Descendants of the False Gods

Chapter 10: A Narrow Escape (3)

The North-South Avenue was constructed during the period of human self-governance, designed by the Celestials to facilitate easier movement. The construction took nearly twenty years, stretching from the banks of the Qing River at the border between Qian and Zhou counties in the south to the confluence of the Zhao and Li counties along the Chi River in the north. It traversed the entire length of the human territories.

Originally, the plan was to extend the avenue across all human districts, but the sudden “Day of Divine Calamity” disrupted the project. After that day, the Celestials mysteriously recalled all their kind and never set foot in human territories again. Some believed that the Celestials had perished, while others speculated that they had withdrawn to their hidden realm, maintaining contact with the Empire. However, only a few knew the truth about the Celestials’ fate. Regardless, the assistance they once offered remained a source of gratitude for many humans.

The North-South Avenue did not belong to any specific county or state. It was mainly built along mountainous terrains, areas often left undeveloped—where mountains remained untouched and forests flourished thickly.

It was now midnight, and the avenue lay silent. After ensuring there was no one around, Yan Tie and his companions quickly crossed the road, traversed the plains beside it, and made their way to the foot of a mountain to the east, entering the edge of the forest.

From there, they planned to head south for about ten miles, towards the border between Zhou County and Cai State—a no-man’s land that would provide a safe passage given their odd and suspicious appearances. To avoid unnecessary trouble, they decided to stick to the forested areas, steering clear of others. Perhaps due to the concentrated search efforts west of the avenue, they encountered no danger or people on their route.

The North-South Avenue was usually deserted at night, except for large merchant caravans, making their nocturnal trek through the forest even more secluded.

Approaching dawn, they found a mountain stream to fetch water. In a small, clear patch, they rested and replenished themselves with food—provisions seized from the Cai State soldiers the previous night. The morning mist shrouded their cooking smoke, and after a hearty meal, exhaustion finally set in. Walking non-stop for over ten hours had taken a toll on their bodies.

Yan Yu soon leaned against a tree, snoring softly. Yan Bo suggested they all take turns resting while he kept watch. Yan Tie also found a comfortable spot, laid down his back basket, and quickly fell asleep.

The maid, however, did not rest. She stirred the remaining rice into porridge and, noticing Yan Bo’s gaze, quickly explained, “The children have been asleep for almost a day. I’ll wake them to eat before putting them back to sleep.”

Yan Bo suddenly realised they had overlooked the children amidst their tension and fatigue. Ashamed, he offered, “If you need help, just call me.”

It didn’t take long for the porridge to be ready. The maid patiently waited for it to cool before gently waking the children, feeding them, and soothing them back to sleep. Yan Bo watched from a distance. The children, all under two, were endearing; the two from the city lord’s family were just beginning to babble. The scene was warm and comforting, stirring a pang in his heart.

With a sigh, he muttered softly, “Damn it… Why must these little ones suffer this fate?” It was unclear whether he pitied himself or the children.

The morning passed peacefully, and everyone managed to rest well, waking up only around noon. The autumn sun eventually roused them from their sleep. They packed up and continued their journey.

By the time the sun dipped toward the western mountains, they reached the border of Zhou County and Cai State. A river marked the boundary—on this side lay Cai State, and across the water was Zhou County, a vast expanse of rugged mountains. Compared to Zhou’s formidable peaks, Cai State’s small hills seemed less daunting. However, the easier accessibility of Cai State meant more people and more potential trouble. To avoid unwanted attention, they decided to cross the river into Zhou County’s forested mountains.

To cross the river, they needed to use the bridge along the North-South Avenue. Since it was not yet dark and their group would draw attention, they opted to wait until nightfall.

Just before dusk, shouts and screams erupted from the mountain’s base, startling the group awake. From their vantage point, they saw a few commoners fleeing while a group of soldiers from Cai State chased after them, weapons raised.

“What’s happening here?” Yan Tie muttered, puzzled. The soldiers were from Cai State, yet they were slaughtering their own people—a rare and chilling sight.

As the soldiers pursued the fleeing commoners, another unit of cavalry arrived from the same direction, swiftly joining the massacre. In a matter of moments, the fleeing commoners were caught and mercilessly cut down. The soldiers threw their bodies into the river before cursing and retreating.

Yan Yu was about to speak when Yan Bo intervened, “We can’t interfere. Let’s get some rest. We still have a long way to go tonight.”

Yan Tie shook his head silently, turning away, and Yan Yu followed, his expression dark. As night fell, the group took advantage of the darkness to cross the North-South Avenue and reach the southern bank of the river, entering the territory of Zhou County. The sense of threat diminished significantly, but they knew they still had hundreds of miles of mountain trails ahead before reaching the safer regions of Zheng and Wu.

They followed the river, their path relatively secure. After hours of walking, they felt more at ease, slowing their pace slightly. They even dared to light a campfire, though Yan Bo insisted they still take turns keeping watch.

The night passed peacefully. As morning dawned, the forest remained quiet, punctuated only by occasional birdsong. The calm allowed everyone to sleep deeply until the sun rose high.

The maid, who had kept the morning watch, had already prepared a simple breakfast—a pot of porridge made from dried meat and wild greens. As the men woke, she was gently feeding the children.

With the threat seemingly distant, they resumed their journey. The riverbank was easier to traverse than the thick forest, and the atmosphere felt lighter. However, by the afternoon, new troubles emerged—the effects of the calming herbs they had given the children were wearing off. The four little ones awoke, crying loudly, throwing the three men into chaos.

Although the maid did her best to soothe them, four children were too many for one person to handle. The three men clumsily followed her lead, attempting to play the role of caretakers. They quickly learned that a crying child was either hungry or needed a change.

As the children’s cries subsided, they began to babble cheerfully, exploring their surroundings with curious eyes. Gradually, the men’s frustration eased, and joy replaced their anxiety. They played with the children, hoisting them onto their shoulders, talking about mountains, rivers, birds, insects—anything that could distract and entertain them. At their most animated, two of the children blessed Yan Tie and Yan Yu with warm streams down their backs, earning groans and laughter alike.

Travelling with children was a chaotic blend of delight and exhaustion, but despite the noise, their pace did not slow.

As dusk fell, they decided to rest for the night. Despite the day’s challenges, they had covered over thirty miles. The following morning, before dawn, the children’s cries once again roused them from sleep, signalling the start of another long day.