Subdue

"Hold the rope ring!" Li Du said in a deep voice.

He didn't need to tell Big Beard what to do. The poor fellow struggled in the cold water, trying to hold on to the loop Li Du had tied at the front of the rope.

Li Du tugged at his arms and pulled Big Beard quickly up the ice layer.

The ice over there was very fragile, and with the additional weight of Big Beard the whole ice surface around them broke with a mighty crunch!

Now it was getting interesting. The people around, who were originally ready to rescue Big Beard, all wobbled unsteadily and fell into the icy water like dumplings!

Big Beard was fine. He lay prone so his pressure on the ice was small, and the ice on his side remained intact while Li Du successfully pulled him up.

Taking the rope out of his hand, Li Du threw it down to another man and fished out the five men one by one.