Chapter 8: The cauldron exploded, sending bricks flying everywhere...
That night, Lu Zhe barely slept a wink.
The damp, musty smell of the mud-brick house mingled with the scent of dry grass, lingering in the air. Beside him, Chu Yanxi's breathing was steady and long; he had long since fallen asleep.
Lu Zhe's cheek was still throbbing, as if the slap the guard had given Wei Yanli had landed on his face.
In the darkness, he kept his eyes closed, but the last scene before leaving that mud-brick warehouse kept replaying in his mind's eye. When the flashlight beam swept across, the three girls huddled in the corner had numb and desperate looks in their eyes.
The harsh reality made him realize that only through action and strength can true justice be upheld.
Just as dawn was breaking, the sound of a lock being opened and the guard's rude shouts came from outside the door. After a simple meal of cold water and hard bread, Chu Yanxi and Lu Zhe were led into the courtyard.
Old Dao was already waiting there, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, squinting as he sized them up, especially Chu Yanxi. Beside him stood Black Ox and another gaunt-faced, thin man. Behind the three of them stood eight more farmers.
There were eleven participants in the den alone, and Lu Zhe felt a chill run down his spine.
"Girl, you said you can make explosives." Old Knife got straight to the point, exhaling a smoke ring. "Words are no proof. I want to see the real thing. What materials do you need? Make a list. Don't try anything funny. I'll have someone get the materials, but you have to make them right under my nose."
Chu Yanxi nodded calmly: "Okay. I need a relatively quiet, well-ventilated place, without open flames, and some common chemical raw materials and equipment..."
She rattled off a string of terms, some of which were actually necessary, such as ammonium nitrate fertilizer, charcoal powder, and sulfur, while others were things she deliberately mixed in that seemed relevant but were actually useless, in order to increase the mystique of the technology.
Old Dao winked at Black Bull, who then took out a stub of a pencil and a crumpled notebook, scribbling away roughly. After listening, Old Dao snorted coldly, "Some things are hard to handle. I'll figure something out. You make a small one first, let me see its power."
“No problem.” Chu Yanxi nodded, taking the opportunity to make a condition, “Brother Dao, I need some slightly better food. His injury needs simple treatment to prevent it from worsening and becoming inflamed.”
Old Dao stared at her for a few seconds, seemingly weighing his options. Finally, he waved his hand: "Okay. Black Bull, get them some decent food. That kid..."
He pointed at Lu Zhe, "Looks like he won't die. Get him some gentian violet and put it on. Clear out that room at the west end of the yard for her to use. But listen to me!" His tone suddenly turned stern, "Don't even think about running! There are people on all four sides of this yard. Running is a dead end!"
With his initial request granted, Chu Yanxi nodded slightly in acceptance.
With limited living space at their hideout, Chu Yanxi and Lu Zhe had an extra quiet "studio" far from the kitchen. Their daily lives remained in the room with a small window at the west end. Breakfast had changed from hard steamed buns to flatbreads mixed with coarse grains, along with some pickled vegetables. Lu Zhe's head wound was simply cleaned and coated with cheap gentian violet. Although he still looked disheveled, at least infection was prevented.
Just as they were settled, Lao Dao grabbed Lu Zhe and dragged him over: "Kid, come with me!"
Lu Zhe's heart skipped a beat: "What is it?"
"Come with me to the town post office and call the Zhao Family Village Cultural Station. Don't try anything funny, or this cleaver will draw blood!" Old Dao pulled out the cleaver from his waist, its cold light flashing. Lu Zhe shrank back and subconsciously looked at Chu Yanxi.
Chu Yanxi nodded almost imperceptibly, signaling him to do as Lao Dao instructed.
Lu Zhe recalled the conversation between Chu Yanxi and Lao Dao last night and knew that this trip was unavoidable. He pondered to himself, making a phone call... perhaps it would be an opportunity to warn someone.
Old Dao, annoyed by Lu Zhe's dawdling, grabbed Lu Zhe's collar with such force that Lu Zhe staggered: "Call your workplace! Just say you're sick and need to rest for a while. Don't say another word!"
His cold gaze swept over Lu Zhe, then he gave Chu Yanxi a meaningful sidelong glance. "If you say anything out of line and arouse suspicion... I'll kill you and this girl together right now and throw them into the mountains to feed the wolves!"
"Okay," Lu Zhe replied sullenly.
Accompanied by Lao Dao and Hei Niu, Lu Zhe arrived at the only, somewhat deserted post office in Yushutai Town. The post office had just opened in the early morning, and there was only one yawning clerk. Lao Dao gestured for Lu Zhe to go to the counter, while he and Hei Niu stood on either side of him like two guardian deities, their eyes fixed on him intently.
Lu Zhe first dialed the phone number of Zhao Jiatun Cultural Station.
The call was transferred, and every second of waiting felt incredibly long. Lu Zhe glanced at Lao Dao and Hei Niu, the two monitors, out of the corner of his eye, calculating his chances of escape.
However, thinking of Chu Yanxi still at his hideout, he sighed inwardly. Old Dao was an old hand at the game, keeping a close eye on things; he could only try to stabilize the situation at his workplace for now.
Finally, the voice of Director Wang of the Zhaojiatun Cultural Station came through the receiver: "Hello? Who is this?"
"Station Chief Wang? It's me, Lu Zhe." Lu Zhe took a deep breath.
"Oh, Comrade Lu Zhe!" Station Chief Wang's voice immediately rose eight octaves. "You've finally called! We've been waiting for you to report for duty. Have you arrived at Zhao Jiatun yet? Are you having trouble finding your way?"
