Chapter 12: The Pond is Occupied

The others were also somewhat skeptical about the authenticity of the pond in the mountains.

Wang-shi said bluntly, "If you keep up this pace, you won't even arrive by tomorrow."

Tong-shi’s face stiffened, but looking at the toddler in her arms who was too dehydrated to even cry, and the parched, pale lips of her five-year-old daughter beside her, she felt only guilt.

"Mama, I'm thirsty." The eldest daughter of the Wang family looked at her mother with hollow eyes, her gaze lingering on her chest.

Her younger brother could drink milk, and she wanted some too.

But how could Tong-shi have any milk left now?

She could only feign anger and glare at her daughter. Seeing the girl lower her head in disappointment, her heart ached.

Wang Dayou looked at the group; they had fled in such a panic that they couldn't bring anything with them.

Moreover, even before the refugee army arrived, most households had already run out of grain.

There were plenty of trees in these deep mountains, but the leaves on the branches were either dried up or had fallen; they couldn't even find fresh, tender leaves to chew on.

The family holding a dog in their arms looked at the dying animal they had raised for ten years, swallowing their saliva incessantly.

Another person held a goose; driven by extreme thirst, he couldn't help but bite into the goose's neck to drink its blood to quench his thirst.

The blood felt refreshing at first, but after a while, his throat felt as if it were burning, making him scratch at his neck uncontrollably.

Missing a meal or two was nothing, but after a day without water, not even livestock could endure it, let alone people.

Xu-dajia was right; in this state, they wouldn't reach the pond by tomorrow.

Wang Dayou swallowed hard and shouted to the villagers, "Everyone, put in some effort! The sooner we get there, the sooner we have water to drink. If not for yourselves, think of the children! We have to grit our teeth and keep going!"

The crowd looked at their children, then at the sun climbing toward its zenith, gritted their teeth, and nodded.

Wang Dayou sighed and looked at Wang-shi, signaling that she didn't need to hold back anymore.

Seeing this, Wang-shi’s expression softened slightly, and she encouraged them, "Everyone, keep going! We aren't far from the pond. As long as we keep up our speed, we can arrive by noon!"

With this confirmation from Wang-shi, the group mustered their remaining strength and significantly increased their pace.

Even the seven or eight-year-old children puffed out their cheeks and pushed their little legs hard, not falling a single step behind the adults.

In this day and age, it wasn't easy for a minor to survive until now. Xu Yue, carried on her brother's back, felt deeply ashamed watching these children struggle to keep up with the adults.

Compared to them, she felt much luckier.

However, just as they were about to reach the pond in the heart of the mountains, Xu Yue suddenly noticed traces of trampling on a patch of weeds.

At first glance, she thought they were footprints left by some large wild beast, but as these tracks appeared one after another, Xu Yue had a bad premonition.

As for the traces she could spot, it went without saying that Wang-shi noticed them too. After measuring them with her fingers, her expression darkened.

"Someone has been here!" Wang-shi frowned.

The people of Dawang Village were stunned. Parched and exhausted, they were so numb that they didn't immediately realize what this meant.

Xu Yue and Xu Erniang, however, immediately sensed that the situation was dire.

Wang-shi instinctively raised her hand to signal for them to advance quietly. Turning back to see the blank expressions of Wang Dayou and the others, she realized these weren't the soldiers she used to lead. She gave an awkward, muffled cough and said in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear

"Someone may have already reached the pond first. Xu Da, lead everyone forward quietly. I’ll go ahead to check the situation."

Saying this, she pointed at Wang Dayou, "You come with me."

Wang Dayou looked at Wang-shi in surprise, then at Xu Da. Seeing him nod, he hesitantly followed Wang-shi.

Watching Wang-shi dart away with ease, skillfully avoiding obstacles like stones underfoot, Wang Dayou—though only a blacksmith—sensed that Wang-shi was different from an ordinary woman.

But before he could ponder how, the sound of lively chatter reached his ears. The two had already emerged from the forest into a patch of low grass.

In the center of the grass was a circular pond about five meters in diameter.

Seeing the clear water and feeling the moisture wafting toward them, Wang Dayou swallowed hard, nearly weeping with joy.

However, by the small pond stood more than twenty people. Their clothing was similar to theirs; it was clear they were villagers from elsewhere who had fled to the mountains due to the drought and war.

At this moment, they were gathered in the clearing by the pond, building a fire to boil water and prepare a meal, chatting and laughing in their local dialect.

Wang-shi looked at Wang Dayou, her eyes asking if he could understand what they were saying.

It is said that customs change every ten miles and dialects every hundred. Shanyang County was vast, and accents varied from place to place.

For example, Dawang Village and Yangjiao Village were only ten miles apart, yet their accents differed; it was only because the two places interacted frequently that they were used to each other's speech.

Wang Dayou strained his ears to listen for a while. It sounded like an accent from the north of Shanyang County. A girl from a family in Dawang Village had married into that area, so by guessing and piecing things together, he figured out the gist.

"They seem to have just arrived not long ago. They're discussing occupying this pond and taking refuge here."

The drought in the north of Shanyang County was slightly less severe than in the south. These people looked much better off than those in Dawang Village, and there were many men—fifteen able-bodied adults.

Upon hearing this, Wang-shi’s expression sank.

Wang Dayou looked at the glistening pond and swallowed hard. He could have endured the hunger and thirst, but now that the water was right in front of him and he couldn't drink his fill, it was agonizing.

If not for Wang-shi stopping him, Wang Dayou probably would have rushed over already.

But judging by the attitude of that group, if he rushed over, he would likely be beaten to death.

Wang-shi silently noted the situation of the group, signaled to Wang Dayou, and the two quietly slipped back.

As soon as they returned to the group, Wang Dayou reported that the pond had been occupied. The villagers of Dawang Village immediately erupted.

Their craving for water brought out a frantic side in them; they raised their hoes and sickles, ready to risk everything to seize the pond.

Seeing this, Xu Da smugly raised an eyebrow at Wang-shi. See? Isn't the advantage of having more people becoming apparent now?

Wang-shi couldn't be bothered to deal with him. She stepped forward and shouted at the villagers of Dawang Village, who were about to charge off with their tools.

"The other side has more people than us, and they are stronger. If we rush over so recklessly, we will surely lose."

"Then what do you suggest?" Wang Dahai, a villager holding a goose, spoke aggressively, feeling that a woman had no right to manage men's affairs.

Wang-shi was momentarily taken aback by this blatant sexism, but her battle-hardened aura flared up instantly. With just a faint glance, Wang Dahai felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar; the words in his throat stuck, and he fell silent.

It wasn't just Wang Dahai; the other villagers, feeling this powerful aura, also fell silent involuntarily, looking at Wang-shi in astonishment.