Chapter 175 Battle of Liyang - Part 5 (2/2)
'Those weapons won't be enough. I need something else.'
'What to use?'
While he was thinking, he gazed toward the river by instinct. Tong sat down by the river and touched the surface of the water. He frowned for a minute before he smirked.
'This skill is too useful in warfare like this. I can even use it this way. I hope I won't get another nerf.'
Tong was enlightened as he activated his skill, [Inventory].
”MEN! A CHANGE OF PLAN!”
”WE WILL CONSTRUCT THE WEAPONS FURTHER BACK!”
…
…
October 10th.
9 AM.
The preparation of the boats took longer than they had thought because of the lack of resources. The winter was near, so all villagers refused to sell the army logs and woods as they needed it for their firewood.
Secondly, the majority of the forest was on fire. None of the soldiers dared to approach the forest since the temperature was high and they were downwind. All workers were afraid of dying from breathing in the smokes or getting caught in the fire.
Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun had no choice but to buy fishing boats from the locals at Liyang Port.
After three days of hard work, they managed to secure five hundred small boats to transport their men. Each boat was as small as a civilian fishing boat. It could only carry 10 to 15 men at the maximum. Higher than that, the boat would sink from the overweight.
Dong Zhuo's ships, which were seized by the two generals, hardly could be called a ship. They were similar to a giant raft as they were roughly built for the sake of transporting troops. Each raft could carry a hundred men, and there were only five rafts built. Shipbuilding took times after all.
”This should be enough for our scouts. The forest fire should end within this week since most of the forest in his area are already gone.” Huangfu Song analyzed the geographic and their plans. ”Send the first batch of men with the boats. Have them establish a camp on the other side of the forest!”
”Shouldn't we send a few boats to scout the other side first?” Zhu Jun refrained Huangfu Song. He had met Tong and had seen his tactics before. Because of such ploys Tong used, Zhu Jun saw Tong as a capable general in his peers. He would not let down his guard against this youngster.
”You're right. That was a bit rash. Men, ignore the previous order! Send five boats to the other side of the forest!”
The lieutenants took the order and relayed it to their platoons.
Beside the river bank, while a squad was boarding the small ships, one of the soldiers noticed something.
”Hey, don't you think the water level is lower than yesterday?”
”Huh? Isn't it the same? Aren't you imagine it?”
”No, I'm serious. I have the impression that the water level is unusually low this year, so I kind of remember a few landmark stones at the edge of the river. But today's water edge is getting further away from the stones I marked. I think it's 2 or 3 cuns (10 centimeters) further.”
”You are probably overthinking. It's a natural occurrence I say. Well, if it gets lower by that amount, a flash flood is imminent. But this is October! Flash flood usually appears in other seasons but winter! You don't have to worry about it.”
The worrying soldier shut his mouth, but he could not get rid of his bad premonition.
…
2 PM.
The scout boats sailed toward the east and bypassed the sea of fire. The soldiers on the ships stared at the forest fire with awe and fear.
”Damn! The rebels are savage! They resorted burning the entire forest to hinder our march! I bet they are scared of us.”
”Damn right, they should fear us! Those rebels are nothing but a mob of thieves anyway.”
The previous paranoid soldier looked at the water current in fear. None of them realized it yet, the water current was getting faster as they sailed forward. The Yellow River tended to be slow and calm all year long. A rapid current was something unusual.
”Guys, I think we should turn back and report this to our superior…”
”STFU! You've been talking nonsense since you're boarding the ship! If you are that scaredy-cat, jump into the river and swim back by yourself!”
The guy shrank back in fear. He turned around and looked left and right, looking at the river bank on both sides. He gulped before he unequipped his armors and his clothes, leaving him naked.
Then, he jumped into the river for real!
”Hahaha! That guy really jumps into the river!”
”Is he nuts!? Can he even swim?”
”Who knows? But since he's deserting, shouldn't we kill him?”
”Bah, leave him! He will die in this river anyway. Look at the current! With this water current, he won't make it to the shore!”
After one of the laughing soldiers mentioned the current, everyone started to notice the anomaly.
”Wait, does this river this fast before?”
”The fishermen from the port said it was still river?”
It did not take long for them to notice another anomaly.