nycdaug Chapter 421 You are such a thief, does my father know about your 'cheap' father-in-law?
Chapter 421 You are such a thief, does my father know about your 'cheap' father-in-law?
After reuniting with the villagers in the mountains, Lei Tao and his teammates found a secluded valley, seemingly a paradise, where they planned to settle down. The valley was surrounded by dense forests, and a clear stream flowed through its center. The shimmering water splashed against the rocks, shimmering in the sunlight. The terrain was unique, easy to defend and difficult to attack, making it a perfect hiding place.
Meng Xiaoyu moved among the villagers like a gentle spring breeze. Her soft, warm words, like a trickle of water, soothed the frightened crowd. Then, she deftly gathered dry firewood and skillfully set up the stove, preparing food for everyone. Soon, curls of smoke rose, their warmth, the scent of fireworks, bringing a moment of relief to the tense and oppressive atmosphere, bringing a touch of comfort to the weary hearts.
Liu Zishan, Li Shuiniu, and Li Shuyang toiled tirelessly, like diligent worker ants. They searched far and wide for suitable materials to build temporary shelters. Their powerful hands lifted thick branches with ease, tightly bound them with tough vines, and then covered them with thick, soft leaves for roofs. Despite the arduous process, their clothes soaked with sweat, the three worked together day and night, finally constructing simple yet weather-resistant huts, providing a safe haven for the villagers. Meanwhile, Lei Tao, despite his exhaustion, meticulously laid traps around the forest. He fashioned spike traps from incredibly sharp bamboo sticks and carefully placed them along paths likely to be crossed by Japanese troops. He also placed clever warning signs around the area, meticulously camouflaged with leaves and vines, constantly on the lookout for Japanese pursuit and safeguarding this temporary peace.
After a few days, a dozen villagers gradually recovered from their fear and began to recover under meticulous care. To ensure the villagers' self-sufficiency in the valley, Lei Tao, using his ingenuity and skill, gathered tough branches and flexible animal sinews and crafted a batch of homemade bows and arrows. He had Li Shuiniu personally teach them how to hunt, patiently explaining the essentials of archery and personally demonstrating the strength of the arm when drawing the bow, the focused gaze when aiming, and the decisiveness of the arrow when releasing. Under his guidance, the villagers gradually mastered their hunting skills and began to capture wild rabbits, pheasants, and other prey. They settled down in the valley for a while, and their lives seemed to have new hope.
But Lei Tao knew that this place was like a tiger's mouth. The Japanese army had suffered a great loss and would definitely launch a crazy revenge, which would undoubtedly bring many variables to their journey. After careful consideration, he gathered the team members together, his expression solemn, and slowly told his plan: "The Japanese army will not give up. They will definitely set up checkpoints on the road to chase and intercept us. So I plan to lead everyone to disguise themselves as merchants from Mitsubishi Corporation in Japan. Under the pretext of expanding business and reselling supplies, we will go to the county town with a train station and take the train north to our destination. This way, we can get rid of the threat of the Japanese army, and use this identity to inquire about the Japanese army's intelligence movements. Most importantly, it will not delay our journey." The team members nodded in agreement, their eyes revealing determination and trust.
In the following days, everyone began preparing for their disguises. The most challenging part of gathering supplies was finding the right clothing. Lei Tao and Meng Xiaoyu decided to sneak into the Japanese-controlled county town at night and purchase clothing from Japanese shops.
The night was as dark as ink. Lei Tao and Meng Xiaoyu moved through the alleys of the county town like ghosts. Moonlight shone on the cobblestones, illuminating their cautious steps, each cautious step, afraid to make a sound. Soon, they arrived at a Japanese-owned clothing store. Lei Tao crouched, his eyes like eagles in the night sky, carefully observing his surroundings. After confirming that there were no patrols, he winked at Meng Xiaoyu. Meng Xiaoyu understood and pulled a thin wire from her waist. She expertly inserted it into the door lock and turned it gently. With a click, the door unlocked, like a tense note playing in the silent night.
The two of them quickly slipped into the store, where they were greeted by a strong smell of mothballs, which made them wrinkle their noses. The store was filled with a wide variety of Japanese and American clothing. In the dim light, the shadows of the clothes swayed back and forth, as if countless pairs of eyes were hiding, observing their every move. Lei Tao lowered his voice and said, "Hurry! Find something that fits, and grab a few extra pieces as a backup." Meng Xiaoyu nodded and quickly began to search among the hangers, her hands moving like nimble butterflies, flitting between the pieces of clothing.
While searching, a somewhat absurd and funny idea suddenly popped up in Lei Tao's mind. He moved closer to Meng Xiaoyu and lowered his voice to an almost inaudible level: "Tell me, do we look like the legendary male and female thieves now?" As soon as he said that, he couldn't help it. The corners of his mouth rose, he covered his mouth, his shoulders trembled slightly, and he laughed softly.
Meng Xiaoyu was stunned at first, her brain momentarily shutting down. For a moment, she didn't understand Lei Tao's nonsensical words. But in the blink of an eye, she reacted and glared at him with a mixture of anger and amusement. She raised her fist and gently punched him a few times, muttering softly, "It's urgent, and you still have the mind to make such a joke, a pair of thieves!" She deliberately dragged out the last word, feigning anger, then changed the subject, smiled slyly, and whispered, "You are such a thief, does your 'cheap' father-in-law, my father, know?" After saying this, she raised her eyebrows playfully, her eyes full of mischief.
