Chapter Eighteen: Night Stars, Frosted Blades, Cold as Water

Since their goals were aligned, the next steps became easier. Xu You had not entirely dispelled his doubts about Deng Tao, but here and now, he still had to rely on him to deal with the assassins, and he himself had nothing to his name. As the saying goes, the barefoot are not afraid of those wearing shoes; nor did he fear any schemes on the other side.

Xu You changed his manner of address, saying, "Brother Deng, the Flying Fiend may be even harder to deal with than the Killer Fiend or the Moon Fiend. If you wish to reach Jinling safely, you must no longer conceal your strength from this moment on. Will this be too much to ask?"

There must be a huge reason why Deng Tao hid in Yuan's mansion under the guise of a captain. Xu You’s arrangement might disrupt Deng Tao’s plans, hence the question.

"Alright!" Deng Tao agreed readily, without a hint of hesitation or pretense. He said, "Let me then experience firsthand the infamous spear and arrows of the Flying Fiend!"

Xu You clapped his hands. "If only there were wine here—your boldness deserves a grand toast!"

At that moment, Zuo Wen entered from outside to report that all preparations were in place; three carefully selected men had already taken the skiff ahead for reconnaissance. Xu You and Deng Tao acted as if their previous conversation had never happened, returning to their ordinary selves. The three of them repeatedly calculated the possible timing, location, and method of appearance for the Flying Fiend and the Shadow Fiend, and devised corresponding countermeasures. During this, Xu You spared no detail, often spotting weaknesses and flaws in their strategy before the others did, his meticulous thinking leaving everyone astonished.

Another hour passed thus. Heaven was unkind: first, a few scattered raindrops fell; then, in moments, the rain became swift and fierce, beating on the river like countless fish and shrimp tumbling, adding a lively charm to the night.

"Report!"

A voice came from outside the cabin. Zuo Wen immediately rushed over, flung open the door, and rain swept in with the river wind, soaking Zuo Wen’s armor almost instantly.

"Speak!"

"Fifteen miles ahead, a light skiff was spotted. The boatman stands nine feet tall, carries a long spear, and is drifting downstream. Estimated to meet us in two quarters of an hour!"

Xu You and Deng Tao both stood up in the cabin, the wind and rain clamoring in their ears as they exchanged glances.

The Flying Fiend had finally arrived!

"Is he alone on the skiff?"

"Yes. Qian Tong submerged to observe as the skiff approached, and confirmed there was only one person."

"How did you estimate two quarters of an hour?"

"After receiving Qian Tong’s signal, Zhao Zheng and I returned ahead of him, at that time one mile from the skiff. The reconnaissance boat is fast, the skiff slow, and the boatman’s rowing is clumsy, unfamiliar with the river’s currents, and the heavy rain hinders him. Roughly estimated, even at the fastest, it will take two quarters of an hour for the encounter."

Seeing Xu You listening with keen attention, Deng Tao said in a low voice, "This man is Li Cai, a squad leader. His martial skills are mediocre, but he’s sharp-witted. Qian Tong who went with him is unmatched in swimming, and Zhao Zheng can see several hundred paces at night."

No wonder Zuo Wen chose these three for the task, a true display of employing people to their strengths. Xu You walked over and asked, "You’re Li Cai?"

Li Cai was thin, with delicate features, and especially bright, lively eyes. Hearing Xu You’s voice, he bent respectfully and replied, "That is my humble name!"

"I ask you, what is our boat’s speed? What is the skiff’s speed? What is the river’s speed?" The meeting of two boats was a classic math problem—Xu You had solved it countless times since junior high, but he didn’t know the speeds, so he asked Li Cai.

There were no scientific means of measuring speed at this time, only experienced boatmen's estimates. The knotted-rope method for measuring speed wouldn’t appear until the sixteenth century, but generally, the more experienced the boatman, the less error in estimation. Li Cai quickly reported several numbers; Xu You instantly calculated the answer, his expression shifting as he called out, "Captain, go to the second deck and act as planned. Officer, come with me. We have at most one quarter of an hour—hurry, there’s no time!"

