River of Soldiers

She didn't have to see, she didn't have to hear, she didn't even have to use her Divine Third Eye. Her instinct for survival was screaming at her to run like the wind downstream, in the opposite direction from where brother handsome came from! As Wei Li Na was pumping her legs, she cursed herself for pulling up the head of brother handsome, but not pushing it back into the water again! Really, more trouble than it's worth!

After nearly an hour of running, she finally saw a crack along the cliffs, wide enough to climb up and escape the river path. From the cliffs, she came up to the scene of breathtaking grasslands, the landscape was as flat as her chest. No trees or forests, there was nowhere to hide. She decided her best option was to return to the cliffs, and find a nook to hide among the rocks. Securing a hiding place, Wei Li Na allowed herself to rest, the exciting events of the day and her still recovering injuries, made it impossible to move any longer.

When Wei Li Na woke up, it was already daybreak of the next day. Sunlight filtered between the rocks, and lit her face. Rubbing her eyes, her first thoughts were of her own safety. She pulled herself into a sitting position, got ready to activate her Divine Third Eye, which had recovered considerably, she could now see at least 20 kilometers all around her. And what she saw was that there was a small army of soldiers patrolling the length of the river. Were they just passing by, or were they looking for her? It didn't matter, it was dangerous either way.

"Dave, report. What is the condition of my body."

"Young mistress, A very strange phenomenon has happened. Although not completely unexpected, since time travel is unknown territory, strange things are expected… "

Wei Li Na cut him off, getting impatient… "Report, Dave. No chit-chat"

"Young mistress's biological age has regressed. You are now approximately 14 years old." Wei Li Na gave no response. She absentmindedly rubbed her flat chest. "Continue…"

"Other than immature mammary gland tissue, ovaries are also immature, young mistress's joints and bones are softer, third molars have not erupted, stature is now 15 centimeters shorter, and mistress is 30 kilograms less body weight compared to before time travel..." Dave was still talking but Wei Li Na has long stopped hearing. She was 30 kilos less! 15 cm less! Immature ovaries.. She's not even menstruating!!? Not that it's bad to not be menstruating, really very convenient. But that means she'll have to go through puberty all over again!

Wei Li Na's original physique was that of a tall, statuesque amazonian warrior. The built of someone you'd expect to be produced from an unbroken, hundred generations military family, coupled with martial arts training since age six. She was as tall as most men, and 70 kilos pure muscle and bone. But now, that's all gone. Now she has the appearance of a weak and lanky, malnourished little girl, with burned hair and burned skin. The reversal of fortune could make anyone cry. As much as she wanted to wallow in pity, she had to stop herself. There was still other things to do, her stomach made a sound, she was hungry and out of dry rations.

Since the only thing at grew in the vicinity was grass, Wei Li Na had a taste of soft grass shoots. The taste was sweet, and green. But ultimately unsatisfying. She opened her Divine Third Eye, and took stock of all the living energy within a few meters - there were grasshoppers on the blades of grass, worms in the earth, rabbit parents and rabbit babies, mice in their holes, and fat pheasants on their nests. She was not yet at the point where grasshoppers and earthworms were edible treats. The rabbits with their little rabbit faces, and little rabbit babies were too cute to kill. The mice and even the pheasants were also too cute to kill. Wei Li Na had never had to kill an animal in her life! How could she start now. The only thing she could accept to eat were the eggs underneath the brooding pheasant hens.

It would take an experienced hunter hours to find these nests, but it was only a few seconds job for Wei Li Na. She casually strolled from one well hidden nest to the next, pushing over the agitated hens and stealing their eggs right beneath them. She had eaten the contents of three or four nests before she was satiated, the eggs where quite small compared to modern day chicken eggs. She'd crack the shells like nothing and drop the contents directly into her mouth, swallowing the still warm contents, in one gulp. One egg after another, she filled her stomach. She had to gain weight, and get strong!

