As the people diving into the water got hit by arrows one after another, the river water in the pier area slowly started to turn red.
Yuan Zhaodi plunged into the water, initially planning to escape via the waterway, but upon discovering the Water Thief specifically targeting those diving to escape, he changed his mind.
Because, witnessing the deeds of the Water Thief, Yuan Zhaodi was essentially certain of one thing: these Water Thieves came purely to kill, not for fortune.
This was simply absurd.
Water Thieves usually strike in large rivers, targeting vessels in transit. Moreover, unless they are those utterly vicious types, they typically seek wealth but spare lives.
After all, if killing becomes too frequent, the river traffic would cease.
Without passing boats, Water Thieves would have no income.
However, in today's situation, this group of Water Thieves was evidently here to murder.
After falling into the water, Yuan Zhaodi dove underwater, and relying on his superb swimming skills, he quickly approached the Water Thief's ship.
At this moment, the Water Thieves' attention was entirely on the pier, with no one looking in the other direction.
Yuan Zhaodi's reverse approach perfectly embodied the saying: the most dangerous place is the safest place.
Temporarily avoiding mortal danger, Yuan Zhaodi didn't relax. He knew the Water Thieves would eventually return to the ship and leave Dragon Head Town's pier.
"I have to think of a way!"
Listening to the shouts and screams from the pier, Yuan Zhaodi felt a surge of anxiety.
By this time, the river was already carrying down the bodies of workers killed by arrows.
Seeing the corpses drifting with the current, Yuan Zhaodi made a decision.
He couldn't hide here forever since he'd likely be exposed once the Water Thieves departed. As for staying submerged until the ship left, even with his swimming skills, he couldn't hold out that long underwater.
Yuan Zhaodi took a deep breath and dove, heading towards the corpses drifting downstream.
Soon, Yuan Zhaodi approached a corpse.
However, Yuan Zhaodi didn't immediately surface but instead clung to the body like a shadow, moving downstream.
He emerged for air only when he could barely hold his breath any longer, gasping for air.
Once he had refilled his lungs, Yuan Zhaodi submerged again, grabbing the floating corpse to increase its speed in the water.
...
By the time the slaughter at Dragon Head Town's pier ended, Yuan Zhaodi had successfully used the floating corpse as cover to move away from the pier and stealthily reached the shore.
Only now did Yuan Zhaodi have the time to look towards Dragon Head Town.
At this moment, Dragon Head Town was shrouded in thick, billowing smoke.
Buildings were ablaze, with columns of smoke soaring high.
"It's over, all over!"
Without needing to check Dragon Head Town, Yuan Zhaodi knew that it was destroyed.
The number of deaths was already unimaginable.
Yuan Zhaodi stayed hidden in the woods by the shore, watching from afar until the Water Thieves' ship left the pier.
"Damned scoundrels, are they severing my livelihood?"
Gritting his teeth, Yuan Zhaodi stared at the burning Dragon Head Town. He then followed the Water Thieves' ship downstream along the shore. He wanted to see just where these Water Thieves came from, being so utterly demented.
With such a massive incident and so many deaths, the court would surely investigate thoroughly.
Yuan Zhaodi also made up his mind to find the Water Thieves' lair and report it to the authorities, to avenge this catastrophe.
After all, with the pier destroyed, he no longer had his management job. How could he endure the hard life of manual labor at home?