Ruined my good deed
The earth-shattering explosions outside the cave continued, and everyone was moved by the scene before them. Children stopped crying and clung to their parents, and relatives and neighbors comforted each other. The red light was weak, but it was enough to dispel the fear.
"Swoosh!" Zhao Fengnian keenly noticed the subtle sound from the cave ceiling and immediately called everyone inside to avoid falling rocks.
No sooner had he finished speaking than a piece of shrapnel flew into the cave, grazing the cave wall. Cracks in the cave ceiling spread rapidly like a spider web. Zhao Fengnian hurriedly picked up Lu Wei and led the group into the cave.
Clang! The stalactites overhead crumbled and broke into a pile of grayish-white "tofu dregs," blocking most of the cave entrance.
This is terrible. Forget about saving Chunmei; such a small cut is barely big enough for a child under ten to squeeze through. Fortunately, the villagers only suffered minor scrapes and abrasions.
They quickly lit a fire for light and began discussing how to get out of the cave. However, it was so dark and frightening inside that no villager dared to go more than a kilometer inside. At most, they would sit at the entrance of the cave to shelter from the rain and snow.
"Party members, raise your hands," Zhao Fengnian said in a hoarse voice, still lit by the dim firelight. Dozens of men, women, and children raised their hands. He then asked, "Those who have received militia training, step forward!"
Now there were five men and two women standing up, waiting for his orders. Zhao Fengnian cleared his throat: "The rest of you, please stay where you are and take care of the other villagers. Seven comrades and I will go into the cave to explore and find another exit. We will come to pick you up."
Before they could leave, Dr. Zhu reached out to stop Zhao Fengnian: "Section Chief Zhao, please wait. Although I am old, I have been collecting herbs in the mountains for many years, and no one knows the terrain of this mountain range better than me."
Looking hesitantly at Lu Wei, Dr. Zhu seemed to sense his concerns and took out a packet of medicine powder, saying that it could relieve the pain slightly if taken orally. As a last resort, Section Chief Zhao nodded in agreement.
The air was filled with the damp smell of gravel. They had walked four or five kilometers with torches in hand, but the cave seemed endless.
There was only endless darkness ahead, but Doctor Zhu remained calm. He touched a dent with his right hand and exclaimed happily, "We're almost there! I've been here before when I was gathering herbs. This arrow is the mark I made."
Section Chief Zhao raised the torch to check the light, frowned, and calmly put the torch away: "Hmm, let's go."
After walking another kilometer, a faint white light appeared ahead, indicating that there really was a way out. Unable to contain their excitement, the group took off running forward.
"Don't rush, take your time." Zhao Fengnian's advice had no effect; Doctor Zhu ran especially fast, taking the lead and rushing ahead.
Just as they were about to escape the gloomy cave, the cave suddenly began to shake violently, followed by a pungent smoke that rushed in, like a rotten egg that had been fermenting for three days.
Ugh... Zhao Fengnian quickly covered his mouth, but choked and started to gag. One by one, the people who were the first to leave collapsed.
The gas was poisonous. Zhao Fengnian's legs gave way and he fell against the hard stone wall. Water dripped from the cave onto his face, which helped him regain his senses slightly.
With a whoosh, a flash of cold light appeared. In a split second, Zhao Fengnian kicked the enemy away, flipped over and pinned him down, snatched the blade and held it to the enemy's throat. There were no fancy techniques, only the muscle memory from fighting on the battlefield.
"Tell me, where is Doctor Zhu?" Zhao Fengnian's back was soaked with cold sweat.
"How did you figure that out?" The enemy revealed a familiar face—Doctor Zhu.
Just then, Chunmei's loud voice came from the side of the cave. Chunmei was holding a torch and standing at the fork in the road, followed by a little boy who looked to be about ten years old.
Her hair was disheveled, and her clothes still smelled of burnt fire. She spoke impatiently, "Section Chief Zhao! I'm telling you, Ruijin City is playing the 'empty city' trick. Our comrade sent a message half an hour ago."
