Chapter 096: Step Back, Further Back

The afternoon after preparing the glycerin and nitric acid, Luo Chong instructed Limp to cast a batch of arrowheads with a copper-tin ratio of 5:2. Among them, however, was a single rounded arrowhead—not designed for killing, but specifically crafted as a detonator.

Nitroglycerin was extremely sensitive and would explode upon impact. Thus, using a bow to strike it from a safe distance was the most reliable way to trigger the blast.

Early the next morning, Luo Chong announced to the tribe that they would finally begin blasting the mountain to extract salt. Excitement rippled through the crowd—they had been preparing for over half a month, and the moment had finally arrived.

However, when they saw what Luo Chong had brought for this "grand operation"—just two clay jars, one filled with what looked like water (nitric acid) and the other with a thick, oily liquid (glycerin)—they were bewildered.

These things… could split open a mountain?

The elder, Mouse Shaman, and Limp knew these weren't ordinary substances, and the original members of the Han Tribe were filled with anticipation. They had learned one thing from experience: the longer Luo Chong took to prepare something, the greater its power.

"The women will stay behind to guard the settlement. Every man, take your weapons, shovels, ropes, and baskets. Hitch the oxen to their carts—we're heading to the salt mine," Luo Chong declared after breakfast.

"Chief, may I come along?" Mouse Shaman eagerly asked. He desperately wanted to witness the event firsthand.

"Chief, I want to go too! Can I?" Qiubing ran up and clung to Luo Chong's leg, pleading.

"Hmm…" Luo Chong thought for a moment. "Alright, Mouse Shaman can come, but the elder will stay to guard the tribe."

The elder had no objections. Though he was curious, ensuring the tribe's safety was more important. His only wish was to see the settlement flourish—nothing else mattered.

"What about me? What about me? I've never gone outside before!" Qiubing continued shaking Luo Chong's leg.

Luo Chong chuckled. "And how do you plan to keep up with the group?"

"I'll ride Benben! He's fast!"

"Alright, you can come. But you must listen to the adults and not wander off. Understood?"

"I understand! I'll be good!" Qiubing cheered, dashing off to find Benben.

With that, a group of over fifty people set off toward the western mountains. Meatball and Huishan led the way, while the men carried bronze shovels and bows, and the oxen hauled baskets and barrels. Qiubing rode Benben in the middle of the procession, his eyes darting around in fascination.

Luo Chong walked steadily, carrying a bow on his back and gripping a jar in each hand. The clay jars were secured in woven nets. As long as the nitric acid didn't spill, there was no immediate danger.

By early afternoon, they arrived at the cave that had once housed the remnants of the Xie Tribe.

Luo Chong ordered a short break for lunch, then got straight to work.

Dali, who had fully recovered from his injuries, led a group of strong men—including Six Fingers and Mouse Da—to move the boulders blocking the cave entrance. Inside, they lit several bonfires to illuminate the space. The entrance to the salt deposit remained unchanged—still a narrow, oval-shaped hole.

"Chief, how are you planning to open this? This rock looks incredibly tough. We wouldn't even use this type of stone to grind bowls," Dali commented.

"We'll use the two jars I brought," Luo Chong replied. "Now, all of you step outside. Take your shovels and be ready to dig. Dazhu, you stay and help me."

"Oh? What do I do?"

"Hold this torch at the cave entrance. I need to check something outside." Luo Chong handed a torch to Dazhu.

Once Dazhu was in position, Luo Chong exited the cave and walked across the clearing, searching for a location where he could see the torch's light clearly. He needed a safe, unobstructed vantage point to fire the detonation arrow.

About eighty meters away, atop a small dirt mound, he found the perfect spot. No trees obstructed the view, and the torch in Dazhu's hand was clearly visible, meaning he had a direct, straight shooting line to the cave entrance.

"Alright, dig a trench here—half a person deep. When standing inside, the dirt should reach waist level. Pile the excavated soil on the side facing the cave entrance and compact it with your shovels," Luo Chong instructed, marking the spot with a tree branch.

The men immediately set to work, shovels in hand.

This trench was Luo Chong's personal foxhole—a makeshift cover in case he needed to take shelter quickly after firing the shot.

As they dug, Luo Chong supervised closely. Once satisfied with their progress, he started clearing the area.

"Now, all of you leave. Take the oxen and move at least a kilometer away, down to the lower slopes of Tuogu Ridge. Once you hear a sound like thunder and feel the ground shake, do not panic. That will be my doing. Wait until everything settles, then come find me—I'll be right here in this trench."

Dazhu nodded. "Understood."

"Chief, how exactly do you make the ground shake and rocks crumble like thunder?" Mouse Da asked skeptically.

Luo Chong smirked and held up an arrow with a blunt bronze tip. "With this single shot, I can split mountains and shatter stone."

Mouse Da stared at him, unconvinced. Just this? I may not be the brightest, but I'm not that gullible.

"Alright, enough chatter. Move out! Make sure to keep the oxen under control—they might get scared and bolt." Luo Chong waved them off before stepping into the cave, carrying the two jars.

Carefully, he opened the jar of concentrated glycerin and slowly poured in the nitric acid, stirring gently with a pure wooden arrow shaft. He worked meticulously, taking more than ten minutes to mix the two liquids. Every movement was slow and deliberate—any misstep could be fatal.

When he was done, the final product filled a clay jar roughly the size of a human head. Luo Chong carefully positioned the jar at the entrance of the salt deposit, stabilizing it with stones. Inside the cave, he lit another bonfire, ensuring the flickering flames would be visible from his firing position.

With all preparations complete, he walked back to the trench and took his place.

The firing position was approximately eighty meters from the cave entrance, while the salt deposit was another thirty-five meters inside the cave. That meant the blast center was about 115 meters from him.

His heartbeat quickened.

This wasn't a game—seven to eight pounds of nitroglycerin packed into that jar.

For context: in an open field with no obstacles, a mere three pounds of nitroglycerin would generate a shockwave capable of knocking people over from three kilometers away.

Seven to eight pounds? Well… you do the math.

Thankfully, the explosion would be contained within a cave. Most of the blast force would be absorbed by the rock, but there was no doubt—the cave entrance was going to be obliterated. No granite, no matter how dense, could withstand that force.

Luo Chong steadied himself, inhaling deeply several times.

By now, the others had been gone for a while.

He nocked the special arrow onto his bowstring, drew it back slowly, and took aim at the glowing firelight inside the cave—right where the clay jar sat.

With steady hands, he prepared to loose the shot.

This was it.