A Prophet - Chapter 5 (Part 1)

Chapter 1 - Military Statistics Bureau Manhunt

In 1943, the four major halls held a grand assembly in Chongqing, during which the Patriarch brought along the "Wind-Hand." Because the Western Faction leader, Qin Baichuan, had previously failed to properly manage his relations with the local warlords, he was almost completely wiped out by them. The astute Patriarch had even considered using this opportunity to kill Qin Baichuan with a borrowed knife and eliminate him.

Qin Baichuan was a proud disciple of Liu Congyun, the "Great Immortal" of Sichuan. Who was Liu Congyun? He was a key figure of the Western Faction's "Dragon Beard Sprout" hall meeting, so the opposing side only knew Qin Baichuan was here and had no idea what the others were doing. At this critical juncture, everyone was watching Qin Baichuan, and he found himself riding a tiger with no way to dismount! The Patriarch was ruthless enough.

To live for a brother, to die for a brother—this was a phrase hall leaders frequently muttered. When actual trouble struck, Qin Baichuan, as the grand senior, had stirred up such a huge mess and should have naturally stepped forward to resolve it himself. Instead, he waited until others had to remind him, which was utterly inappropriate!

Qin Baichuan hated the Patriarch to the core! But with the duck already on the roasting rack and no way to escape, Qin Baichuan had to put on a high and mighty front. "What kind of talk is this from the Patriarch! A person bears responsibility for his own actions! From the day I joined the hall, I took life and death lightly! The Patriarch's words just now reminded me. Hurry up and tie me up to hand them over to those people. If I meet an untimely end, entrust the 'Dragon Beard Sprout' to my chief disciple, Fang Huatian! I ask the Patriarch and all senior masters to do your utmost in assisting him, and do not let the foundation of the 'Dragon Beard Sprout' be destroyed in a single day!"

Qin Baichuan was also quite sinister. Facing the brothers of the four halls of East, West, South, and North, he delivered an impassioned speech and even arranged his final affairs. His implication was clear: even if I die, don't even think about interfering in the affairs of the Western Faction hall, Patriarch. Today, both the old and the young are present here; if you harbor ulterior motives in the future, it truly will be a betrayal of trust!

Several low-ranking members stepped forward and tied Qin Baichuan up. The Patriarch shouted outside, "Officers, we have captured Qin Baichuan and are handing him over to you! Please spare our lives!"

Upon hearing this from the outside, the men immediately replied, "Throw out all your guns!"

The Patriarch exchanged glances with everyone, and they tossed their few firearms outside.

The men outside shouted again, "Bring Qin Baichuan out to me!"

Two low-ranking members escorted Qin Baichuan at the front, while the rest raised their hands and followed behind.

Walking up to the leader, the Patriarch smiled ingratiatingly and said, "Officer! Qin Baichuan has been caught by us! We've long wanted to cut ties with him anyway, and today presented just this opportunity! Please spare the lives of us underlings! We all have aging mothers above and wives and children below, please..."

Before the Patriarch could finish his sentence, the fellow strode forward and slapped the Patriarch across the face. "Fuck your ancestors! Why the hell do you have so much nonsense to say!" Then he waved his hand at his subordinates, "Take them all back!"

The "Wind-Hand" grew anxious and wanted to finish him off, but the Patriarch grabbed him by the arm.

The Patriarch was calculating the most opportune moment to escape. They had discussed it back in the house: if the other party let everyone go, that would be the best outcome; if not, along the escort route, once they reached a secluded and favorable mountainous terrain, they would seize a moment of inattention and look for an opportunity to flee.

The Patriarch had instructed everyone that during the escape, no one was to look out for anyone else—each person would run on their own, breaking into smaller, scattered units. This would simultaneously distract the enemy's attention and prevent the juniors from losing their lives trying to save their elders. After breaking through the encirclement, everyone would meet up at the designated location.

During the escape, they were to wait for the Patriarch's command. The Patriarch would give a single cough, and then he and the "Wind-Hand" would throw their flying darts simultaneously. The brothers of the hall all knew that the throwing-nail technique of these two men was formidable. Although their firearms had been confiscated, they still had iron nails in their pockets. Once the Patriarch and the "Wind-Hand" unleashed their flying nails, the enemy would inevitably fall into complete chaos, giving everyone a chance to escape.

The Patriarch glanced at the "Wind-Hand," whose left arm was still dripping blood. The Patriarch nodded at him, and he nodded back. The Patriarch then looked at Jiang Feiyan; Jiang Feiyan said nothing, and the Patriarch said nothing. This was a moment of unknown destiny. Once the fighting broke out shortly, bullets wouldn't have eyes, and it was uncertain who would live and who would die.

The turning points of fate always seemed so magical. Just as the Patriarch was walking and observing the surrounding terrain, a humming sound suddenly echoed through the sky. In that era engulfed by the flames of war, everyone was extremely sensitive to this sound: an air raid!

