Bai Muchuan grunted in response, “They don’t want us to go into the base. It’s probably because there are a lot of drugs inside there!”
“Then all the better!” Quan Shaoteng licked his gums. He was excited. “Little Bai, how many years has it that you’ve not seen anything like this?”
After leaving Red Thorn, he had bid goodbye to all those missions and drills. Basically, it would be rare to see such large-scale fighting again.
Bai Muchuan took a look at him. “It’s quite a long time.”
“Do you have a feeling that you’re a newbie again?” Quan Shaoteng smiled proudly. “Do you need protection from this brother?”
“Nope!” Bai Muchuan’s expression was calm and cool. “Moreover, I do not like violence. We are cultured people, we should pit against each other with our wits!”
“…”
Geez, who isn’t cultured here? dissed Quan Shaoteng inside his head.
Quan Shaoteng stared at him coldly and saw Bai Muchuan took the loudspeaker from Salimu in a leisurely manner.
“Listen up people! You’ve been surrounded!
“Put down your weapons and strive for leniency is your only way out!”
“…”
Quan Shaoteng digged his ears when he heard that.
Things had already come to this juncture, who would bleeping listen to all these?
“Can’t you use some new words? Do you really think it’ll work?”
Quan Shaoteng was actually mumbling to himself when he suddenly heard Bai Muchuan letting out a sneer and speaking at the loudspeaker again.
“Listen up! Your Brother Steel has already run away. Don’t bother to put up a fight.
“Brother Steel has already left all of you behind and ran away! What’s the use of fighting to your last breath for him? Hurry up and surrender now!
“I understand that all of you go into this line to make a living and was tempted by Brother Steel to enter such a business. Brother Steel is the main culprit who had done many evil deeds. He won’t be able to escape from the law. But all of you have a family to return to, surely none of you wanted to be separated from your family, wife and children?”
“Only by surrendering yourselves, is the only way to get out of this—”
…
The sound of the loudspeaker pierced through the foggy forest toward the direction of the base.
The world was as though silent.
The cusses and swearing had stopped.
The police officers led by Bai Muchuan had surrounded the area and were waiting quietly.
Quan Shaoteng looked at Bai Muchuan. For a moment, as they did not receive a response from the Dark Clan members, he let out a soft gasp.
“Little Bai! How did you know that Brother Steel had run away?”
Bai Muchuan did not even turn his head. “Anyone with some intelligence would have guessed that.”
“…”
Recently, Quan Shaoteng felt that his level of intelligence was being challenged when hanging out with Bai Muchuan.
The latter seemed to be despising him a lot. Even he himself had doubts as well… Maybe it was time for him to pay some intelligence tax and get enlightened?
“Has this got anything to do with intelligence? Convince me!”
Bai Muchuan revealed a teasing look. “Brother Steel values his life a lot! Previously, when the ratio of his men to ours was six to one, yet in the end, he still ran away from us… Now, we have two times more men than him, answer me, why would he not run away?”
Quan Shaoteng: “…”
Over at the base, there was finally some commotion.
Someone was shouting something.
“… Brother Steel… he’s not here…”
“… Did he… really run away?”
The ruckus over at the base started to intensify; it was now chaotic.
That was proof that Bai Muchuan’s deduction was correct.
Salimu came over. “Boss, why did Brother Steel run away by himself… and leave all his men behind?”
Bai Muchuan held his rifle and slowly moved forward, a contemptuous smile on his face.
“He can afford to leave his villa. But the base belongs to Dark Clan, if he ran away with everyone, he won’t be able to account for it. All these men—are simply pawns to pay for his ‘negligence’. Of course, by leaving them behind, he can also stall us from chasing after him. This is akin to killing two birds with one stone!”
Come to think of it, that seemed to be really the case.
But there was still too much speculation on their part.
What if they were wrong?
Who would be paying for Bai Muchuan’s negligence when that happened?
Then again, Bai Muchuan was not an imprudent person.
