Chapter 107: The Identity of Liu Biao

Qi Jun watched the figures of Li Hua and the others disappear from sight, then quickly hurried toward the county militia camp.

Liu Kui and the others, exhausted after a night of trekking through mountain paths, were now resting in the vacant barracks left by the county soldiers.

“Uncle Kui, wake up! There’s an urgent matter right now...” Qi Jun pushed open the door to the barracks and stepped inside, giving Liu Kui a nudge as he stood before him.

Seeing Liu Kui and the others looking weary and worn, Qi Jun wanted to let them rest a little longer, but the situation was dire, and he had to seize every precious moment to prepare.

“What’s wrong, sir? Are the bandits coming again?!” Liu Kui, roused from his sleep by Qi Jun's loud call, quickly rolled over and jumped to his feet in alarm.

Qi Jun’s raised voice awakened the others as well; rubbing their sleepy eyes, they looked anxiously at Liu Kui before spotting Qi Jun and stiffening themselves with renewed energy.

“Everyone, relax. The bandits aren’t coming...” Qi Jun hurriedly signaled for calm.

“Sir, the others are next door. I’ll go get them right away.” Knowing that Qi Jun’s visit meant serious business, Liu Kui nodded and prepared to leave.

“The bandits aren’t coming — it’s the Qiang people who are approaching!” Qi Jun hesitated briefly before sharing the news about the Qiang soldiers.

Everyone inside the room was momentarily stunned, then instantly enveloped by a wave of unease and anxiety.

Liu Kui had just stepped outside when he heard Qi Jun’s words behind him. His whole body trembled as he withdrew his foot and asked, “What? The Qiang? Don’t scare us like that, sir. Shouldn’t we run immediately then?”

“Yeah, let’s get out of here! If the Qiang break in, we’re finished!”

“We’re a bandit suppression squad, not soldiers. If the Qiang come, let the county soldiers fight them! Why should we get involved?”

“Sir, don’t tell me you’re trying to scare us on purpose just because we were sleeping…”

“Enough! Listen to what the sir has to say. He wouldn’t put us in harm’s way without good reason!” Liu Kui, seeing Qi Jun’s grave expression, quickly called for quiet among the murmuring crowd.

“I won’t hide it from you any longer. I initially didn’t want to drag everyone into this, but now the Qiang are at our doorstep. We must unite and fight alongside the county soldiers if we want to stand a chance at survival,” Qi Jun sighed, looking around at the gathered villagers.

Silence fell. Each person was lost in deep, complicated thought.

The room was stifling and humid; sweat poured from everyone’s faces, soaking their clothes in front and back.

Qi Jun knew that the Qiang were regarded as terrifying demons by the common folk — a heavy stone of fear that, in some ways, weighed even more heavily than the psychological impact of bandits.

Muffled sobs seemed to rise faintly among the crowd, mingling with sighs that grew ever more desperate, lending a suffocating atmosphere.

Glancing at the dark, overcast sky outside the door, Qi Jun realized it was indeed asking much for the villagers to overcome this towering mountain of fear at such a moment. Still, he had no time to wait for them to slowly accept this grim reality.

---

“Men of honor! When foreign enemies invade our great Liang, it is our duty to strike back fiercely and protect our borders and homeland. What is there to fear? Death is but a small price!” Qi Jun frowned, casting a cold glare around the room as he scolded them.

“Aye, sir! We’ve fought bandits before — how can we not fight the Qiang?” A villager wiped sweat from his brow, steeling himself to look Qi Jun squarely in the eye.

“Bandits are thieves, and the Qiang are thieves too. We are a bandit suppression squad; killing thieves is our duty, no matter who they are!” another villager raised his fist and shouted.

“Sir, you give the orders!” Liu Kui nodded solemnly at the villagers and looked respectfully at Qi Jun.

“Have you all made up your minds? If anyone is afraid of death, now is the time to leave. I won’t have anyone’s cowardice cause others to perish on the battlefield.” Qi Jun scanned the faces before him seriously. To his relief, every face bore a resolute and determined expression.