"Really!" Zhao Fengnian choked up, tears streaming down his face. The young Red Guard beside him nodded solemnly; he was the one Secretary Deng had sent to warn everyone to take cover, but unfortunately, he hadn't made it in time.
“Chunmei, you keep this spy under control. He’s impersonating Doctor Zhu.” Zhao Fengnian turned to Hong Xiaogui and said, “Kid, help bring the other comrades back. They’ve been poisoned.”
After saying that, the two men soaked their clothes in some hole fluid and went to pull the person away. Zhao Fengnian felt a wave of fear, wondering which comrade had sent the message in time.
Morse code, like thin black threads, weaves through winding mountains and meandering rivers, its white curtains billowing in the evening breeze.
Beep beep beep... The red and green LEDs seemed to be infused with a soul, jumping on the telegraph machine. Qingcheng grabbed the headphones with one hand and frantically tapped the keys with the other.
Before she could finish speaking, Gao Junxiao, who had been standing by the window keeping watch, pulled down the blinds and told her to turn off the radio quickly, as the CC's wireless patrol vehicle had arrived, having driven there in about a minute.
Why did the spies arrive so early? Weren't they supposed to patrol every fifteen minutes? Qingcheng really wanted to lock them up right now, but this concerned the life and death of the people back home. Even if she got caught, she had to finish sending this message, or she would be doomed to die.
"Go quickly, just pretend you were never here." Qingcheng calmly uttered these resolute words. Gao Junxiao still had time to leave; the agents would have at least five more minutes to pinpoint the area, enough time for him to go downstairs and blend into the crowd.
Gao Junxiao resolutely refused: "No! How much longer are you going to keep sending these?"
"Two minutes." Qingcheng gave a broad number, not daring to stop. She didn't hear what Gao Junxiao whispered before she was swallowed up by the data. Only the numbers, flashing with a faint silver light, guided her forward.
The ticking sound in the darkness connected the two worlds. After sending the message, she looked up and saw that it was one minute and thirty-seven seconds. Qingcheng quickly turned off the device, unplugged the antenna, and put the receiver into the box in one smooth motion.
With Gao Junxiao no longer in the room, it seemed he had listened to advice. Qingcheng breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly hid the radio in a secret compartment.
Screech—the ear-piercing sound of brakes was right next to him. Qingcheng's heart skipped a beat. He wiped the sweat from his palms before closing the hidden compartment.
A series of hurried footsteps echoed from the street corner, followed by the man's command: "Search!"
She couldn't leave! Thump thump thump... Qingcheng listened to her own rapid heartbeat, standing there somewhat lost. She didn't know what to do next, whether to pretend to read or pretend...
Suddenly, a cool hand landed on her shoulder, followed by the pleasant aroma of wine: "Drink up."
The familiar male voice instantly snapped Qingcheng out of her daze. She abruptly downed the glass of red wine that was offered to her, and the sour taste on her tongue crept up to her eyes. The man chuckled softly, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and said teasingly, "Don't just stand there like an idiot, give me another kiss, hurry up."
Having roughly guessed what he was planning to do, Qingcheng gently put down her wine glass, turned around and grabbed Gao Junxiao by the collar, fiercely penetrating his teeth, releasing her heat with a distorted swallowing sound, the boiling blood in that instant causing both of them to tremble slightly.
But the noisy footsteps around her could not be ignored. She turned her nose away and, panting, reached for her shirt. Perhaps her movements were too clumsy, or perhaps she had never been so intimate before, her hands trembled, and she couldn't undo it after several attempts. She was so anxious that she was covered in sweat. Gao Junxiao couldn't bear to watch any longer, so he pulled hard on it himself, and his strong chest was immediately revealed.
