Escape

The stone door of the cellar creaked open, kicking up a cloud of dust. Li Yan and the others were stunned by the sight before them: a massive cavern lined with rows of shelves holding various weapons, each covered in a thick layer of dust. Suits of armor hung from the walls, giving the whole place a solemn, ancient feel.

"Jingfei, see if there's something that suits you," Li Yan said, before joining in the search himself.

Just then, his gaze landed on a long wooden box placed in the center of the hall. Covered in dust but carved with intricate designs, the box's weight and craftsmanship made it stand out among the casually placed weapon crates around it.

Li Yan stepped forward, gently brushing off the dust, and slowly lifted the lid. Inside lay a long sword, its scabbard engraved with two coiling dragons, finely detailed and giving the weapon an exquisite appearance.

He carefully drew the sword, its blade smooth as a mirror and cold to the touch. Engraved on the blade were two characters: "Longyuan."

"Is this… the Longquan Sword?" Li Yan murmured, surprise flashing in his eyes. Gently, he swung the sword, a clear, sharp hum ringing out, like the cry of a dragon. The smooth, powerful feel of it made his heart race with excitement.

According to legend, the Longyuan Sword was forged by the master swordsmiths Ou Yezi and Gan Jiang. Li Yan had always thought it to be mere folklore, but now here it was, right in front of him.

"It truly is a magnificent sword," he muttered to himself, then sheathed it.

Just then, Chu Jingfei's voice called out excitedly, "Brother Yan, come look at this big guy!"

Li Yan turned to see Chu Jingfei, his eyes sparkling as he stared at a massive weapon in the corner. It was a large halberd, heavy and exuding a chilling gleam. The head of the halberd had two curved blades, like enormous wings, and the shaft was decorated with intricate patterns.

Chu Jingfei picked it up with enthusiasm, giving it a few experimental swings. Although the weapon looked incredibly heavy, he handled it with ease, swinging it through the air and producing a whooshing sound.

"Haha, this guy feels perfect in my hands!" Chu Jingfei laughed, twirling the halberd with a fierce, practiced grace.

Watching him, Li Yan couldn't help but think of a certain historical figure: Lü Bu.

"I've never wielded a weapon that felt this good before, Brother Yan. What's this thing called?"

"I think it should be called the Fangtian Halberd," Li Yan replied, wiping sweat from his brow. This elder, he thought, was certainly no ordinary person.

With both of them now armed, Li Yan continued searching and suddenly spotted something else of interest. In a corner, he found a pile of simple crossbows. Though somewhat worn, their mechanisms were intact.

"These crossbows… not bad!" Li Yan murmured with a slight smile. Remembering a few engineering designs from his books, he figured he could quickly modify a few to make them more effective.

When they emerged from the cellar, Chu Jingfei was still admiring the Fangtian Halberd. Using the parts from the cellar, Li Yan managed to assemble three repeating crossbows, loaded with arrows and ready to be distributed. He handed one each to A-Lian and Jingfei.

By now, the sky was beginning to brighten. A-Lian took the crossbow, drawing back the string and testing its mechanism. As she released, the sound of multiple arrows firing rang out, embedding themselves in a nearby tree.

"This crossbow… it's incredible!" A-Lian gasped, visibly impressed.

Chu Jingfei was equally astonished. "Brother Yan, you're amazing! This thing can fire multiple times in a row—it's like magic!"

"This is the power of engineering. Let's go; it's time to rescue those villagers who were taken. The rebels dared to come here, so they'll pay the price!"

The three of them, familiar with the local terrain, tracked the rebels through the day. By dusk, Li Yan spotted a flock of birds suddenly taking flight in the distance. "They're not far ahead," he said softly.

Following the clear hoofprints for about another half-hour, they finally caught sight of the rebels' encampment. There were about thirty soldiers gathered in an open area, some of them busy preparing meals. Smoke rose gently from the cooking fires, while others sat around in small groups, eating rations or cleaning their weapons. The camp looked relaxed and careless.

Li Yan quickly assessed the layout. In the center of the camp was a pile of firewood, with several large pots cooking over the flames. A few horses were tied to nearby trees, and the soldiers lounged against the trees, completely unguarded. About ten captives were bound together with ropes, including a few familiar faces from the village.