Lei Tao was almost amused by her series of reactions and he managed to hold it back with great difficulty, with an unbearable smile on his face. He mouthed back, "Don't let our dad know, or he'll get scolded." While saying this, he also acted as if he was afraid of being scolded and shrank his neck.
At this moment, there was a sudden sound of heavy footsteps and Japanese conversation outside. Lei Tao's face turned pale instantly, and he thought to himself that something was wrong. He subconsciously pulled Meng Xiaoyu to hide behind a row of hangers. The store was dim, and the shadows of the clothes swayed in the dim light. At this moment, every movement was infinitely magnified, and they could even hear each other's rapid heartbeats. In a panic, Meng Xiaoyu lost her balance and fell towards Lei Tao. Lei Tao subconsciously hugged Meng Xiaoyu with one hand and supported himself with the other hand, but accidentally touched the hanger, making a slight "creaking" sound. The sound was particularly abrupt in the quiet store. The two of them felt nervous, as if their hearts were about to jump out of their throats.
To avoid being noticed by the patrol outside, Lei Tao tried to cover Meng Xiaoyu's mouth to prevent her from making any nervous noises. However, in their panic, their faces quickly moved closer, their lips accidentally touching. Their eyes widened instantly, their bodies frozen as if frozen, their minds blank, and time seemed to stand still.
The patrol stopped at the door of the store, their flashlights shining through the window as they scanned the interior. This unexpected kiss froze the air. Meng Xiaoyu's face flushed, her eyes gleaming with panic and shyness. Lei Tao was completely stunned, at a loss as to what to do.
The two men remained motionless, not daring to breathe, letting the flashlight flicker around the store. Fortunately, the patrol didn't seem to notice anything unusual. After a few words, the footsteps gradually faded away. Lei Tao and Meng Xiaoyu remained in this awkward and unexpected position. After a long moment, they slowly separated, both lowering their heads, unsure of what to say. The air was filled with awkwardness and a hint of inexplicable ambiguity. In the dim light, both of their cheeks were flushed.
Lei Tao was the first to break the silence. He cleared his throat, his voice still a little hoarse: "I'm... I'm sorry, I was too flustered just now." Meng Xiaoyu shook her head slightly, and said in a voice as soft as a mosquito: "It's not your fault, it's my fault that I didn't stand firmly." After the words fell, there was another silence, with only the sound of each other's slightly rapid breathing.
The sound of patrol footsteps echoed outside, bringing them both back to their senses, reminded of the danger they were still in. Lei Tao quickly calmed himself and whispered, "Don't dwell on this for now. Find some clothes quickly. There's no time to waste." Meng Xiaoyu nodded vigorously, and the two quickly immersed themselves in selecting clothes, their eyes occasionally meeting before frantically looking away, a hint of ambiguity still lingering in the air.
They quickly packed their chosen clothes into the prepared bags. After confirming they were all in order, Lei Tao stored them all in his Bagua Tuo space. After confirming they were all in order, the two tiptoed to the store entrance. Lei Tao cautiously poked his head out, carefully observing his surroundings. Once he was sure nothing was amiss, he signaled to Meng Xiaoyu that they could leave. The two quietly left the shop.
Walking in the dim alley, moonlight filtered through the mottled leaves, casting a shadow on them. It was so quiet that only the soft thud of each other's footsteps could be heard. They tacitly agreed not to mention the accident, but a different atmosphere hung in the air, a touch of awkwardness and a hint of indescribable ambiguity.
Lei Tao's heart was beating rapidly. After a moment's hesitation, he slowly reached out and took Meng Xiaoyu's hand. Meng Xiaoyu's body stiffened, her face flushed. She subconsciously tried to pull her hand away, but she only moved slightly and then stopped. She lowered her head slightly, letting Lei Tao hold her hand tightly. Both of their palms were slightly sweaty, but neither of them let go. They held hands, immersed in this unique atmosphere, and walked along the winding path towards the city gate.
As they approached the city gate, the bustling clamor grew clearer. Lei Tao's expression suddenly grew serious. He released Meng Xiaoyu's hand and carefully pulled out a small, specially crafted bamboo tube from his bosom. Inside was a specially prepared smoke. This smoke was colorless and odorless, yet it could quickly render anyone who inhaled it unconscious.
Meng Xiaoyu also sensed the impending danger and followed Lei Tao closely, her eyes revealing tension and determination. The two quietly circled around the city wall and hid in a secluded corner. Lei Tao carefully observed the patrol patterns of the Japanese troops on the city wall and the movements of the large wolfhounds, not missing a single detail.
The opportunity finally came. While two Japanese soldiers were talking in a corner of the city wall and the big wolfhound was lying nearby to rest, Lei Tao quickly pulled out the stopper from the bamboo tube, raised his wrist, and the smoke floated towards the city wall like an invisible ghost.
After a while, the Japanese soldiers on the city wall began to shake, and the alert wolfhound collapsed to the ground. Lei Tao immediately took out a tough rope from his backpack, expertly tied a noose, and threw one end over the city wall. The hook firmly hooked the edge of the wall.
"Hurry, climb down the rope," Lei Tao said to Meng Xiaoyu in a low voice. Meng Xiaoyu took a deep breath, gripped the rope tightly with both hands, and began to climb down carefully. Lei Tao followed closely behind, keeping a close eye on the surroundings in case of any unexpected situation.
The two of them successfully rappelled down from the city wall. After landing, Lei Tao quickly untied the rope and stuffed it into his backpack. He took Meng Xiaoyu's hand again, and the two of them ran towards the mountains and forests outside the city. Their figures quickly disappeared into the dense woods, leaving behind only the silent night and their tense yet sweet memories.