“If Anqiang city falls to the Qiang, Dongling village will suffer as well,” Qi Jun added gravely, explaining the stakes clearly so the villagers understood that defending Anqiang was defending their own homes.

“Sir, we understand. It just caught us off guard when we first heard the news, but we’ve made up our minds. Just tell us what to do!” Liu Biao stepped forward from the crowd, raising a fist to his chest in salute.

Qi Jun recognized the gesture — the solemn salute given to him by the county military captain Qin He and the county warrior Xiang Yang after the night raid that burned the Qiang outpost and narrowly saved their lives.

“You've served in the military?” Qi Jun asked Liu Biao, surprised as he fixed his gaze on the soldier’s gesture.

“Yes. I was once captain of the scouting squad in the Vanguard Camp of the Western Garrison,” Liu Biao replied, meeting Qi Jun’s eyes. Not even the villagers knew this about him.

Liu Biao had long lived alone and unencumbered. Years ago, he left the village to survive, voluntarily joining the army to secure a full meal.

In the barracks, he honed his skills in forest navigation and enemy reconnaissance. As comrades fell one by one in battle, he grew indifferent to the perils of war and increasingly disillusioned with military life.

After earning enough merit to retire early, he returned to the long-abandoned Dongling village and became a hunter, relying on his accumulated wilderness expertise. Whenever villagers asked about his whereabouts all those years, he never mentioned his military service.

Yet, with the looming battle and mounting tension, his long-dormant passion and fighting spirit were reignited.

Having endured so much lately, he had come to deeply trust Qi Jun’s leadership, convinced that this scholar could lead them to a glorious victory against the odds.

Everyone who heard Liu Biao’s words stood with mouths agape and eyes wide, scrutinizing this seasoned veteran anew from head to toe.

As a low rumble of thunder echoed through the gloomy sky, raindrops began to fall softly.

All the villagers emulated Liu Biao, raising their right fists to their chests facing Qi Jun.

They may not fully grasp the gesture’s meaning — pledging their lives and vowing unwavering loyalty — but they understood it symbolized absolute resolve.

“I’ll go notify the blacksmith and the others next door...” Liu Kui lowered his fist and prepared to leave.

“No need. We already know. Sir, give the orders!” came Liu Fuyuan’s voice from outside.

---

Qi Jun was somewhat surprised when he looked outside and saw Liu Fuyuan and over a dozen villagers already standing there.

The heavy rain poured down as they all solemnly faced Qi Jun at the door, raising their right fists to their chests in unison.

“Give the orders, sir,” Liu Fuyuan repeated, looking firmly at Qi Jun.

Qi Jun shivered slightly and respectfully raised his hand in a fist salute to everyone inside and outside the room.

He knew that, for them, this fierce battle was already half won in spirit.

“Liu Fuyuan!”

“Yes!”

“We are few and weak, and the Qiang are strong and numerous. This is not a fight we can win by sheer manpower alone. Our best option now is to rely on weaponry. Do you know what to do?”

“Yes! How much do you need?” Liu Fuyuan immediately understood Qi Jun’s meaning and smiled knowingly.

“Take as much as you can make. Use the materials in the county militia camp. Move quickly!” Qi Jun patted his shoulder gently, confident Liu Fuyuan knew exactly what to do.

“Sir, what about us?” Liu Kui asked anxiously as Liu Fuyuan took his leave.

“Go buy all the wine in the city. As much as you can get! Have all the shopkeepers deliver it here. Don’t worry about the cost. I’ll tell you what to do later.” Qi Jun didn’t have time to explain to Liu Kui and the others. Instead, he turned to Liu Biao behind him.

“Biaozi, take a few men and ride out of the city. Scout ahead to locate the Qiang vanguard and report back to me every fifteen minutes.”

“Yes! Dunzi, Liu Bao! You two come with me!” Liu Biao took the order and, with two villagers, rode out into the rain toward the west side of the city.

---

End of page three.