A quarter of an hour?

Zuo Wen and Deng Tao glanced at each other; Li Cai was also surprised, raising his head. Xu You had no time to explain, nor could he; should he lecture them on X and Y, or equations? "This is a secret timing method of the Xu family, absolutely accurate—do not hesitate!"

Though the Xu clan had been exterminated, it was once a noble house; if he claimed a secret method, no one would dare doubt. Deng Tao saluted and promptly led his men to fortify the second deck. Zuo Wen followed Xu You to another cabin.

Li Cai and the others left, then stood up from the floor. He was confident his own calculation couldn’t be so inaccurate, certainly not a full quarter of an hour off, but as a minor figure, he dared not speak more, though he was unconvinced.

The wind and rain grew harsher!

Dozens of wind-resistant lanterns were raised, illuminating the ship’s center and prow as if it were daylight; only the mast further astern was still dark and unclear.

"Quick, one squad on the north face; second and third squads guard the flanks; fourth squad stay below the mast..."

"Raise shields! Don’t panic—four in front, three behind, shields up, shields up!"

"Five to a row, form a crescent. Remember, lower your hips, feet staggered, grip tightly, shoulder against the shield, close ranks, leave no gaps."

"Steady the spears, brace them, brace them! Damn it, who’s pointing their spear at the shield-bearer’s head? Angle up, angle up, do you understand? You fools!"

At Deng Tao’s command, each squad, each group, swordsmen, shield-bearers, spearmen, all arranged themselves in layers from the prow to the mast astern, a dense array of soldiers and weapons. The seemingly simple yet subtle formation transformed this spacious area into a hell teeming with deadly intent.

And above the mast, two bodies hung!

More precisely, two corpses: one was the Killer Fiend, missing an arm, the other the Moon Fiend, wrapped in a red cloak. Both had disheveled hair, heads drooping, their hands and waists bound with thick ropes.

A quarter of an hour—never so short, yet never so long!

Big drops of rain fell from the heavens, striking the foreheads, cheeks, and bodies of the Yuan clan troops. They stared wide-eyed, those at the front gazing into the darkness of the river ahead, those at the rear could only see their comrades’ backs. But no matter what, whenever they looked up, they saw Deng Tao’s towering figure and felt reassured.

Deng Tao stood alone at the very prow, a single-handed spear slung over his shoulder, arms hanging at his sides, unmoving as a mountain.

"A boat, one mile ahead!" Zhao Zheng shouted suddenly from the lookout.

Swish!

Everyone gripped their weapons at once; the trembling of blades and shafts created a collective sound—a sharp "swish!"

"Four hundred paces—it’s a skiff!"

"Three hundred paces—there’s a person, nine feet tall, carrying a long spear!"

"Two hundred paces..."

"One hundred paces!"

As Zhao Zheng’s voice faded, a skiff appeared from the darkness, a giant standing at the stern. He slammed the paddle into the water, and the skiff abruptly sped up several times.

Thirty paces!

Close enough to see faces. The giant was nine feet tall, five spears strapped to his back, eyes like bronze bells, his face rugged, a knife scar as wide as a finger cut from his right brow to his left lip, the flesh curling and twisting, terrifying to behold.

He looked at the warship before him, smiled coldly, and with full force, the prow of the skiff rose while the stern nearly submerged. Then, like an arrow released, it soared diagonally through the air, heading straight for the warship’s prow.

The ten men behind Deng Tao were the bravest in Yuan’s force. In the day’s bloody battle with the Killer Fiend, they led the charge and all survived, a testament to their strength. Yet, faced with this scene, their courage nearly failed, unsure how to block with their heavy shields.

"Who goes there?" Deng Tao’s voice rang out, usually gentle, now deep and powerful, splitting the night like thunder, echoing: Who goes... there... there!

