Chapter Fifty-two: Gathering One's Mind

  After Du Zhong and Pang San's men left, the place became extremely quiet for a while, until a loud laughter suddenly came from the Chengtian Palace, breaking everything.

  That person was unexpectedly Qin Ling, who should have been dead after being seen by Jiang Yunshui! Qin Ling walked to the front of the already wide open gate of Cheng Tian Palace, but then hid again in the darkness, as if extremely averse to the sunlight in the sky.

  Hiding in the dark, Qin Ling whispered to himself with a smile: "I know all your secrets, people of Haozi Camp! Jiang Yunshui! And Du Zhong, I will make you pay the price!"

  However, Jiang Yunshui and the others who had already left did not expect that after they left, two people who were extremely hostile to them would actually come out alive.

  Because of the loss of General Cha Qian in the Haozi Camp, their connection with the government was completely cut off. Therefore, Jiang Yunshui could only lead the people from the Haozi Camp to take the small paths and avoid taking so many people on the main road.

  On the road, several people from the Hedgehog Camp left one after another, but this was also an inevitable thing, after all, the Hedgehog Camp was completely declining.

  Moreover, because no doctor was found, Peng Tianyong had been in a coma for several days, and the two broken legs also showed signs of festering.

  Among the five people sent out by the wasteland camp, only one person returned in the end, and that was with Lang Zhong. The other four people had no news and also left the wasteland camp.

  Looking at the dwindling number of people in Hāozi Camp, Jiang Yúnshuǐ also felt a heavy heart. If it weren't for that period with Hóng and Qiān Chénglín, he feared that the things he brought out from Dìguàn Mountain would also be taken away by the people in Hāozi Camp.

  Now there are hardly a few people who truly care about the camp, and those who stay here also have other thoughts in mind. So Jiang Yunshui has not been able to sleep well for several days, always being on guard against his belongings being stolen.

  On the tenth day, Jiang Yingshui and his group finally arrived at a villa, where Peng Tianyuan could also take good care of himself.

  During this period, Jiang Yunshui and his party did not fail to encounter other villages. However, during this period, the Qing army was recruiting soldiers like crazy, and they were also severely suppressing the rebels. For many mountain bandits, these Qing troops were no longer as soft-hearted as before.

  In order to avoid conflict with these Qing soldiers, Jiang Yunshui and his group could only choose to avoid them. The village they were looking for now was already deserted, with only a few elderly people left behind, all the young people in the village had already disappeared.

  According to what Hong and Qian Chenglin said to Jiang Yunshui, they first need to take a temporary refuge here, and also take this opportunity to properly sort out the affairs within the Huoziying.

  This morning, Jiang Yunshui followed Duan Hong and Qian Chenglin to a relatively good household in the village. Now this household only has one gatekeeper left.

  The gatekeeper also knew that some unusual people had come to the villa, so after Jiang Feng and others arrived, he did not stop them, letting them bring in the remaining dozen or so remnants of the Huoziying.

  Jiang Yunshui did not take the chair at the head, but instead chose to sit down on a stool beside it. Then Duan Hong and the others sat down one after another.

  Qian Chenglin bowed his hands to Jiang Yunshui and said: "I have been through the ups and downs of the Tiandihui for thirty years, stealing into the ancient imperial mausoleum many times. I have encountered countless dangers, and lost nearly nine out of ten brothers. But today, heaven has opened its eyes, and the son of my sworn brother, Jiang Yunshui, will temporarily take over as the leader of our Tiandihui, marking a new beginning for our organization!"

  That's what Hong said to Qian Chenglin: "Big Lin brother is right, in the past few days, some brothers have left our camp, if this were in the past, it would be a serious matter. But now is different from before, my camp indeed has signs of decline, but you all know that our big brother's son, Shui Xiaosheng, risked his life to bring out the 'Zi Xu Thief Book' from Emperor Crown Mountain, I believe this is the sign that Shui brothers will lead us to rise again."

  Another person in the hall said, "Brother Duan and Brother Da Lin are right. We've all seen how Xiao Shui behaves, I believe he'll become the second Jiang Jing!"

  Huang Dao said, "Let me say something irreverent. I think Xiao Shui is more formidable than Jiang Jingge. If I'm not mistaken, the true master of our camp will be him in the future. At that time, we'll be like Cao Mengde's 'Mo Jin School Lieutenant' from the Three Kingdoms period!"