If he wasn’t certain, he would not be so resolute and decisive!
As Quan Shaoteng thought of all these, somehow, he had a feeling that Bai Muchuan was keeping something from them. But as to what it was, he was unable to think of anything.
“Little Bai!” As he moved with him, he asked another question.
“So by just basing on this conjecture, you’re certain that Brother Steel has run away by himself and so you decided to shout out to his lackeys?”
Bai Muchuan gave a wink and asked in return, “Will we lose anything by shouting to his men?”
None.
Bai Muchuan raised an eyebrow. “Even if we had deduced wrongly, it won’t be a big problem.”
“…” Quan Shaoteng frowned in displeasure. “You’re too good at such mind games!”
“Hurhur!” Bai Muchuan gave a glance. “Now only you know? Back when we’re in Red Thorn, I’m just letting you win!”
“…”
All the Dark Clan members at the base were now confused and flustered; they were unable to defend their base but were thinking about what they should do…
Now that Brother Steel had run away, all those remaining men were not of one mind.
When Bai Muchuan and his men got inside the base, they hardly met any resistance.
Due to the earlier words that Bai Muchuan said using the loudspeaker, the Dark Clan members were now unwilling to get another offense of killing a police officer when they were unsure if they could escape successfully from the police. Even though they had held hostage of several police officers, no one dared to use them to negotiate with the police.
Brother Steel had already escaped by himself. If even he did not dare to pit himself against the police, who else would dare to do that?
When a group lost its leader, it was as though a heap of loose sand without anyone to unite them together.
In less than 15 minutes, Bai Muchuan and his men took control of the base.
Everyone was convinced of Bai Muchuan’s leadership.
Even Quan Shaoteng could not help but sing his praises, wishing he could write an essay of around 800 to 1000 words to summarize this battle.
“We achieved the greatest victory with the minimal amount of casualties, not only that, but we also ensured the safety of the hostages!”
“This is totally a classic example of a hostage rescue mission!”
“…”
Bai Muchuan looked at everyone.
“Our battle is not over yet. Don’t be in a rush to celebrate!”
A group of Dark Clan members who had just joined the organization surrendered peacefully as they knew that they would only get a light sentence.
There were also a bunch of them who escaped using the other exit—which was also the exit that Brother Steel had used to escape.
Bai Muchuan saved Tu Liang as well as Captain Zhang and his team of detectives—a total of eight people. Then, he led the group to chase after those who escaped.
…
The mountain adjacent to the Dark Clan’s base was the other exit of Vulture’s Mouth.
This exit and the lake were exact opposites from each other.
After crossing a mountain and walking through a well-hidden door, there would be a way down the mountain.
And they would come to a village.
That village was familiar to them—Yu Village—the village that Yu Bo had been living since young, as well as Brother Steel’s.
“That’s where I used to live, I’m familiar with it!”
Brother Steel gave an account of the current state of Yu Village. Soon, when they heard sounds of gunshots coming from afar, they turned for a look.
“D*rn, there are so many men, yet they’re unable to hold Bai Muchuan?”
Huang He snorted as he looked at Yu Village at the foot of the mountain. “Your men’s just a motley crew! They can’t match up against the police.”
“… D*mn!” Brother Steel cussed in a low tone.
Huang He took a look at him. “Just be glad. Even if you’re inside there, it will end up the same. You’ll be like them… either you end up being killed by Bai Muchuan here or get shot on the execution ground!”
Brother Steel’s body went stiff.
This Huang He… was being too rude and looked down on him.
Brother Steel was very unhappy with him. But besides Huang He, he had no one else to rely on.
I’ll tolerate! I’ll bleeping tolerate! Brother Steel told himself.
The two of them talked as they walked down the mountain.
Brother Steel: “We’ll go back to my villa and steal that jeep of mine?”
No matter if they wanted to escape or look for someone, they would need a mode of transportation.
At that time, the only possible place where they could get a vehicle was Brother Steel’s villa.
