We left the county town gate without a word, heading straight for the mountain ridge in the distance. This Feiyu City had only one gate; the other three sides were surrounded by mountains, forming a natural barrier. I had initially assumed the tall city walls were constructed of brick. After entering and exiting a few times, I finally grasped the trick: the bricks were merely illusory.

This gate and the walls were entirely carved out of the mountainside. What I mistook for bricks were actually decorative lines painted with white powder. It seemed the locals here didn't yet know how to fire bricks; their houses were made only of wood or stone. It was rare for them to find such an advantageous location to build Feiyu County Seat, managing it without laying a single stone or tile—only needing to construct the main gate.

The group, led by the red-faced giant and two yamen runners, crossed the high mountain ridge into a valley where a stream flowed. Already present were fifteen or sixteen yamen runners, all squatting on the ground, breathless, as if their strength had been completely wrung out of them. A middle-aged man sat on a large, flat blue stone, his brow furrowed with worry. From his appearance, it was clear he was a man accustomed to comfort, certainly not a hunter like those seen in Gourd Village. Looking at his attire, he might very well be a high official of the county.

The red-faced giant rushed forward, cupped his hands, and announced, "Reporting to Master An, the people have been found."

The middle-aged man anxiously urged, "Hurry and get them started! Dig that whatever-it-is—that cang—out of the pit first. Once it’s out, I’ll treat them all to meat at noon."

Due to the angle of the terrain, it wasn't until I approached closely that I realized there was a large pit in the ground ahead. I peered down, and what I saw was an escape pod from a transport vessel! According to Old Nine of the Melon Rind Hat, this should be the one that Cheng Susu was aboard. But now, its hatch was sealed tight, its wings retracted, making it look exactly like a massive egg smashed into the earth. This egg, however, was quite substantial—as large as a room nearly thirty square meters.

The red-faced giant gestured to the crowd, "Did you all hear that? County Master An has commanded it! Put some muscle into it, everyone, or no one eats meat at lunch!" From the giant's words, I deduced the middle-aged man must be the Magistrate of Feiyu County, Cheng Susu’s current godfather. This was a rare opportunity, and I needed to find a way to get close to him.

Those gathered to watch the proclamation were mostly idle hands with nothing better to do. As soon as they heard they’d get meat just for hoisting the big egg out of the pit, they immediately shouted their assent. A few quick movers eagerly jumped into the pit to start hauling.

But after seven or eight men got their hands on it, they were dumbfounded. This big egg was slick and offered no good handholds. Several men squeezed against one side, trying to use the pit wall for leverage to shove it up out of the deep hole. But who knew how heavy this big egg was? The seven or eight men exerted all the strength they had, using the might of nursing infants, yet it didn't budge an inch.

The red-faced giant roared, "Everyone down there and lift together, or you’ll taste the whip!"

Hairy-Faced Thunder God muttered under his breath, "Damn it, if I hadn't come for the spectacle on a whim, I wouldn't have wasted time dealing with that monkey-butt son of a bitch."

Scholar Old Six remarked, "Big Brother, this thing strongly resembles the Sky-Fallen Egg that supposedly split open to reveal the beautiful woman, as everyone was talking about. It must be a divine object."

Hairy-Faced Thunder God scoffed, "Too bad it's so huge, we can’t haul it back ourselves. Otherwise, gathering our brothers to carry it to Shuangcheng would surely fetch a good price."

Scholar Old Six countered, "Selling it only gets a few coins. We should take it to Shuangcheng and stage an exhibition, hanging a picture of the beauty beside it. That way we can charge admission and guarantee a continuous flow of wealth."

Hairy-Faced Thunder God chuckled, "Indeed, you are a scholar; your mind is certainly more agile."

I followed Hairy-Faced Thunder God into the pit. This depression had been excavated by the escape pod smashing down. Likely, those yamen runners had tried to lift it out earlier and, to facilitate the task, had dug out the surrounding earth a bit more. However, lacking proper iron tools, the excavated area was small. Now, nearly twenty people crammed inside barely had room to turn around.

Seeing everyone in position, the red-faced giant stood by the edge of the pit and shouted, "Everyone listen to my command! Push this big egg up from below!"

Relatively speaking, my height stood out among them, so I didn't need to get too close to the bottom of the escape pod. But for Hairy-Faced Thunder God and Scholar Old Six, who were shorter, the only way to exert real force on this behemoth was to squeeze underneath its base. At the red-faced giant's command, everyone gritted their teeth, intending to use one concerted push to heave the escape pod to the lip of the pit and claim their meat.

