Chapter 050: The Mysterious Path to Treasure

Du Yu spoke of a stone fallen from the heavens, unlike any material known in this world. At the mere mention, Li Dong understood it was a meteorite; forged into a weapon, it would be truly one of a kind. In turbulent times, wielding such a blade would surely yield extraordinary results.

Yet there was one point Li Dong could not be entirely certain about. Meteorites are exceedingly heavy, requiring five or six strong men merely to shift them. Though Luo Shixin was born with great strength, it was doubtful whether he could move it alone—and even if he could, how would they transport it all the way to Licheng?

Casting a worried glance at Luo Shixin, Li Dong noted that he still stood off to the side, sulking over his broken bow. Li Dong silently prayed: The next step rests on you—please, do not let me down.

In a tone of cautious suggestion, Du Yu continued, “Bandits often lurk about the Great Wall Ridge. If you intend to venture there, benefactor, I am uneasy. Would it not be better if I dispatched a detachment of government troops to escort you, to ensure your safety?”

Li Dong dismissed this with a wave of his hand, replying heartily, “There’s no need for concern, Brother Yu. Du Fuwei is also in the Great Wall Ridge; with him watching over us, that will suffice.” Sending government troops into the ridge might alert the bandits and cause unnecessary trouble. The bandits had no idea they were merely retrieving a stone; should they mistakenly believe the troops were there to wipe them out, a bloody conflict might ensue—far more dangerous indeed.

Du Yu might not feel reassured by anyone else, but with Du Fuwei present, his mind was at ease. Du Fuwei was both brave and astute, loyal to a fault, and utterly obedient to Li Dong. Yet why had such a man, once a government soldier, chosen the forested hills and the life of an outlaw? Was being a bandit truly a more promising path than serving as an officer?

Would I soon be forced to send troops against the very man I once personally rescued from prison? The thought was a bitter one. Such a brother he was—what a pity that our paths have diverged.

Du Yu said, “All the better, then. But caution is still wise. There are three bands of bandits in the Great Wall Ridge; Du Fuwei commands only one of them.”

Li Dong waved away his concern, feigning indifference. His mind was already captured by thoughts of the strange stone; he was determined to go.

Of the three bandit factions, only Du Fuwei’s boasted over a thousand men; the other two had merely three or four hundred, and the weakest just over a hundred. Having triumphed over armies of a hundred thousand, how could a few hundred ragtag outlaws be of any consequence?

With Li Dong’s mind set, Du Yu could say no more. He ordered his men to prepare a horse-drawn cart for transporting the stone, exchanged a few final pleasantries, and then left the training ground with his troops to attend to official business.

Li Dong mounted a swift horse, Luo Shixin drove the cart, and together they rattled through the south gate, heading for the Great Wall Ridge.

They traveled fast, the wind whistling past their ears, trees and travelers flashing by in a blur. In just half an hour, they reached the base of the ridge.

The Great Wall Ridge was a chain of mountains, with strange peaks and thick, verdant forests. The undergrowth was dense, waist-high in places, and wildflowers of every hue bloomed in profusion, filling the air with a heady fragrance. From deep within the woods, the cries of wild beasts and birds echoed, stirring a thrill of awe and a sense of lurking danger. The calls of unknown small creatures lent the forest an ancient, secluded air, tinged with a subtle menace.

Li Dong gently pulled the reins, slowing his horse as he skirted the edge of the woods.

Luo Shixin soon caught up, seeing Li Dong hesitate and asked, “What’s wrong? Why aren’t we heading into the mountains? Lost your way?”

“Silly boy!” Li Dong, eager at the prospect of seeing the stone, replied, “I can ride my horse carefully along the mountain paths, but how will you manage with the cart?”

When Luo Shixin realized he couldn’t bring the cart, he grew anxious. He jumped down and exclaimed, “Oh no, what now?”