Chu Jingfei clenched his fists. "Brother Yan, that's Little Stone and the others! I'm going to rescue them!"

Li Yan turned to Chu Jingfei and A-Lian, lowering his voice. "Jingfei, stay calm. We can't rely solely on brute force. They outnumber us, so we need the element of surprise. This has to be quick and decisive."

A-Lian nodded. "We'll follow your lead, Brother Yan."

Li Yan studied the camp's layout and devised a plan. Knowing they couldn't afford a prolonged fight, he decided to capitalize on the crossbows' advantage to create chaos.

"Alright, let's start by targeting their horses from behind. A-Lian, we'll fire off all our arrows at once, covering a wide area to make it seem like we have many more people. Then, Jingfei and I will charge in to distract them, while you go in and free the prisoners. Be careful."

The three of them moved silently to a concealed position behind the camp, giving them a clear view of the flank. Li Yan raised his crossbow, aiming at the horses tied nearby. He pulled the trigger, and several arrows whistled through the air, striking the animals.

Startled, the horses reared and broke free, crashing through the camp in a frenzy, their hooves shattering the camp's calm.

Li Yan and the others unleashed a volley of arrows, and several rebels fell instantly. Confused and unsure of their attackers' numbers, the remaining soldiers scrambled for cover, plunging the camp into chaos.

"We're under attack! Prepare for battle!" a rebel shouted, but before they could organize, Li Yan and Chu Jingfei charged in from either side.

"Die, you dogs! We're here to save our people!" Chu Jingfei roared, his Fangtian Halberd slicing through the air and taking down two soldiers in an instant. The rebels barely had time to react before they fell, blood spurting.

Li Yan continued firing arrows, the rapid shots striking down more enemies. Startled by the crossbow's unfamiliar design, a group of rebels rushed toward him. He drew the Longquan Sword, its blade gleaming, and stabbed a rebel in the chest. With each strike, the sword's sharpness cut through armor effortlessly, and he moved swiftly, the sword flashing through the air like water.

"Prepare to die, scum!" Chu Jingfei was unstoppable, wielding the halberd with precision and fury. His strength was overwhelming, and the rebels had no way to defend themselves.

On Li Yan's side, however, he was gradually forced back by two soldiers. Just then, A-Lian managed to untie the prisoners, and a few young villagers picked up discarded weapons, joining the fight.

Panic spread through the rebels, with some even attempting to flee.

"You dogs dared to raid our village; none of you will leave alive today!" Chu Jingfei shouted as he fought his way toward Li Yan.

The battle quickly ended, leaving the camp in ruins. Rebel corpses littered the ground, and Li Yan, panting heavily, still felt his hand trembling slightly as he gripped the Longquan Sword. He had never imagined he would take a life himself, but the harshness of reality had shattered any illusions he might have had.

"Come back, Jingfei! Don't chase them too far!" Li Yan called to Chu Jingfei, who had been pursuing the fleeing soldiers.

Covered in blood, Chu Jingfei returned, his halberd still dripping. He was visibly angry, but at Li Yan's word, he nodded. "Those dogs… sooner or later, they'll pay for this!"

"Brother Yan, we saved several people, including Niu Hu and the others," A-Lian said, pointing to the villagers.

Li Yan's heart was heavy as he looked at the rescued villagers. He knew they were the last remnants of the village, bearing the burden of its loss and tragedy.

Among the freed villagers, Zhang Hu and his brother Zhang Bao were the first to stand, dusting themselves off and clutching their knives tightly. Zhang Hu, a tall and sturdy young man, wore a look of determination, while his brother, Zhang Bao, smaller in stature, had a sharp glint in his eyes.

"Brother Yan, thank you for saving us," Zhang Hu said, patting his chest with gratitude.

"Brother Yan, if you hadn't come, we'd be done for," Zhang Bao added, grinning.

Li Yan nodded. These two had grown up hunting, and both were skilled archers.

Another man, older and slightly stooped, was Wang Hai, the village blacksmith. His calloused hands clenched, his eyes filled with sorrow. "My wife and child… the rebels destroyed my entire family…"

Li Yan, at a loss for words, patted the man's shoulder sympathetically.