Lu Zhe responded with the prepared response: "Station Chief Wang, I'm so sorry to have worried you."
A cold, hard touch came from his lower back. Lu Zhe turned his head to look at Lao Dao, who was staring intently at him. Lao Dao pulled out a kitchen knife and held it against Lu Zhe's lower back, threatening him with his eyes to watch his words and not let anything slip.
Lu Zhe composed himself and continued into the microphone: "I felt dizzy and nauseous as soon as I got off the bus last night. I was vomiting and had diarrhea. I guess it was because I couldn't adjust to the new environment. I felt terrible and couldn't take it anymore, so I went to your place. I found a hotel here to rest. I was in a daze all day yesterday, and I only felt a little better this morning. I just wanted to call you to let you know I'm safe."
Station Chief Wang on the other end of the phone breathed a sigh of relief, his tone turning concerned: "Oh dear, you must be feeling quite unwell due to the change in environment. Is it serious? How are you now? Should we send someone to pick you up? Or should you go to the health center?"
Zhaojiatun is under the jurisdiction of Qingyuan County. Although it is just a small town, it is quite lively.
"No need, no need! It's too much trouble for you!" A sharp pain shot through his waist, and Lu Zhe quickly declined Station Chief Wang's offer. "I'm much better now, but I just feel weak all over. I just called to let you know I'm here. I'll start my fieldwork after a few days of rest."
Station Chief Wang was very understanding: "Hey! There's nothing to apologize for. Your health is the most important thing. There's no rush to do fieldwork. We can do it when you're fully recovered. Just take good care of yourself and call me if you need anything. By the way, should I talk to the county cultural bureau about this?"
Lu Zhe is becoming increasingly adept at lying: "No need to bother, I'll call and ask for leave later."
"Alright, then focus on getting better." Station Chief Wang was very welcoming to the comrades from higher authorities. "Which hotel are you staying at? We'll send someone to visit you."
Lao Dao, who had been listening intently to the phone call, immediately glared fiercely at Lu Zhe.
Lu Zhe knew what was important and what wasn't.
Since Chu Yanxi offered to make explosives for them, she must have a better plan. What he needs to do now is to keep Lao Dao calm and not let Chu Yanxi hold him back: "No need, no need, really no need! I'll call you if anything happens. Don't worry, I'm just doing field research, it's a good opportunity to chat with the locals."
Station Chief Wang then suppressed his intention to visit, repeatedly emphasizing, "Call me if you need anything. You're a comrade sent by the bureau, and we need to ensure you can carry out your work smoothly in Zhaojiatun. After the field trip, the station will also invite you to give a report."
After hanging up the phone, Lu Zhe dialed the office of the Qingyuan County Cultural Bureau. His colleagues didn't have many questions after answering; they simply inquired about his health as a matter of routine, told him to rest well, and said that work wasn't urgent. They readily approved his request to extend his field trip.
Stepping out of the post office, the morning sunlight was a bit dazzling, but Lu Zhe felt no warmth at all.
Old Dao patted his shoulder with satisfaction, the force quite strong: "Kid, you know what's good for you."
Lu Zhe silently followed back, giving a self-deprecating smile.
In the afternoon, Lao Dao brought over the first batch of materials—several bags of common fertilizer, some charcoal, and sulfur powder that could be found in grocery stores.
"Everything's ready, little sister, show us what you can do." Old Dao, along with Black Bull and the tall, thin man called Magan, personally came to supervise.
Chu Yanxi remained calm and carefully examined the delivered materials before beginning the operation under the watchful eyes of several people.
Her movements were unhurried, with the focused concentration unique to a technician, as she ground and mixed the materials step by step. Lu Zhe helped by handing her things; although a little nervous, he tried his best to cooperate.
In the end, Chu Yanxi produced a small, unremarkable packet of black powder. She carefully placed it in a sturdy ceramic jar, leaving out a simple fuse wrapped in oiled paper and soaked in chemicals.
"Let's find an open space to try it," Chu Yanxi said calmly.
The group arrived at an abandoned pigsty in the corner of the courtyard. Chu Yanxi personally placed the small pottery jar among a pile of bricks, gesturing for everyone to step back. She lit the fuse and quickly retreated.
"Hiss—" The fuse ignited.
A few seconds later—
"boom!"
An explosion rang out, scattering pottery jars and bricks everywhere, leaving a shallow crater on the ground, and filling the air with a pungent smell of gunpowder.
It wasn't very powerful, but it was enough to prove that Chu Yanxi knew how to make explosives.
Old Dao's eyes lit up instantly.
Black Bull and the gloomy man named Daqiang also showed expressions of shock and fear. The way they looked at Chu Yanxi had completely changed.
"Good! Good!" Old Dao said "good" twice, a genuine smile appearing on his face for the first time in days, though it was still menacing. "Little sister... Miss Qiao, you're really something!"
He used the polite title "Miss Qiao" for the first time.
Chu Yanxi showed no smugness: "Brother Dao, to achieve a certain level of power, we need purer materials and better equipment. This thing is dangerous; if it's not handled properly... bang! We'll be the first to be killed."
When Chu Yanxi said "bang," she raised both hands into the air, which didn't scare Lao Dao, but it startled Lu Zhe so much that he took several steps back.
Old Dao was amused by Lu Zhe's cowardly appearance: "Kid, is that all the courage you have? You still need to practice."
He paused, then looked at Chu Yanxi: "I'll figure out the materials and equipment. Miss Qiao, hurry up and get something good!"
A note from the author:
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