Beginning in 1938, Japan launched a five-year carpet bombing campaign against Chongqing in a vain attempt to destroy the Nationalist government's wartime capital. In truth, aside from bombing, Japan had no other means to deal with Chongqing. The city's terrain was uniquely gifted, protected by the natural moat of the Yangtze River and surrounded by a barrier of mountains, shrouded in dense fog year-round. It was easy to defend, difficult to attack, and virtually impregnable.

Consequently, the Japanese began implementing a maniacal "indiscriminate bombing" model, erasing the boundaries between the front lines and the rear, as well as between combatants and ordinary civilians. After every aerial bombardment, shrapnel flew everywhere, turning Chongqing into a sea of fire. Countless ordinary citizens were blown to pieces; after the bombings ended, streets and alleys were littered with crisscrossing corpses.

At this moment, the enemy aircraft were right overhead. The leading fellow roared, "Hit the dirt!" Twenty-some soldiers instantly dropped to the ground, hugging their heads.

Seeing that the opportunity had arrived, the Patriarch waved his hand. "Run!"

All the members scattered and fled in every direction. The soldiers lying on the ground began shooting at the fleeing members, but after firing only a few rounds, the bombs overhead came screaming down. One of them landed right in the middle of the road with a deafening explosion, kicking up a flurry of dust and snapping a large tree in half. Jiang Feiyan and several female members happened to be not far from this bomb, and the powerful shockwave flipped them over. Seeing this from a distance, the Patriarch braved the shrapnel and gunfire to rush back. Jiang Feiyan had already been knocked unconscious by the blast; the Patriarch scooped her up into his arms and dashed toward the woods. Another bomb dropped, its concussive fire pinning the twenty-some soldiers to the ground, unable to raise their heads. The "Wind-Hand" followed closely behind the Patriarch, and the group quickly vanished into the hazy, boundless mountains.

Around the second watch of the night, the group regrouped in the back mountains. Each hall tallied its headcount, finding a total of seven people missing, including Qin Baichuan. It remained unclear whether he had slipped away on his own or been killed in the chaos.

Jiang Feiyan had gradually regained consciousness, a piece of shrapnel embedded in her left shoulder. The Patriarch tore a strip from his long robe and bound the wound to staunch the bleeding. He told the group, "Sister Yan and little Liu are both injured; we need to find a doctor right away!"

The Second Hall Master suggested, "We should head back to Master Qin's hall first. Master Qin might still be there, and we can look for a doctor once we arrive!"

The Jiangxiang Faction had a strict rule: whenever a grand assembly was held, to avoid attracting notice, it was never conducted inside a formal hall. Instead, they always selected a quiet, unfamiliar location to prevent their base from being uprooted. Furthermore, besides the attendees, outsiders were strictly kept in the dark about the meeting place. The grand assembly brought together the grand senior masters and select elites from every hall; any mishap would threaten the life and death of the entire Jiangxiang Faction, making it a matter of top-secret security! The location chosen for this meeting was roughly twenty miles away from the "Dragon Beard Sprout" hall, meticulously handpicked by Qin Baichuan.

The Patriarch looked at the Second Hall Master, shook his head, and said, "Master Qin's hall has likely already been uprooted."

Gasps of alarm erupted from the crowd upon hearing this.

Qian Yuelin, who had remained silent up to this point, spoke up. "The Patriarch's analysis is sound! Since those people were able to surround us, it proves they already had a grip on our movements. And since they dared to capture Master Qin alive, his hall has most likely been destroyed!"

At that moment, a low-ranking member from the "Dragon Beard Sprout" hall spoke up. "Patriarch, if that's the case, we dare not look for a doctor in the city. The moment we show our faces, we'll surely be arrested. If we cross this mountain, there is a village with a local folk doctor. I often used to hire him to treat my family members—we should let him see if they can be saved!"

The Third Hall Master, who was also present, immediately chimed in, "This mountain features two converging ridges with steep slopes. Crossing it in the dead of night could be dangerous."

Ignoring him, the Patriarch turned to Qian Yuelin and said, "Master Qian, here is what I think: I will take a few people to find the doctor, while the rest of you follow Master Qian, descend the mountain in the dark, go into hiding in disguise, and seize the opportunity to gather news about Master Qin's whereabouts..." Midway through, the Patriarch leaned close to Qian Yuelin's ear and whispered a few final instructions. Qian Yuelin nodded repeatedly.

Thus, they split into two groups. Those accompanying the Patriarch included the Second Hall Master, the Third Hall Master, the "Wind-Hand," several female members from the Southern Faction's "Crossing Sea Begonia," and the low-ranking "Dragon Beard Sprout" member acting as their guide. They took turns relieving each other to carry Jiang Feiyan on their backs.

By the fifth watch of the night, they finally reached the destination mentioned by the guide. Upon inspection, the Patriarch saw it was a Miao ethnic minority village. The guide knocked on the doctor's door, and the physician stepped out wearing a draped robe. Startled to find a dozen people standing before his door at such an hour, he froze. The guide hastily bowed and said, "Sorry to disturb you, old sir. These friends of mine deal in mules and horses. While crossing the mountain during the day, they unfortunately ran into a Japanese bombing raid and were chased by bandits, leaving two of them injured. Please save their lives, old sir!"

