CoPW 159 – Do not touch the window.
Translated by Joycelyn
Fu Shi’s roar let everyone know that the killings had started tonight.
The people that were surveying the outside had already started fighting against the invaders; roars, collision sounds, screams, and other noises could be heard.
At the same time, the people on the Water Moon Canal bank had also picked up their speed.
The battle outside had already begun; the warriors there will naturally stop them, but who’s to know if their defenses will be broken through, and not to mention that these people are from the Martyr tribe. They are simply here to give up their lives, they are all completely mad.
“While they are not here yet, take the chance to collect all the Water Moonstones!”
While saying this, Ping felt that Chen Jia alone was too slow, she looked down at the river bottom below her house, then looked at the surrounding houses’, the rest of them already had other people going into the water to help collect, and her own house only had Chen Jia alone. This year, although their house had more Water Moonstones than the rest, but if this continues, collecting them will definitely take a much longer time.
This is not good. Once the time is over, the Water Moonstones will become dimmer, and and will even become normal stones. They had to pick up the pace.
Looking over to Shao Xuan at her side, Ping said: “Shao Xuan, I’m going down with Chen Jia to collect the Water Moonstones together, when we throw them up, you can just catch them from here.”
“Okay, no problem.”
Ping jumped into the water, swimming quickly down to the river floor, collecting the Water Moonstones together with Chen Jia. The Water Moonstones that at the surface of the river floor had all been thrown up onto the bank by Chen Jia already, the rest left were just some Water Moonstones that were buried under the mud.
Shao Xuan took the stones that Ping and Chen Jia threw up and put them into the rattan basket, and because of that, a bright white light shone out from the basket. But because the rattan basket had a layer of beast skin covered around it, light only came out from the top of the basket and not around it.
Catching the Water Moonstones thrown up on the bank, placing them into the rattan basket, Shao Xuan was also paying attention to the distant fighting sounds. There seemed to be quite a lot of them who came. But then, because every year there would always be incidents of robbing or stealing of the Water Moonstones, the Drumming tribe had already made ample preparations against them. They shouldn’t be too big of a problem.
Following that most Water Moonstones had been collected, the shine coming from the Water Moon Canal faded.
About half an hour later, there wasn’t any more light coming from the Water Moon Canal, but now instead came from the rattan baskets on the bank. However people were not showing expressions of happiness on their faces because of the collected Water Moonstones. In fact they were worried.
“Looks like it can’t be helped.” A slightly older person spoke up.
“There will always be somebody coming.”
“Luckily the Water Moonstones have already been harvested, if not, we would be letting them take advantage of us!”A woman ruthlessly said. Previously, there were similar incidents that happened before, the people guarding the outside may not always be able to hold back the invaders, and the ones that charged into the tribe would dive into the Water Moon Canal, stealing away the uncollected Water Moonstones.
The slightly older guy that spoke up before revealed his totems, jumped into the water, swam to the other side of the canal bank from the outer region and slightly lowered his body.
Waiting for the right moment, he took a step out, his legs exploded with power, leaving behind deep footprints on the ground. Like lightning flashing, he leaped out, the large beast skin leather he had on him gave out sounds like that of a knife cutting through something due to the changes in the air stream around him.
A silhouette came out from the woods at a high speed, with no time at all for a reaction, he had been hammered with a punch, the bones from his chest broke, creating a ‘ka ka’ sound.
He had not given out his last breath yet though, and was still struggling. However at this moment, a massive hand extended out, fingers clutching like claws, pressing down just above the position of his heart.
Puchi!
The fingers pierced right through, crushing the heart of the invader.
From the start when the slightly older guy took action, to the point where he killed the invader that came over, all of this actually happened in a very short period of time. Although it looked like this fight was simple, just like a one sided slaughter, but in fact, it was not true.
Shao Xuan realized that after killing the invader, that older guy was panting heavily. It was for the fact that at that moment it was crucial to kill the enemy quickly, for as longer they delayed, the more unfavourable it became for them. Furthermore, other than the initial burst of instantaneous movement rushing out from his legs, their speed cannot be compared to the invaders. If the Water Moonstones were successfully snatched away by the invaders and they fled, they might not even be able to chase up to them.
“There are already people coming?” Ping showed her concern. The past few years there were also some who were able to rush in here, however this year, the Drumming tribe had made a lot of measures, the people guarding outside were not few either.
Initially they thought they could hold them back longer this time, allowing the Water Moon Canal more time to prepare, to set up, looking at this situation now, things were happening a little worse than what they had expected.
“Quick let the children take the Water Moonstones and go back!” That older guy said.
Actually, there was no need for him to say anything as the others could also guess what their situation was right now.
Putting the last piece of Water Moonstone into the rattan basket, Ping covered the surrounding of the basket with beast skin, tying it securely with a string. The originally eye catching shine was instantly blocked.
Giving the rattan basket to Chen Jia, Ping said: “Quickly take these Water Moonstones back!”
“En.” Chen Jia did not say a word more. These kind of situations, he had encountered them since he was young.
“Mum…..” Hugging the rattan basket, Chen Jia walked a few steps forward before turning his head, looking at Ping and shouted out.
