When Dou Lide rose that morning, he discovered that he had actually slept on a golden-deer couch the night before. He personally directed men to replace it before going outside. The moment he stepped out, he saw some Expeditionary Army soldiers releasing sparrows and crows in the snow.
Moreover, they released the sparrows first, then waited a while before releasing the crows.
Dragonhead Dou watched, dumbfounded, without the slightest idea what they were doing. Were these men from the Demon-Suppressing Guard performing a sacrifice? Their accents did not sound like it.
While he was still puzzling over it, Zhang Shizhao, still wearing his black cloak, came over and offered a brief explanation. "You may not know this, Lord Dou, but this is how we find our way. In winter, the Witchlands' water sources freeze over, and windblown snow swirls like sand. Birds can only follow people, particularly sparrows and crows, and the scarcer food becomes, the larger the flocks they gather in... As for why we use both kinds at once? Crows eat anything. When they're starving, they even eat sparrows. We use the crows to drive the sparrows and the sparrows to lure the crows, so we can take these birds farther out."
Understanding dawned on Dou Lide, followed by admiration. "Dragonhead Li does have some ability... How did he think of this? I thought they were offering sacrifices to Lord Black Emperor."
Zhang Shizhao chuckled. "His mind is always on these things. Just as you have a knack for handling people, Dragonhead Dou, and I know a little about Witchlands customs. Practice makes perfect, that's all."
Dou Lide came back to himself and could not help smiling too, but rather than pursue the subject, he raised another matter. "Where is the Great Director of Fate? I saw him