Boom!
The earth cracked open.
In the blink of an eye, a mechanical beast resembling an iron-armored pangolin tunneled up from underground and emerged before Wu Ming. The hatch on its back opened, and a person crawled out.
This person had thick eyebrows and big eyes, with large, calloused joints on his hands and feet. His face appeared to be that of a man in his thirties or forties, bearing a simple and honest expression—it was unmistakably Gongshu Zhe’s true appearance!
And the one controlling this physical body, naturally, was Wu Ming’s Yuanpin Tianzhu spirit—the second soul.
Wu Ming had no intention of foolishly staying inside Wu Manor waiting for news.
He didn’t use Wu Tiehu’s men for surveillance precisely because they were unreliable. However, he had no such concerns regarding his second Yuan Shen (soul), his secondary spiritual form.
Although Wu Ming appeared to have not left his residence for days, in reality, his Yuanpin Tianzhu spirit had already scouted every residence of the members of the Blood Oath Alliance across the entire Dingzhou region.
“Good!”
Wu Ming smiled slightly and climbed into the pangolin-like beast as well. The puppet creature quickly burrowed into the ground and vanished in an instant.
Moreover, the earth behind it shifted, immediately burying the entrance and erasing all traces.
“Although I can’t perfectly control this puppet, with Gongshu Zhe’s memories and physical body, I can at least use this pangolin as a mount without any issues!”
Wu Ming curled up in the cramped space, controlling the mechanical beast with his second Yuan Shen to break through rock and soil, moving stealthily beneath the earth—an experience quite unique and enjoyable.
“When the time comes, my second Yuan Shen can charge into battle while I watch safely from the sidelines. If things go badly, I can always retreat directly into the main spirit space. My personal safety is absolutely assured.”
“Pity… If it weren’t for the fact that returning to the main spirit space can only be done from a fixed location, why would my primary body even need to leave?”
…
Splash! Splash!
The great river flowed eastward endlessly, and there was a dock in the middle of it.
Even though the festive atmosphere still lingered, several small boats were docked, with fishermen already out working early, hoping to earn a living for the coming year.
Unfortunately, there were few pedestrians around, so business was scarce. But if someone did have a task, it was bound to be urgent.
“Boatman!”
Around noon, a middle-aged man appeared at the dock. “I need to go to the state capital city. Who’s willing to give me a ride?”
He wore coarse hemp robes, had large hands and feet, a weather-beaten face, and carried a large bundle on his back—resembling a lone traveling merchant who had been on the road for some time. Yet his eyes held an extraordinary brilliance, hinting at a unique aura.
“How much are you willing to pay, sir?”
Several fishing boats pulled up, and several fishermen, wearing straw capes and water-resistant trousers, asked eagerly.
“I have urgent business and need to get there as quickly as possible. I won’t short you on payment!”
The man frowned and replied directly.
Upon hearing this, the boatmen’s eyes lit up—they knew they had found a wealthy customer. They rushed forward, all talking at once, trying to attract his attention: “Take my boat! Take my boat!”
“I’ve been sailing for decades, and my boat is the most stable!”
“Who around here doesn’t know Zhang San, the quick-handed boatman? I guarantee the fastest trip to the state capital!”
…
Wu Ming glanced around, first inspecting the boats, then slightly shaking his head.
With the roads being unsafe these days, one had to be cautious wherever they went. Even though these fishermen appeared pitiful, the saying goes—those who seem pitiful often have their own faults. People pushed to the edge of desperation could sink to unimaginable lows.
Wu Ming had no doubt that if he boarded one of those boats, he would soon witness a classic river robbery scenario: halfway across the river, the boatmen would ask whether he preferred “knife-blade noodles” or “wonton noodles”—a euphemism for whether he wanted to die by blade or drowning.
“Just you then!”
After inspecting several options, he finally chose a black-canopied boat nearby. The boatman was an old man who appeared to be in his fifties, although he was likely much younger in reality.
The boat looked shabby on the outside, but the wooden planks along its edge had a glossy patina, indicating high-quality craftsmanship. Its simple, unadorned style earned Wu Ming’s silent approval.
“Alright, sir, please board!”
The old man was a bit surprised but quickly moved forward nimbly. Seeing this, the other boatmen finally sighed in disappointment and left.
Gurgle!
With one step, Wu Ming boarded the small boat, causing it to sink noticeably into the water.
The old boatman’s pupils contracted slightly, and several pairs of eyes nearby stared at him with ill intent, filled with menace.
“Hmm?”
Wu Ming glanced up. The other fishermen quickly lowered their heads, pretending to look elsewhere, prompting a silent sneer from him.
“I originally switched to a boat because I thought it would be safer near the city, but it seems even the most experienced birdcatcher can sometimes get pecked by a bird!”
He knew these river-dwelling boatmen were sharp-eyed. Judging from his build and the boat’s sudden dip in the water, they likely suspected he was carrying something heavy—most probably gold or silver. This suspicion immediately triggered their greed.
He hadn’t encountered such a situation before. Although he had been cautious, he had still let a small slip-up occur.
“But… men risk their lives for wealth, birds risk theirs for food. If you all are asking for death, don’t blame me…”
He pretended to be completely unaware: “Boatman, let’s get going. The faster we reach the city, the more I’ll pay.”