I knew clearly in my heart that relying on brute force for these dozens of people to lift the escape pod out was sheer fantasy. Although this escape pod was similar in size to my own ship, it weighed far more. This egg could change shape. Currently, it was smooth like a large egg, but when fully deployed, it became a spacecraft—more advanced, perhaps, than the ship I had arrived in. I preferred the disc-shaped vessels, though; they had more volume, perhaps just due to habit. I just wondered if this escape pod was still functional. If it were intact, it could be useful, and I wouldn't need to figure out how to repair my own craft. But the pod only seated two people; using it alone to take the eight women back to Earth was unrealistic.

Alas, one step at a time. I hadn't even managed to secure Cheng Susu yet, and I had no idea what fate had befallen the other seven women. I would make plans for returning to Earth only after finding them.

Even if 'Pill of Great Strength' were present today, it would still be a struggle. His situation with my ship was different; he was dragging it, not bearing its entire mass. Now, they needed to heave the entire weight of the escape pod upward.

The result was predictable. After several minutes of straining until their jaws ached, the crowd managed to lift it a mere centimeter before collapsing from exhaustion. Thump! The escape pod crashed back to the bottom of the pit, infuriating Magistrate An, who shrieked, "Push harder! You've been fiddling with this for three days and it hasn't moved an inch!"

The men scrambled back up to the rim of the pit, finding places to catch their breath. Hairy-Faced Thunder God and Scholar Old Six ran to the stream for a long drink. I was washing the mud from my face at the water's edge when I happened to overhear their conversation. Hairy-Faced Thunder God cursed under his breath, "Damn An Deshan, that dog of a magistrate, taking that delicate fairy home as his daughter and now trying to claim this celestial egg for himself! Who does he think he is? If I, Sun Dasheng, weren't short on funds these last couple of days, I wouldn't care about a couple of free meals."

Scholar Old Six said, "Big Brother, I think we need to change our method of collecting protection fees. We can't let them drag us around like this forever. Our men haven't eaten properly in days. If this continues, the Feiyu Gang will fall apart."

Hairy-Faced Thunder God, whom I had mentally dubbed Sun Dasheng, threw up his hands. "How do we change it? They won't yield to soft tactics or hard ones. Should we just kill them?"

Scholar Old Six replied, "Killing is certainly not something we should do. Even if we did, we certainly wouldn't announce it with gongs and drums. Those merchants think that since they have the County Yamen protecting them, we wouldn't dare touch them. They don't recognize our strength, so of course, they won't pay protection fees. In short, we need to find a way to make them afraid. Only when they are afraid will they actively seek our protection."

Sun Dasheng slapped his thigh. "Well said! So tell me, how do we make them actively seek us out?"

Old Six mumbled, "I haven't figured that out yet."

Sun Dasheng spat at him, "Pah! That’s as good as saying nothing at all."

Old Six's face flushed, and he dared not speak again. Just then, the red-faced giant, whom I’d labeled Monkey-Butt Sun, was rallying the crowd again. "Have you all rested enough? We must succeed this time! The large chunks of pork for lunch are almost ready; whether you eat them depends on yourselves!"

A large pot had been set up on the open ground nearby. Three yamen runners were scooping out slabs of pork, constantly showing them off. Some, unable to bear the temptation, led the charge, jumping back into the pit. "Everyone, put your backs into it this time, or we won't get to eat that fatty pork!"

More than a dozen yamen runners joined the effort this time, but this only made the space at the bottom of the pit tighter. The shorter men were practically forced against the bottom of the escape pod. As the cadence sounded, the escape pod rose further from the ground, and the space beneath it expanded. These few men were completely crushed against the base by the weight above, bending their backs to push the escape pod upward. It looked like success was imminent with just a little more effort.

Perhaps the joy of impending success clouded their minds, or perhaps the men were simply exhausted. After rising a meter and a half, the escape pod could not move an inch higher. Some could no longer hold on. "Hurry up and get out from underneath! We can't hold it! We’re pulling back!"

At this shout, everyone completely lost their grip and slumped. Coupled with the escape pod's extremely slippery surface offering no purchase, Boom! The escape pod crashed back to the pit floor. The men trapped below tried desperately to climb out, but they were surrounded by legs and had nowhere to go. Moreover, the collapse happened so suddenly that they had no time to react.

Because I was tall and quite stout, and had strategically positioned myself slightly further back during the previous maneuvers, even if the escape pod fell again, I would only get a face full of mud. Who knew that just as the pod was about to crush the men underneath into paste, a hand shot out from under it and grabbed my leg? The person then immediately tried to use my momentum to scramble out from under the wreckage.

I knew if he pulled with such force, I might lose this leg under the escape pod. So, without a second thought, I thrust my backside backward, creating a tiny bit of space, grabbed that hand, and yanked outward with all my might. Boom! The escape pod slammed back to the bottom of the pit, and the person I had pulled used the leverage to tumble onto me. His stubbled mouth landed squarely on my face in a kiss, nearly making me retch on the spot.

