In Another Life 14: Rebuild The Homeland

Proofread by Yin Jing

Honestly, whoever sees the scene will think of leaving--- can this be called as a city?

A glance through the remnants of the shabby city wall offers a bleak view of Chaodu. Seeing Heaven’s troops, small groups of lookers-on come out curiously. Pale and emaciated, they all dress in rags, reminding one of the refugees. Strangely, none of them is young man.

Heaven’s troops enter the city. Watched by the mult.i.tude, they reach the former Yamen, the mansion of governor-generals. Gosh, it looks more like the beggars’ headquarter! With a throng of people coming out, a stench fills the air.  

“d.a.m.n you, don’t tell me we’ll live with them! My G.o.d, forgive me, there is no beauty! I was cheated by this G.o.dd.a.m.ned idiot!” comes the tricker’s impatient voice from the carriage.

Heaven has no time to retort. He immediately orders the whole staff of his troops to clean up the mansion, then sends people to inquire about information. Besides, citizens are all informed to get their food before the mansion the next day.

With such a ramshackle mansion, it seems that everything has to start from scratch. Fortunately, Heaven has foreseen this situation and brought a lot tools and food. Currently, the biggest difficulty is the shortage of craftsmen.

The mansion looks better after being cleaned. Under Heaven’s order, a captain of the trade caravan puts all the supplies together, which are then guarded by a designated team. Besides, all the other soldiers carry out their own duties. Some of them are on duty, others are on guard; scouts are patrolling around, in case of accidents.

Only after everything works, dare Heaven take a nap on a shakedown. No sooner had he fallen asleep than the morning came.

People have thronged outside the temporary mansion. They are the elderly and children waiting for famine relief.

Several soldiers have set five field cauldrons to cook porridge. Likewise, craftsmen get busy too. Carpenters are chopping down trees; some plasterers are making mortars, while the others setting to build brick kiln outside the city. As for Heaven, he turns to an old man for more information of the area.

There used to be about 20,000 people in Chaodu. In its surrounding mountains dwell six races and two groups of bandits. In general, the six races won’t take initiative at intrusion unless they are provoked. But bandits are not the same. They force all the mature male citizens to be bandits, only leaving less than 10,000 elders and children in the city. Taking geographical advantages of the tri-border and natural mountain forests, they are tricky for soldiers.

When Heaven asks about the former governor-generals, the old man eyes him and sighs. “Sir, may I ask how long you will stay here?”

 “Why?” Heaven looks at him in a puzzle, “I’m the governor-general of Chaodu, why do you ask me how long I will stay here?”

Hearing this, the old man bursts into tears. “Sir, you don’t know about this! Your predecessors   burned, killed and looted wherever they went, because once having perceived the situation of Chaodu, none of them intended to stay here. Most of them provoked those alien races of strange ability, that’s why they were either mad or dead! Actually, they all have shot oneself in the foot!”

Heaven understands --- all those former governor-generals wanted to grab some money, and then left. It seems that they died of their own misdeeds.

After a few busy days, the governor-general’s mansion is taking shape. Under Heaven’s appointment, all the soldiers are managed by a man named Zhang Qianzong; every now and then, they are psychologically comforted by the tricker’s blessing. Besides, Heaven also sends scouts to keep an eye on the mountains.

Old Gao from the trade caravan is now more like Heaven’s butler, busy inside and out. At Heaven’s command, citizens are gathered together, enjoying the provided lodging and boarding for free. Besides, they each get a piece of cloth and some cotton and can ask the tailoress to make a garment with all the cost paid by Heaven too. Having pulled down all the old buildings, the craftsmen came with Heaven start their hard work. Some strong elders and women also join them.

Every time they are at table, the mincing tricker will appear and say something --- as if he were the one that offer people food! But yes, the citizens revere him, as if he were the G.o.d.

Such busy days has lasted for more than a month, before things turn better. Rows of relatively st.u.r.dy bunk houses have been built and allotted to citizens. All the possible laborers have partic.i.p.ated in planting crops. During this period, many former citizens (now they are bandits) sneaked in Chaodu several times. Heaven asks the guard to give them the green light, and thus picks up some news from them.

Just over a month, Heaven has brought a reeking shabby city from the brink. The elders and children, who have been sallow and emaciated, also put on new clothes. Such a flourishing scene attracts the six races’ attention.

According to negotiation between the two sides, Heaven gives food to these races, and in return, they provide him with a great deal of hide, iron mine, ganoderma and ginseng. All of these can be sold at a high price in cities!

When the first trade caravans return with fruitful results, Old Gao is formally designated as the mansion’s steward.

Any businessmen who come to Chaodu won’t be taxed. However, selling food without authorization is strictly forbidden. With the control of food supply, Heaven controls the six races and therefore takes initiative.

Meanwhile, the tricker chooses several able men from his followers. As a result, functional organizations in Yamen work gradually.

Seeing that there is abundant food in Chaodu, the races once again send their delegates. This time, they say that their patriarchs want to talk with Heaven. Heaven discusses with the tricker. In his opinion, only if they go there in person, can they make a breakthrough.

But the frightened tricker will do anything but to find these races. “Are you insane? Why not tell them to come here? They are alien races, they can kill you whenever they want! Anyway I won’t go. You’d better not either! Well, you can go there--don’t forget to tear off my letter of a.s.surance before you die! f.u.c.k, I don’t want to let others know it.”

Heaven has no choice but to let the tricker stay in Chaodu. Accompanied by a few guards, he goes into the mountains following two Bear’s representatives.

Without guidance, the zigzag ghat will really be intractable. Seaman is the Bear’s patriarch. Just as his clansmen, this instinctive berserker is tall. Even though in his fifties, he is as strong as a bull. His genial embrace is so choking that Heaven almost throws up!

All these races are humans. It is the custom of endogamy and innate special ability that add a sense of mystique to them.

They are called as Bear, Lizard, Bird, Dwarf, Centaur and Zerg respectively.

Bears are crazy about war. With extraordinary strength, they are instinctive martial artists.

Lizards are instinctive killers, whose body color can change in line with environment.

Birds can’t fly. However, their ability to command birds with a special twitter helps them earn the name.

Despite their tiny figure, Dwarves possess no small strength. With awesome capability of mining, they live under the ground. Meanwhile, they are talented armorers.

Centaurs are characterized by their special ability of running and archery.

Zerg is a special race, which is usually in the company of poisonous insects.

Seaman politely guides Heaven to his rath, where five men are seated. Undoubtedly, they are patriarchs of the other five races.

 “Sir, we feel you are different from your predecessors. That’s why we want to talk with you.” starts Seaman politely.

 “If you were the same with them, you would have died.” follows the Zerg’s patriarch grimly.

 “We, dwellers of the hill, are not afraid of those soldiers from the Great An.” says the Dwarf.

 “All the court’s spies have died in the hands of my men.” says the Lizard.

  “None of them can escape from birds’ surveillance.” Undoubtedly, this is the Bird.

 “Nor flee from Centaurs.”

When they finished, Heaven slowly starts. “You ask me to come here just for this? I’m the governor-general of Chaodu. I won’t be threatened by anyone. No matter where you dwell, who you are, you are my subjects.”

Seeing Heaven’s brush-off, the six patriarchs’ faces cloud.  

A scarlet blood spider quietly climbs up to Heaven’s foot.