One Day.
As the morning mist lingered, Li Yan, Chu Jingfei, A-Lian, and their companions—Zhang Hu, Zhang Bao, the blacksmith, and Little Stone—continued along the winding main road. After over ten days of travel, fatigue was evident on their faces. Along the way, they frequently encountered villages left in ruin by war.
Suddenly, sounds of pursuit and battle erupted up ahead, breaking the silence. A group of riders wielding long sabers was chasing a carriage, which jolted along the road until it finally came to a halt. A Qin army commander and his soldiers struggled to defend the carriage, while a group of irregularly dressed soldiers besieged it.
The exhaustion of their journey gave way to alertness at the sight of this turmoil. Villages along the road lay desolate, thick smoke and debris marking the recent pillaging. As they cautiously advanced, a fierce sound of battle rang out.
In the distance, dust flew as mounted soldiers brandished their weapons, pursuing the carriage. It bounced along the muddy road, its axles creaking before coming to a stop. Beside it, a Qin officer led his troops in a desperate fight against the assailants. Each thrust of his spear dropped another enemy, yet they kept coming, surrounding him.
"Protect the madam! Hurry!" he shouted hoarsely, his voice strained with urgency.
One rebel, brandishing an enormous axe, charged toward the officer, who dodged and countered with a swift spear thrust to the attacker's chest. Blood splattered as the rebel fell, but more assailants surrounded the officer.
The chaos was overwhelming—thundering hooves, clashing weapons, screams, and cries for help. The carriage was at the center, and the rebels slashed at the curtains, ripping the top apart. Horses neighed, the carriage swayed, and within, children cried, and a woman screamed.
"Help them!" Li Yan's gaze hardened as he ordered.
Chu Jingfei charged ahead with his polearm, his swift steps propelling him straight into the fray. Like a gust of wind, he attacked a rebel leader, instantly knocking him off his horse. Li Yan followed, his sword flashing like lightning. When a rebel swung a sword at him, Li Yan deftly sidestepped and countered with a sharp slice to his throat. Blood spurted, staining the ground.
"Perfect timing!" Zhang Hu and Zhang Bao exchanged glances and charged into the battle, weapons raised. They positioned themselves on either side, quickly diverting the rebels from the carriage. Zhang Bao's large blade cleaved an enemy's leg, the bone crunching audibly as the rebel collapsed with a scream. Zhang Hu, nimble and focused, swung his club and knocked down another attacker.
The battle turned in their favor, and the rebels, caught off guard, began to retreat. Still, their numbers gave them strength, and they fought back fiercely.
One rebel lunged at A-Lian with a spear. Agile, she dodged and fired her crossbow, bringing him down. Just then, a towering rebel leader bellowed and charged toward Li Yan with a massive axe. With a swift response, Chu Jingfei intercepted the axe with his weapon, sending sparks flying. The axe veered off course, plunging into the ground.
Chu Jingfei seized the moment, flipping and landing a solid kick to the rebel leader's chest, sending him sprawling and coughing up blood. The blacksmith and Little Stone guarded the carriage, fending off rebels who dared approach. Though their strength was limited, their combined efforts weakened the rebels, who eventually fled.
Soon after, the battle was over. Bodies of rebels lay strewn across the ground, and as the final rebel fell, calm returned to the woods.
The Qin officer, breathing heavily, steadied himself and quickly checked on those inside the carriage. Turning to Li Yan, he expressed his gratitude, "I am Chen Kun, in your debt, heroes."
Wiping blood from his sword, Li Yan responded calmly, "There's no need for thanks. Where are you headed?"
Chen Kun replied, "We are the defending force from Chen County, assigned to escort the family of the District Governor northward. We encountered these rebels, and they attacked. If not for your timely help…"
Li Yan frowned slightly. "The District Governor's family?"
Before Chen Kun could reply, the woman in the carriage stepped out, her voice trembling, "I am the wife of the Chen County District Governor. The rebels attacked the city, and he ordered us to evacuate so he could hold the line without distraction. Without your help, we wouldn't have survived."
Hearing this, the group felt a sense of urgency. Li Yan asked grimly, "The rebels have attacked the city? What is the situation in Chen County?"
The woman, wiping her tears, replied, "The Prefect and the Magistrate have already fled. Only my husband remains, leading the remaining troops in a desperate defense."
Chu Jingfei's expression darkened, "Those cowards abandoning the city—disgraceful!"
Noticing the unmilitary appearance of Li Yan and his companions, she asked, "May I ask where you brave men are headed?"
Li Yan briefly explained the massacre of his village and how they were now wanderers.
Chen Kun, recognizing their skill from the battle, suggested, "The District Governor tasked me with fifty men to escort his family north, but now only a few of us remain. Continuing north is hopeless. Your skills would be a great help; why not accompany us back to the city?"
Chu Jingfei and the others turned to Li Yan, awaiting his decision.
Should he go? Li Yan clenched his fists, logic urging caution.
As a time traveler, he knew this was but a chapter in history, one that might unfold regardless of his actions. He had once been an observer of the past, documenting history rather than shaping it.
But now, standing on this ancient soil, he had witnessed the rebels' cruelty—burned villages, innocent lives lost. The cries of his fellow villagers still echoed in his ears.
He could no longer stand idly by.
"Defending the city? We're mere commoners; what can we do against such ruthless rebels?" His rational mind screamed at him to stop. Yet, could he really walk away? Li Yan glanced at his hands, once skilled in handling ancient texts and maps, now wielding a bronze sword. He was no longer the person he once knew, safely detached from this world.
He had become part of the turbulent history before him.
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. Reality was harsh: if he didn't go, Chen County might fall. Innocent lives would be lost, and his companions would face greater danger.
"Let's go." His voice, though low, was resolute. With lingering unease, he knew he could no longer escape this fate.
Under Chen Kun's guidance, they reached the southern gates of Chen County by midday. Soldiers on the walls had doubled their vigilance. As they approached, a soldier atop the wall called out, "Who goes there?"
"It's me, Chen Kun," he replied.
The soldier scrutinized them carefully before recognizing him. "Commander Chen, you've returned. Open the gates quickly!"
The guards promptly opened the gates, allowing them entry.
Walking beside Chen Kun, Li Yan asked, "The rebels launched an assault on the city?"
"They attacked recently. But if they think they can take Chen County quickly, they're fools." Chen Kun's confidence was evident.
Li Yan found his confidence unsettling, knowing from history that Chen County would fall within days.