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While they were idly chatting to pass the time, they mainly waited for the warming medicine to take effect. Li Xin and the others had taken a potent herbal concoction in the Frozen Ice Cave, which was particularly effective due to the environment. Additionally, since the participants in the ice cave were nearly frozen, achieving the medicine's effect to restore body temperature required an adequate dosage.
This also explained why wooden spoons and fine bamboo tubes were used for administering the medicine at different times, as their capacities varied.
At this moment, all participants had normal body temperatures, and the surrounding air temperature was significantly higher than that inside the Frozen Ice Cave. Consequently, the dosage and ratio of the medicine were reduced, resulting in a milder taste.
This situation was similar to how doctors prescribe medication based on the severity of a cold. A mild cold might only require some herbs to induce sweating, while a severe cold necessitates a larger quantity of medicine for treatment.
The distinction here lies between strong medicine and mild medicine. Therefore, the specific ratio and dosage of the warming medicine were affected by the absence of a particularly distinctive herb, which led to differences in taste between the two herbal concoctions.
The flavor aspect was actually due to Xiao Yu'er’s joking remarks and had nothing to do with whether Luzi took the medicine. If everyone were preparing to return to the Frozen Ice Cave now, Li Xin, Sun Thirteen, and others would have their experiences deeply understood by Meng Wu and Luzi.
Having chatted for so long, it seemed that everyone’s preparation time was sufficient. Xiao Yu'er glanced at everyone's expressions and nodded towards Luzi. Since an expert in this area had spoken up, waiting any longer would mean daylight would break! With a command given, the team officially set off under the cover of night towards the water's edge.
On the opposite East Bank, Zhao Army's Sentinel route was closest to the river but had intervals between patrols. The fixed sentry was slightly farther from Dan Shui River but occasionally shot flaming arrows into the water. These arrows wrapped in grease would not extinguish upon hitting the water and would burn on the surface for a while. Although their burning time was short, they still provided illumination.
Luzi and others chose a wide riverbed for swimming, mainly considering the flow of water. This resulted in a relatively longer swimming duration, but there was no other choice. Every advantage comes with its disadvantages; the slow flow was due to the River Surface being too wide.
The sound of paddling was not loud but resembled thunder from above. They whispered prayers to all conceivable deities, hoping not to be heard by those on the opposite bank.
Fortunately, thanks to the warming medicine's effects, it felt as if there was a small furnace burning in their abdomens dispelling the coldness of the water. What they initially thought would be bone-chilling icy water turned out to be less noticeable. On the contrary, it made them feel warmer in the water than on land.
Although it was already a freezing season, Zhao Army clearly worried that someone on the opposite side might enjoy winter swimming. Thus, they arranged Sentinel intervals based on how long it took to swim across Dan Shui River, which caused quite a bit of trouble for the swimming team.
Thanks to the occasional debris from rafts and even the bodies of fallen Qin Army soldiers carried by the current, the group could find some cover. When they spotted a patrol cavalry holding torches on the opposite bank, everyone would hide behind these obstacles to conceal their presence. The waterproof bags did not sink, so without these floating objects obstructing the Zhao Army's line of sight, they would be in serious trouble.
In fact, the water temperature and the patrol team on the riverbank were not the most troublesome aspects; the real issue was the random rockets fired by the Zhao Army with no specific target. Since the arrows carried grease lighter than water, they would float on the surface and burn. Once someone was exposed to the flames or attempted to extinguish them, they would immediately be spotted by the fixed sentries along the shore.
If it weren't for these unfavorable factors, they would have crossed to the other side long ago. After dodging and weaving their way through, the swimming team managed to reach the relatively turbulent center of the river.
Luzi was worried that Xiao Yu'er might not be able to handle it and felt her body being swept downstream by the current. She hurriedly grabbed a floating piece of wood for support. Looking back and counting heads, she was relieved to see everyone had kept up. She raised her hand to signal everyone to take a short break and then let Xiao Yu'er hold onto half of the wood while quietly asking, "Are you okay? If it's too much, we can go back. It's dangerous for a girl like you to come along!"
Xiao Yu'er simply shook her head and reached out to check Luzi's pale cheek. "Are you cold? If it's too much, drink some Revitalizing Soup."
Luzi remembered that Li Xin hadn't mentioned this name while onshore and asked, "Isn't that called Meng Po Soup? Drinking it makes you forget everything, which saves you from worrying."
Xiao Yu'er moved her nearly frozen fingers and whispered, "What are you talking about!? That's a name given by your General Li!"
Li Xin was behind them holding onto a piece of wood, catching his breath. Hearing his name mentioned in their conversation made him interject quickly, "Hey! Talking bad about people behind their backs can lead to retribution!"
Wang Jian, at the front of the group, heard voices coming from behind and quickly warned, "Zhao Army Sentinel! Everyone stay quiet!"
As soon as he finished speaking, they saw that the patrol team holding torches had inexplicably stopped. Then they heard mumbling voices from across the river, and one Zhao Soldier dismounted and walked down to the riverbed. He gazed around for quite some time, seemingly searching for something.
There were fewer than ten cavalrymen on the opposite bank; a single round of arrows could silence them instantly. If they were discovered, the Zhao Army would have ample time to prepare their bows and shoot at targets in the water. Indeed, at that point, no matter how skilled one was, they would be shot full of holes. Seeing that this soldier had no intention of leaving immediately, Wang Jian hesitated for a moment before signaling with floating debris.
A gesture to prepare for battle!
The group quickly took cover behind the floating objects in front of them, silently retrieving their Crossbows from their waterproof cases and nocking arrows to aim at the targets across the way. Due to the constraints of moving in water, they could not guarantee a quick second shot. If any target was not hit in a vital area, subsequent alerts would drag everyone into danger.
Wang Jian understood that this was a critical moment; any disconnection in shooting could lead to the complete failure of the mission. He signaled to arrange their targets based on the positions of the Zhao Army and Sentinel. The extra shooters were assigned to cover any potential gaps to prevent unforeseen issues.
The preparation of the Crossbows and the arrangement of targets were completed in a very short time, yet it felt like it had taken a century. After confirming everything was correct, Wang Jian signaled to Luzi that all was well.
Whether it was forming or developing a new type of soldier, it involved questions about who made up the personnel. Luzi rarely intervened in matters concerning the army. Meng Wu, Wang Jian, Li Xin, and Sun Thirteen were all individuals destined for future roles in the military, so matters related to the army were left to them. The plan to form a Special Forces Unit was related to military affairs. Therefore, aside from overall planning, how to march and fight was arranged by Deputy Wang Jian at this moment.
This approach applied to all matters concerning the army; even if Luzi said nothing, everyone eventually understood. Thus, they grasped the situation and no longer dwelled on it.
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