"Big sister… wake up!" A cry from the direction of the tents drew Li Yan's gaze. A boy, around fifteen or sixteen, was kneeling on the ground, sobbing over his sister's lifeless body. This was Liu Feng, known in the village as Little Stone.

"Little Stone, I'm so sorry," Li Yan said, crouching beside him and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

With tear-streaked cheeks, Liu Feng looked up, choking out, "Brother Yan, I… I couldn't protect her…"

Li Yan's heart clenched. "Little Stone, do you want revenge?"

Liu Feng nodded fiercely, determination burning in his eyes. "Brother Yan, I'll do whatever it takes! I'll avenge my sister!"

Li Yan helped him to his feet. "Stick with me. We'll make them pay."

Just then, Chu Jingfei, holding his halberd, came over. Seeing Liu Feng's tear-stained face, he patted the boy's head gently. "Little Stone, I'll help you!"

"Damn this cursed world," Li Yan muttered.

Looking at the survivors, Li Yan made a silent vow to lead them out of this chaos alive.

"We should leave," he said in a firm voice. "There could be more rebels nearby."

A-Lian leaned against a tree, sighing softly. "Brother Yan, what do we do now?"

Li Yan was silent for a moment, his gaze falling on the rescued villagers, especially Zhang Hu and his brother, as well as the blacksmith Wang Hai. Their faces reflected anger and pain.

"The rest of the village is gone," he said quietly.

Zhang Hu's fists clenched, his eyes wide with rage. "Our home is destroyed. How can we let them get away with this? Those dogs killed my parents—how can I swallow this?"

"Can we even go back?" A-Lian asked.

Li Yan shook his head, his expression grim. "A-Lian, Jingfei, everyone needs to understand. The village is no longer safe. The rebels have destroyed it completely. We can't defend it alone, and if we go back, we're as good as dead."

He paused, glancing at each of them, especially Zhang Hu and Wang Hai, seeing the fury and sorrow in their eyes. "But I promise you, we'll have our revenge. Now is not the time. We have to stay alive first, find a safe place, and then we'll make them pay."

"Xianyang," he said with conviction. "We're going to Xianyang."

Wang Hai frowned. "Xianyang?"

"I know you're all angry; you want revenge," Li Yan said. "But right now, we can't afford to act on emotions."

Zhang Hu clenched his fists. "Brother Yan, you're right. But I can't just let this go! My parents were killed by those scum!"

"I understand. We all feel the same," Li Yan said, looking at everyone with sympathy. "But with just the few of us and these weapons, taking on a full rebel force is like throwing an egg at a rock. We need a real plan, and we can't do that without getting stronger."

The group fell silent, some visibly furious, others somber with grief.

"Our only option is to go to Xianyang," Li Yan said, his voice steady. "The capital is fortified, and it will take time for the rebels to reach it. Once we're there, I'll figure out a way for us to get our revenge."

On the surface, Li Yan appeared calm, but inside, his emotions were a storm. He knew the responsibility for these people's lives lay on his shoulders. He couldn't let them die in vain or lose themselves in the chaos of this era. He urged them to believe that heading to Xianyang was for survival, growth, and revenge. But his own motives were far more complex.

Since his arrival in this unfamiliar world, Li Yan had harbored a deep sense of confusion and anxiety. Fate had brought him here to witness death and war, and now he was responsible for the survivors of this village. Every step was filled with uncertainty; every decision carried life-or-death consequences.

He picked up a branch and began tracing a route in the dirt. "We're near Chen County now. We'll head north through Xu County, then pass through Luoyang, cross Hangu Pass, and finally reach Xianyang."

The others gathered around him, watching as he mapped out their path.

"Chen County to Xu County isn't far, but the roads are rough. We'll stick to mountain paths and smaller trails to avoid any rebel forces," Li Yan explained, "Then we'll detour around Luoyang and cross Hangu Pass. Once we're past the pass, we'll be close to safety."

Zhang Bao frowned. "What if we run into more rebels on the way?"

Li Yan's response was cold. "Then we fight."

Chu Jingfei swung his halberd. "I'm with Brother Yan. Anyone who stands in our way will fall."

Wang Hai nodded firmly. "I'll go wherever you lead, as long as it means survival and revenge."

The group gathered up the rebels' food supplies, weapons, some gold and silver, and three warhorses. Together, they set off toward Xu County.