"Yes, sir, you can use the boat at will, but we won’t send our men, you go down yourselves."
The boatmen said. Upon hearing this, the River Patrol Soldiers immediately became angry, brandishing their knives and threatening, "You bunch of troublemakers dare to defy orders? Believe it or not, I’ll chop you down right now!"
Hearing this, the boatmen were also provoked. One boatman grabbed a stool and stood up, while others took up clubs and fish knives, all of them standing up in anger. They then said to the River Patrol Soldiers, "Damn it, you want us to go down to the river? You’re trying to kill us! If I’m going to die, I’ll make sure you dog government officers go down with me. Come on, let’s fight!"
Seeing the boatmen so bold, the government soldiers didn’t dare to strike for a moment. After all, they were around forty years old on average, while these boatmen were in their twenties and thirties, in the prime age for fighting.
At this point, the government officer, with no other choice, a fifty-year-old elder stepped forward and said, "Everyone, calm down, we were wrong earlier. But we are just following orders from above. If we don’t go down into the river, we can’t measure the water levels. Without that, the villages downstream might be in trouble. Aren’t we doing all of this for the greater good?"
Hearing this, the boatmen relaxed a little and said, "Uncle, you’re right, but with the weather and the water , no one dares to go down. Anyone who goes now is asking for death, unless they’re crazy!"
Hearing this, the government officers also looked disheartened and dared not enter the water.
Who doesn’t know that going into the water now is courting death! In previous great floods, many sailors have perished, so now no one is willing to take the risk.
Although some of them came from families of Water Officials for generations and were told that sailors should not fear death in such situations, what a damn court this is! Not fear death for a measly two maces of Silver a month? Why should I risk my life?
While they were thinking this, suddenly there was a commotion outside.
"Brothers, this is the best spot in Mianshui for measurement, let’s do it here. Tighten the ropes, whether the boat can hold or not depends on you."
The government soldiers and the boatmen, who were arguing inside, were startled at this. Then, as they opened the door, they saw a group of men dressed in black with the character ’Fish’ embroidered on their chests, arriving at the waterfront.
They were securing the boats to the dragons’ spines with thick ropes, the other ends tied around sturdy trees.
Everything in place, a man wearing a hat and a straw raincoat slowly approached, pulling at the ropes to see how strong and secure they were.
Then he turned and said, "Brothers, the Gang Leader has said that Mianshui River concerns the life and death of tens of thousands of people upstream and downstream, so we must accurately grasp the dynamics of the water level. But we all know that going into the river now is suicide."
"But the Gang Leader’s order is like a military order; we must complete it. So who will go?"
As soon as Zhou Chu finished speaking, a group of younger Fishing Guild members eagerly raised their hands. Zhou Chu said, "Good, brothers. According to the rules, those who are the sole sons in their families, take one step back."
Hearing this, a few men reluctantly stepped back.
Zhou Chu glanced over and kicked a teenager about sixteen or seventeen, "Xiao Song, aren’t you the sole son in your family? Step back."
Xiao Song stumbled from the kick but stubbornly stepped forward, "Hall Master, I’m not, I have an older brother."
Zhou Chu frowned, "Didn’t your brother die in battle half a year ago while escorting Doctor Bai? You’re the sole son now, step back."
"I’m not, I still have a brother, that doesn’t count as the sole son!"
Xiao Song insisted obstinately. He was the younger brother of one of the twenty-eight heroes who had escorted Bai Wenjing.
Zhou Chu looked at this stubborn youth, patted his shoulder, and said, "Don’t cause trouble, kid. Wait till you’re older. Chen Xiaosong, step back; that’s an order from the Hall Master."
Xiao Song replied with a crying voice.
And then Zhou Chu continued, "Those who are unmarried, step back."
Hearing this, another group of men reluctantly stepped back.
"Those with children under three years old, step back."
Again, men stepped back.
After this selection process, six men were chosen, and through drawing lots, the two who drew the short straws would go down into the river.
Hearing this, six men came forward to draw lots. Soon after, two brothers fist-bumped and said, "Gentlemen, we’ll take the credit this time, please forgive us."
The people around them looked at the two with sadness in their eyes, as these two appeared gallant, but in reality, they were headed to their deaths.
Zhou Chu stepped forward and said, "Brothers, take care. If anything happens, the Fishing Guild will take care of your parents and children. If you make it back safely, you’ll be awarded third-class merit, a reward of a hundred taels of patterned Silver, and a set of Willow Tendon Realm Cultivation Technique."
"Thank you, Hall Master. Brothers, give us a push, into the river!"
Hearing this, Zhou Chu commanded, "Into the river."
As he spoke, the two men boarded the boat and went directly into the river, as Zhou Chu suddenly grabbed the ropes and shouted, "Hold on, brothers, their lives are in our hands now!"
As the two men rowed into the river with its undercurrents, they struggled forward until a sudden surge nearly made them fall into the water. An immense force had everyone on the shore gritting their teeth to hold on.
At this moment, the government soldiers and boatmen inside the house were stunned by the scene; these Fishing Guild people were reckless with their lives, throwing them away so easily!
They didn’t understand what kind of spirit drove them to risk their lives to measure the water. They didn’t get it, not really.
However, in their shocked moment, the oldest Water Official shouted, "Quick, help them!"
At his command, everyone rushed out of the house, grabbing onto the ropes, while the two brothers on the boat fought to stabilize it, then inserted the measuring rod for water levels into the water.
One zhang, two zhang, three zhang, three zhang!
"Hall Master, three zhang three!"
One of the men in the river shouted.
Zhou Chu’s face showed shock, then he heard a thunderous roar from the sky, and then saw a Flood Dragon with majestic horns rise into the sky from the depths of Mianshui, piercing the clouds.
It let out a thunderous roar!
Seeing this, all the people in Mianshui County observing Mianshui River were startled.
"A Flood Dragon has emerged in Mianshui!"
The Medicine King Treasure is about to appear!