“Okay.” Huang He agreed to his suggestion. “Just that there should be police there—”
“The jeep is just parked around the backyard. And, I also wanted to see my useless son!”
“You’re not afraid of death?” Huang He asked.
“…”
Of course I am! That’s why I’m here with you now!
Brother Steel spewed profanities and suddenly kicked a stone. “To think that I’ve ended up in a bleeping state like this? I’m on the run and can’t even go home!”
“Don’t worry, you’ll still have a chance to make a comeback—” Huang He said calmly, “As long as we can find a way to see your boss, I’ll definitely help you out…”
“…”
For a good while, Brother Steel did not answer him.
Huang He halted his steps and turned around to find Brother Steel having a stiff expression on his face and stood frozen on the spot.
“No need for that anymore!” Brother Steel took a deep breath, his sights fixated on a spot and said slowly, “That b*stard, Liang, has betrayed me!”
Huang He followed his line of sight.
They were on the only path down the mountain.
There were rocks of various sizes, bushes, and plants along both sides of the path where as long as there was someone blocking the path, no one could get through it.
At this moment, there was a group of people seemingly waiting for them.
Besides Liang whom they were familiar with, there was also a man with an imposing aura. He had an eye-patch on one eye.
He was big, bulky, and burly with malice written all over his face.
Clearly, he was the leader of the group of men.
The group of men blocked the path; they were armed and looked like bandits during the 30s or 40s era—back then, bandits blocked people’s paths to commit robbery in broad daylight.
However…
It was not the weapons they were holding that made them fear nothing, but the woman in their hands.
That woman’s hands were tied up behind her. They could not see her face as her head was hanging low. They did not know if she was still alive or dead…
“Second Brother, they’re here!” Liang shouted excitedly and unknowingly pulled the rope he was holding.
The woman groaned in pain and raised her head slowly.
A fair face of a young woman was revealed behind the strands of her messy long hair.
Huang He’s pupils contracted at that instant.
It was Fang Yuanyuan.
… And, their gazes met.
Bai Muchuan grunted in response, “They don’t want us to go into the base. It’s probably because there are a lot of drugs inside there!”
“Then all the better!” Quan Shaoteng licked his gums. He was excited. “Little Bai, how many years has it that you’ve not seen anything like this?”
After leaving Red Thorn, he had bid goodbye to all those missions and drills. Basically, it would be rare to see such large-scale fighting again.
Bai Muchuan took a look at him. “It’s quite a long time.”
“Do you have a feeling that you’re a newbie again?” Quan Shaoteng smiled proudly. “Do you need protection from this brother?”
“Nope!” Bai Muchuan’s expression was calm and cool. “Moreover, I do not like violence. We are cultured people, we should pit against each other with our wits!”
“…”
Geez, who isn’t cultured here? dissed Quan Shaoteng inside his head.
Quan Shaoteng stared at him coldly and saw Bai Muchuan took the loudspeaker from Salimu in a leisurely manner.
“Listen up people! You’ve been surrounded!
“Put down your weapons and strive for leniency is your only way out!”
“…”
Quan Shaoteng digged his ears when he heard that.
Things had already come to this juncture, who would bleeping listen to all these?
“Can’t you use some new words? Do you really think it’ll work?”
Quan Shaoteng was actually mumbling to himself when he suddenly heard Bai Muchuan letting out a sneer and speaking at the loudspeaker again.
“Listen up! Your Brother Steel has already run away. Don’t bother to put up a fight.
“Brother Steel has already left all of you behind and ran away! What’s the use of fighting to your last breath for him? Hurry up and surrender now!
“I understand that all of you go into this line to make a living and was tempted by Brother Steel to enter such a business. Brother Steel is the main culprit who had done many evil deeds. He won’t be able to escape from the law. But all of you have a family to return to, surely none of you wanted to be separated from your family, wife and children?”
“Only by surrendering yourselves, is the only way to get out of this—”
…
The sound of the loudspeaker pierced through the foggy forest toward the direction of the base.
