The captain frowned deeply and fell into deep thought.

He carefully weighed the pros and cons, thinking to himself: There are indeed many uncertainties in this matter. If he rashly notifies the police, and something unexpected happens and those thugs don't show up, it would be a laughing stock.

After careful consideration, he finally decided to organize the people from the Huaihua brigade to go and take a look first.

After all, it's always wise to be cautious in situations where there's no absolute certainty.

"Okay, I understand. Xia Wan, you mustn't tell anyone about this. I'll arrange for one of the young men in our brigade to go and check things out tonight," the brigade leader earnestly instructed.

He secretly thought that if he could successfully capture those thugs in one fell swoop, he might even receive praise and commendation from his superiors.

Thinking of this, a look of anticipation appeared on the captain's face.

Xia Wan nodded, indicating that she understood the captain's meaning, and volunteered, "Okay, Captain, don't worry. But I also know some martial arts, so I can lend a hand if you need any help."

The captain waved his hand and said with a smile, "Hey, we don't need a little girl like you for this. I'll find a few strong young men. How can we let a little girl like you risk your life with us in the middle of the night?"

He was adamant about not letting Xia Wan participate in this operation, fearing that she might be in danger.

Xia Wan frowned deeply. One of the main reasons she chose to report it was to gain some points!

If she's not allowed to participate, why would she go to such lengths to report it?

So she quickly said to the brigade leader, "Uncle, please remember to call my brother too. He's always wanted to contribute to our brigade!"

Hearing her say that, the brigade leader smiled with satisfaction and readily agreed, "Alright, you two siblings are both good kids!"

The captain thought Xia Wan just wanted to get some credit for her brother.

Xia Wan was unaware of his thoughts. After hesitating for a while, she finally reminded the captain, lowering her voice and saying, "Uncle, when you set off to do your business, you must find a few reliable and trustworthy people to go with you. Otherwise, it's hard to guarantee that no one will secretly tip off the other party."

As she said this, Xia Wan's eyes flickered, because she knew very well that Wu Guangli was also involved in the Huaihua Brigade.

If the captain's actions are too high-profile and attract Wu Guangli's attention, and their plans change, then all their efforts will have been in vain.

Upon hearing this, the captain was slightly taken aback, and his brows furrowed tightly.

He keenly sensed that Xia Wan's words seemed to have a hidden meaning, and looked at her with suspicion, asking, "Have you heard something, little girl? You mustn't hide anything from your uncle."

Xia Wan shook her head firmly: "How could that be? I told Captain Uncle about this because I hoped he could lead people to catch the coal thief. There are a few good-for-nothings in our brigade who have connections with outsiders, and I'm worried they might tip us off if they hear about it."

Of course she's hiding something, but since she wants to keep it a secret, she can't reveal it now, and no one can stop her from getting points.

"Alright, I'll go back and discuss with the brigade leaders who we should call." The brigade leader frowned, turned and left with a worried expression.

As he walked, he secretly pondered which of the able-bodied men in the brigade he could trust.

Xia Wan watched the captain's departing figure, shrugged helplessly, and then walked home with light steps.

She didn't have much intention of interfering with what the captain was going to do next. After all, she felt she had already made herself clear, and the rest was up to the captain.

These past few days, the atmosphere in the Xia family has been somewhat somber and oppressive.

The reason is simple: Old Man Xia is currently lying in a hospital bed receiving treatment. Although his brothers, Xia Jianjun and Xia Jiandang, are in the hospital, his condition is still not optimistic.

According to the message that Grandma Xia brought back from the hospital, Grandpa Xia's injury was really too serious this time, especially his leg. It is likely that even if he recovers, he will be disabled and will never be able to stand up and walk like a normal person again!

Upon hearing this news, Xia Wan couldn't help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

To be honest, when she first started, she was worried that she wouldn't be ruthless enough because she was in a hurry to get away.

But now it seems that everything is developing in the direction she expected, and this result truly satisfies her.

Before Xia Wan even stepped into the Xia family's gate, she heard a fierce argument.

Xia Shitou and his wife were arguing fiercely. Li Zhenzhen stood with her hands on her hips, her eyes wide with anger, and kept shouting that Xia Shitou was a good-for-nothing who couldn't support his wife.

Xia Shitou's face turned bright red, his fists clenched so tightly he looked ready to punch someone. For a moment, the entire courtyard was filled with the thick smell of gunpowder.

Xia Wan curiously leaned forward, wanting to hear what they were arguing about.

However, after listening for a while, she felt that Li Zhenzhen harbored deep resentment towards Xia Shitou, but ultimately it was because of money.

They had only hastily obtained their marriage certificate not long ago, and hadn't even had a single day of peace before they started making a huge scene at home, completely disregarding everything else.

Xia Wan couldn't understand why this person was in such a hurry to get their marriage certificate a few days ago.

When Li Zhenzhen saw Xia Wan approaching from afar, her previously dull eyes suddenly brightened, like stars suddenly twinkling in the night sky.

She dashed towards Xia Wan like an arrow, calling out urgently as she ran, "Xia Wan, Xia Wan! You're finally back! Can you lend me some money? My family will send me some money in a few days, and I'll pay you back as soon as possible!"

Upon hearing this, Xia Wan raised her pretty eyebrows slightly, wondering to herself, "What is this person thinking? Are we really that close? He's even asking me for money?"

Despite having many thoughts on her mind, she responded expressionlessly, "Sorry, we're not close enough to lend each other money, are we?"

After saying that, Xia Wan turned around and prepared to leave, as if she didn't want to stay a moment longer.

Li Zhenzhen was not about to let go of this potential lifeline so easily. She rushed in front of Xia Wan, spreading her arms to block her path, and said with a face full of anxiety and sincerity:

"Wait, Xia Wan! How about this? I'll write you an IOU, with the repayment date clearly stated in black and white. I absolutely guarantee I'll pay you back every penny within a month! Please, trust me just this once!"