Chapter 178: Crossing the River on a Reed
Chapter 178: Crossing the River on a Reed
Jingnan Township, Eastern Part.
As the flattest area in Jingyu County, the eastern region is a vast plain marshland. At this moment, one could see rolling waves approaching, resembling a vast ocean. Farmlands and houses were nowhere to be seen, all submerged by the floodwaters.
The muddy current carried silt and sand, still flowing swiftly. Occasionally, one could spot some broken walls and ruins enveloped by the silt, and beyond that, there was an endless expanse of murky river water.
Following this vast flood, one's gaze led eastward.
At the edge of sight, a small dark shadow emerged from the water, a hill. This hill wasn't particularly tall, or perhaps it was just a small hill, not even qualifying as a proper mountain. The foot of the hill had long been submerged by the flood, only the middle and upper sections remained visible.
On the exposed upper section, numerous silhouettes crowded together on the bare rock faces, numbering over a thousand. Most were elderly and children, packed tightly wherever they could find a foothold.
Some had pale faces, others were fearful, and many more had a desolate look in their eyes.
Just then, a sudden scream pierced the air.
Some turned to look, and on a rock in the middle, they saw a fat, elderly man in a brocade robe. He turned and bumped into a seven or eight-year-old little girl curled up there. The girl lost her balance and cried out, her hands grasping wildly, managing to grab the edge of the old man's robe. She barely stabilized herself, preventing a fall.
But at that moment, the old man's face twisted in annoyance, a hint of anger flashing in his eyes. He jerked his robe, pulling it back. The girl, not yet steady, lost her balance again, letting out a scream as she tumbled from the rock's edge into the muddy water below. The current was swift, and she disappeared instantly.
"Hong'er!!!"
An old man, squeezed into a corner of the rock, witnessed this and was momentarily frozen, eyes wide with anger. He leaned over the rock's edge, desperately searching for the girl, but she was nowhere to be seen.
Then, trembling, he turned to Bao Yulin, "You... how could you kill her?!"
Bao Yulin coldly laughed, "Can a beggar's hand touch my brocade robe? I'll kill whoever I want. Old man, say another word, and you'll join her on the road to the netherworld, keeping your plague-ridden granddaughter company!"
"You... you..."
Zhao Laohan trembled with anger and started moving towards Bao Yulin, intending to confront him.
But as soon as Zhao Laohan stepped onto the rock where Bao Yulin stood, the latter's eyes turned fierce. He grabbed Zhao Laohan and flung him, and the frail old man couldn't withstand such a pull, falling from the rock as well.
This scene finally incited the crowd's fury. Those crowded on the rock walls glared at Bao Yulin, and some couldn't hold back their scolding.
However, Bao Yulin coldly laughed, and his servants, all robust and muscular, clearly skilled in martial arts, brandished their staffs, exuding a malevolent aura that caused everyone on the rock walls to show fear.
Just then, someone gazed into the distance, a look of shock on their face. "What's that?!"
Following this voice, many others looked in the same direction.
There, on the turbulent river surface, from the far downstream, a figure was walking against the current. Their feet seemed to be walking on air, without any boat or raft. Looking closely, floating on the turbulent river, was a slender reed, supporting their entire body.
Crossing the river on a reed, the figure approached, not heading directly for the hill but first disappearing into the water. When they emerged, they held another figure, a small, disheveled girl, none other than the girl Bao Yulin had pushed off the rock, Hong'er!
Holding one person, the reed seemed unable to bear the weight, starting to sink. But Chen Mu's expression remained calm as he pointed his toes, lifting the girl and leaping, crossing the water with a single stride. He landed on a floating piece of rotten wood, then leaped again.
After several leaps, Chen Mu approached the small hill, tossed the girl upwards, and disappeared into the water again. When he reappeared, his right hand held an old man, and his left hand caught the girl. He stomped on the water's surface, causing a huge splash, then leaped high into the air, his figure flashing several times before finally landing on the small hill!
This scene left everyone on the hill speechless.
"G…Gods…"
A child's voice couldn't help but exclaim.
The adults nearby swallowed their saliva, knowing that Chen Mu was not a god but a highly skilled martial artist who had reached the level of a godlike figure. Not only in Jingnan Township but likely in all of Jingyu County, he was probably the most influential person around.
"Cough, cough."
Chen Mu held a person in each hand, their postures identical. At this moment, Zhao Laohan and his granddaughter, Honger, were both severely coughing, expelling the muddy water that had choked them. Soon, their faces began to look much better.
As everyone in the crowd watched Chen Mu in silence, he slowly lowered Zhao Laohan and Honger. Then, he turned his gaze towards Bao Yulin and said indifferently, "Did you push these people into the water? What's the reason for this?"
Although he had been too far away to see the details earlier, his vision far surpassed that of ordinary people, and he had still witnessed the old man and the little girl's fall into the water, which was somehow related to Bao Yulin, who wore an expensive brocade robe.
"Er, this..."
Bao Yulin's heart trembled as he looked at Chen Mu, and his voice shook slightly, but he couldn't come up with an excuse on the spot.
Just then, a seven or eight-year-old child next to them couldn't hold back and said, "It was him who pushed them down! He even said he'd throw us all in too!"
The child's words terrified the woman next to him, and she quickly covered the child's mouth with her hand.
Bao Yulin immediately shot a resentful glance at the woman and the child, a chill flashing in his eyes. But at that moment, Chen Mu's voice rang out again.