A few days on the egg diet, she was getting tired of eggs. The patrolling soldiers along the river had not yet left! In fact, there was even a large camp set up at the exact spot where she found brother handsome. After each passing day, even more soldiers arrived! You mother! They were using this difficult to access river as a meeting point, taking advantage of access to water, and the enclosed surrounding that provided a natural fort.

But not to worry, it could be said that Wei Li Na's top skill was hiding. If she did not want to be found, nobody could find her. Having a Divine Third Eye was like have a surveillance camera everywhere. So when the patrolling soldiers turned left, she just turned right. When they turned right, she turned left. When they looked up, she sat down. So long as she stayed alert, and kept watch with her Divine Third Eye, nobody could find her even when she slept.

Her hiding skill was only matched by her running-away skills. But the crowning glory of all her skills, was her waiting and doing-nothing skills. In this subject area, she was number one in class, undefeated champion of a century. Wei Li Na was comfortably sitting on brother handsome's silk padded vest, a thick cloth garment worn under mental armor for comfort and shock absorption. She hid herself among the high rocks, not minding the occasional shouts and sounds of footsteps from soldiers who passed close by. With dried stalks of grass she nimbly sew shut the neck hole and arm holes of brother handsome's precious, mountain pattern chainmail.

Wei Li Na had gotten sick of pheasant egg, quail egg, snake egg, swallow egg, eagle egg… she's practically tasted every kind of egg in the grasslands by now. It was time for a new kind of food. Deep into the night, Wei Li Na confidently came out of her hideout to go to the river. Even though darkness level was pitch black, no moon in sight, even the stars were stingy to share some light, Wei Li Na did not miss a step as she jumped from one rock to another towards the middle of the river. The perfect spot.

She noiselessly lowered the mountain pattern chainmail into the water, opening the hem like a basket, and waited for fish. She counted, one fish, two fish, three fish… jackpot! Fourth fish is a big one and had entered the trap! She shoulders shivered with excitement, if possible, her stomach was even more excited. Anticipation was climbing, the moment the entire body of big number four entered the mouth of the chainmail, Wai Li Na yanked it out of the water. But because of her excitement, she was too hasty, and her movement caused a soft splash that could be heard above the river currents. It was too late, someone was alerted!

Quick steps were heard running towards her direction. It was very late in the evening, but night patrol was even more alert. To move quickly, Wei Li Na had to lose extra baggage, she regretfully dropped the chainmail and all her fishes, then leaped into the night without a trace. The night guards arrived with torches, they saw nothing, save for a piece of crumpled chainmail on the river banks. The night guard touched the strange object with his foot, it twitched! The night guard simultaneously jumped and yelled, dumbfounded he watched a huge fish flop out of the chain mail, a fish flipping itself back into the water.

Not long after, the pitiful remains of Wang Lei's treasured mountain chain mail was presented to the original owner. Wang Lei's servant, Ji An had the armor on a tray, which Ji An held above the head while he kneeled. In this subservient position, Ji An was hoping, Wang Lei would not direct his anger toward himself, but rightfully vent towards that mischievous water spirit instead! Half a day had passed, there was no sound from the young master. Ji An, took a cautious peek at Wang Lei's face, and saw no expression.

Wang Lei was at a complete loss for words. The chain mail he personally brushed and oiled every evening, more close to his skin than a lover, it was in utter ruins. Grass was strewn between its links. After getting soaked in the water too many times, rust creeped at the edges. He lifted the chain-mail, just barely touching with pinched fingers. It was stiff as a board. He shook it, a small dead fish fell out. He shook it again, two more dead fishes fell out. Dejected, Wang Lei dropped the chain mail back onto the tray, it fell like a pile of scrap metal.

"Clean it and brush it with oil. Tell the men to pack up and withdraw camp. It's time to leave." Just like that, a whole army that had funneled into this small river in the last few days, quickly uprooted itself to depart. The little river spirit had evaded Wang Lei, but he had gotten his property back and there was no more time to waste. This naughty river spirit was but a little diversion, a funny story to amuse the charming Li Xiu and his young sister when he got back to the capital. There was still a war waiting for him downstream, where the river emptied into a large lake.