NOVPUB
Chapter 532: Chapter 532: Encounter with Danger 3
Just as Cheng Feng was about to speak, a group of men outside suddenly walked towards the roadside. One muscular man lifted a rock off the ground, making Cheng Feng’s heart leap into his throat.
Hu Haiyun’s face also darkened, she feared that tonight was inescapable.
Truthfully, Hu Haiyun’s life had been filled with hardship. Despite managing to just scrape by, she felt like a kite adrift in the sky, always feeling lost and lonely. It was for this reason she turned to smuggling goods abroad.
Not just for the money, she also cherished that feeling of anxiety. It made her feel alive.
So, when real danger struck and her life seemed in jeopardy, she wasn’t too scared. She glanced at Tong Yao sitting next to her; her eyes filled with worry.
Beautiful women could either be a powerful resource or a tragic liability. Tong Yao was so beautiful and if they were to encounter some unrefined villains in the wild, the consequences could be even more horrifying than she could imagine.
Tong Yao, pampered like a princess since childhood, should have led an untroubled and happy life. If this hothouse flower was destroyed here, it would be such a waste.
The heavy rain gradually lessened and eventually stopped. Now that the rain had stopped, the sky wasn’t as dark. Judging by the light, the dawn would break in about an hour.
At this point, Tong Yao couldn’t articulate her feelings. A man, carrying a rock neared their car. She had no time to think and in a sudden move, Tong Yao flung the car door open as he was about to smash the window.
This action startled the man who was about to break the car window. The others also became wary and shone their flashlights onto Tong Yao. The dazzling light made it hard for her to open her eyes. She shielded her eyes with her hand and in a crisp voice asked.
"Gentlemen, do you live nearby? Our car is stuck in a mud pit, and we can’t get it out."
Both Hu Haiyun and Cheng Feng were stunned by Tong Yao’s sudden move. They never expected that she would take the initiative to open the door. Wasn’t this like letting a lamb walk into a lion’s den?
When the men heard this, they looked at each other with greed in their eyes. The man carrying the rock tossed it aside, took a flashlight from a comrade, and while shining it into the car, answered in local dialect, "Yes, we are villagers nearby. How many of you are in the car?"
"Three." Tong Yao answered truthfully.
"What brings you wealthy city folks up in this remote area in your car?" the man asked as he casually rested one hand on the car door, seemingly intending to prevent Tong Yao from closing it.
Tong Yao pretended not to notice and replied, "We heard there’s a breeding farm nearby and we wanted to buy some eggs."
The man who appeared to be the leader laughed, "You city folks really have money to spend, driving all this way just to buy eggs. That farm is half a day’s walk from here. Now that your car is stuck, you can’t possibly walk there."
Before Tong Yao could respond, the man continued, "It’s not a solution for you all to just wait here. Why not come rest in our village? Have a bite to eat too."
The other three men didn’t speak, but their eyes never left Tong Yao and Hu Haiyun. They continued to eye them closely.
Tentatively, Tong Yao responded, "Thank you, one of our companions went back to find help yesterday. We hope that people will come to pick us up by dawn. We wouldn’t want to trouble you."
Hu Haiyun and Cheng Feng now understood why Tong Yao had opened the door. Tong Yao was trying not to escalate the situation, hoping that showing some tact would encourage these men to back off.
Although this method might not work, under the circumstances, it was worth taking the risk.
As expected, when the men heard what Tong Yao said, expressions of doubt crossed their faces. They looked at each other as if making some decision. The leader then said, "This area is prone to wild boars and, we’ve heard, even tigers at night. It’s quite dangerous for you to stay here. So, why not come to our village for a rest? We can feed you and then return later."
His tone was slightly firm, clearly not putting forth a suggestion, but rather a command. Tong Yao knew that if she refused, they might force them to go.
After a moment’s hesitation, she got out of the car saying, "Then we will have to trouble you."
Seeing this, Cheng Feng and Hu Haiyun also got out of the car. The men’s eyes shone with excitement at the sight, however, they didn’t make any offensive move. They split into two groups, each group flanking the three of them in the middle.
This left Tong Yao and her group with no opportunity for a private conversation. They communicated only through glances.
As long as they didn’t provoke the men too much, they were still relatively free to move around. At least for the time being, they would not be tied up or physically harmed. They were safe for now. However, they were uncertain about how long this safety would last.
In a brief exchange, Tong Yao learned that everyone referred to the man leading their group as Brother Tai. n𝚘𝚟pub.𝚌o𝚖
He seemed to be in charge here, the others just followed his lead.
Just as these thoughts were running through her head, Brother Tai asked out of the blue, "You can afford a car, you must be wealthy city folks, right?"
Tong Yao laughed modestly, "We’re getting by. Our family owns a few small factories, employing a few hundred workers."
Brother Tai’s eyes lit up at this. He glanced at Cheng Feng and Hu Haiyun, "Are you all from the same family?"
Tong Yao shook her head, "No, we’re friends. Their families are also in the business."
Upon hearing this, Brother Tai fell silent, apparently pondering something.
Under Brother Tai’s guidance, they crossed a narrow pathway at the foot of the mountain. Trudging along the muddy path for at least half an hour as dawn broke, they finally caught sight of a few scattered mud houses halfway up the mountainside.
Brother Tai pointed towards the mountain slope, "That’s our village."
Everyone glanced at the direction indicated by Brother Tai and felt their hearts sink. This was a village? Scattered houses were less than what a wealthy family would live in.
Tong Yao laughed lightly and pretended to be naive, "Brother Tai, your village appears to be quite small. Doesn’t seem to be many families residing here, right?"
One of the men behind them laughed heartily as if mocking Tong Yao’s naivety. Brother Tai turned to glare at them and then replied, "Yes, our ancestors moved here during the resistance against the Japanese. Most people have since moved away and only a few families now live here. Be careful, the uphill road is slippery."
Tong Yao deliberately slowed down, "It’s a bit slippery indeed. Brother Tai, we’re not accustomed to this. We’re walking somewhat slowly, delaying your time."
Fearing Tong Yao could fall, Cheng Feng and Hu Haiyun both moved to either side to support her.
"No problem."
Brother Tai swallowed what he had been about to say and adjusted his pace to match theirs.
After over half an hour, they finally reached the mountainside. Brother Tai ushered them into a mud house, "You can rest here. I’ll ask my wife to prepare something for you to eat." He then left, leading the other men away from the house.