“Go back! Be clever and hide well!“ Ping instructed.
“En.”
The same situation was playing out in the surrounding houses as well. Letting the children go back with the Water Moonstones first while the adults would keep watch here. Ping and the surrounding families were the same, all grown ups, regardless of gender, they would all guard here. With the Water Moon Canal as the boundary, here was the second defense, after this area, it would be where the tribe’s houses are located.
“I will stay behind and help you.” Shao Xuan said.
“No, Shao Xuan, you go back with Chen Jia and the rest. You have to pay attention to where you hide it. This time there are quite a lot of them from the Martyr tribe, they will not let go of any chance. Let’s say that if someone managed to storm into the tribe’s internal area, not only the Water Moonstones, even the children will not be able to escape. Even if they take the Water Moonstones, don’t fight with them. There will be someone from the tribe to help, you only have to hide well and wait for the others from the tribe.”
With Shao Xuan there as well, she could be more assured. Chen Jia, this kid, was too disobedient, he liked to run around. If there is no one watching over him, her heart will not feel at peace. After this matter ends, at that time, she will give a few more Water Moonstones to Shao Xuan as thanks. From the past few days, Ping could feel that Shao Xuan was reliable.
Shao Xuan thought about it and nodded: “Okay, I will go back with Chen Jia.”
The surrounding people and Ping all lived near each other, therefore the few families’ children all went back together along with Shao Xuan.
Whilst carrying a huge basket of Water Moonstones, the children’s pace did not slow down. This was probably due to experiencing similar situations before, they did not panic. After returning to the living area, they each went back to their own houses.
The hiding place for the Water Moonstones was actually in the water.
In Fu Shi and Ping’s bedroom, Chen Jia plucked up a few wooden boards on the floor and then slowly lowered the rattan basket.
Directly right below was a pool, the water at other places could not conceal the rattan basket, but muddy water could be a good cover.
While lowering the rattan basket, Chen Jia suddenly thought of the outsider in his house. Carefully lifting his head up, he found that Shao Xuan did not pay attention to himself, but was busy at the window there.
“What are you doing?” Chen Jia asked.
“Just for precautions, adding another layer of protection.” Shao Xuan replied.
By the time Chen Jia came over, Shao Xuan was done.
The Drumming tribe’s windows were bigger, in every bedroom there was a huge window. At many times, they will use the window as a door instead and go in and out directly from the window.
Therefore, after the door was shut, the only entrance in was from the windows.
Chen Jia looked at the windows and saw that there wasn’t anything special, just when he reached his hand out, wanting to feel the window frame, he was stopped by Shao Xuan.
“Your mum asked you to hide yourself well.” Shao Xuan told him.
Chen Jia irritatedly bit his fingers, “There’s no need to hide, I didn’t the last time either, I’ll just wait here.”
Wanting to lay by the window there to peek outside, but thinking of Shao Xuan’s action just now, he kept it in and sat down instead, while continuing biting his fingers. He heard that this time it was more dangerous, he wondered if his dad and mum will be fine. Previously, his grandpa and grandma had lost their lives because of invasions like this.
Shao Xuan glanced at Chen Jia
“When you guys hide, do you hide in the river as well?”
“En. There is a hole in the river, you can go in there to hide.”
The hole in the river has no air to breathe. Only the Drumming Tribe members with good affinity with water could hold in a little longer. The others might not be able to be like them.
There were baby crocodiles crying out outside. The rest of the baby crocodiles probably felt the unease in the air and cried out, including the brown eyed baby crocodile outside Chen Jia’s house.
Shao Xuan looked out and did not see any invaders. Not even any movements from anybody. Each house stayed in their own homes with their doors shut tight. Nobody dared to go out.
“You wait here first, I’ll go out and take a look.” Shao Xuan said, walking two steps forward, then turned back and said: “Do not touch the windows, if you want to hide, hide in the river from the wooden floor. Remember, if anybody calls for you, do not go out from the window. Stay away as much from the windows!”
“I understand.” Chen Jia replied.
Shao Xuan stepped out from the window, not touching the frames of the window.
Compared to the killings on the outside, the living area was much quieter. However, that was before the cries of the baby crocodiles. But it is also because of these cries from the baby crocodiles in the river, that made them feel even more nervous, filled with crisis.
That ‘mute’ crocodile had crawled out from the river and joined the rest of its kind. Noticing Shao Xuan making his way over, it left the little group and went over to Shao Xuan.
Back there, Chen Jia, whom was left in the house, was worrying about his parents, he then suddenly heard someone outside calling out his name.
“Chen Jia, are you home?”
The voice sounded familiar, it seems to be from someone in the Drumming tribe. At the same time, there were footsteps stepping on the stairs that could be heard, creaking sounded from the wooden boards, coming closer step by step.
“Who?” Chen Jia wanted to go to the window to take a look, but thinking of Shao Xuan’s instructions before he left, he stopped. He stood two steps away from the window and looked out from the window.
A silhouette heard Chen Jia’s voice and walked to the window, looking inside the room.
He was dressed like his tribe, his face looked a bit familiar, he was one of the tribe members who went to patrol.
It’s only that…somehow Chen Jia had a strange feeling.