Qin Sang set off in the middle of the night, mounting her Horse and putting on Night-Vision Goggles to travel through the night. She finally reached the mountain behind Tianjia Village as darkness fell the next day.
She didn't rush up the mountain. Instead, she found a spot to tether her Horse, fed it, and put on its muzzle to prevent its neighing from attracting the Rebel Soldiers.
Dahuang was treated the same way, fed and watered before being muzzled as well.
When they had just stopped, Dahuang saw torches lit at Qin Sang's house at the foot of the mountain. He opened his mouth, about to bark angrily. If Qin Sang hadn't noticed in time and stopped him, Dahuang's barking would have surely alerted the people below.
"Good boy, there's no other way. We need to move quietly, understand?"
Qin Sang whispered soothingly to Dahuang. Dahuang wagged his tail at her and obediently sat down by her feet.
Taking out a Drone from her storage, Qin Sang launched it into the air and controlled its flight down the mountain.
She planned to first see how many Rebel Soldiers were in the village before formulating a plan.
The Drone slowly flew towards Tianjia Village. On the control screen, Qin Sang saw several conspicuous torchlights.
Her house, the Village Chiefs House, and three other residences all showed signs of Rebel Soldiers guarding them.
The guards alone numbered over twenty people. Those resting or sleeping inside the houses were invisible, so the total number was unclear.
Among them, the Village Chiefs House had the most rooms and also the most Rebel Soldiers.
In the courtyard of the Village Chiefs House, many people were tied up with ropes.
They were all uniformly young adults and children.
Through the Drone, Qin Sang witnessed a scene that horrified her.
Over a bonfire outside the courtyard, someone was... being roasted.
That person was still alive, struggling on the spit, their gagged mouth straining wide open as if screaming.
Four or five people stood by the fire, fiddling with and turning a crank.
A scent of charring meat wafted to her nostrils, and a wave of nausea welled up from deep within Qin Sang.
This was no longer just a band of Rebel Soldiers; they were a pack of devils.
Qin Sang's eyes were bloodshot with rage. Sensing the displeasure radiating from her, Dahuang circled her uneasily, hoping to pull her attention back.
"Whimper..."
Qin Sang couldn't bear to watch any longer and flew the Drone back.
She feared that if she kept watching, she would lose her sanity and charge down to kill them.
Doing that would undoubtedly be digging her own grave.
Not to mention the sheer number of Rebel Soldiers, just facing Butcher Hu head-on alone would put her life in grave danger.
Therefore, Qin Sang had always intended to rely on cunning.
The best method, naturally, was to poison the water and food, just like last time.
She believed that under these circumstances, this bunch wouldn't be able to resist the temptation of food.
But poisoning required the right timing. She couldn't save that person.
"I will, I will avenge you."
Qin Sang silently repeated this phrase in her heart, then changed into a set of black Night Clothes.
The black clothing allowed her to almost blend into the darkness. After tying Dahuang next to the Horse, Qin Sang put on her Night-Vision Goggles and descended the mountain.
She didn't take the usual path down, so the way was much more difficult.
After about half a shichen, Qin Sang reached her own backyard.
Crouching by the corner of the wall, Qin Sang heard Butcher Hu's voice in the yard:
"How is this meat roasted? You dare serve me burnt stuff?"
A subordinate replied cautiously:
"Please forgive us, Lord Hu. These people have been starved for days and are all skin and bones; they char too easily."
Butcher Hu bellowed:
"Get lost."
"Right away, Lord Hu. Enjoy your meal."
Qin Sang ground her teeth and detoured to Tian Yuanshan's house.
She filled the water vat at Tian Yuanshan's house, then sprinkled in a bottle of Cyanide. After stirring it to dissolve, she exchanged for a basket of Guokui from her space.
The Guokui weren't drugged. As soon as they were taken out, they emitted an enticing aroma.
Worried the smell alone wouldn't be enough to lure people, Qin Sang specifically bought two roosters and released them in the yard.
After finishing all this, Qin Sang stealthily returned to the mountain.
Cyanide is a highly toxic poison that acts very quickly.
Once ingested, death in this ancient era was certain.
Although Qin Sang felt such a death was too merciful for them—in her mind, using Paraquat to let them slowly experience the torment of death would be the optimal solution—but for every extra day delayed, another person in that courtyard might die. It was better to end things quickly.
Qin Sang returned to Dahuang's side and quietly waited for dawn.
The roosters at the foot of the mountain began to crow, their cries carrying far. Hearing them, Qin Sang took out her Binoculars and looked down the mountain.
Soon after, Qin Sang saw people emerging from the courtyard of the Village Chiefs House.
At this time, the sky wasn't fully bright yet. Someone holding a torch was calling others, searching house by house towards Tian Yuanshan's place.
Qin Sang took out the Drone again, placed a small knife under its clawed feet, and sent it flying towards that courtyard.
Soon, those Rebel Soldiers found Tian Yuanshan's yard. Through the Binoculars, Qin Sang saw their faces light up with glee as they chased the chickens.
The roosters were agile, flying around the yard. The Rebel Soldiers shouted, and the commotion quickly drew many more people.
Qin Sang saw that the number of guards at the Village Chiefs House courtyard had significantly decreased. Only then did she release the Drone's claw, dropping the dagger amidst the bound people.
The dagger woke a child. Feeling the knife, the little boy's face lit up with surprise:
"Brother? Brother?"
He whispered, waking his weakened older brother in front of him. After his brother opened his eyes, he secretly passed the small knife from behind.
The man's eyes gleamed. Seeing Rebel Soldiers running out from the house, he immediately lowered his eyelids, but his hands, tied behind his back, began to move stealthily...
To catch those two chickens, a whole houseful of Rebel Soldiers had swarmed in. When a rooster flew onto the winnowing fan atop the vat, a Rebel Soldier lunged, knocking the fan away. A whole fanful of Guokui scattered on the ground, revealing the vat of water beneath the lid.
The man's eyes went wide. He immediately grabbed a Guokui and started eating, while his other hand lifted the rotten wooden lid of the vat, scooping up water with his hand and drinking it.
"Hey! You're hogging it all! Brothers, there's water here!"
"What? Where's water?"
"And flatbread! Damn it, leave one for me!"
Soon, a scramble broke out in the yard. As the sky gradually brightened, some weaker Rebel Soldiers couldn't push through to drink. One turned and ran towards the courtyard where Butcher Hu was staying, shouting as he ran:
"There's water! There's water! We found water..."
Qin Sang watched with satisfaction as the Rebel Soldiers descended into chaos.
That one vat of water was enough to make them drink their fill.
The Rebel Soldiers left guarding the Village Chiefs House heard there was water to drink and all ran out. At this moment, the man with the small knife sped up. Each time he cut someone's bonds, he whispered an instruction:
"Run, don't look back."
More and more Rebel Soldiers flooded into the yard. Butcher Hu arrived too.
Towering over the crowd of Rebel Soldiers, Butcher Hu stood out conspicuously. Qin Sang gritted her back teeth:
"Go drink, go on..."
But contrary to Qin Sang's expectations, Butcher Hu not only didn't step forward to drink but flew into a rage, kicking back the Rebel Soldiers who were about to rush forward:
"What did I tell you? All found provisions must be handed over first! Are you trying to defy heaven?"