A Mortal’s Immortal Gourd
Chapter 60: Locust Extermination

Ergouzi surveyed the newly recruited 200 men. Though advertised as strong and capable, they were all stumbling around, needing canes even to walk on flat ground. 

In this condition, forget about exterminating locusts—they'd just be delivering themselves as snacks to the swarms. Since the mutated locusts appeared, the insects had started eating meat, capable of stripping a man to bare bones.

"Rest here."

"Set up cooking fires!"

Not far from the county town, Ergouzi ordered them to stop and eat first. He poured out two pecks of grain, arranging for them to camp and cook on the spot.

These refugees who had been half-dead moments ago suddenly came alive at the prospect of cooking. Without detailed instructions, they abandoned their canes, spontaneously gathering firewood, digging earthen stoves, and lighting fires. Some couldn't resist stuffing raw rice into their mouths until constables whipped them into submission with leather lashes.

Ergouzi climbed to high ground and whistled toward the distance. Soon, two giant white geese came flying from the distant woods. Well-fed recently, the geese had grown even larger, their wings spanning over ten feet when spread.

When Ergouzi returned to camp with the geese, all eyes turned curiously toward them.

"Those geese are huge—one pot couldn't hold them!"

To refugees, everything looked like food. Only the martial scholars and constables showed reverence, instinctively sensing danger from the geese's aura—realizing they couldn't defeat even one goose. Their owner seemed even more mysterious.

"Captain Zhang, the congee is ready. I brought some dried meat—care for some?" A constable approached Ergouzi enthusiastically, holding a bowl of congee in one hand and dried meat in the other. Another martial scholar also offered his travel rations.

Being wealthier, they had proper provisions for the journey, unlike the refugees surviving on coarse grain porridge. Not wanting to refuse their goodwill, Ergouzi sampled bits from each offering.

"Thank you for your kindness! I left in haste without proper provisions—only some dried persimmons and red dates to share in return." 

True to his word, Ergouzi unpacked a bundle from the goose's back containing nothing but those simple treats. With his gourd's capabilities, he hadn't bothered with other food, now finding himself without even ordinary provisions.

The team members each took a piece out of courtesy, but after one bite, they regretted not taking more. Though unable to sense spiritual energy, they clearly recognized these were extraordinary items packed with energy. Being inferior in status and strength, they couldn't bring themselves to ask for more.

Meanwhile, the refugees slurped down two bowls of thick porridge each, regaining energy and morale before continuing toward Daqing Township.

They arrived the next morning. Constables consulted local gentry about locust distribution, learning five major swarms infested Daqing Township, with countless smaller groups covering the entire area. The locusts moved constantly, merging and splitting unpredictably.

These weren't ordinary locusts—larger in size, moving in destructive columns that left nothing green behind. Worse, they turned aggressive when disturbed, attacking humans and livestock alike. A full-grown ox could be reduced to bare bones within hours. After five villagers got eaten alive, locals stopped provoking the swarms entirely—if wasp nests required caution, these deadly locusts demanded complete avoidance.

Ergouzi decided to sweep northward from Daqing's southern edge. Hearing about the extermination team, emboldened villagers brought pots and pans to help drive locusts by making noise. Instead of fleeing, the disturbed swarm turned toward the humans.

The refugees trembled, looking for escape routes—they'd signed up for food, not suicide missions.

"Everyone follow behind me—charge!"

"Constables, guard the rear—execute any deserters!"

Having studied military tactics recently, Ergouzi recalled relevant passages about troop movement and issued crisp commands.

"Aye!" The constable drew his saber without hesitation, standing guard behind the group.

Between locusts ahead and blades behind, the refugees had no choice but to grip tree branches and follow Ergouzi. The geese needed no orders, already diving into the swarm. Each wingbeat sent locusts raining down like precipitation, neutralizing most threats before they reached humans.

People swung branches wildly, crippling insects that got through. Some locusts landed on bodies, their serrated legs cutting clothes and skin while mandibles tore flesh, drawing screams.

The first battle lasted over an hour, eliminating one small swarm. Of 200 refugees, 92 sustained minor injuries with zero deaths—a decisive victory. A layer of locust corpses covered the ground, though Ergouzi only found a few five-inch giants among them. The rest—at least two to three pecks worth—were gathered up.

"All personnel rest here!"

Ergouzi had dry wood collected for multiple cooking fires. Today he rationed only one peck of grain per large pot, making watery porridge. Once cooked, he buried all collected locusts in the embers. Soon, mouthwatering aromas had refugees salivating. When dug out, the locusts were perfectly roasted—crispy outside, tender inside.

That day, 200 refugees ate their fill with meat—a feast surpassing New Year celebrations. Energized, they became eager for another fight, fists clenched in excitement. Where else could starving men get meat just by following their captain? In famine times, they'd fought over tree bark and grass roots—locusts had always been tempting but too dangerous to hunt en masse except for occasional stragglers.

Happy to fulfill this simple wish, Ergouzi led them north after brief rest. Over subsequent days, they fought two or three battles daily, harvesting several pecks to one dan of locusts—all distributed as food. Whether man or beast, full bellies meant strength and motivation. Within days, the exterminators' morale transformed completely—no more fear, only fierce enthusiasm, especially after eating locust meat.

Daqing's villagers who'd fled earlier were now forcibly returned and confined. Seeing the extermination team eating well—with meat—whole villages begged to join wherever the group went. With crops doomed anyway unless locusts were eliminated, Ergouzi accepted all comers. Even the weak and elderly were enlisted for support roles—gathering firewood, cooking, fetching water. His team ballooned from 200 to nearly 800 strong.