After a moment’s thought, Li Dong pointed into the depths of the forest and said, “You stay here, don’t wander or stray. I’ll go in alone, scout the path, and find the exact location of the stone. Once I’m sure of it, I’ll come back for you, and together we’ll try to get it onto the cart.”

But Luo Shixin shook his head vigorously. “No, no! Better you stay here, let me go in alone. If I find the stone, I can haul it back by myself—no need for two trips.”

His reasoning was not without merit. Li Dong considered that he himself could never have moved the stone anyway, so he dismounted and let Luo Shixin ride into the mountains. Before he left, Li Dong repeatedly instructed him on the route, urging him to mark his path clearly, to avoid getting lost on the return.

Only after Luo Shixin had recited his instructions back flawlessly did Li Dong let him go.

Luo Shixin soon vanished from sight on horseback, and with his departure, Li Dong was seized by regret. He had been too careless, too caught up in his own excitement. Luo Shixin was only fourteen, strong but naive; what if he encountered trouble without Li Dong at his side?

If something were to happen, how would he ever find the boy in these vast, sprawling mountains? If bandits captured him, there might be hope of rescue, but if he fell prey to some wild beast, there would be no saving him—Li Dong would have doomed him.

Yet it wasn’t convenient to follow him now. If Luo Shixin came back and their paths missed, he might return to find no one there—a headache in itself. Besides, if Li Dong left the cart unattended, it might be stolen or spooked away by wild animals, making it impossible to transport the stone even if found.

Li Dong agonized for a long time, praying for Luo Shixin’s safe return while racking his brain for a foolproof plan.

Two hours passed, the sun kissed the western mountains, dusk fell, but there was still no sign of Luo Shixin.

He unharnessed the horse, tied it to a great boulder by the roadside, pushed the empty cart into the undergrowth, and covered it with grass. He could wait no longer—Li Dong resolved to enter the mountains and search for Luo Shixin himself.

If he delayed any longer, night would fall completely, making the search even harder. The forests were thick with wild beasts; a single night and the boy’s fate would be grim. He swore to himself that Luo Shixin would come to no harm while in his care.

Entering the woods at the point where Luo Shixin had gone in, Li Dong inspected his surroundings closely. Sure enough, he found marks left on the trees: every dozen paces or so, a tree had its bark stripped away, exposing fresh, wet wood—clear signs.

Li Dong drew his saber, holding it ready before his chest, prepared to fend off any sudden attack from hidden beasts.

He pressed on, alert, following the trail Luo Shixin had left.

After about the time it took to eat a meal, darkness fell, and Li Dong reached the site of the strange stone.

By the faint glow of the sky, he saw that the stone was indeed peculiar, its color indescribably odd—neither black, nor brown, nor ocher, but exuding a faint, eerie black sheen. Its shape was even stranger, utterly irregular, resembling a calf in bulk—about five feet long and three feet high.

The boulder had been moved about ten feet from its original spot, leaving a deep pit behind. A trail of deep footprints stretched from the hole to the stone. It seemed Luo Shixin had arrived safely, found the stone, and was trying to move it back when something happened.

Li Dong groaned inwardly.

At the moment Luo Shixin was hauling that massive stone, burdened and vulnerable—struck at such a time, the assailant had chosen their moment with utmost calculation.

If things had unfolded as he surmised, Luo Shixin had not fallen prey to wild beasts, but had instead walked straight into someone’s trap.

It certainly wasn’t Du Yu’s doing—he had no reason for such elaborate treachery, and besides, there was no enmity between him and Luo Shixin, especially with Li Dong in the middle. But as for who else knew of their mission to the ridge, only Du Yu had been told—could someone among the government troops have leaked the news?

Li Dong pondered hard, but quickly dismissed this idea. They had ridden straight here on horseback, and the government soldiers, as Du Yu’s attendants, would hardly have slipped away from Zhangqiu City unnoticed. That left only two other possibilities—no one else could be involved.

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