Chapter 85

Without delay, the three siblings crossed the river again and returned to the other side.

“Although I haven’t found anything, the situation over there is indeed a bit strange. Do you think something happened to Tian Zhaozhao and the others?” Wang Jie asked worriedly. “Logically speaking, there are almost a thousand of them now. What could have happened to hold so many people up?”

Tong Shu was also at a loss. They had a business relationship with Tian Zhaozhao, and they were also neighbors. If something happened to them, it would be difficult for their side not to be affected.

"I'll sneak over and take another look later. This time I'm going to go a little further in, so none of you should follow me," Tong Shu said to Wang Jie and the others after thinking for a while.

“You alone? That won’t do, it’s too dangerous.” Wang Jie disagreed.

"It would be more dangerous for me to bring you along." Tong Shu patted her pocket casually. "Don't worry."

Wang Jie thought of Tong Shu's gun, hesitated for a moment, and then nodded: "Okay, be careful."

The unusual situation on the other side of the strait made Tong Shu highly vigilant. Before setting off, she made sure that everyone in her family kept the doors and windows closed and stayed at home. Shu Hua's heart would pound every time Tong Shu decided to go out alone.

“I always think you guys are being too paranoid. Maybe they’re just busy. Didn’t you say the other side has started growing their own food? They have enough food now, so they don’t come to see us as often. Isn’t that a good thing? Why did you have to make this trip…” Shu Hua rubbed her hands together, chattering on and on, just trying to stop Tong Shu from leaving.

Tong Shu smiled and said, "Since that's the reason, there's even less danger for me to go there. I'll just be observing how they live."

"I can't reason with you!" Shu Hua said angrily, stamping her foot and sitting down at the dining table.

Tong Shu gave Tong Songming a wink, telling him to stay home and comfort her mother, while she slung her bag over her shoulder and quietly slipped out along the wall.

Instead of crossing the river at the opposite bank of the riverside park, Tong Shu walked upstream for about a kilometer. There was a small hill that had been partially destroyed by a bomb. Looking across the river, there were no tall buildings, so it was probably not the area where Tian Zhaozhao and the others had been. Tong Shu took out a small boat and rowed to the other side.

Just as Tong Shu had imagined, the place was deserted, with thick layers of fallen leaves piled on the ground, and the rubber soles of her boots crunched underfoot.

Tong Shu remembered that Tian Zhaozhao had told her that in order to make it easier to build a new house, they had cut down a lot of trees near the river, and estimated that it wouldn't be too far from the riverside park. Tong Shu now had to go back along the river to find her way back to the vicinity of the park.

Since the plants began to grow wildly, other wild animals have gradually begun to show their tracks. Tong Shu walked through the woods and occasionally heard two clear bird calls.

Tong Shu had changed into a dark, tight-fitting outfit before setting off, making her inconspicuous in the dim woods. She was being very cautious, hiding in the bushes every now and then to observe her surroundings before continuing forward. Fortunately, although there were frequent noises in the woods, there was no one else in sight. Tong Shu continued walking, stopping and starting, gradually approaching the park.

Tong Shu hid under a huge camphor tree, looked at the outline of the buildings that appeared in the distance, and looked down to check the dagger and gun in his pocket. At this moment, Tong Shu heard the chirping of a sparrow again.

The sound was so close, as if it were right behind him, or perhaps right next to his ear. Tong Shu's hair stood on end. He turned around and was about to lean his back against the tree trunk when suddenly someone jumped down from the tree. Tong Shu didn't react in time, and his back slammed into the person's chest.

Tong Shu was shocked. She drew her dagger and stabbed it behind her back. With a powerful twist of her foot, she raised her other knee and struck forward.

Unexpectedly, the person who suddenly appeared was even faster, grabbing Tong Shu's wrist firmly in one swift motion. With his other hand, he casually chopped at Tong Shu's waist, instantly wiping her of all strength. She was then flipped over and locked in the person's arms.

Oh no, this guy's a professional! Tong Shu was filled with regret for her carelessness. Her mind raced through her thoughts, trying to come up with the best way to negotiate with these people. But then, a low chuckle suddenly reached her ears.

"Long time no see, you've become much more capable."

Tong Shu's eyes widened instantly. She swayed, trying to turn around, but the person holding her released her grip in a gentlemanly manner, allowing her to turn to face them.

“…Wen Shaocheng.” Tong Shu stared at the face she hadn’t seen for months, her voice choked with emotion she herself didn’t realize.

"Hmm." The man's gaze was deep as he looked down at the girl who appeared in his dreams every day, using the light filtering through the leaves. "It's me."

Tong Shu stared intently at Wen Shaocheng. He had changed a lot in the few months since she'd last seen him; his once handsome face was now covered in stubble, and his exposed skin was marked with numerous wounds.

In an instant, Tong Shu had so many questions she wanted to ask him.

for example.

What are you doing here?

Where have you been these past few months?