Chen Mu had somehow appeared on the rock where Bao Yulin was standing, and he spoke coldly.
Cold sweat broke out on Bao Yulin's forehead, and he trembled, "Si...Sir, it was that child who tried to push me down first..."
As Chen Mu's gaze grew colder, Bao Yulin's voice became lower and lower, and he stuttered, "I...Sir, I...my brother-in-law is related to the Xie family in the county..."
Bang!
Chen Mu was too impatient to listen to any more nonsense. With a wave of his sleeve, Bao Yulin let out a strange cry. His large body became as light as a piece of paper, and he flew off the rock, falling into the floodwaters below. He struggled for a few moments before disappearing without a trace.
Zhao Laohan and his granddaughter, who had just been rescued, were finally recovering. Zhao Laohan looked at his granddaughter, whose face was gradually improving despite being covered in mud. Overwhelmed with emotion, he couldn't help but kneel before Chen Mu in gratitude.
"Sir, my savior, I bow to you."
"Enough, no need for excessive courtesy."
Chen Mu glanced at Zhao Laohan, then his gaze swept over the many silhouettes on the small hilltop. A hint of contemplation appeared in his eyes, and he spoke in a deep voice, "I am the Director of the Inspector Bureau, responsible for the flood disaster in the Qingping River Basin. There's no need for formalities or panic. Follow my orders, and I will ensure you all reach a safe place."
The world's response to disasters was much better than he had anticipated. In fact, the handling of the previous drought had also exceeded his expectations. This time, with the flood, it was similar. When he arrived in Jingnan Township, officials from various places reported that most people in the worst-hit areas had already been safely evacuated.
This group, who had not yet left and were trapped here, were mostly the elderly, the young, the sick, and the disabled.
Of course, there were also fools like Bao Yulin.
Chen Mu glanced at the rock where Bao Yulin had been standing, on which several large chests were piled up. It was clear that they contained valuables and treasures that he couldn't bear to abandon, intending to take them all with him. However, halfway through his journey, he found the muddy terrain increasingly difficult to traverse and ended up trapped here as well. Not only was he greedy and foolish, but also cruel and arrogant.
In fact, the local officials had basically given up on Zhao Laohan and this group of trapped victims.
The main reason was that during the flood, the earth's pulse trembled, and the currents were swift and turbulent. Even large boats struggled to stay stable, let alone small ones, which could easily capsize with a single misstep. Moreover, there were monsters lurking in the water.
It was sheer luck that Zhao Laohan and his group had managed to survive until now without being devoured by the aquatic monsters.
In such situations,
69shu.bar
most people wouldn't last more than a day or two before meeting their end in the mouths of these monsters.
The task of rescuing people was too challenging, not just for ordinary individuals but even for martial artists in the Iron Muscle Realm or the Sinew Transformation Realm. Even those in the Bone Forging Realm would have to be cautious in such a flood!
After receiving reports from various places, Chen Mu did not criticize the local officials for their lack of rescue efforts.
From their perspective, it was indeed unnecessary to conduct further searches. Those who hadn't escaped the flood were considered casualties, and it was unlikely that many more could be saved, even with the effort and manpower expended. It might even result in more losses.
Therefore, Chen Mu also did not forcefully order the local officials and their subordinates to conduct rescue operations. Instead, he ventured alone into the flooded area, following the raging torrent and searching for any survivors along the way.
The small hilltop had been covered water to the flood,, but only a few people managed to small through the flood waters. made it difficult. and they was taken to save people from the flood,. on the small side, large number of people were to be saved,. not only did the officials take risks to save people from the flood waters. but the small conditions, and the response to save was been to be delayed.)
The tiny little hill was so steep that it was almost a dozen people to save. but the narrow space made it difficult to move up the mountain, and the officials did been to save all the people in the flooded village. However, thanks to Deputy Master Chen Mu's quick thinking and decisive action, the young girl was saved from the floodwaters, which impressed many of the villagers.
"Thank you, Sir! Thank you, Sir!" The crowd's voices were almost all excited, with many of the figures on the small hilltop visibly trembling with emotion if the space had not been so cramped, they people would have already fallen to their ground in prostration,
Thinking back to the moment when Deputy Master Chen Mu’s reed had crossed the river, rescuing people from the surging waters, his deep impression was indelibly etched in people's hearts. He wasn't a god, but perhaps the tales of his blood-sucking demon could help save people, as long as they weren't too afraid to approach it.
Although many people did not even know what the Inspector Corps was, Chen Mu's actions had left a profound mark in their hearts, and when he released the flare signal, its sharp whistle piercing the sky, the people’s hopes soared to new heights. Seeing this, Elder Zhao Lao Han hugged his granddaughter, and many of the villagers also showed hopeful expressions.
their faces.
'turn red' with hope.
After Deputy Master Chen Mu gave the wooden chest a few good shakes, he took out a small box and handed it to his granddaughter, instructing her to take it to a safe place. The old man followed the girl, his steps slow and cautious, making sure to stay on higher ground to avoid the rising water. Once they reached a relatively secure location, he gently laid the red-haired girl down and began to examine the contents of the box.
"Alright, no need to panic," Deputy Master Chen Mu said with a calming voice. "We just need to stay together and help each other. I'm sure we can all make it through this flood disaster."
Listening to his words, the villagers gathered around him, their faces a mix of fear and determination. Some of them were already drenched from head to toe, but they all looked to Deputy Master Chen Mu with a glint of hope in their eyes. (End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
