Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Master Wu Cheats
Lu Xingye pulled out his phone and searched for a while, but he couldn’t find the location anywhere.
"Principal, do you know how to get to Zhaozi Village?"
Cheng Gangshan shook his head. "It’s too far. I think you have to cross two mountains to get there. There are a lot of mountains in that area, so it’s hard to find."
"So, is it right next to Huangshan Village?"
Cheng Gangshan nodded.
"Thank you, Principal. We won’t bother you any further."
After they left the school, Ning Sinian was about to go to the police station to borrow a car, but Lu Xingye stopped him. "That place is a den of human traffickers."
"If you go to the police, they’ll just tip them off."
Lu Xingye went and bought an old-fashioned motorcycle on the spot, then headed toward Huangshan Village with Ning Sinian.
Ning Sinian looked at their surroundings. The mountain road twisted and turned, getting narrower the farther they went.
"Master! Have you found it yet? I’m roasting out here!"
Wu Ming followed behind Cao Kun, her shoulders slumped. They had been searching the mountain for a full day. ’What on earth is Master even looking for?’
"Pathetic!" Cao Kun grumbled, holding the Compass. His brow furrowed. ’Why are the readings so chaotic?’
Just as Lu Xingye was coming from Huang Family Village, he spotted Wu Ming squatting on the side of the road, groaning pitifully.
"Wu Ming, you’re here too? This is great!"
Lu Xingye ditched the motorcycle and strode toward Wu Ming, forcing a startled Ning Sinian to quickly grab it before it fell.
Wu Ming stared at Lu Xingye and shot to her feet in shock. ’No way! I just bs’d him a little, and he tracked me down with a forensic examiner in tow?!’
"Wu Ming, Jiang Li’s phone is pinging nearby. Quick, help us find her."
"Huh? Jiang Li’s here too?" Wu Ming pulled out her phone. Her messages to Jiang Li had all gone unanswered.
"Yes, in Zhaozi Village."
"You’re going to Zhaozi Village too? What a coincidence, so are we. It’s just... this path is weird. We can’t seem to find it."
Cao Kun stared at the Compass in his hand. If it hadn’t been passed down from his ancestors, he’d swear it was broken.
Lu Xingye looked at Wu Ming. "Wu Ming, you give it a try. I think Jiang Li’s in danger, so we need to find her as soon as possible."
Thinking of Jiang Li’s safety, Wu Ming’s expression instantly turned serious. "Okay! Do you know Jiang Li’s exact date and time of birth?"
Lu Xingye froze and shook his head. Jiang Li had been abducted as a child; he didn’t even know if her registered birthday was correct.
Wu Ming plucked a leaf and pressed her palms together. "Oh, dear heavens, please take pity on me! I’m begging you, please let me find Jiang Li, won’t you?"
Cao Kun was speechless. ’Did I ever teach her to do it like that?’
Wu Ming studied the pattern on the leaf, then glanced back at the woods nearby. ’Is... is this right?’
"Which direction?" Lu Xingye asked. ’Any direction is better than nothing,’ he thought.
Wu Ming hesitated for a moment before pointing to the nearby woods. "There."
Lu Xingye got up and headed straight for the woods.
"Hey!"
Wu Ming hurried to follow him.
The moment Lu Xingye entered the woods, he felt something was off. He looked down, observing closely. "The soil is different. Someone must have planted these trees and scattered grass seed over a path."
They continued deeper in and soon ran into a few men. The men stared at them in surprise, then exchanged a look before silently changing direction and walking away.
Lu Xingye started to go ask them for directions, but they just walked faster and faster until they were gone.
"Probably villagers from Yellow Field Village."
Once they were out of sight, the men’s faces turned grim. "This is bad. Why are there so many outsiders? Let’s go, take the shortcut back and tell the village chief."
"And tell One-eyed and his men to stop searching the mountain for now."
The two men took another path back into the woods and found One-eyed’s group. "One-eyed, let’s go. We’re heading back. A bunch of outsiders just showed up."
The one-eyed man glanced around. They’d been searching for three days and still hadn’t found anyone.
"Alright, let’s head back."
The men deliberately took a route that avoided Lu Xingye’s group and headed back toward the village.
