the driver said cheerfully.
"Wait here. Bus 87 will arrive shortly. Transfer to it. Just say it's by Dao Xuan Tianzun's command."
The messenger blinked.
Bus… transfer?
But before he could ask further, Bus 86 was already pulling away.
The prisoners waved and whistled.
"Teach those rising stars—Xue Hongqi, Yizuo Cheng, and that One-Character King—a good lesson!"
"If you catch them alive, send them to us!"
"We're very fond of educating the younger generation!"
The messenger stood alone, dazed.
Moments later, Bus 87 arrived.
The driver leaned out.
"Hey, brother. Outsiders usually don't wait for buses. What's this about?"
"The order of Dao Xuan Tianzun," the messenger said quickly.
"Oh!" The driver brightened. "Then hop on."
A prisoner muttered suspiciously, "What if he's lying?"
Before the driver could respond, a familiar presence brushed their minds.
"Take him."
The driver straightened instantly.
"As you command."
Bus 87 rolled on.
The prisoners sang loudly, slapping their knees:
"For jest we sing, for sport we sing—
Liu Xuande sold straw sandals,
Zhang Fei butchered pigs and sold wine,
Yun Chang hawked tofu in the streets—
Which hero wasn't born in hardship?"
The messenger finally spoke, bewildered.
"Brothers… you all seem so lively. Are you villagers nearby?"
They burst out laughing.
"Villagers? We wouldn't dare claim that."
"Then… artisans?"
"Artisans earn three taels of silver a month! That's far above us."
The messenger nearly choked.
"Three taels… a month?"
Seeing his expression, one prisoner grinned.
"We're criminals. Labor reform."
"…What?"
Who would believe prisoners like this?
They laughed again.
"Brother, you don't look very lively yourself."
The messenger sighed.
"Running myself ragged, eating worse than chickens… how could I be lively?"
"Well then," a prisoner said casually,
"Why not join us? Chengcheng County's militia is expanding. Five taels of silver a month."
"Five?!"
"Elite soldiers get bonuses."
The messenger's mind went completely blank.
Five taels.
Bonuses.
He stared at the laughing prisoners, the roaring bus, the impossible road—
And suddenly felt that the world he knew was cracking open.