The world was as though silent.
The cusses and swearing had stopped.
The police officers led by Bai Muchuan had surrounded the area and were waiting quietly.
Quan Shaoteng looked at Bai Muchuan. For a moment, as they did not receive a response from the Dark Clan members, he let out a soft gasp.
“Little Bai! How did you know that Brother Steel had run away?”
Bai Muchuan did not even turn his head. “Anyone with some intelligence would have guessed that.”
“…”
Recently, Quan Shaoteng felt that his level of intelligence was being challenged when hanging out with Bai Muchuan.
The latter seemed to be despising him a lot. Even he himself had doubts as well… Maybe it was time for him to pay some intelligence tax and get enlightened?
“Has this got anything to do with intelligence? Convince me!”
Bai Muchuan revealed a teasing look. “Brother Steel values his life a lot! Previously, when the ratio of his men to ours was six to one, yet in the end, he still ran away from us… Now, we have two times more men than him, answer me, why would he not run away?”
Quan Shaoteng: “…”
Over at the base, there was finally some commotion.
Someone was shouting something.
“… Brother Steel… he’s not here…”
“… Did he… really run away?”
The ruckus over at the base started to intensify; it was now chaotic.
That was proof that Bai Muchuan’s deduction was correct.
Salimu came over. “Boss, why did Brother Steel run away by himself… and leave all his men behind?”
Bai Muchuan held his rifle and slowly moved forward, a contemptuous smile on his face.
“He can afford to leave his villa. But the base belongs to Dark Clan, if he ran away with everyone, he won’t be able to account for it. All these men—are simply pawns to pay for his ‘negligence’. Of course, by leaving them behind, he can also stall us from chasing after him. This is akin to killing two birds with one stone!”
Come to think of it, that seemed to be really the case.
But there was still too much speculation on their part.
What if they were wrong?
Who would be paying for Bai Muchuan’s negligence when that happened?
Then again, Bai Muchuan was not an imprudent person.
If he wasn’t certain, he would not be so resolute and decisive!
As Quan Shaoteng thought of all these, somehow, he had a feeling that Bai Muchuan was keeping something from them. But as to what it was, he was unable to think of anything.
“Little Bai!” As he moved with him, he asked another question.
“So by just basing on this conjecture, you’re certain that Brother Steel has run away by himself and so you decided to shout out to his lackeys?”
Bai Muchuan gave a wink and asked in return, “Will we lose anything by shouting to his men?”
None.
Bai Muchuan raised an eyebrow. “Even if we had deduced wrongly, it won’t be a big problem.”
“…” Quan Shaoteng frowned in displeasure. “You’re too good at such mind games!”
“Hurhur!” Bai Muchuan gave a glance. “Now only you know? Back when we’re in Red Thorn, I’m just letting you win!”
“…”
All the Dark Clan members at the base were now confused and flustered; they were unable to defend their base but were thinking about what they should do…
Now that Brother Steel had run away, all those remaining men were not of one mind.
When Bai Muchuan and his men got inside the base, they hardly met any resistance.
Due to the earlier words that Bai Muchuan said using the loudspeaker, the Dark Clan members were now unwilling to get another offense of killing a police officer when they were unsure if they could escape successfully from the police. Even though they had held hostage of several police officers, no one dared to use them to negotiate with the police.
Brother Steel had already escaped by himself. If even he did not dare to pit himself against the police, who else would dare to do that?
When a group lost its leader, it was as though a heap of loose sand without anyone to unite them together.
In less than 15 minutes, Bai Muchuan and his men took control of the base.
Everyone was convinced of Bai Muchuan’s leadership.
Even Quan Shaoteng could not help but sing his praises, wishing he could write an essay of around 800 to 1000 words to summarize this battle.
“We achieved the greatest victory with the minimal amount of casualties, not only that, but we also ensured the safety of the hostages!”
“This is totally a classic example of a hostage rescue mission!”
“…”
Bai Muchuan looked at everyone.
