But that's how desert sandstorms are; once you can see them, it means you can't escape them.
Lu Xuan felt a sudden darkness descend upon him. A raging sandstorm, carrying the power of heaven and earth, instantly flattened everything in its path. Helpless, Lu Xuan could only dismount and hide behind a sheltered sand dune, crouching low.
He pinned the sheep, which was half-bleeded, to his body, while his hand gripped the horse's reins tightly. In the Gobi Desert, horses were more valuable than human lives; he couldn't afford to lose them easily.
The raging sandstorm quickly swept over the dunes, completely burying Lu Xuan, his horse, and his sheep.
Meanwhile, a few miles away from Lu Xuan, a caravan escorted by over a hundred soldiers was unsurprisingly swept up by the sandstorm. Even worse off than Lu Xuan, they were located at the very heart of the storm, facing its full power.
Despite the caravan's desperate attempts to maintain formation, all their efforts were mercilessly torn apart by this irresistible force. The sandstorm relentlessly swallowed up all the soldiers and the caravan. A few breaths later, even the faint cries for help faded into silence.
………………..
After an unknown amount of time, Lu Xuan struggled to his feet from the nearly meter-thick sand. At the same time, the horses he had pulled down and kneeled on the ground also rose to their feet.
After a violent coughing fit, Lu Xuan spat out the sand from his mouth and nostrils. He took a few deep breaths and felt as if he had finally come back to life. Thank goodness, even with his amazing physical strength, he almost couldn't have held on in that situation. Fortunately, the sandstorm wasn't heading straight for him; it just brushed past him, which saved him and also ensured the supply of ingredients for his mutton soup restaurant for tomorrow.
Thinking of this, Lu Xuan reached into the sand pile and pulled out the goat that weighed nearly 100 pounds.
He took the water bag from the horse, drank a few sips himself, and then fed some to the horse. Lu Xuan mounted his horse and continued on his way. Fortunately, the sandstorm came and went quickly, not wasting much time. He should still be able to get home in time.
As the sun set, Lu Xuan finally made it back to the town.
Several thugs stood guard at the entrance. But upon seeing Lu Xuan, they didn't even bother asking any questions, simply stepping aside to let him in. In reality, they weren't guards at all; the town had no guards. These men were all thugs under Mr. An's command, a bunch of scoundrels who specialized in extorting outsiders.
Mr. An is now the head of the town. He rose to power a year ago, leading a group of elite swordsmen to sweep away all the gangs in town. Most importantly, he has connections with the Tang Dynasty military and the Turks in the surrounding area.
They were able to obtain uncastrated warhorses from the Turks and sell them to the Tang people. They were also able to acquire contraband weapons from the Tang people and smuggle them to the Turks. Only someone recognized by both sides' authorities could secure this position.
Simply put, he was a powerful middleman. He controlled all the overt and covert transactions within a radius of several hundred miles. Lu Xuan's mutton soup restaurant was acquired from him. However, Lu Xuan didn't pay him; instead, he worked as his butcher for a month during Lu Xuan's rise to power.
By then, Lu Xuan was already a renowned figure in Damaying. He agreed to join their gang, but for free, he only wanted a shop. Mr. An readily agreed, saying that as long as Lu Xuan helped him eliminate all the disobedient gangs, he could choose any shop he wanted. That was Lu Xuan's last battle. After that, he settled down and focused on his business. And the town acquired a new name: Damaying.
Riding his horse into the large horse camp, Lu Xuan's eyes narrowed slightly. His intuition told him something was amiss. However, looking around, he couldn't quite pinpoint what it was. This slight unease persisted until he returned to his mutton soup restaurant. Suddenly, a thought struck Lu Xuan, and he realized exactly what was wrong.
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Chapter Four: The Tang Dynasty So Close Yet Chang'an So Far Away
Chapter Four
A restaurant in the heart of Dama Camp has a sign outside with a few characters written in traditional Chinese. Translated, it means "mutton soup restaurant." Inside, it's noisy and bustling, indicating there are quite a few diners.
A boy of about thirteen or fourteen was standing at the door, waiting anxiously. Seeing Lu Xuan approach, he hurried to greet him, quickly leading Lu Xuan's horse while muttering to himself.
"Master, you're finally back. We heard there was a sandstorm outside during the day, and we were all so worried. Are you alright?"