The flying skiff seemed to pause midair for a moment, but this was just a blink; except for Deng Tao, none sensed it. To the others, the skiff still hurtled forward.

The giant did not answer!

Deng Tao reached to his side, and as if by magic, the single-handed spear slid into his grasp. He stamped his foot, leaped into the air, shifted from one hand to two, gripping the staff firmly. Without any flashy move, the spearhead traced an arc, sweeping toward a third of the skiff’s side with a heroic, unstoppable momentum.

Deng Tao, who always fought single-handed, used both hands at the very first clash!

The giant ignored him, true energy coursing again through his feet. With his mastery, he could make the skiff jump precisely five inches, avoiding the spear and propelling himself above the attacker. At that moment, the attacker’s momentum would falter, his mind unsettled by the failed strike, his breath and fighting spirit disrupted, while the giant would be at his peak.

Victory decided.

The skiff trembled, its hull leaping upward invisibly fast. Deng Tao laughed aloud, "Flying Fiend, you’ve fallen into the trap!"

The forward momentum vanished instantly; the spear, without pause, whipped upward, striking precisely the third of the skiff’s side, as if it had waited there for the skiff to deliver itself.

Crack!

This skiff, seized at the ferry for speed, was a common craft, made of the cheapest willow, aged and loose, struck at its weakest joint, and could not withstand Deng Tao’s blow. It shattered instantly.

The giant frowned, realizing Deng Tao had feigned weakness, luring him in with the skiff, planning to finish him in one move. But Deng Tao had turned the tables, destroyed the skiff, and seized the initiative!

The single-handed spear pierced the side, and amid flying splinters, silent as a ghost, aimed straight for the Flying Fiend’s vital dantian!

The Flying Fiend faced the change calmly, but no longer underestimated his foe. He tapped a fallen plank beneath him, his massive body soaring three feet, swaying like a feather with the spear’s wind, narrowly dodging the thrust. Then, light as a bird, he landed, running as if on flat ground, his feet tapping twice on the spear’s shaft, body flying parallel, claws reaching for Deng Tao’s throat!

Only now did Deng Tao understand why such a burly giant was called the Flying Fiend!

He was like an eagle; the air was his domain.

There were those who mastered lightness skills, but seeing such agility in a giant was a first for Deng Tao!

Seeing death approaching, Deng Tao suddenly dropped back, kicking the spearhead. The wooden shaft, its flexibility revealed in crisis, bent under the force of true energy, snapping back like a whip at the Flying Fiend’s head.

The Flying Fiend’s eyes blazed with anger, surprised at his opponent’s tenacity. Without visible movement, a long spear shot from his back toward the spearhead.

Bang! The single-handed spear vibrated back to form, the long spear bounced away, caught by the Flying Fiend, but Deng Tao escaped his grasp.

From Deng Tao’s attack on the prow, only a few breaths had passed, three moves exchanged, both walking the edge of death—a testament to the danger.

"Good, take another move—Cold Star of the Night!"

Deng Tao, undaunted by his narrow escape, gripped the shaft with both hands. The spearhead shone with countless silver sparks, overwhelming, attacking the Flying Fiend. The Flying Fiend’s expression was cold, retreating in midair; his long spear shot out, and at the crucial instant before the silver points converged, broke through the layers of spear shadows, striking precisely at the joint of spearhead and shaft.

The silver light scattered, Deng Tao forced back three feet, flipping to land steadily at the prow.

The Flying Fiend had no foothold and was forced into the river. The water was icy, but he seemed unaware.

"Who are you? To withstand my spear, you cannot be nameless!"

Deng Tao leaned forward, gazing across the ten meters separating him from the Flying Fiend, and said, "Flying Fiend, you’re mistaken. I am merely a humble captain of Yuan’s house—a true nobody!"

He was further undermining the Flying Fiend’s confidence. After all, if one couldn’t defeat even a captain of Yuan’s house, what face would they have to show in the world?