Lu Xingye spotted cigarette ash on the ground. ’Someone’s definitely been here.’ "Wu Ming, try another reading."
At the mouth of the cave, Jiang Li heard the noise outside and quickly sat up straight. She peered through a gap in the entrance and could faintly make out a few splashes of color in the distance—black, white, and yellow. They weren’t colors the villagers usually wore.
"Xiao Nian, someone’s here, and they’re not from the village. I’m going out to take a look," Jiang Li said to Yu Huannian.
Yu Huannian moved forward, removed a stone from the opening, and pushed aside the vines to peer outside. There were indeed a few people acting suspiciously.
He began removing the stones blocking the cave entrance, and Jiang Li quickly helped him. Light immediately flooded in.
"Be careful." Yu Huannian handed her his machete. ’There are four of them. She should be able to handle it.’
Jiang Li nodded. Only after she was outside did she realize how precarious their position was. She had to hug the cliff face, using crudely chiseled footholds to make her way out.
Wu Ming looked at her leaf again, then at the nearby waterfall. "There’s nobody there, either. Could it be that..."
"Don’t say it!" Lu Xingye cut her off, glancing at the waterfall she’d pointed to. ’Nothing could have happened to Jiang Li. Maybe her phone just ended up here.’
Gripping the machete, Jiang Li drew closer. When she got a clear look at them, she froze. "What are you guys doing here?"
’I guess my message never went through.’
Wu Ming’s eyes flew wide. She pointed a trembling finger at Jiang Li. "I... I... I... I really found her!"
An excited Wu Ming rushed forward and threw her arms around Jiang Li. Jiang Li looked at the group. "This isn’t a safe place to talk. Follow me!"
The group followed Jiang Li back the way she came. Yu Huannian, who had been watching from the cave mouth, saw her approaching with the group, and his expression flickered.
’She brought them here, so they must be okay.’
After they entered the cave, before Jiang Li could even speak, Ning Sinian’s eyes landed on Ning Rou. She was covered in grime, but he recognized her instantly.
"Little Rou!"
Hearing her brother’s voice, Ning Rou looked up in disbelief at the sight of Ning Sinian walking in. The next moment, she was in his arms, crying. "Brother!"
Even her sobs were quiet.
Once everyone was inside, Yu Huannian sealed the entrance again. He watched them warily without a word, his eyes fixed on the man Ning Rou was hugging.
’He’s in a completely different league than me,’ he thought. He then glanced at the man beside Jiang Li, only to find him also staring right back.
Wu Ming and her master huddled in a corner, their gazes flitting between the others with identical curiosity.
"Ning Sinian, Lu Xingye, Wu Ming, Master Cao, we need to leave now."
Jiang Li looked at the weeping siblings, her thoughts on Yu Shuzhen.
"Jiang Li, thank you," Ning Sinian said, his eyes filled with gratitude.
Jiang Li shook her head. "It was Aunt Yu and Xiao Nian who saved Little Rou, not me. Even if I hadn’t come, they would have gotten her out. We should go. It’ll be dangerous if we wait any longer."
The group nodded and headed outside.
Lu Xingye had only brought the motorcycle.
"Lu Xingye, take Little Rou and Xiao Nian and go first. We’ll wait for you here."
"No, you go first," Yu Huannian said, taking a step back.
Lu Xingye looked from Jiang Li to Yu Huannian. "Are you two hiding something from me?"
"No. Just take Little Rou and Ning Sinian and go," Jiang Li urged Lu Xingye. "Hurry! The whole village is searching for them. If we get held up, none of us will get out of here."
Lu Xingye left with the two of them. ’Once they’re safe, I’ll have Ning Sinian buy another motorcycle. That should be enough to get everyone else out.’
"I need to use the restroom." The moment Jiang Li turned to leave, Yu Huannian frowned and grabbed her hand.
Cao Kun’s expression was thoughtful. "You’re not planning on going back to Zhaozi Village, are you?"
"Master Cao, Wu Ming, wait here for Lu Xingye. I have something I need to do."
With that, Jiang Li turned and ran back the way they came.
Watching her go, Yu Huannian immediately ran after her.
Wu Ming started to follow, but Cao Kun held her back. "You’ll just get lost if you go in there. You really think you’re hot stuff just because you managed to find one person?"
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