Liver in Water Margin, outlaw madman

Lei Heng dragged his feet, leading dozens of county soldiers, slowly moving forward.

He dragged out the task all night until dawn, when he could no longer avoid it and finally gritted his teeth and left the city.

Not only was he terrified, but the soldiers behind him also hung their heads and dragged their feet.

Nobody's stupid. Rumors had already spread that the trouble in Wangjia Village wasn't a private fight among the villagers, but rather with people from Liangshan.

This trip wasn't about mediating disputes at all; it was about walking into a dangerous situation. Everyone wanted to delay as long as possible, and no one was willing to rush forward.

Despite the delays, officials still had to follow the proper procedures and not go too far, lest they be held accountable by Shi Wenbin when they returned.

Lei Heng walked at the front of the group, silently repeating the mantra over and over in his mind.

They only wished that the people in front of them were fishermen from Shijie Village, not bandits from Liangshan.

Even if they really are from Liangshan, it's best to leave as soon as possible after looting, rather than staying here to fight head-on.

He turned his head to look at Zhu Tong, who was walking beside him, his tone full of genuine gratitude.

"Brother Zhu Tong, if you hadn't come along this time, I would have been completely unsure of myself and wouldn't have had any confidence at all if I had carried this on my own."

To be honest, anyone else would avoid such a deadly job and would never get involved in this mess.

Zhu Tong remained expressionless, slowly stroking his long beard. His expression was calm, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

He spoke calmly and without wavering: "Brother, you're too kind. We're colleagues in the same office, so it's only right that we look out for each other."

Upon hearing this, Lei Heng felt a slight sense of relief and quickly put on a smile, blurting out, "When we get back to the county, I'll treat you to a meal at the best restaurant!"

He was stunned when he said those words.

In the past, when Lei Heng went out, others always treated him to meals and drinks; he never carried a single penny with him and had never taken the initiative to treat anyone.

To be able to say such a thing is already an extreme exception, which shows how terrified he is at this moment.

Zhu Tong raised an eyebrow slightly, revealing a hint of surprise, and was about to speak.

Suddenly, a heavy clanging sound of armor plates clashing came from the woods beside the official road, followed by a burly figure leaping out.

The man was clad in heavy armor, his body as robust as an iron tower. He held a water-polished monk's staff in his hand, and when he stood in the middle of the road, he completely blocked the official road.

It was Lu Zhishen.

Zhu Tong reacted swiftly, his face darkening as he drew his spear from his waist, pointing the tip directly at Lu Zhishen, and shouted fiercely.

"Where did these thieves come from, daring to block the officers' path!"

He was known for his exceptional marksmanship and didn't take ordinary thieves and bandits seriously. As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his gun and charged forward.

Lei Heng was so frightened that he almost lost his mind. His face changed drastically, and he hurriedly reached out to grab Zhu Tong's sleeve, shouting urgently.

"Stop, brother! Don't act rashly!"

What he fears most is making things escalate; once he takes action, there will be no room for maneuver.

Lei Heng took two steps forward, cupped his hands towards the woods, and shouted at the top of his lungs in a calm tone.

"Are you neighbors from Shijie Village? We are the head constables of Yuncheng County, sent by the county magistrate to mediate the dispute between your village and Wangjia Village!"

"The magistrate is aware of the whole story and will handle it impartially, showing no favoritism to either side. Please, gentlemen, refrain from violence!"

Regardless of whether the people in front of him were villagers or bandits, he had to fix the matter on the grounds of "village feud".

The person opposite was clad in heavy armor and wielding heavy weapons; he was definitely not an ordinary villager, but rather a bandit from Liangshan.

But he dared not and could not suppress it, so he could only bite the bullet and continue to lie, muddying the waters.

Zhu Tong was pulled back by Lei Heng, paused, and looked back at him with a puzzled expression.

Lu Zhishen was also stunned, his staff slammed on the ground, looking bewildered, not expecting the other party to say such a thing.

Zhang Shan, standing to the side, also frowned, secretly surprised.

Lei Heng is quite a talent; he managed to salvage the situation even in such a predicament. His ability to lie through his teeth is truly first-rate.

In the past, Lu Zhishen would have disregarded everything and charged forward with his staff to strike first.

But now he was more cautious and didn't act rashly. Instead, he turned to look at Zhang Shan, giving him a look and waiting for Zhang Shan to make a decision.

Zhang Shan took a deep breath, turned his head to look at the nearly one hundred Liangshan brothers behind him, his imposing aura was awe-inspiring.

He clasped his hands together and bowed slightly to Lei Heng and Zhu Tong, a faint smile on his face and a frank tone in his voice.

