Volume One: The Lonely Beta Test Chapter Six: Family Banquet

When Lin Feng arrived at the great hall where the banquet was being held, he saw that the dishes were already laid out on five or six tables, and the Lin clansmen were seated all around. He estimated there were no fewer than fifty or sixty people present. Apart from Lin Zhen at the innermost table, who was slightly older, most were in the prime of their youth. Zhang Meng was already cradling a wine jar, drinking away.

“Feng’er, come in, come to your uncle. Everyone is here,” Lin Zhen called out, waving Lin Feng over when he saw him enter.

Lin Feng walked straight to Lin Zhen and greeted him respectfully. Then he turned to the assembled elders and brothers, fists clasped in salute. “To all my elders and brothers, thank you for your care. That I survived such a calamity and am reborn today is all thanks to your tireless care and concern. Please accept my gratitude!”

With these words, Lin Feng untied his robe and knelt down, bowing deeply. Though his movements were a bit awkward, it was clear this gesture came from his heart.

“Feng’er, quickly, get up!” Lin Zhen hurried to help him rise.

“Uncle, let me finish,” Lin Feng replied, remaining on his knees.

From the conversations he had overheard upon waking, Lin Feng had already pieced together what disaster had befallen them. It turned out that while returning from the sea, they had encountered pirates. In the chaos, Lin Feng had fallen overboard, and only two fishing boats managed to escape; the other two were overtaken by the pirates, and the fate of the nine men aboard was unknown.

As for Lin Feng, who had fallen into the water, everyone assumed there was no hope for his survival, but they still did not give up searching. Just as they were about to abandon hope after days of searching, an old fisherman from the village brought Lin Feng back, unconscious, and with his hair strangely shorn, as if cut by someone.

Over the following ten days, in order to save Lin Feng, the Lin family invited every healer in the entire Le Lang County who knew even a bit of medicine. Zhang Meng even dragged two veterinarians there. Teng Yan, upon learning of Lin Feng’s condition, sneaked out from home and brought with her two century-old ginseng roots that her father had intended as a tribute to his superior, using them to brew medicinal soup for Lin Feng.

When all hope seemed lost, an old Daoist priest appeared, claiming that Lin Feng’s three souls and seven spirits had been scattered by terror as he fell into the water. While his body was unharmed, his energy, strength, divine charge, and spiritual wisdom had not yet returned, and these governed one’s thoughts, wisdom, and actions, thus his continuing coma.

Since the Daoist seemed otherworldly, and they were desperate, the Lin family let him perform a ritual. Miraculously, the very next day, Lin Feng awoke.

“Elders and brothers, though we have returned safely, nine of our kin remain in the hands of those pirates, their fate uncertain. If not for their desperate resistance, none of us would have survived. Our Lin family has lived by the sea for generations; how many of our people have fallen under the blades of these villains? The blood debt grows ever deeper.”

“Now these pirates have grown bolder, pursuing us even into the Pei River. If this continues, we will lose our means of survival, even the very foundation of our existence. How can we face our ancestors or answer to our descendants?”

Lin Feng’s emotions ran high. His earlier deliberations in the bath had led him to these words. He understood that if he did not prepare well before chaos erupted, even his own life might not be safe. Fortunately, Heaven had not abandoned him—the Lin family still had a little strength. Living by the sea, every man was an expert on the water. If he could rally them, he could build a force to be reckoned with.

His words left the hall in stunned silence. None had thought their situation was so dire; most had never looked so far ahead. Every time they went to sea, they left their fate to luck, thinking that danger was just bad fortune, and nothing more. As for the pirates, even the authorities could do nothing, so what could common folk hope for? They had all buried their hatred deep in their hearts. But Lin Feng’s words awakened them, igniting years of suppressed resentment.

With a crash, Zhang Meng smashed his wine jar. “Damn it, I can’t bear this any longer! Those beasts have soaked their hands in the blood of our family. I’d eat them alive if I could!”

He glared furiously, fists clenched, jabbing his finger at those present. “Let me say this now: next time we meet those bastards, if any of you try to stop me like before, don’t blame me if my fists don’t recognize friend from foe!” With that, he flung his arms out and sat heavily on the bench. A few men shuddered at his words.

“That’s right! We can’t cower any longer!”

“The young master is right. We can’t just let the pirates slaughter us!”

“Let’s show them the mettle of the Lin family!”

The hall erupted with cries of agreement. Only Lin Zhen stood silent, his face shifting between anger and worry.

“Uncle,” Lin Feng called, seeing that only Lin Zhen had not spoken, “we ask you to lead us in ridding the world of those villains, to comfort the souls of our dead, and safeguard the future of the Lin clan.” He bowed deeply.

The others followed, kneeling in unison.

“Feng’er, your uncle too has longed for vengeance day and night. Now, the eldest of our family—your father—has only just reached forty. We should have elders presiding over three generations, but now, none remain in the ancestral hall.” Lin Zhen faced the gathering, his fists trembling, voice thick with grief. “All this is the work of those accursed fiends.”