Ahem, don't look at what's improper. She hurriedly pushed the man away and rushed into the bedroom, frantically unbuttoning the knotted clasp around her neck while messing up her hair and smudging her makeup in front of the mirror.
Gao Junxiao followed her in and locked the door behind him. Only a dim wall lamp remained in the bedroom. He turned his back to her and took off his clothes one by one. Qingcheng bit her lower lip, trying hard to suppress her shyness, and told herself: They have to fight for every second, just treat it as wearing a swimsuit.
However, Gao Junxiao was faster. He suddenly turned around and scolded, "Hurry up, if you dawdle any longer, we'll both be done for here."
As if to echo his words, the agents outside banged the gate shut with a deafening roar, and someone shouted menacingly, "Hey, open the door! Searching for the CCP, open the door now!"
The clanging and banging were unsettling. Qingcheng steeled herself, took off her petticoat, and couldn't help but hug her arms tightly, trying to cover herself up as much as possible.
Gao Junxiao hurriedly looked away, saying, "Excuse me."
As soon as she finished speaking, she was suddenly lifted off the ground and into the air. Qingcheng gasped and instinctively hooked her arms around Gao Junxiao's neck, letting him pick her up. With a jolt, she touched those refined lines again and withdrew her hand as if she had been electrocuted.
However, the warm, strange touch felt like a brand on her fingertips. She hurriedly closed her eyes to adjust her breathing, but couldn't help but peek through a crack. Every muscle seemed to have an independent life, rising and falling with her breath. The corners of her mouth involuntarily curled up. Oh dear, what a sin!
"Hold me, that should be enough." Gao Junxiao's breath, rising and falling, sprayed onto Qingcheng's cheeks, making them feel slightly numb.
"You have to at least make it convincing; they're not that easy to fool." Qingcheng glanced at the bedroom door, braced herself on the bed, and nimbly turned over, taking the initiative to peck at his lips. Gao Junxiao's body trembled, stiffening like a log that had just been sawn off.
Bang! Guys, search them!
The door was kicked open, and Qingcheng screamed and hid in Gao Junxiao's arms. Gao Junxiao was so angry that he raised his gun and cursed: "Fuck your grandpa, can't you see I'm busy?"
The young agent who had charged forward immediately deflated, raised his hands, and retreated dejectedly, explaining, "We are from the Party Affairs Investigation Section, searching for members of the Communist Party."
"Damn it, the CCP is targeting me! Call Zhang Chong over here. How are you going to discipline your men?" Gao Junxiao said coldly, his deep voice filled with suppressed anger.
"Who dares to ask to see Section Chief Zhang?" The man walked in from outside, twirling two steel balls in his hands. His face was serious and unfriendly. However, as soon as he saw Gao Junxiao, he took a big step back, and the steel balls in his hands fell to the ground with a "thud".
"Hey, isn't this Captain Han? What are you doing here so late at night instead of sleeping? I don't have any food in my room." Gao Junxiao said with a forced smile, pulling the blanket over Qingcheng until she was completely covered.
"Councilor Gao, what are you doing here?" Captain Han swallowed hard, his words stammering.
"Captain Han isn't awake yet. You've trespassed on my private property, ruined my plans, and now you're asking me why I'm here." Gao Junxiao's voice suddenly rose three octaves.
"I'm sorry, please put on your clothes first, we'll talk outside." Captain Han apologized politely, cupping his hands in a gesture of respect.
"Shut up, get out!" Gao Junxiao waved his gun, issuing the order to leave.
"Counselor, please don't make things difficult for me. We found the Communist Party's radio station within a two-kilometer radius. Manager Xu set the rule that every household must be searched. It's really not targeting you." Captain Han secretly raised his eyes, as if he had seen something, and lowered his head awkwardly.
"Well, not only can you speak like a human being, but you've also learned to take the blame. Manager Xu really didn't waste his time raising you; you dare to bite anyone. I need to have a good talk with Zhang Chong and get him to step down as soon as possible, lest he get shot in the back without even knowing it," Gao Junxiao said threateningly.