"So it's the two captains from Yuncheng. I've long admired your names. May I ask if you are Lei Heng, the Winged Tiger, and Zhu Tong, the Handsome Beard?"

Seeing this, Lei Heng breathed a long sigh of relief, his heart finally calming down, and quickly dismounted.

He didn't dare get too close, and stopped a dozen steps away from Zhang Shan, returning the greeting with a polite smile on his face.

"My meager reputation is not worth mentioning; it would only invite ridicule from a hero."

Before Zhang Shan could speak, Lei Heng quickly interrupted him, speaking rapidly as if afraid of being interrupted.

"Wang Heng of Wangjia Village has always been a bully and tyrant, oppressing his neighbors and exploiting fishermen. My magistrate husband has long been aware of this and will certainly handle this matter impartially, giving all the villagers justice."

"I urge all of you heroes to return to your hometowns and await the county government's decision. Please refrain from causing further trouble and damaging the harmony."

Zhang Shan held his long spear, the shaft resting on the ground, and watched Lei Heng's performance quietly, his eyes calm and unwavering.

He couldn't help but sigh inwardly, thinking that Lei Heng was indeed a shrewd official who knew how to protect himself.

Their side numbered nearly a hundred, each wielding a knife and a gun. Lu Zhishen, clad in gleaming heavy armor, carried a staff as thick as a child's arm; by all accounts, they were ruthless bandits.

But Lei Heng acted as if he hadn't seen anything, insisting that it was a dispute among villagers, without mentioning Liangshan or the bandits at all.

To fight or not to fight?

Zhang Shan was caught in a dilemma.

If a real fight broke out, Lei Heng's few dozen men would be no match for them. But if he killed the officials, it would be tantamount to completely breaking ties with the Yuncheng government.

Liangshan's foundation is not yet secure, so it is really not advisable for them to openly confront the government.

Lu Zhishen stood to the side, feeling restless. The sun was rising higher and higher, and the heavy armor made him sweat profusely as he gasped for breath.

He was naturally impatient and couldn't stand this dawdling. His anger surged, and he suddenly swung his staff.

The staff, carrying a strong wind, slammed down on a poplar tree as thick as a thigh beside him.

"Click—"

With a crisp crack, the tree trunk, as thick as a bowl, snapped and crashed to the ground, scattering branches and leaves everywhere.

Lei Heng was so frightened that his face turned pale. He took several steps back and leaned against the horse to steady himself. His palms were covered in cold sweat.

Zhu Tong's previously calm expression instantly turned serious, his brows furrowed, and his eyes fixed on Lu Zhishen's heavy armor.

The official document he had received not long ago suddenly flashed into his mind.

In the capital city of Tokyo, among the group that assassinated Grand Commandant Gao Qiu, besides Leopard Head Lin Chong, there was another fierce warrior clad in heavy armor and wielding a monk's staff. He was ruthless and killed dozens of imperial guards in succession.

The official document didn't show the face clearly, so I couldn't confirm the identity, but the person in front of me matched perfectly in terms of build, weapon, and armor.

At the same moment, Lei Heng looked at Zhu Tong, and their eyes met, instantly understanding each other's thoughts.

A loud alarm sounded in my mind, and a chill ran down my spine.

They dared to kill even the Grand Commandant Gao Qiu, and dozens of imperial guards were wiped out. How could their mere few dozen county soldiers possibly withstand them?

Both of them were terrified, but they had to pretend to be calm and not dare to show the slightest fear.

Lei Heng stared at Zhang Shan, thinking to himself that the man holding the gun was thin and didn't have the leopard-like head and round eyes that Lin Chong was.

But no one dared to gamble; if it really was the group that assassinated Gao Qiu, they would surely die today.

Lei Heng's throat bobbed violently as he swallowed hard, forcibly suppressing the fear in his heart and forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace onto his face.

"Gentlemen, rest assured, my magistrate is a legitimate official appointed by the imperial court, while Wang Jin is merely a minor clerk in Jizhou Prefecture. The county government will never show him any favoritism and will severely punish Wang Heng to avenge you all."

He kept making statements, fearing the other party would take action. He just wanted to get away as soon as possible, go back, and suppress the matter so he would never mention it again.

Wang Er, who was at the end of the soldiers' ranks, could no longer hold back.

His cane wounds hadn't healed yet, and he walked with a limp. Seeing Lei Heng constantly backing down, he felt both anxious and resentful. He suddenly rushed forward, pointed at Zhang Shan and the others, and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Captain! They're not villagers, they're bandits from Liangshan! They're the ones who looted Wangjia Village! Please, Captain, give the order immediately to arrest these bandits!"

"Whoosh—"

The moment the words were spoken, the entire room fell silent.

All eyes turned to Wang Er.