Chapter 39 - 40: Crisis

Chapter 39: Chapter 40: Crisis

The Gu Family Brothers were no fools. After observing carefully, they soon sensed something was amiss.

"Second Brother, hurry and make a trip. Tell your Third Uncle what you’ve all discovered," Li Cuicui said, tightening her grip on her carrying pole. "As for everyone else, find something to defend yourselves with and protect the children in the center. If things really get chaotic, we’ll just look out for ourselves first."

Gu Dashishi protested, "That’s not right! They’re all our clansmen, our brothers and nephews. If we can help, we should. I’ll go gather them all. I don’t believe anyone would dare provoke us with so many people."

Li Cuicui couldn’t be bothered with the old man’s naivety. She called her other young grandchildren to the center and repeatedly instructed them, "In a moment, don’t cry or make a fuss. Stick close to your fathers, you hear?"

The half-grown children all nodded blankly. Their grandmother was the family’s Store Manager, so none of them dared to defy her.

Gu Yuanlei bolted off, running toward a place not far away. That was the direction where the Lan Family was resting.

"That youngest brother of ours, isn’t he just causing trouble?" Gu Yuanhuo shouted a few times but failed to call him back, so he could only curse resentfully.

"That Miss Lan is really something, look how she’s enchanted our youngest," Li Xiaohua said, glancing at her father-in-law. ’At a critical time like this, a woman is more important than his own father.’

***

"Yingying, hurry, come with me." As soon as Gu Yuanlei reached Lan Ying, he immediately tried to help her with her luggage, leaving the Lan Family bewildered.

"Yuanlei, what’s wrong? Is a flood coming?" Mrs. Lantian quickly came closer.

Gu Yuanlei said, "Aunt Lan, we’ve noticed something isn’t right. We want you to stay with us so we can all look out for each other."

"How do you know something’s not right? Could you be mistaken?" Lan Yun’s expression stiffened for a moment before quickly returning to normal.

Gu Yuanlei didn’t know how to explain, so he could only say awkwardly, "There are too many people gathered here. It’s safer to stick together. Our family is large, so if anything really happens, we can help out."

"Brother Yuan Lei, we’re fine over here. Look, we’re in this corner, not bothering anyone," Lan Ying said, pointing to the triangular crevice they were occupying. Although it wasn’t a cave, being in a corner would still attract attention.

"Why don’t you move in with us? It’s safer over here."

Mrs. Lantian secretly pinched her daughter’s arm, a warning in her eyes.

Gu Yuanlei, however, was overjoyed and completely missed their small gesture. His eyes, full of tenderness, were fixed on Lan Ying. "No need. Your space here isn’t very big either. I just think that with only a few of you here..."

Lan Yun took two steps forward, blocking his view. "Brother Gu, have you found a water source yet?"

Hearing the word "water," Gu Yuanlei couldn’t help but lick his parched lips. "Not yet, but it should be soon. I’ll bring some over for you when we find it."

After speaking, he joyfully stood on his tiptoes, peering past Lan Yun’s ear to look at Lan Ying. ’As long as I can get water one more time, I can bring Yingying back with me.’

Mrs. Lantian walked up behind her son. "You should head back then. Don’t let them be unable to find you when the water is distributed. We’re looking after Yingying. We won’t let her suffer."

’It’s still not clear which side is more dangerous. Only this silly boy is so clueless. Thank goodness we won’t see him again after today. If my daughter really married someone like him, it would be absolutely repulsive.’

After their brief exchange, Gu Yuanlei took the empty bamboo tube they offered and returned to his own group, looking back every few steps.

***

As soon as there was movement on this side, Li Chuntong and his men noticed immediately. They stopped looking around, drew their weapons, and closed in.

Although everyone in Bainiao had been alerted beforehand, they still lacked the ferocity of these desperados.

The gap between the two sides was immediately apparent. Many of the villagers were wounded, and the cries of women and children could be heard from far away.

The Gu Family Brothers firmly protected the family members in the center. Their eyes were already bloodshot from killing; anyone who got close was met with the cleavers and axes in their hands.

Gu Yuanlei kicked away a short man attacking him and glanced distractedly at the Lan Family not far away. He saw them huddled together, trembling as they watched the fighting over here.

He couldn’t hold back any longer. Waving the cleaver in his hand, he charged out.

But this left a gap in the tightly protected circle around their family. Gu Dashishi, who had been standing behind him, hadn’t even had time to react before an oncoming chopper struck his arm. He cried out in pain, causing the other Gu Family Brothers to panic.

When a person’s focus wavers, mistakes are easily made. Gradually, the Gu Family Brothers also sustained injuries. Even the women and children, who had been protected in the middle, picked up wooden sticks and began to fight back haphazardly against the inhuman robbers.

Just as they thought they were going to die there, some of the other refugees began to move.

"These bastards only know how to bully their own kind! If they dare to rob others this time, won’t they dare to kill us next time?" someone shouted, and many people suddenly stood up.

"Things are already like this anyway. Even if I die here today, I’m going to let off some steam! On what grounds? Just because you have knives in your hands, you think you can trample all over others?

"I can’t take it anymore! If I don’t let this anger out, I’ll die of frustration!"

"Look at those animals! They don’t even spare women and children! If they treat others like this today, they could be swinging their blades at us next!

"Don’t forget, this is happening in broad daylight! Does everyone want to spend every night unable to sleep?"

Where there was one, there were soon two, and then more and more people joined in. The refugees of Bainiao could finally catch their breath, no longer relentlessly pursued and beaten by their attackers.

***

Ancient Wen Heng carefully helped Jin Qianqian back the way they came. Halfway there, they suddenly exchanged a serious look, then broke into a run.

"Senior, take this," Jin Qianqian said, quickly pulling out the gun she had managed to acquire back in the Beautiful Country. Based on what he’d said before, she could guess he had definitely handled one of these.

Ancient Wen Heng quickly took it and tucked it into his waistband. He didn’t forget to point to a patch of grass ahead. "Don’t follow me. Hide over there and wait for me to come get you."

Jin Qianqian shook her head. "No. One more person is one more pair of hands. I can protect myself."

"Then don’t stray too far from me. Now is not the time to play the hero," Ancient Wen Heng said, his composure returning. ’If Jin Qianqian were to leave my sight, I’d be even more worried.’

"It’s better if we’re tied together anyway," he said, the words carrying a double meaning. "If it really becomes a life-or-death situation, don’t worry about me. Hide if you have to."