They were so few in number that, despite a frantic flurry of hacking and slashing, they managed only to inflict superficial wounds on the giant crocodile. And this was only achieved because Chao Xun had taken the lead, placing himself in the most perilous position to distract the beast. Even so, there was no sign of hope that they would be able to truly subdue the monster.
What concerned Han Changshan and the other officials even more was that the crocodile’s ferocity seemed to be escalating as it bled. It roared, countering with ever-greater violence; every time its tail—thicker than a pillar—swept through the air, it kicked up a terrifying storm of sand and stone. Under such conditions, it was all they could do to protect themselves, let alone get close enough to strike. Even a master like Chao Xun, capable of fighting a hundred men, found the situation unmanageable.
As for Magistrate Liu, he was being tossed about in the crocodile’s jaws like a bundle of straw, and after being dragged repeatedly across the ground, he was already half-dead. Fortunately, his will to survive was extraordinary; even with his clothes in tatters and his face covered in blood, he continued to cry out in a weak, intermittent voice. He was essentially telling everyone: "I’m still worth saving! Don't give up on me!"
Chapter 97