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墨書 Inktalez
I was taken aback, along with Fatty, as we stared at Xiao Ting. For a moment, I thought it was Xiao Ting who had lost her mind.
"Since you are their target," Xiao Ting said, turning her gaze towards me, "then you should leave here. This place is actually safe for you. Being with Gangzi will also ensure your safety."
This left both Fatty and me even more astonished. If our previous analysis and judgment were correct, then Xiao Ting's idea was indeed feasible. The problem was that such an obvious solution had escaped both Fatty and me, which made me feel a bit embarrassed.
"Well," I tried to cover my awkwardness, "actually, Fatty and I were worried about you. We were afraid you wouldn't be able to handle any unexpected situations."
"Tch." Fatty didn't spare me any grace, scoffing at me dismissively.
"Tingting, how did you come up with this? You're absolutely right. As long as Qiangzi and I don't run into any problems, the Hakka people won't touch a hair on your head. Even if the person or group trying to buy off the Hakka people wanted to harm you, they would be stopped. If something goes wrong in their village, they can't just walk away; they have too much at stake. Others might be able to leave, but they can't."
After that, our conversation shifted focus to the upcoming actions. Regarding this matter, Xiao Ting had no good solutions; she knew even less about Fatty's plans and couldn't gauge the difficulty of the task.
In truth, I didn't know much either; I was relying on what Fatty had told me without having an intuitive understanding of the situation. I could only offer suggestions based on the objectives of our actions. The specific plans and preparations were entirely up to Fatty.
My goal was to extract some real information from Tang Yumo.
According to Fatty's observations, even if Tang Yumo wasn't living alone at Summit, there wouldn't be more than three people up there. There was only one Bamboo House with two rooms, which couldn't accommodate too many people. If that were the case, we could try to divert the others away so that I could question Tang Yumo alone.
Compared to Zhang Wubo from the Hakka tribe, Tang Yumo seemed much more approachable. I was confident that I could uncover some truths from her.
Fatty stuffed a bundle of climbing rope and a flashlight into his backpack. He also tossed in some 16-caliber bullets. It wasn't until he started cramming a few melon grenades into the bag that I couldn't help but tap him and mouth, "We're not going to fight."
Upon hearing this, Fatty wore a mocking expression. "You know, when I take a Vietnamese out, I don't worry about anything. But with you, it's different; you have a special constitution that attracts trouble."
"Come on."
I was about to curse at him when I realized I was facing Xiao Ting. Some harsh words just couldn't be said in front of her. Fatty's position was quite strategic. He sat next to Xiao Ting, leaning slightly forward so she couldn't see his face when he spoke. It seemed he did this intentionally; with that last comment, he leaned forward just enough to shield his profanity from her.
I felt like kicking him to death. How much effort did he put in just to please Xiao Ting?
As if to emphasize that going out with me was a dangerous affair, Fatty grabbed two white phosphorus incendiary grenades and tossed them into the backpack.
Looking at the weapons Fatty had brought, I thought that if we ran into any ill-intentioned people, even if the entire Hakka Village came to attack us, we would surely send them packing. It seemed we were safe on our end.
I pulled out my 9mm pistol from my waist and handed it to Xiao Ting. "Here, take this. The AK-47 isn't suitable for you; keep this for self-defense."
Xiao Ting hesitated for a moment before pulling out a pistol identical to mine from her waist pouch. "I have one."
I shot an awkward glance at Fatty; it seemed the Fat Man had done his job well and left no room for others.
Reluctantly, I asked Xiao Ting, "Do you know how to use it? I can teach you."
Xiao Ting nodded. "I do."
Fatty chuckled softly. "I'll teach you step by step."
Xiao Ting blushed and playfully slapped Fatty.
I realized they were flirting right in front of me.
I shook my head. "I'm going to check on Jack."
With that, I left this place of sorrow.
As I entered alone, Jack looked at me in confusion. "Where's Xiao Ting? What happened between you and Fatty? You were shouting so loudly."
"She's preparing something and will be here shortly."
Jack shrugged. His expression was not the disappointment and sadness I had expected. Either this guy had a strong ability to cope with rejection, or I had misjudged him. From his initial interactions with Xiao Ting, it was clear he had feelings for her, and he had made a bold pursuit from the very beginning. But now, his demeanor suggested otherwise.
The Vietnamese and Lao People were sitting together. A San no longer held himself with the air of someone in a superior position; instead, he sat modestly on the floor, whispering something to the Lao People.
I snapped my fingers and nodded to signal the Vietnamese to come over. When A San approached, I noticed his expression wasn't as bad as I had imagined. It seemed that nothing intolerable had happened while he was out with Fatty.
"You guys ran through some places and routes today. What’s up with that mountain? You couldn't climb it?"
I asked the Vietnamese to repeat what they had gone through for Jack's understanding; it didn't mean much for me to hear it again. Of course, if I could gain different insights from his perspective, that would be better. However, the Vietnamese didn’t provide me with any additional information, and there were many things he was unaware of. For instance, he didn’t know who was staying at the Summit.
Fatty hadn’t let him use the telescope. They were on another mountain peak and could only see a Bamboo House hidden among the forest on the opposite peak; the specifics were not visible to the naked eye.
I refrained from explaining anything to Jack in front of the Vietnamese. I didn’t know why Fatty was keeping things from him, but I wouldn’t expose it either. I certainly wouldn’t hide it from Jack; I would wait until the Vietnamese walked away before telling him.
"The flat-topped mountain," I said, drawing a circle with my hand. "Is it really that difficult to climb? You should be good at mountain climbing."
"Brother Qiang, that mountain is impossible to climb; it's straight up and down, with no place to set foot. Maybe the Lao People have a way, but I truly have no idea."
A San's words sparked an idea in my mind. I hadn't intended for Buasong to come along; instead, I thought of his Tiger Claw-like tool. I rolled my eyes around, feeling it could work. I would ask Buasong to teach me how to use the Tiger Claw; perhaps it would come in handy.
However, I didn't rush to call Buasong. Instead, I continued speaking to Vietnamese: "When you went out today, did you hear any unusual sounds, especially around the flat-topped mountain? Did you hear any voices?"
"No," Vietnamese replied firmly. "I know you wanted me to listen for that purpose; I kept my ears open the whole way and didn't hear any voices. There were none at the base of the mountain either."
I nodded in disappointment.
"But I did hear another kind of sound." (To Be Continued...)
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