  After hearing Duan Hong say this, the dozen or so people in the room were all whispering to each other, exchanging worried glances. Jiang Yunshui looked at their expressions and thought of what Duan Hong had said earlier - that if he wanted to win over the remaining people, he would have to bring up his father and his own performance on Emperor's Crown Mountain; only then could he hold onto the last few people.

  Duan Hong saw that the timing was ripe, stood up and bowed his fist to the people in the hall of Huoziying, saying: "Brothers! Today I, Duan Hong, dare to replace the leader and say a word. From today on, Huoziying will truly become sworn brothers who shed blood for each other!"

  Qian Chenglin also echoed: "Duan Ge said it well! Our Haozi Camp has indeed tapped the heavenly and earthly drums three times, but we didn't make a blood oath, which is why many people have left us in recent days. From today on, if you want to join our Haozi Camp, you must take a blood oath!"

  At this time, Jiang Yunshui also stood up and saluted the people present with a fist: "Although my younger brother doesn't understand many rules of the rivers and lakes, this Haozi camp has always relied on brothers to support it. Today, I'll take the lead!"

  Just as Jiang Yunshui finished speaking, Qian Chenglin had already brought over a wine bowl and poured the wine he had brought with him into it. Jiang Yunshui took the short blade handed to him by Qian Chenglin and made a cut on his own palm, causing blood to flow out from his palm.

  Jiang Fengshui placed his palm beside the bowl, allowing some of the blood from his palm to drip in. Then Qian Chenglin took over the short blade and also cut open his palm, letting the blood fall into the bowl.

  After Duan Hong did so, the others in the hall also poured their blood into the bowl one after another. When all thirteen people in the hall, including Jiang Yunshui, picked up the bowls, they knelt down on one knee with Jiang Yunshui at the lead, facing the outside of the door.

  "Today, I, Jiang Yunshui, as the acting leader of the Sky-Swallowing Camp, lead all of you to take this oath with blood wine: we are born as members of the camp, and die as ghosts of the camp. If anyone betrays this oath, their body will have no place to rest!"

  As Jiang Yong's voice fell, the twelve people behind him, including Duan Hong, all raised their blood-filled bowls and said: "I am Duan Hong of Haozi Camp... I am Qian Chenglin of Haozi Camp... I am Zheng Qiu of Haozi Camp... With this blood oath, we swear to be members of the camp in life and ghosts of the camp in death. If we betray this oath, our bodies will have no place to rest!"

  After Jiang and the thirteen people finished drinking from their bowls, they all smashed them to pieces at once. The thirteen people then stood up from the ground and smiled at each other.

  Duan Hong first bowed his hands and saluted Jiang Yunshui: "Haoziying Duan Hong has seen General Jiang!"

  Qian Chenglin also rode up and said: "Haoziying Qian Chenglin has seen Jiang Ledou!"

  The remaining ten people also made a fist and bowed, after receiving this courtesy, Jiang Yunshui also made a fist and returned the courtesy: "Thanks to all the uncles, elders and brothers for looking up to me, from now on, our camp will rely on you!"

  Those thirteen people in the room all responded, and then Jiang Yunshui and others talked about some things about Haoziying before rushing to Peng Tianrui's residence.

  After returning here, the personal attendant who stayed to take care of Peng Tianyuan told Jiang Yunshui and others that Peng Tianyuan was no longer in serious condition and had woken up.

  This made Jiang Yunshui and the others secretly delighted, and Peng Tianyang's personal attendant also told Jiang Yunshui that Peng Tianyang wanted to let him come in to see himself after he returned.

  After entering the house, Jiang Yunshui indeed saw Peng Tianyang, who had been sleeping for more than ten days, now leaning against the wall and sitting there smiling at himself. Jiang Yunshui walked over a few steps and said: "Uncle Tianyang? How are you feeling?"

  Peng Tianyang nodded lightly and said, "After sleeping for so long, I feel much better."

  "That's good, that's good."

  Peng Tianrui looked at Jiang Yenshui and said, "Yenshui, you must take good care of Haoziying. I don't ask you to make Haoziying glorious, but don't let it disperse while I'm still alive."