"Don't even mention it, we ran into a sandstorm. I couldn't carry two sheep, so I had to abandon one. I almost didn't make it back." Lu Xuan replied as he dismounted and tossed the reins to the boy.
"Feed the horses well, process the sheep, and then put them directly into the pot. Oh, and fetch me a basin of water first; I need to wash up."
"Alright." The boy deftly took the reins and led the horse and sheep to the backyard. He seemed quite adept at these tasks.
After the boy left, Lu Xuan bypassed the main hall where the diners were and went to the bedroom next to the backyard. Then he took off his headscarf, revealing his head, which was covered in yellow sand and looked like a bird's nest. He patted it a few times, immediately choking and coughing.
Fortunately, the boy brought some clean water, which allowed him to wash himself. The boy also took a piece of linen cloth, dampened it with water, and helped wipe his back.
At this point, nearly twenty wounds could be seen on Lu Xuan's back, looking rather frightening. However, the young man seemed unfazed. He simply wiped Lu Xuan's back carefully.
"Alright, Xiao Si, go do your work. Remember to tell that old geezer to get me something to eat." Lu Xuan waved his hand, telling the boy to get to work. He took the burlap sack and wiped his face. After washing himself, he felt much better, and his stomach started growling.
"Alright!" The young man quickly ran out. A moment later, the old man came in carrying a bowl of mutton soup and a large flatbread-like object.
"While it's hot, boss. I added a spoonful of salt on purpose."
"I've told you so many times, just call me by my name," Lu Xuan said with a hint of helplessness.
"How can that be? I've been here for so many years, and I've relied on following the rules. This shop was earned with your life. I'm just trying to make a living here, so calling you 'boss' isn't shameful." The old man had his own set of principles, and Lu Xuan had told him a few times, but he was too lazy to correct him.
"Alright, never mind. Put the mutton soup here. How's business today?" Lu Xuan asked casually as he took the flatbread and took a big bite.
"Of course, there's no doubt about it. Business has been booming ever since the owner took over. It's mainly because of your amazing recipe. Now, we're the most successful mutton restaurant in the whole town."
"Okay, I got it. By the way, nothing happened at Big Horse Camp, right?"
"No, what's wrong, boss?"
"I don't know, something's not right. When I came back today, I smelled something was off the whole way. Then I realized that there were more Turks in the town."
"Well... I've been busy all day and really didn't notice this. Should I go and ask around?"
"Not for now, let's focus on business. I'll find some time to inquire about it tomorrow."
After the old man left, Lu Xuan ate the flatbread and drank the mutton soup in large mouthfuls. He quickly finished all the food. With something in his stomach, his fatigue became even more pronounced. Lu Xuan leaned back, about to fall asleep. But after a while, he suddenly got up and dragged a box out from under the earthen bed.
Upon opening the box, neatly arranged inside were a light armor suit, two swords, two military crossbows, and a bundle of bolts. These items were also traded in the Great Horse Camp, but only middlemen of Mr. An's caliber were qualified to handle them. Lu Xuan had paid a considerable price to acquire such valuable items.
Beside these supplies were four sheepskin bags, bulging with water. At the very edge was a bundle, also stuffed full, undoubtedly all food.
After checking the equipment, Lu Xuan replaced all the water with good quality water. Then he put the box back.
This box is an emergency measure, an emergency measure to leave this place.
Heaven have mercy, Lu Xuan is a modern-day urban laborer who ended up running a mutton soup restaurant in a lawless border region during the Tang Dynasty. For Lu Xuan, this was utterly unbelievable. No matter how accustomed he appeared to this life, deep down he loathed it all.
Unfortunately, there were major things he couldn't change, such as his inability to return to the modern world. He'd never heard of many time travelers actually managing to go back. So he hoped he could at least live like a time traveler. Three years into his time travel, he was still running a mutton soup restaurant; he felt ashamed of himself as a time traveler.
The only way to change all this is to leave Damai Camp. This lawless land, seemingly free, is actually fraught with danger. For one thing, it's the front line of the war between the Tang Dynasty and the Turks. Who knows when one side might remember this place and wipe it out, or simply seize everyone and enslave them.
Here, not only individuals, but the entire town is in a state of constant uncertainty. How could a young man from a harmonious society possibly find a sense of security in such a place?