The splash of mud coated everyone’s faces. Suddenly, someone screamed, "Someone’s crushed! They’re crushed! Intestines are spilling out!"

The men crammed at the bottom of the pit clawed desperately toward the rim. The fellow who had kissed my face clung to me tightly. "Brother, thank you for saving my life, Sun Dasheng! From now on, you are my sworn brother. If Brother ever needs anything in the future, I, Sun Dasheng, will repay the debt with my life!"

Unexpectedly, the man I had pulled free was Hairy-Faced Thunder God, Sun Dasheng. Recalling his hairy face moments before kissing me, I nearly threw up. Without another word, I scrambled toward the pit rim with desperate energy. Sun Dasheng shoved me from behind. "Brother, let me help you."

I glanced back at the escape pod. Sure enough, two county residents were pinned beneath it, blood and guts oozing out, staining the mud a bloody red.

Magistrate An Deshan panicked when he heard someone had been killed and rushed over to assess the situation. I didn't even have time to catch my breath before I bolted toward the stream, scrubbing my face until I felt a layer of skin had peeled off, finally feeling marginally relieved. I couldn't believe my hitherto spotless reputation was ruined by that Hairy-Faced Thunder God! If my wives found out he had kissed me, it would be disastrous.

"Brother, here, use my shirt to wipe your face." A mud-soaked garment was thrust toward me.

I looked up. "Thank you, but please keep your distance."

The Hairy-Faced Thunder God, Sun Dasheng, wasn't offended. He said solemnly, "Brother, I am Sun Dasheng, a resident of Feiyu County. Having my life saved by you today, I swear to repay you in the future. May I ask your name, Brother?"

I wasn't in the habit of performing good deeds anonymously, but after hearing them complain about barely scraping by for food, I doubted his ability to repay me much. I cupped my hands. "I am Zhao Qian, from Gourd Village. The situation was critical just now, and I acted purely on instinct to pull you. When traveling, we are all brothers; helping each other is only right. Don't mention any repayment."

Just then, Scholar Old Six also ran over. Amid the chaos and the crowd earlier, he hadn't known what happened. Sun Dasheng told him, "Old Six, we owe this Brother Zhao a great debt for pulling me out just now, or Big Brother wouldn't be eating this meat today."

Old Six, realizing how close his Big Brother had come to being turned into pig offal like those idle men, turned pale with fright. He bowed to me, "Thank you, Brother Zhao, for your timely action in saving Big Brother. Old Six and all the brothers are immensely grateful. It’s just that our business has been poor recently, and we are short on funds, otherwise we would certainly thank you handsomely."

These two didn't know I had eavesdropped on their conversation. Their so-called Feiyu Gang was likely just a collection of misfits if they couldn't even collect proper protection money.

I returned the bow. "Brother Six, you are too kind. Let's just become friends."

Sun Dasheng clapped me on the shoulder. "Brother Zhao is indeed straightforward! We are sworn friends from this moment on."

After a brief chat, the three returned to the pit edge to survey the scene. The two idle men who were crushed were quickly identified. Magistrate An Deshan ordered the red-faced giant, "Head Constable Sun, you handle the remains and the families of these two. First, arrange food for everyone. After the meal, figure out how to get this divine egg out. Whatever the cost, you must transport this divine egg back to the County Yamen for this official!"

The crowd, having been scared into backing off, stayed when they heard food was coming. Sun Dasheng peered down at the two mangled corpses below and secretly wiped the sweat from his brow. Then, he looked at me with eyes full of gratitude. During the meal, the man insisted on giving me half the large pieces of fatty pork from his and Scholar Old Six’s bowls. I couldn't refuse; it was so greasy I never wanted to eat pork again for the rest of my life.

While eating, I mused that rather than leaving the escape pod here to be battered by the elements, it would be better if Magistrate An moved it back to the Yamen. Keeping it near Cheng Susu would put my mind at ease. Furthermore, taking advantage of this opportunity might allow me to get close to Magistrate An, bringing me one step closer to my plan to pursue Cheng Susu.

After the meal and a short rest, Head Constable Sun began his mobilization speech. "You've all enjoyed the large chunks of pork. Now, shouldn't we help County Master An complete his task? Let’s muster our strength and aim to lift this divine egg out of the ground in one go! There will be large chunks of pork for everyone again tonight!"

Everyone wiped the grease from their mouths but dared not respond. Although the two county residents who were crushed had been removed, the horrifying scene remained etched in their minds. Now that the pork was eaten, they would delay as long as possible. As for the evening meal, no one would risk their life for a mere piece of pork.

