The Return of Stars to the Jianghu

Chapter 208 Arriving on Earth, Fleeing but Reborn

At dawn, as the sky begins to lighten and the sea breeze carries a salty, damp scent, it gently caresses the ancient fishing village.

At the village entrance, in front of a simple wooden house, village chief Li Ergou had already begun his busy day. He was a burly man, his skin etched with deep lines left by the sun and sea breeze.

Li Ergou wore a faded blue coarse cloth shirt, a wide straw rope tied around his waist, and a pair of worn-out straw sandals. He walked towards the sea, where a weathered but still sturdy fishing boat waited quietly. This boat was built by him and the villagers, and had accompanied him through countless sunrises and sunsets, witnessing the changes in the fishing village.

"Let's go out to sea!" Li Ergou's shout broke the tranquility of the fishing village. Villagers came out of their homes, carrying fishing nets on their shoulders and fish baskets in their hands, their faces beaming with anticipation for a bountiful harvest. They gathered around the fishing boat and, led by Li Ergou, boarded it in an orderly fashion.

Li Ergou skillfully untied the mooring rope, gave it a strong swing, and the fishing boat slowly sailed away from the dock. The sea breeze gradually grew stronger, and the waves became more turbulent, but Li Ergou remained unusually calm. He gripped the rudder tightly, his eyes sharp, guiding the fishing boat through the waves.

As the boat reached the open sea, Li Ergou gave the order, and the villagers quickly lowered their fishing nets. The nets traced graceful arcs in the air before falling into the sea, instantly swallowed by the surging waves. They waited quietly, silently praying for a bountiful harvest.

Time ticked by, and finally, the fishing net began to stir. At Li Ergou's command, the villagers worked together to pull the net onto the boat. Inside, shimmering silver fish leaped and thrashed, as if celebrating their victory.

As the sun set, golden rays bathed the sea in its afterglow. Li Ergou led his fishing boat, laden with its catch, slowly back to the fishing village.

However, the atmosphere today was different from usual; an unusual feeling permeated the air. A burst of hurried footsteps broke the tranquility of the fishing village.

A group of soldiers in neat uniforms quickly surrounded the dock, their eyes resolute and serious. Under the command of their leader, the soldiers began to requisition the fishing boats of Lijia Village one by one in an orderly manner. Although the villagers had their doubts, they could only silently cooperate in the face of military orders and hand over their fishing boats to the army.

As the soldiers busied themselves, fishing boats were slowly pushed into the sea. Among them, one fishing boat stood out particularly, gleaming in the morning light. It was the largest fishing boat in Lijia Village—the prized possession of village chief Li Ergou. This boat had accompanied him for most of his life, weathered countless storms, and witnessed the rise and fall of the fishing village.

The general leading the group was named Lu Zhi. He scrutinized the village chief Li Ergou and his crew, and after a moment's thought, he ordered his soldiers to conscript on the spot and bring the fishermen onto the boat.

Faced with this sudden turn of events, Li Ergou calmly said to the villagers, "Don't panic, everyone. The country needs us, and this is our honor."

His eyes, however, were telling them to stay calm.

Upon hearing this, the villagers, seeing the village chief's expression, understood that it was not advisable to act rashly at this time. They looked at each other, their eyes filled with resentment, but under Li Ergou's leadership, they boarded the requisitioned fishing boat in an orderly manner.

General Lu Zhi looked at the fishermen, walked up to Li Ergou, and said, "Village Chief, thank you for your cooperation. The country will not forget your contributions. Once we find the missing fleet, we will definitely bring you back to your homes."

Li Ergou nodded slightly and replied firmly, "General, rest assured, although we are fishermen, we also understand the principle of protecting our home and country. As long as the country needs us, we will not hesitate to do so."

At General Lu Zhi's command, fishing boats carrying fishermen and soldiers slowly sailed away from the fishing village and headed towards the unknown sea.

......

After a long voyage at sea, an experienced old fisherman found himself unable to determine his exact location in the ocean using only nautical charts.

Finally, one day, they caught a glimpse of the outline of land. However, as they tried to approach, some of the fishing boats leading the way mysteriously disappeared.

