Li Daoxuan knew at a glance that Gao Chuwu, this fool, was going to be in trouble.

This was 52-degree alcohol, 52 degrees!

Were you swallowing it with a bowl?

And pouring a whole bowl straight into your mouth?

He was almost ready to be dragged out and buried.

Sure enough, after downing that bowl, Gao Chuwu immediately felt strange, swayed left and right, and with a thud, he collapsed.

Ironically, a few people nearby didn’t take it seriously; they were still clapping and laughing, “Hahaha, Gao Chuwu this idiot, who drinks like that?”

They had no sense of danger at all.

Li Daoxuan had to order, “Make him vomit and get the alcohol out.”

Gao Yiye conveyed the Decree of the Deity, and only then did everyone realize how serious it was. They hurriedly picked Gao Chuwu up, jostled him this way and that, and after a long while, they made him vomit out that bowl of alcohol he had downed, and only then did they stop.

Gao Chuwu slept foolishly in a corner of the courtyard.

Li Daoxuan said, “This alcohol is strong; moderate your consumption.”

Everyone hurriedly bowed, “Heavenly divine alcohol, mortals cannot gulp it down; we will remember.” They glanced at Gao Chuwu, thinking: Gulping it down will make you like this fool; you can learn from anyone, but definitely not from Gao Chuwu.

Li Daoxuan took another mineral water bottle cap, filled it with beer, and slowly lowered it: “This is called beer; it’s milder and suitable for most people. Those who can’t handle the strong one should drink beer.”

“Thank you, Deity!”

In an instant, there was plenty of alcohol.

It was no longer exclusive to just a few people; everyone could get a share.

Soon, all the blacksmiths, paper makers, road construction workers, women weaving cloth, along with the labor offenders cutting trees in Gaojia Village, temporarily put down their work.

They picked up their wine cups!

Clearly, it was just an ordinary day, not any important holiday, but they felt really happy and excited.

“Cheers!”

“Drink!”

“What exactly are we celebrating today?”

“Seems like we’re celebrating the Bai Family Fortress defeating the bandits.”

“That’s not that big a deal, is it? Last time, when Gaojia Village defeated the Supreme Bright King, we didn’t celebrate on such a large scale.”

“Who cares? If there’s alcohol to drink, why are you talking nonsense? Alcohol is brewed from grain; do you know what times we’re in? I haven’t smelled alcohol for three years.”

“The Deity’s divine alcohol smells so good, but it’s so strong; I can’t even finish one cup; just a small sip and my head is spinning.”

“Hahaha, otherwise, how could it be divine alcohol?”

“Cheers!”

Throughout Gaojia Village, there was joyous laughter everywhere…

…

Meanwhile, at Fengyuan Town in Chengcheng County.

“Bandits are coming! Bandits are coming!”

The scout roared himself hoarse as he charged through Fengyuan Town’s gate. The gate slammed shut behind him with a thunderous boom. Crowds of local gentry surged onto the wall tops, straining their eyes nervously towards the north.

Vast hordes of bandits had appeared on the yellow fields to the north. Among them fluttered two large banners—one emblazoned with the character “Ni,” the other with “Guazi.” This was indeed the army of Bu Zhan Ni and Zuo Guazi.

Seeing the overwhelming tide of bandits approach, the gentry, merchants, and militia instructors standing atop Fengyuan Town’s low wall, barely three meters tall, turned deathly pale.

Liang Shixian, the Chengcheng County Magistrate, stood among them. Fear gripped him too!

But he was the county magistrate. Even if afraid, he had to stand his ground. The magistrate’s duty was to protect the land and people of his county.

“The bandits did come to Fengyuan Town,” he thought. “They failed twice to breach the Bai Family Fortress, abandoned it, and detoured straight here for Fengyuan Town. Hmph, fortunately this official anticipated this and has been waiting here for some time.”

Liang Shixian, knowledgeable in many matters, immediately activated his tactical analysis mode in his mind. Enemy numbers, formation, equipment, morale, path, flaws, vulnerabilities… this flood of data constantly rearranged itself in his thoughts, spinning like a carousel. Finally, with a “ding,” it froze on a single mental image.

That image bore four large words: This Official Cannot!

Liang Shixian panicked internally: “Trouble! Matters of warfare… they lie completely outside this official’s knowledge!”

“County Lord! Quickly order the archers to shoot!” The Fengyuan Town militia instructor jumped forward.

His shout snapped Liang Shixian back to reality slightly. He hastily commanded: “Loose arrows! Loose arrows!”

Though utterly inexperienced in warfare, his preparatory efforts had been solid. Large numbers of militia and local gentry lined the walls, drawing their longbows—bows made entirely of plastic.

Precisely!

The same bows Li Daoxuan had lent him.

Their performance was far inferior to the “Kaiyuan Bows” used by imperial forces. Yet, with arms half a zhang long (around 1.6 meters), they possessed a modicum of power, marginally stronger than the small bamboo bows used by hunters.

The militia and gentry drew back their large plastic bows, nocking crude, hastily made arrows with sharpened wooden tips. A chaotic flurry of arrows rained down onto the bandits outside the town.

Plastic bows coupled with sharpened wooden arrows meant pitifully low penetrating power.

But sheer volume compensated.

Five hundred plastic bows, even firing wildly inaccurate arrows, produced a visually terrifying spectacle.

Bu Zhan Ni and Zuo Guazi were caught completely off guard. What kind of sense did it make for a tiny, ramshackle town to field five hundred archers? This defied all logic!

The fierce bandits leading the charge started falling with thunk-thunk-thunk sounds as arrows struck them. While these shafts lacked the killing power of the imperial arrows that ravaged them earlier at Bai Family Fortress, the frontline raiders still suffered heavily. Many howled in agony.

Some collapsed. Others stumbled over fallen comrades. Some sheltered behind their own men, using comrades as human shields, sparking furious insults and arguments within their own ranks.

Instantly, the bandit army descended into chaos.

“Too many archers!”

“Fengyuan Town’s just a small place! Where’d they find so many archers?”

“We can’t charge through this!”

With the town unleashing a continuous flurry of arrows, the bandits couldn’t advance. Morale teetered on the brink of collapse. Bu Zhan Ni and Zuo Guazi both felt the urge to retreat blossom in their hearts.

Just then, a force emerged from the eastern gully. At its head stood Cheng Xu, the Inspector. He had been observing from the sidelines for quite some time, waiting precisely for the bandits’ momentum to wane, signaling the moment to turn the tide.

If a battle seemed certain defeat, Cheng Xu was more cowardly than anyone.

But for a sure victory, Cheng Xu was braver than the rest.

He let out a hearty laugh: “So you thought you’d attack Chengcheng County? Thought you’d pinch a soft target? Come on then! See if this old man feels soft to you!”

He thrust his hand forward and roared with all his might: “Men! Charge!”

Over a hundred officials surged forward, striking deep into the bandits’ flank.

Inside the town, Liang Shixian saw this: “Ha! Cheng Xu is here too! Heaven helps me! I need to think… what action must be taken now…”

Liang Shixian, knowledgeable in many matters, immediately activated in his mind…

“Open the town gate! Charge out and attack!” The militia instructor beside him bellowed.

The town gates swung wide open. Nearly a thousand militia and local gentry uttered a unified battle cry and charged outwards.

Liang Shixian: “Ah? This official’s mental carousel hasn’t had time to start spinning!”

Cheng Xu’s flank charge and the militia’s frontal assault terrified Bu Zhan Ni and Zuo Guazi. They dared not engage the enemy. Wheeling around, they fled for their lives.