“Alright!”
The old boatman moved his lips, as if wanting to say something but holding back.
He still had to make a living around here. If he offended the crowd, his livelihood would be ruined.
On the other hand, if he remained silent, he would likely receive a hush money payment afterward. These boatmen were fishermen when busy and pirates when idle—they had long established an unwritten rule, and none would easily break it.
Little did they know that the sin of silence was not much different from the sin of robbery.
“If we reach the city, it will take half a day. One tael of silver!”
Business was business. If the gang of would-be robbers suddenly had a change of heart later, the old boatman would still deliver Wu Ming safely to the city and wouldn’t reduce the fare by a single coin. That was his way of navigating the world.
“Fine! Let’s go!”
Unaware of the old man’s inner calculations, Wu Ming simply gave the order to depart.
“Alright then!”
The old boatman pushed the oar, and the small boat slowly left the dock, slicing through the water and accelerating.
Wu Ming swayed with the boat but felt no discomfort, instead watching the small vessel with interest.
The boat wasn’t large. In the middle was a cabin door with newly replaced peach-wood talismans on the curtain. Behind it were a stove, pots, and pans, and there seemed to be someone inside.
This small boat was fully equipped, serving as the fisherman’s home and livelihood.
“But precisely because of that, the boat is also a mobile home, easy to move and hard to control, making it more prone to crime… Well, that’s E Xu’s problem to deal with. I don’t care to involve myself.”
The day was still young, so Wu Ming asked the boatman to set up a small table. Sitting cross-legged, he opened his large bundle.
Clang!
The old boatman widened his eyes and stretched his neck, initially relieved to see no gold or silver, but then his heart sank again when he saw a pile of bronze and black iron components.
Iron was extremely valuable in ancient times. If this bundle were made of refined iron, it would be worth a fortune—enough to tempt those young wolves into action!
Especially since the man was alone, not a scholar with official rank or status, nor a monk or Taoist priest protected by taboos. He was merely a traveling merchant—ripe for the plucking. Not robbing him would be against the natural order!
Wu Ming continued assembling gears, practicing mechanical arts based on Gongshu Zhe’s memories.
Although this wasn’t his main interest and he hadn’t invested much effort, he wanted to familiarize himself with the process, enough to control those two puppets if needed.
At the very least, he needed to accumulate experience and gradually enter the field, especially considering the massive project awaiting him.
“Mechanical arts in this world are truly extraordinary…”
Wu Ming silently mused as he looked at a bronze gear and something resembling a bearing in his hand: “The Mohists even created flying birds with artificial intelligence that could fly nonstop for three days… Wow, this is a completely different path of technological evolution!”
Clang!
This scene caused a sound from behind the cabin door, followed by a pair of alert, curious eyes peering out—bright and inquisitive.
“Go away! Don’t disturb the guest!”
The cabin door opened, and a middle-aged fisherwoman stepped out, pulling away a reluctant little girl while whispering scoldings.
“No problem.”
Wu Ming guessed the little girl had mistaken the items on his table for toys. The basic constructs of the Gongshu family did indeed resemble building blocks, so he smiled slightly.
Earlier, he had known there was someone inside the cabin, which was why he hadn’t entered to disturb them.
Most of these female fishermen engaged in prostitution as well. If a guest needed to stay overnight, aside from cooking, they wouldn’t mind providing additional services to earn extra money—a necessity of life, not something easily condemned.
As for that little girl, she would likely fall into the same cycle in a few years, trapped in an endless loop with no escape—truly pitiful.
“But there are so many pitiful people in this world. How many can I possibly help? I’ve already left the grand ambition of saving the world to Wu Zhi…”
Wu Ming muttered to himself.
By then, the boat had traveled dozens of miles, and the sun was directly overhead. After asking Wu Ming’s opinion, the old boatman had the fisherwoman catch a fish, roast it until golden brown, and serve it as lunch.
Even if they planned to rob him later, they still had to provide the meal and boat ride fairly—they were happy to do so.
The roasted fish was tender and delicious. Wu Ming took a few bites and found it quite good. Perhaps because of his approachable demeanor, the little girl wasn’t afraid of him and came over, reaching out her dirty little hand for a bronze gear.
“Hehe… go ahead and play with it.”
It was just a practice piece, so Wu Ming didn’t mind. The little girl was delighted and couldn’t put it down.
After finishing the meal, the boat entered a stretch of reed marsh.
All around was empty and hazy when suddenly a whistle rang out. Several small boats emerged from all directions like hungry wolves, surrounding them.
With a glance, the old boatman signaled, and the fisherwoman immediately pulled the little girl behind the cabin door.
“Hey!”
Several men rushed forward. Their faces looked vaguely familiar: “You fat sheep, hand over all your money now, or we’ll send you to the bottom of the river!”
Their boats approached rapidly, seemingly about to catch up.
The old boatman’s hands trembled slightly, fear evident in his voice as he said, “Master…”
He thought this young man seemed decent. Perhaps he could use his seniority to ask the others to only take the money and let the man go?
“You know what they say—walk the dark path too often, and you’re bound to meet a ghost. Don’t you agree?”
Wu Ming, however, remained calm and composed. He added a few more materials to the table, transforming the pile of parts into something resembling an iron octopus. He then asked casually, “What do you think?”
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