“Then, Second Brother, why do we hesitate? At dawn, we’ll fight those beasts to the death!” Zhang Meng shouted.

“Yes!” the crowd echoed.

“Meng, calm yourself. Let me finish,” Lin Zhen pressed his hands down, signaling for quiet, then helped Lin Feng to his feet. “Our forebears were all heroes, and we are not cowards. But those pirates are powerful, beyond our strength. If we act rashly without a careful plan, not only will we fail to avenge our kin, but we may doom the Lin family entirely!”

At these words, the mood sobered.

“Besides, our elder brother has not yet returned. This is a matter of great consequence; as head of the family, he must decide.” Lin Zhen’s face was full of hope.

“Uncle, I believe my father would agree. Why not begin preparations now?”

“What plans do you have, Feng’er?” Lin Zhen asked, curious. Since Lin Feng had awakened, he seemed a changed man. Just now, his impassioned words had shocked Lin Zhen deeply.

In the past, Lin Feng had cared for nothing but fishing, raiding birds’ nests, or finding ways to please his little cousin. Nearly of age, he was still utterly ignorant of the world. He had no gift for poetry, failing to memorize even two lines in three days; he was hopeless with weapons, unable to master a single move in weeks; as for astronomy, geography, or commerce, forget about it. If not for his cousin, who knew when the young master would have ever gone to sea.

“I have only a rough idea,” Lin Feng replied. “But to devise a proper plan, I need to know more about the pirates and our own situation. Only by knowing ourselves and our enemy can we be sure of victory!”

“Ask what you wish, Feng’er. Your uncle will tell you all he knows,” Lin Zhen promised readily. He didn’t expect Lin Feng to come up with any brilliant strategy, but seeing him take the initiative today was a good sign—it meant Lin Feng was maturing at last, and that made him happy.

“Where do the pirates usually operate? How many ships do they have? What’s their top speed? How many men do they field, and with what equipment?” Lin Feng asked. As someone from two millennia in the future, such questions came naturally to him.

The others were stunned by his line of questioning. When they encountered pirates, they barely had time to flee for their lives, let alone observe such details. Even Lin Zhen stroked his beard in thought.

“Well, Feng’er, the number of ships I could try to recall, but as for... what was it... ‘top speed’?”

“It’s called ‘speed,’” someone supplied.

“Ah yes, speed... and what’s that?”

“It’s how fast the ship moves,” Lin Feng explained, realizing that some of his vocabulary was ahead of the times.

“Oh, I get it. I don’t know how to say it exactly, but their ships are faster than ours, and bigger too, but not as nimble.”

“Your Uncle Meng is right,” Lin Zhen agreed. “Our boats are smaller and can move like water snakes—we can easily change direction. When their ships catch up, we turn quickly, and by the time they adjust course, we’re already far away. As long as they don’t catch us with their hooks, we can keep this up until they’re exhausted. That’s how we’ve survived until now.”

“But this time, they were craftier. Three ships came at us from different directions, so...” he paused, grief for the captured kinsmen clouding his face.

“We’ll rescue them, Uncle,” Lin Feng promised quickly, seeing the mood fall again. Realizing that little useful would be gained from this noisy debate, he suggested, “Why don’t we all go home tonight and think carefully? We can discuss this again tomorrow. The food’s getting cold—shall we eat first?”

“Yes, yes. Now that you mention it, I’m starving,” Zhang Meng said, reaching for another unopened wine jar.

“Uncle Meng, you’ve got the wrong jar. Yours is over there!” a young man at that table hugged his jar, pointing at the broken shards on the ground.

“Er...” Zhang Meng paused, looking ruefully at the shattered remains and spilled wine, then his eyes brightened. “It’s nothing, Qing, your uncle was just helping you open it!” As he spoke, he reached to snatch the jar from Lin Qing.

“Don’t let him trick you, Qing! Once the jar’s in his hands, none of you will get a drop,” a middle-aged man warned.

“Thank you for the warning, Fourth Uncle. Who in Liekou County doesn’t know Zhang ‘One Sip’s’ reputation? Once he gets his hands on the wine, not a drop is left for anyone else!” Lin Qing turned away, clutching the jar tightly, and the others did likewise, guarding their wine from Zhang Meng.

Seeing their defensive stances, Zhang Meng realized he would get no wine tonight. Eating without wine was tasteless—he slumped, ready to leave.

“Meng, what am I to do with you? Your tablemates haven’t had a sip yet!” Lin Zhen chided.

“Second Brother, you know me—skip a meal or two and I’m fine, but without wine...” Just then, Lin Qing unsealed his jar, and Zhang Meng swallowed hard.

Lin Feng, seeing this, picked up a wine jar from his table. “Uncle Meng, here, have this.”

“Hahaha, Feng’er, you’re the best!” Zhang Meng laughed, bounding over in a few strides. He tore off the red seal and drank greedily, afraid that if he hesitated for even a moment, the wine would be gone—sending the hall into peals of laughter.