Chasing The Rats- II
Lu Donghai and five clan members first caught 30 wild animals. It included deers, wild buffaloes and other animals in the forest. They tied ropes to their necks and then trained them for two weeks. It was not sufficient to train them like tamed animals but they could at least make them move to the desired location while placing them between the people who surrounded them. Then they put shoes on the toes of most of the animals and fastened them to their legs with ropes and clothed them. After that, they herded the whole bunch of varied animals towards the crooked stone fields. It was not much of a full proof plan but it was to let others think that a mass movement of people migrating from one place to another if ever one catches the trail from the ground. Once in a while, they threw old shoes, food, small worn out things and rags behind. Sometimes they even make small fires in multiple places like real camping people do or place stones and small burnt twigs to indicate the presence of human activities. It was mostly displayed like someone trying to hide the traces but unable to do it too well because of limited time.
After leading the most bizarre herd to the crooked stone field they continued doing the same for a very long time. The crooked stone fields region was like numerous low lying hills. Once a person climbs up the topmost peak he could see everything in that area. It was vast and it had places to hide too if one lied on the ground but it was mostly barren except for boulders and rocks that lay everywhere. A person or two might be able to stay completely hidden but not for a large number of people. After moving very far toward the northeastern region they started building numerous tents with hides and sticks which they had their herds carry on their back. Then Donghai led his men to tie a few weaker animals and laid them on the ground to resemble tired men sleeping outside the camps. After that, the six people dug several four feet deep pits inside the tents and burnt multiple six feet tall logs that they had brought, burning them at one end while putting the flames out with only embers remaining, then they bound a few logs together, fastening each of them at the top of the tents with a rope and hanging them upside down, dangling it to burn them like inverted incense. The tent was then nicely covered from all sides to prevent wind from blowing inside the tent and catching up fire on the logs as the region was quite windy. The holes on the sides and rooftop were made just adequately to let the embers keep glowing and smokes escaping. Then they made a fence around the camp with stone boulders, rags, pelt and cloth so that the inside of the camp remain shrouded except for the top of the tent.
When everything was prepared they rode the strongest wild bulls and directed themselves towards the northern region to hide in the forest. From afar when they looked back it looked like a camp with people residing inside. It looked shabby and very badly constructed, the camp was also silent except for the three animals bound to the pole rattling the dangling utensils tied to ropes when they moved around it, but the smoke coming out of the tent was all too plausible.
With everything done on their part, it was only left to the two pursuing clans to bite the bait and give them enough time to cross the entire region.
"Let's get moving," Lu Yehan cried. Arthur was was in Lu Yehan's boat along with his mother who sat beside him. There were many people on the boat so they conversed through mental power only. In fact, most of the people who were in the rank of Skilled Practitioners and above communicated through telepathy only for fear of being discovered. They carried only essential items like dried food, water, a few utensils, clothing, medicines and weapons. No treasures or other household equipment were carried by them. The nonperishable wealth and treasures were all buried underground in other regions, the remaining items were all left in the base to be retrieved later if possible. But, they highly doubted that they could get back their belongings because once they were able to enter the groove and the pursuers realized of being made a fool they would surely return to the area where they first encountered the Lu Clan members to search the place once more even extending their search deep inside the swamp. Their belongings were mostly turned into silver and gold before they left the village so they didn't bother much. Most of their worries were to travel safely. They moved fast and ate dried rations, some herbs or berries they found on their way so they weren't required to make any fire. Resting only when it was completely dark, sleeping on tree branches by tying themselves to the tree trunks and travelling by the coming of the first light without resting at all. The pace was a little slower because of them skirting away from dangers posed by the forest beasts and also while avoiding the possible hunters from other villages but it was still steady and reasonable stride. The children were also exceptionally receptive to the circumstances they were currently facing and none complained much. Moreover, they were all boosted by the body strengthening eel's blood, therefore, they were sturdy beyond their age, most importantly Arthur who was the youngest among them didn't complain even a single time. Thus, before the other children could start to make a nuisance they were soon hushed by their parents giving an example of how well behaved Arthur was. It was a very effective way to discipline their children by praising other children before them. Soon they crossed the central region and moved towards the east region.
The hunting party on the other hand were altogether overly careful. They had regrouped and all 50 of them just trailed behind the tracks slowly and picked up every clue that was left behind. There were traps but none of them fell for them, they were the most proficient in scouting compared to the younger ones. Their movement was at a leisurely pace because they had finally tracked the actual group instead of chasing the phantoms and were also waiting to meet their clan heads. Liu Longwei and Bai Dong had also eased relatively compared to their previous behaviour. They all soon gathered together on the sixth day, of the departure of clan heads from their temporary base camp.