General Lu Zhi witnessed this scene and became extremely excited. He ordered all the ships in the fleet to proceed at full speed.

Just as the fishing boat was about to reach the island, a blinding white light suddenly appeared before Li Ergou's eyes. When he opened his eyes again, the image of the island was gone, replaced by an endless sea.

Strangely, they were the only fishing boat left on the entire sea. The other fishing boats that had been sailing alongside them seemed to have mysteriously disappeared.

In the distance, a massive modern research vessel was slowly approaching their fishing boat.

Li Ergou gripped the rudder tightly, his heart pounding in his chest as the research vessel slowly approached.

“Come with me to the deck,” Lu Zhi said to Li Ergou.

The two went up to the deck.

They noticed that the people on the research vessel were nervously operating various devices, seemingly observing them. Li Ergou wondered what these people's purpose was, why they were in their Nanzhao Kingdom's waters, or whether they had accidentally entered their territory.

"Could this be the legendary otherworld?" Li Ergou wondered.

As the two ships drew closer, Li Ergou could clearly see the people on the research vessel. They were dressed in strange clothing and carrying equipment he had never seen before, which made him even more wary.

As the people on the research vessel began observing them through binoculars, Li Ergou straightened his chest and signaled to the soldiers behind him to remain calm. He knew that at this moment, any slight panic could alert the enemy.

However, just as he was about to order an acceleration, he unexpectedly discovered that the research vessel was slowly reversing. Li Ergou was taken aback. Were they afraid? But he quickly realized that things were not so simple.

Sure enough, just as the two ships were about to pass each other...

Lu Zhi shouted, "Prepare the ropes!" Immediately afterward, a group of soldiers in armor leaped from the fishing boat and swung onto their research vessel.

Clearly, Lu Zhi had been prepared.

Li Ergou was greatly alarmed, but quickly calmed down. He hoped that Lu Zhi could defeat the enemy.

However, the other side was armed with Western-style firearms.

Even so, Li Ergou did not give up the will to live. He tried to hide.

However, Lu Zhi had already led his soldiers to attack the fishing boats on the opposite side.

Li Ergou was about to enter the cabin when a bullet struck him in the head as he stood up. A soldier behind him dropped his sword in terror.

Finally, when General Ma's warships and helicopters arrived, Li Ergou lay dead in a pool of blood. His eyes were filled with resentment.

......

Li Ergou suddenly opened his eyes, reached out and touched his forehead, confirming that he was wearing a helmet and was not injured. He looked around and saw only an endless desert before him, except for a few teammates.

"Mad Dog, someone's looking for you. They're from Country C. We've received orders to return to base with you," his dark-skinned teammate told Li Ergou.

“But we are currently surrounded by the enemy,” the white-skinned teammate added.

The squad members wore serious expressions, but their eyes were resolute. They quickly assessed the situation, searching for an opportunity to break out. The yellow-skinned captain gave a low command, and the team members swiftly adjusted their positions, preparing for battle. Gunfire erupted, smoke billowed, and the fighting was exceptionally fierce.

During the battle, the squad demonstrated excellent tactical execution and teamwork. They utilized the terrain to their advantage, constantly changing tactics to create chaos for the enemy. However, the enemy's numbers were overwhelming and their firepower intense, gradually putting the squad in a difficult situation. In a fierce firefight, two team members, one with dark skin and the other with light skin, were unfortunately hit and fell in pools of blood.

Despite this, the squad members finally managed to break through the enemy's encirclement. Exhausted and deeply saddened by the loss of their fallen comrades, they continued their journey. After several days of arduous travel, they finally returned safely to base.

Back at the base, Li Ergou unexpectedly saw a familiar face.

Li Hongbo, dressed in a suit and wearing a bulletproof vest, looked at Li Ergou with a smile.

“Li Hongbo, you’re still the same, haven’t changed at all.” Li Ergou didn’t feel the joy one would expect when encountering an acquaintance. Because the person standing next to him in military uniform was the last person he saw on the fishing boat six years ago, before he died.

“Yes, you have changed your appearance. If it weren’t for the solid evidence, I would never believe that the infamous ‘Mad Dog’ is actually you, Li Ergou.” Li Hongbo also stopped smiling.