The doctor urged, "Hurry inside!"

Entering the house under the dim, flickering light, the Patriarch finally got a clear look at him: an old man in his fifties with flowing beard and hair, resembling an immortal.

The old physician carefully examined the injuries of both Jiang Feiyan and the "Wind-Hand," then walked into the inner room and brought out a wooden box. When opened, everyone saw it contained knives, pliers, tweezers, silver needles, and a collection of jars filled with medicinal liquids.

The old physician intended to perform surgery on Jiang Feiyan and the "Wind-Hand." In traditional Chinese medicine, surgical procedures followed a rigorous protocol. Since Jiang Feiyan's injuries were more severe, the doctor treated her first.

The physician first retrieved a packet of medicinal powder, placed it in an earthenware pot, added water along with several herbs, and brewed it for a while. He poured the liquid into a bowl and instructed the Patriarch to support Jiang Feiyan as he slowly helped her drink it down.

"Sleeping Sage Powder. Once drunk, she won't feel any pain," the old physician murmured as if talking to himself. The Patriarch recognized the name immediately; "Sleeping Sage Powder" was documented in numerous medical texts—when consumed before an incision, it rendered a person completely anesthetized.

Seeing that Jiang Feiyan had finished drinking, the old physician retrieved a sharp blade and sterilized it over charcoal fire. While burning it, he instructed the Patriarch, "Lay her flat on the bed and undo her upper garments."

Startled for a moment, the Patriarch quickly gestured to the female members standing nearby. "You ladies come over and assist the old sir." Then, turning to the others, he said, "You all come outside with me and wait."

Having consumed the medicine, Jiang Feiyan had already slipped into a semi-conscious state, though she retained a final thread of awareness. She clutched the Patriarch's hand tightly, reluctant to let him leave. The Patriarch gently peeled her fingers away and whispered softly, "Sister Yan, we'll all be waiting right outside. You'll be fine soon."

After roughly the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the old physician walked out, wiping his hands as he told the Patriarch, "The shrapnel has been removed. The wound has been medicated and sutured as well. She will just need to take herbal decoctions orally for a few days and rest quietly for a week to make a full recovery."

Stepping inside, the Patriarch saw Jiang Feiyan sleeping soundly and bowed gratefully to the old physician. "Thank you so much, old sir!"

Without a word, the old physician began brewing another batch of "Sleeping Sage Powder." Seeing this, the "Wind-Hand" chuckled and said, "Old master, I won't need that. I can endure it. My gunshot wound isn't deep—just pull the bullet out as quickly as you can."

As if he hadn't heard the "Wind-Hand's" words, the physician brewed the mixture for a while, poured the medicinal liquid into a bowl, and handed it to the "Wind-Hand." With a helpless shrug, the "Wind-Hand" glanced at the Patriarch, tossed his head back, and chugged it down in one gulp.

Only then did the old physician speak. "I added bleeding-cessation lotus to this Sleeping Sage Powder. It not only provides anesthesia but also has a powerful clotting effect." Hearing this, the Patriarch nodded approvingly.

Before long, the "Wind-Hand" grew drowsy and lay down on a bed.

The old physician proceeded with the same procedure, sterilizing his blade over charcoal before cutting open the wound. Because the injury had been exposed for too long, the internal pooled blood had already turned dark. Meticulously, the physician sliced through the layers of skin and flesh, slowly teasing the bullet out with tweezers. Next, he packed a dollop of yellow ointment into the cavity and, using a small clip, drew a fine thread out of a tiny vial, threaded it through a needle, and began sewing the wound shut stitch by stitch.

The Patriarch recognized this kind of thread. Years ago, when the First Hall Master was injured in a gang brawl, he had also been stitched up using this material. It was known as "mulberry bark thread," made by stripping the rough outer bark of mulberry roots, carefully peeling away the fibrous inner layer, wrapping individual fibers back inside an outer skin, and rolling them together several times. Once pulled out, those fibers transformed into glossy, pliable threads. These threads were stored in a small vial of medicinal liquid to keep them soft and damp; when needed, they were drawn out, threaded onto a fine needle, and used to suture wounds.

The greatest advantage of "mulberry bark thread" was that it required no removal. These delicate filaments would naturally grow into the flesh as the wound healed, merging seamlessly with human tissue.

By daybreak, both Jiang Feiyan and the "Wind-Hand" had woken up. The Patriarch said with relief, "You're finally awake. Sister Yan and little Liu, rest in peace here for a few days. I'll take the other brothers back into the city to scout the situation."

Still weak from excessive blood loss, Jiang Feiyan spoke in a soft voice. "Thank you, Patriarch, for risking your life to save me."

The Patriarch replied, "We are family, no need for formalities. Focus on recovering, Sister Yan."

The "Wind-Hand" sat up, stretched his arm, and grinned. "I'm fine now, Patriarch. I'll go back to the city with you."

The Patriarch waved a hand. "Unacceptable. I'm leaving you behind to protect Sister Yan, our senior master."

Hearing this, Jiang Feiyan's eyes flushed red, and she turned her head away.