"Liu Longwei picked up a partially burned twigs from the ground and said, "they surely left this way. From the trails, they left behind it does look like a huge group of people went this way roughly ten days ago. Let's move faster and apprehend them."
"Let's kill them all," added Bai Dong with full emotion.
The more they moved toward the northwest the more they found the tracks of their prey, it truly excited them all. They found the marks left behind by the shoes on the ground. With the revelation of more trails found on the way they travelled faster and on the 8th day, they reached the crooked stone fields.
Liu Longwei educated his fellowmen by saying, "All of you remember my words, no matter how well you hide the tracks when you lead a huge number of people you'll always drop hints everywhere, it is just a basic human nature."
It was no knowledge that they don't understand, every one of them came to the same conclusion but Liu Longwei wanted to act like he was of full wisdom. And to get to the good side of the most powerful person in the village every one of them agreed and praised how Liu Longwei was full of wisdom.
They travelled for another day and on the 9th day, they found smoke coming out from a faraway camp. They moved towards it travelling only through the low grounds in fear of being discovered, on nearing it they heard some faint rattling sound. When they finally arrived closer to the camp they heard the sound of metal clanking louder and clearer. Soon, Lu Longwei ordered his men to surround the camp. Bai Dong acted similarly and ordered his men. Then Liu Longwei challenged, "Hahaha, Lu Donghai come out and meet your grandpa. Do you think that you can fool my clan and leave the village quietly? Come out and witness how I cleanse your clan with your blood. Trying to dupe Tribulation Realm is a heinous crime, you know."
There was absolute silence except for the clanking sound coming out of the camp.
Bai Dong also bellowed, "Not only did you hide around like a rat but are you gone mute too. We have surrounded your clan, come out and greet us."
Another long silence, then it was followed by the same rattling sound of metal clanking.
After pausing for something they realised that something was wrong. They felt that there was another trap so they hesitated for some time and when there was still no movement or response from inside. They sent one man to tear down the fence. The pelt was strongly tied to a post but was finally pulled down.
The entire camp was eventually exposed and there was not a single soul living inside it. Lu Donghai and his men had left the camp three days before so obviously, there was no one inside it. The startled people soon tore open the entire tent and found logs hanging and burning inside the tent, there were only half a foot long logs burning. They also found that there were three animals tied on the pole inside another three tents grazing on the fooder and rattling the dangling cooking utensils when it moved.
Lu Longwei ordered, "They might be nearby search the surrounding area."
The 50 experts went out and searched in every direction for an entire day but they didn't find a single living soul. Liu Longwei sat there like a statue the entire time thinking about everything from the start and soon realised something. He announced, "Let's all go back to the base camp, there is no point searching anymore. They are not in the crooked stone fields." The whole party immediately left the area and moved towards the base camp. The returning journey took a shorter time as they were no longer moving cautiously or were they in search of the trails. Therefore, it took them only six days to reach the base camp. That is in total they took 16 days to reach the crooked stone fields and return back to the base camp.
Lu Clan's migration towards the east took longer time than they anticipated. The children soon fell sick so they had to move slower and build fires to keep their children warm at night. Arthur also fell sick, the forest was more treacherous, especially for children and eating only dried foods took its toll on them. The adults were not affected at all by a little or so-called hardships but children were entirely different. Even after planning the entire process meticulously he merely failed to consider the most basic thing. Arthur realised his foolishness, he was so stupid, he brought the whole clan into destruction. He reached out to his mother, embraced her and apologised for his stupidity. He felt that it was even funny to ask his grandfather to take him to the crooked stone fields. It was only due to his caring grandfather and his father who left him with his mother and went on their mission without heeding his words. After apologising to his mother, Lu Yehan and Jia Kong for his greatest blunder Arthur swore never to endanger his loved ones because of this kind of inconsiderate deduction.
On reaching the base camp Liu Chong's men and Bai Xiang's men who were patrolling in the surrounding area of the camp found a napkin of a baby and came running to report to Liu Longwei and Bai Dong. It was a napkin dropped by a Lu Clan member by negligence. The Lu clan were careful but when one can member was climbing the tree with a baby the napkin fell. It was dark hence the mother of the baby didn't notice and the next day when she searched she did not find it. The Lu clan left without even knowing as they were in a hurry and the mother of the child also didn't inform anyone because of fear of getting admonished. Thus, the napkin fell into the hands of the pursuing clan.
When the patrol team reported about it, Bai Dong immediately said, "The Lu clan could actually be travelling in this area, they dragged us up north purposely. Let's chase after them and kill them."