“Our battle is not over yet. Don’t be in a rush to celebrate!”
A group of Dark Clan members who had just joined the organization surrendered peacefully as they knew that they would only get a light sentence.
There were also a bunch of them who escaped using the other exit—which was also the exit that Brother Steel had used to escape.
Bai Muchuan saved Tu Liang as well as Captain Zhang and his team of detectives—a total of eight people. Then, he led the group to chase after those who escaped.
…
The mountain adjacent to the Dark Clan’s base was the other exit of Vulture’s Mouth.
This exit and the lake were exact opposites from each other.
After crossing a mountain and walking through a well-hidden door, there would be a way down the mountain.
And they would come to a village.
That village was familiar to them—Yu Village—the village that Yu Bo had been living since young, as well as Brother Steel’s.
“That’s where I used to live, I’m familiar with it!”
Brother Steel gave an account of the current state of Yu Village. Soon, when they heard sounds of gunshots coming from afar, they turned for a look.
“D*rn, there are so many men, yet they’re unable to hold Bai Muchuan?”
Huang He snorted as he looked at Yu Village at the foot of the mountain. “Your men’s just a motley crew! They can’t match up against the police.”
“… D*mn!” Brother Steel cussed in a low tone.
Huang He took a look at him. “Just be glad. Even if you’re inside there, it will end up the same. You’ll be like them… either you end up being killed by Bai Muchuan here or get shot on the execution ground!”
Brother Steel’s body went stiff.
This Huang He… was being too rude and looked down on him.
Brother Steel was very unhappy with him. But besides Huang He, he had no one else to rely on.
I’ll tolerate! I’ll bleeping tolerate! Brother Steel told himself.
The two of them talked as they walked down the mountain.
Brother Steel: “We’ll go back to my villa and steal that jeep of mine?”
No matter if they wanted to escape or look for someone, they would need a mode of transportation.
At that time, the only possible place where they could get a vehicle was Brother Steel’s villa.
“Okay.” Huang He agreed to his suggestion. “Just that there should be police there—”
“The jeep is just parked around the backyard. And, I also wanted to see my useless son!”
“You’re not afraid of death?” Huang He asked.
“…”
Of course I am! That’s why I’m here with you now!
Brother Steel spewed profanities and suddenly kicked a stone. “To think that I’ve ended up in a bleeping state like this? I’m on the run and can’t even go home!”
“Don’t worry, you’ll still have a chance to make a comeback—” Huang He said calmly, “As long as we can find a way to see your boss, I’ll definitely help you out…”
“…”
For a good while, Brother Steel did not answer him.
Huang He halted his steps and turned around to find Brother Steel having a stiff expression on his face and stood frozen on the spot.
“No need for that anymore!” Brother Steel took a deep breath, his sights fixated on a spot and said slowly, “That b*stard, Liang, has betrayed me!”
Huang He followed his line of sight.
They were on the only path down the mountain.
There were rocks of various sizes, bushes, and plants along both sides of the path where as long as there was someone blocking the path, no one could get through it.
At this moment, there was a group of people seemingly waiting for them.
Besides Liang whom they were familiar with, there was also a man with an imposing aura. He had an eye-patch on one eye.
He was big, bulky, and burly with malice written all over his face.
Clearly, he was the leader of the group of men.
The group of men blocked the path; they were armed and looked like bandits during the 30s or 40s era—back then, bandits blocked people’s paths to commit robbery in broad daylight.
However…
It was not the weapons they were holding that made them fear nothing, but the woman in their hands.
That woman’s hands were tied up behind her. They could not see her face as her head was hanging low. They did not know if she was still alive or dead…
“Second Brother, they’re here!” Liang shouted excitedly and unknowingly pulled the rope he was holding.
The woman groaned in pain and raised her head slowly.
A fair face of a young woman was revealed behind the strands of her messy long hair.
Huang He’s pupils contracted at that instant.
It was Fang Yuanyuan.
… And, their gazes met.