"I wouldn't dare. I'm only doing this for your own good. If you don't allow the investigation, it will give others something to say. Our section chief is fair and impartial, but it's a different story for Manager Xu." Captain Han hid further out of the door frame.
Listening to their conversation, Qingcheng realized that Captain Han was quite adept at using others' strength against them. He actually used the conflict between Xu Qiao and Gao Junxiao to his advantage. Although Gao Junxiao didn't buy into it, being targeted by a mad dog was quite annoying.
Qingcheng rolled her eyes and whispered a few words to Gao Junxiao. Gao Junxiao understood and said, "Then I'll remind you, this room is borrowed from my buddy. I advise you not to mess with him. Mr. Xia hates government lackeys the most."
Huh? Captain Han's eyes twitched a few times, and he hesitated to retreat. Clearly, the name "Mr. Xia" was more effective. Gao Junxiao secretly squeezed Qingcheng's palm under the blanket, a hint of pride flashing in his eyes.
Just then, the junior agent came over to report: "Reporting, Captain Han, there's nothing there. Shall we search the bedroom?"
"Captain Han, if you don't care, go ahead and investigate. I'm waiting." Gao Junxiao shrugged. "Just remember to keep an eye on your men. If anyone dares to look around too much or sees anything they shouldn't, I'll gouge out their eyes and use them as a snack! The rest of you will be fed to the dogs."
Captain Han's face turned ashen, and he quickly waved his hand, "No, no, no, we'll leave right away."
"Get out!" Gao Junxiao roared again. Captain Han nodded repeatedly, closed the door, and fled in a sorry state with his men.
The room finally returned to silence. Gao Junxiao released his index finger from the bolt of his gun, opened the door to make sure all the spies in the room had left, and then breathed a sigh of relief.
Qingcheng pulled down the blanket and exhaled a breath of hot air; she was suffocating! She glared at Gao Junxiao in annoyance. This deadbeat man wouldn't even let her show a single hair. Was it really necessary?
"Have you seen enough?!" Gao Junxiao hurriedly pulled up a piece of clothing to cover himself. "Don't stare at me, I'm getting embarrassed."
Originally, it was nothing, but after he said that, her gaze couldn't help but drift downwards. Ah, Qingcheng's face flushed and she buried her face in the pillow. Then she thought about it and realized there was a reason for it. Lying on her side, she defended herself: "Why are you shy? This is just a temporary measure, and you were the one who started it."
“I started it, but I didn’t let you… cough cough, that.” Gao Junxiao sat back on the edge of the bed and coughed lightly. “You’re not even reliable in front of me, so you have no idea what kind of person you are when I can’t see you.”
"That's not quite right. If you don't do it this way, do you think that old fox Captain Han will believe you?" Qingcheng touched her nose and asked curiously, "Speaking of which, this must be quite uncomfortable. Can you order your messenger to calm down?"
"There's nothing I can do, I don't share a command post with it." Gao Junxiao nervously tugged at the corner of his clothes, his voice sticky. "Oh, don't worry about it, it'll go back when it's time."
"Oh, how long will it take? By the way, can you still walk in this state?" Kiyosumi propped her head up and asked with concern.
Suddenly, Gao Junxiao threw a petticoat at her, angrily saying, "Ask, ask, ask what? You be the one! I think you have a bit of naive evil in you."
"You're like a dog biting Lü Dongbin, not recognizing a kind heart. I always felt that the old fox left too decisively. Who knows if he left any tricks up his sleeve? If you're okay, let's get out of here quickly." Qingcheng kicked the blanket to cool off.
"We can leave, but the question is whether you've put your things away properly?" She understood what Gao Junxiao meant; once they left, the spies would definitely search the entire house again.
"Don't worry, they won't find what I've hidden," Qingcheng said confidently, whispering in his ear.
