Chapter 24 - Roasted Sparrows

Chapter 24: Roasted Sparrows

“Hey, little bro, what’s the second method?” The fat man winked at Chen Yuze.

Chen Yuze knew exactly what they were thinking—they wanted to see if they could use these methods to open the passage. But he could only sigh in resignation.

“The second method is actually pretty simple. Glazed tiles are basically like glass—they can’t handle high heat. Take an iron pipe, attach a rubber hose to the back, and submerge the other end of the hose in water. Then, seal the glazed tile with a layer of wet mud or something similar. Heat the iron pipe until it’s red-hot and push it through the mud into the tile. The heat will melt the tile, but since the outside is covered in mud, the fire can’t spread due to lack of oxygen. The oil inside will flow out through the rubber hose into the water. White phosphorus doesn’t burn in water, and since oil and water don’t mix, it won’t ignite. Once all the fire drake oil inside is drained, it’s safe.”

Chen Yuze could already see the eager glint in their eyes. He sighed. “Too bad the first method is a huge undertaking—we don’t have the means for it. And for the second, we don’t have the tools either. So, we’ll have to stick to the old-fashioned way and go in from the side.”

“Damn, little bro, you’re impressive! Really opened our eyes. This trip wasn’t for nothing,” Old Hu said, cupping his hands in admiration. He knew about these mechanisms but had no idea how to disarm them—only how to avoid them. But when someone else had the skills, you had to respect it. That’s just how this line of work was. Those who refused to accept it ended up as tomb guardians. It wasn’t just about courage—you needed brains and experience, or this job would kill you.

“Impressive? I’m just a theoretical expert. Don’t take it too seriously.” Chen Yuze knew his own limits. He could talk a big game, but when it came to actual execution, he wasn’t much better than a rookie. Still, glancing at Old Hu and the fat man—who were also novices—he figured he at least had some knowledge over them.

“Woof! Woof! Woof!” Suddenly, barking erupted from the distance. Everyone immediately sensed something was wrong.

“What the hell is that? If you’ve got the guts, show yourself! I swear, if I don’t tear you apart today, my name isn’t Hu Yifei!” Hu Yifei’s furious shout rang out. The three men exchanged glances—something wasn’t right. They immediately sprinted toward the campsite.

Bang! Bang!

Gunshots echoed just as they started running. There was no time to waste—only two women and a few dogs were at the campsite. If they panicked in the face of danger, things could get ugly fast. This was no joke.

The three of them sped up. Seeing Old Hu’s expression, Chen Yuze pulled out the pistol from his waist and tossed it to him. “Old Hu, catch! Be careful.”

“Don’t worry.” Old Hu flicked off the safety and charged ahead. The fat man followed closely behind, gripping his rifle. Chen Yuze suddenly realized his stamina wasn’t great, but thankfully, the distance wasn’t too far. Within moments, they reached the campsite.

The scene before them stunned everyone.

Hu Yifei and Lingzi stood back-to-back. Hu Yifei held a rifle, while Lingzi gripped a pistol. The hunting rifle, now out of bullets, had been tossed aside. The dogs formed a protective circle around them. Above, a dense swarm of crows swirled menacingly, as if ready to dive at any second.

“What the hell happened?” the fat man cursed, raising his gun and charging forward.

“Don’t worry, ladies! The fat hero is here to save the day!” With a dramatic flourish, he fired into the sky while rushing toward them. His marksmanship was decent—several crows fell from the air, and the swarm seemed to falter.

Old Hu’s gun barked next, his shots precise as he picked off crows that got too close to the women. The swarm retreated slightly. The two men fought their way toward Hu Yifei and Lingzi. At first, they wondered why the women hadn’t run—then they saw Lingzi’s twisted ankle. She couldn’t move. Hu Yifei refused to abandon her, so she stood her ground, supporting Lingzi to keep her upright and maintain their defense. Otherwise, the crows would’ve already attacked.

Seeing the two men arrive, Hu Yifei relaxed slightly—but then she noticed their ammo was running low. If this kept up, they’d all be crow food soon.

“Chen Yuze, where the hell are you?!” Hu Yifei roared, not spotting him anywhere. Without firepower, they wouldn’t last long.

“Oh? Miss me already after just this short while?” A teasing voice rang out as Chen Yuze stood up. He tossed his rifle to Old Hu—the best shot among them—since he himself could only fire blindly.

As he rose, they noticed something different about him. He wasn’t holding a weapon—instead, he carried two liquor flasks. In a few quick strides, he joined the group and grinned. “Fatty, lend me a light!”

“Got it!” The fat man handed over his lighter.

Chen Yuze unscrewed the flask. “Today, I’ll show you all what roasted sparrows really look like.”

He took a big swig of liquor, lit the lighter (a classic kerosene one), and then—WHOOSH!—sprayed the alcohol into the air. The liquid ignited mid-spray, engulfing the nearest crows in flames.

“Hell yeah, little bro! Let me try!” The fat man took a mouthful of liquor, grabbed a burning stick from their campfire, and blew a fiery stream at the attacking crows. The birds scattered in panic, some setting their companions ablaze as they fled chaotically. Still, a few remained, preparing to strike.

Chen Yuze hefted the unopened flask and gave Old Hu a look. “Old Hu, it’s your turn.”

“Don’t worry, little bro. Let’s show ‘em what ‘blossoming fire’ really means.” Old Hu raised his rifle, waiting.

Chen Yuze hurled the flask into the air. At the peak of its arc, Old Hu fired twice—BANG! BANG!—shattering the bottle. A rain of flaming alcohol scattered, igniting the remaining crows in a spectacular burst.

“Old Hu, that bigger one in the back—it’s their leader!” the fat man shouted, pointing at a slightly larger crow hovering at the rear.