Seeing the crowd remain silent and inactive, Head Constable Sun and Magistrate An became extremely irritated. I seized the moment and stepped forward. "Head Constable Sun, Magistrate An, this humble person has a plan that can guarantee the safe and swift removal of the divine egg from the pit."

"Oh?" Magistrate An and Head Constable Sun both gave me a second, more interested look. Unfortunately, the people of the Great Dragon Kingdom were identical to the Geminids in appearance; their skin tone and eye color were indistinguishable. Although many in Shuangcheng City wore their hair long, there were people like me with short hair, so this fact alone wouldn't raise suspicion about my identity. However, my scarred face did make them observe me more closely.

"Quickly, tell this county magistrate your plan," Magistrate An commanded, puffing out his official airs.

I stated, "We can utilize the principle of the lever to remove this divine egg from the pit easily and efficiently, without requiring everyone to risk their lives down there again."

Upon hearing that they could lift the divine egg without entering the pit, the crowd surged forward, shouting around the edges. Magistrate An waved his hand, signaling for quiet. He questioned, "What is this thing called the principle of the lever? Can it truly remove the divine egg quickly and safely? I have led the entire force of the County Yamen here for three days with no success. If you can truly extract it, you will have performed a great service for this county."

No wonder there were no guards at the city gate when we arrived; all their manpower must have been tied up trying to move this object. It seemed this magistrate was not entirely proper, otherwise, he would abandon governance to retrieve a divine egg?

I assured him, "As long as everyone follows my instructions, I guarantee one hundred percent success."

Magistrate An replied, "Very well, tell me what needs to be done."

Following my instructions, they immediately dispatched all available men to the stream valley to chop down trees—specifically, long logs of similar thickness. Once ten logs were ready, twenty men were sent to maneuver the escape pod, while the rest continued cutting. If their axes hadn't been so blunt, I could have guaranteed transporting the escape pod back to the Yamen before sunset.

Two men, each holding a long, thick log, were positioned on either side, with four groups of two on each flank. I explained the process in detail to Head Constable Sun. He would issue the commands and slogans, as the men would likely exert more effort for him than for a stranger like me, in case they tried to slack off and waste time.

Four logs were inserted beneath the base of the escape pod. Using the hard earth near the pit rim as a fulcrum, the eight men pushed down. The escape pod, which dozens of men couldn't move, was suddenly levered up on one side. Then, the four logs on the other side followed the same procedure. The slick, heavy escape pod was instantly raised into the air. A cheer erupted from the crowd, with Magistrate An cheering the loudest.

Head Constable Sun then issued further orders. The eight logs were fully wedged beneath the escape pod. Those dozen or so yamen runners also joined in, with three or four men bracing against each log, pushing upward. The escape pod, resting on a massive 'X' structure made of logs, had nowhere to go but up as the 'X' tightened. Soon, the men pushed the eight logs to the edge of the pit. At this point, the bottom of the escape pod was nearly level with the ground. The final two logs were pushed in from the side, and the escape pod slid smoothly off the eight logs and onto the ground. Another huge cheer went up—the large pork dinner for the evening was secured.

Sun Dasheng came over and clapped me on the shoulder. "Brother, well done! I am happy that I could make a friend like you."

Head Constable Sun, amidst his excitement, also offered praise. "May I ask this gentleman's name?"

I replied, "My name is Zhao Qian, and I come from Gourd Village beneath Gourd Peak."

Head Constable Sun nodded. "That village is quite remote, but I am acquainted with your clan leader, Wa Puji. I truly thank you this time."

Trouble. I hadn't expected Clan Leader Wa to have connections with these powerful figures in the county. If he started inquiring after hearing about this, it could ruin things! I must instruct Waha Ni and Laiziji to be extra careful when I return.

Magistrate An, thrilled, circled the escape pod before turning to me. "What's the next step? How do we lift something this heavy back to the Yamen?"

Seeing that enough logs had been felled nearby, I ordered men to carry about a dozen to the base of the escape pod. Then, everyone pushed together, wedging these logs beneath the pod. With the logs acting as makeshift rollers, only a few men pushing from behind were needed to move it forward easily. However, this method required a large number of people constantly retrieving the logs from the back and moving them to the front. Even so, it was much faster than carrying it on shoulders, and carrying it by hand might not have moved the behemoth at all.

Watching the divine egg advance toward the county town, Magistrate An's small eyes narrowed into slits with delight. He enthusiastically grabbed my hand. "Young and capable! What is your name, young man?"

I bowed respectfully. "Reporting to Your Excellency, this humble subject is named Zhao Qian."

"Good, good! This county is holding a celebratory banquet tonight. Mr. Zhao, you absolutely must attend!"

Of course, I readily agreed. Once inside the County Office, how hard could it be to find a chance to see Cheng Susu? "Thank you, Your Excellency. This humble subject will certainly arrive on time for the banquet."