"That's good. You get dressed, I'll go to the bathroom first." Gao Junxiao's breathing was unsteady, and he stiffly looked up at the ceiling.
His strange, contrived posture explained his earlier doubts; so he could walk after all. Qingcheng forced a smile and looked outside. As expected, the living room was ransacked. A flash of silver light revealed a perfectly round metal ball lying at the foot of the wall—it belonged to Captain Han.
"Don't move, look there." Qingcheng grabbed Gao Junxiao, who was looking for his pants, and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "They haven't gone far. They might come back for a surprise attack."
Gao Junxiao raised an eyebrow and said in a low voice with disdain, "Again! When will this end!"
"Oh, you've had your fun and then dumped me halfway through? What kind of man are you? Don't ever come looking for me again." Qingcheng blinked and made a gesture of putting on headphones. Knowing CC's usual behavior, she suspected there was a listening device.
Gao Junxiao was slightly taken aback, but quickly realized: "Baby, that's not what I meant. I was so angry with those bastards that I didn't perform well. Kisses, kisses, don't be angry. I'm not usually like this."
"Get out of here, you big liar!" Qingcheng pointed outside, signaling Gao Junxiao to go out and check. She then jumped out of bed with a swift movement and quickly put on her petticoat and cheongsam.
The two searched together in two corners of the living room. Gao Junxiao carefully touched the window frame and window shutters, saying repeatedly, "How could you call me a big liar? Where did I lie? Hmm, is it here, or here?"
This guy was so engrossed in his performance that it seemed like he wasn't acting. Qingcheng blushed and said coquettishly, "Shameless! I'll fight you to the death."
"Okay, how do you want to spell it? Right-side up, backwards, sideways? Or... try it all? There's plenty of time anyway." Gao Junxiao's tone grew increasingly ambiguous, culminating in a muffled groan, "Don't bite, don't bite. Mmm~"
Hmm~ So his usual serious demeanor was all an act. If I couldn't see him searching, I'd really think he was up to something bad.
I really want to strangle him! Qingcheng rolled her eyes and let out a soft moan, not to be outdone: "Hmm~ Don't touch there, ha~ it tickles."
"Why are you hiding? Weren't you just making a fuss? Come here, we can have more food if you're hungry. It's not like I won't give you any." Gao Junxiao paused, he must have found it. He slowly pulled a black listening device from the back of the clock and looked at it with his eyes, asking what to do.
After brainstorming, Qingcheng decisively removed a cushion, grabbed the bugging device, and threw it into the down cushion, rubbing it vigorously.
Half a minute later, Qingcheng, carrying an open-faced pillow, maliciously made Gao Junxiao reattach the bugging device. Ouch, Gao Junxiao winced and pulled his hand back, but dared not utter a sound. He could only pinch Qingcheng's cheek to vent his anger.
The bugging device had just been reattached when a faint noise came from outside. Gao Junxiao grabbed Qingcheng's shoulder and slammed her against the wall with lightning speed, the pressure making her bones ache. The next second, her hem was lifted up, and Qingcheng's mind went completely blank. What was she supposed to do next?
"They're here. You can go ahead in a bit." Gao Junxiao breathed hot air into her ear, "Baby, you smell so good."
Their breaths mingled together as he pulled her into the fire. An unprecedented feeling of suffocation overwhelmed them. The man wanted nothing more than to grab her and swallow her whole. Qingcheng clutched her heart, fearing it would explode from the shock.
Squeak!
The door opened gently, and Gao Junxiao reluctantly let go of her. He glanced outside and saw Captain Han bowing and scraping, indicating that he had left something behind and would leave immediately after picking it up.
Snap!
Qingcheng slapped him and angrily pushed Gao Junxiao away: "You bastard, go play with him!"
Watching her slam the door and leave, Gao Junxiao smiled with relief. Now he could focus on dealing with that clueless bastard. He turned around and smiled even more: "Captain Han, you don't seem to have anything urgent, do you?"
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