Who are you with?

besides,

Have you ever thought of me?

...

But when the words reached her lips, Tong Shu couldn't say anything. The words of longing rolled around on her tongue, and all that came out was: "You've gotten so much darker."

Wen Shaocheng smiled again. When he smiled, his eyes curved, and his handsome features were upturned. Only at this moment could Tong Shu find in him the spirited and dashing demeanor of the young major she once knew.

“Everyone changes after being exposed to the wind and sun.” Wen Shaocheng scanned Tong Shu’s face: “You haven’t changed much.” Only your eyes are more determined, your body seems a little stronger, and it seems that you have hidden a lot of worries.

At this point, Tong Shu snapped out of her reverie and realized that now was not the time for reminiscing: "Why did you just climb down from the tree? Were you lying in ambush for me?"

"Catching you was an accident," Wen Shaocheng said with a smile. "But we are indeed looking for an opportunity to strike."

"...What was that bird's call?"

“It’s Liu Wanqi, and a few of my other teammates,” Wen Shaocheng explained.

Hearing Wen Shaocheng say that, Tong Shu felt much more at ease.

"And you? What are you doing here all alone, sneaking around like this? Are your family members alright?"

Tong Shu nodded: "They're all fine. We built houses on the other side of the river, and they're all staying at home now. We've been doing business with a group of people here for the past few months, and we used to meet at least two or three times a week, but recently they've suddenly disappeared. I was a little worried, so I came over alone to check on them."

Wen Shaocheng listened with a look of disapproval: "You're too bold. But you guessed right, they really are in trouble."

“I have the ability, you know that.” Tong Shu winked at Wen Shaocheng. “But from what you’re saying, you know about Tian Zhaozhao and the others? What happened to them?” Tong Shu asked eagerly.

Wen Shaocheng hesitated, then pursed his thin lips.

"Tell me quickly! Why have you become so hesitant after not seeing me for a few months?" Tong Shu frowned and punched Wen Shaocheng's arm with the back of her hand.

Wen Shaocheng sighed and could only say, "Do you remember those Japanese people we met before?"

Tong Shu's face darkened, her hands unconsciously clenched into fists, and her voice carried a hint of ruthlessness: "...You mean, those people have come here too?"

Wen Shaocheng nodded: "This group's influence is growing bigger and bigger. In the past few months, they have gathered a lot of fugitives and thugs who have taken advantage of natural disasters to commit crimes. On our way here, in addition to protecting the people who are with us, we also have to think of ways to encircle and suppress them from time to time."

The thought that those thugs had managed to get away with it until now filled Tong Shu with uncontrollable hatred. She didn't show it on her face, but her mind was racing. She wished she could rush into Tian Zhaozhao's base that very night and tear those beasts to pieces.

"So, have you figured out a way to get rid of these people yet?" Tong Shu asked.

“They don’t have many people left now.” Wen Shaocheng squinted at the direction of the park. “A few months ago, a kind of mushroom suddenly appeared that emits a poisonous gas. Anyone who smells it will faint. We were lucky and happened to pass by a cave, so not many people fainted. But those thugs weren’t so lucky. The next day, when we set off with our men to continue, we found many unconscious people hanging haphazardly from the trees.”

"They abandoned everyone?"

Wen Shaocheng nodded: "These people have no humanity. Those who join them will be abandoned once they are no longer of use. We roughly estimated that they lost about two-thirds of their men that night."

Tong Shu remained silent. They had witnessed the power of the poisonous mushrooms before; inhaling too much of them could cause unconsciousness. "And then? What happened to the unconscious person?" Tong Shu asked, referring both to Wen Shaocheng's group and the person hanging in the tree.

"They all starved to death." Wen Shaocheng said calmly, but only he knew how desperate the situation was. The deaths of the criminals were not a pity, but the civilians and comrades were getting weaker day by day and then stopped breathing, which made the others who had escaped the disaster grieve.

"We went back and hid in the cave for a few days. When we set off again, that group of people had already arrived here first." Wen Shaocheng and his group couldn't abandon the unconscious people. During those days, they tried everything they could in the cave, but in the end, they still couldn't save those lives. The group buried the deceased outside the cave and left again with heavy hearts.

"Where are your people hiding now? Director Zhu...did he come with you?"

“In an abandoned residential area a few kilometers away.” Wen Shaocheng paused for a moment. “Zhu Cheng… has passed away.”

Thinking of that selfless and warm-hearted man, Wen Shaocheng felt very uncomfortable, and when he looked at Tong Shu, his eyes immediately welled up with tears.

"...Let's not talk about this here." Tong Shu rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand to hide her embarrassment. "It's getting dark, they probably won't come out. Why don't you call Lieutenant Liu and the others and come back with me?"

Wen Shaocheng had originally planned to stay overnight in a nearby house, but after hearing what Tong Shu said, he immediately changed his mind. He nodded to Tong Shu, then put his hand to his mouth and let out a long bird call.