Chapter 9, Further into the Youth Forging Factory (II)

After Pang Wei finished speaking, he handed the gun to Chen Zhi

After the two had consumed several cans of beer, Fat Wei said not to drink anymore, as they needed to stay alert tomorrow, urging him to go to bed early. Chen Zhi obediently put on his clothes and went to sleep, while that ghostly figure sat in the corner, holding the knife and sleeping through the night.

Fat Wei drove Chen Zhi into the city, while Ghost Blade did not go, presumably because he had his own equipment

At 1:00 PM, Old Jindou called them downstairs, saying it was time to leave. A few people went downstairs and saw that Old Jindou was also wearing a windbreaker and carrying a backpack, looking quite compact and vigorous

Under the guidance of Pang Wei, Chen Zhi fired two shots in the yard, immediately feeling his arms tingle from the recoil, and he had no accuracy at all

"That can't be right. I clearly saw the lights on in the duty room that night," Chen Zhi pondered. "Could it be that I was mistaken? That seems unlikely!" He continued to study the circuit diagram.

"Hmm, do you know what that Leopard Lord does?" Chen Zhi had long wanted to ask.

What happened next? Chen Zhi asked.

It has long been prepared, Master Jin. Just have this list ready, and you need not worry about anything else. I will take this child to buy the equipment

Is that factory still supplying power? Chen Zhi looked at the blueprints seriously

In the large guest room, there are four beds, indicating that many people usually come and go from the secluded pavilion. Chen Zhi lies on the bed, lost in thought, his heart as tense as a twisted doughnut. Chen Zhi is a person of some spirit, but he is not recklessly bold; he is fearful about tomorrow's itinerary, and the thought of firing a gun has never even crossed his mind

Your question is truly adorable! Fat Wei laughed, "I am a law-abiding citizen; the ones I killed were not human..."

I don't know, maybe! But those precision cameras rarely make mistakes, " said the old acrobat thoughtfully.

Little Orange, you are truly naive. Do you really think there is nothing down there? That old trickster is notoriously cunning. How could an ordinary basement afford to pay such a high price to invite me and that guy over?

Chen Zhi looked at the ghostly knife and found that he had no intention of going to bed at all. Instead, he sat in the corner holding the knife, seemingly prepared to stay there all night.

Chen Zhi was quite dissatisfied with the nickname "Little Orange." He fiddled with his handgun and asked Pang Wei, "Have you ever killed anyone?"

Upon hearing this, Pang Wei laughed and said, "Little Orange, do not be afraid, I will teach you."

"What a serious joke! You are really naive, my brother," said Fat Wei as he lit a cigarette.

"You don't even know that!" Pang Wei said in surprise, "He is the legendary King of Northeast, with the surname Bao. Because he has significant influence and a high status in the underworld, he is referred to as Lord Leopard. His father was a well-known boss in Northeast, known as Old Leopard, but later, for some unknown reason, he was executed. By the time it came to his generation, he switched to business." Pang Wei said, being quite knowledgeable about the matter.

"Wei Ge, do you think there will be any danger going out tomorrow? Why do I feel so anxious?" Chen Zhi asked Fat Wei.

Fat Wei picked up a handgun and pointed at a latch on the side, saying: "This Desert Star is very easy to handle, using 0.5-inch quick-fire bullets. This on the side is the safety; turn off the safety before firing, pull back the bolt to chamber a round, and you can shoot. The recoil is quite strong, so be careful!"

Later, one of them died, and the other went completely mad, living in a fantasy all day long, so I sent him to the countryside! Forget it, let's not mention them anymore..." At this point, Fat Wei's expression became somewhat serious

Fat Wei immediately went up to tease: "Oh! Master Jin, you look quite spirited! At your age, you still come down here. If you can't run anymore, don't expect me to carry you!"

The old man said with a smile: "I apologize for making you laugh. Although I am of advanced age, I assure you that I will not cause you any trouble. Wei Zi, you must take good care of me!"

Old Jindou chuckled and said, "Later, we received several alerts from the monitor indicating abnormal situations, but we could not see anyone on the surveillance footage"

"The power supply has been cut off. We have checked, and all the circuits in the factory have already been disconnected," replied Old Jindou.

As they spoke, two black Land Rovers arrived. Chen Zhi and a few others got into the car and headed towards the youth forge in the suburbs

Chen Zhi flipped through the roll of blueprints and pulled out an electrical diagram. It was a comprehensive circuit system diagram of the factory, and the drawing was very detailed

"Wei Zi, going down to the basement, is it really necessary to be so dramatic with a submachine gun? Our boss said that place is too close to the city center, so it's better to keep a low profile," Lao Jin Dou said with a smile.

Chen Zhi silently reminded himself: "Try not to fire the gun; if you must, remember to hold it with both hands, otherwise the recoil will be too strong. First, engage the safety, then pull the slide..." Chen Zhi muttered these steps to himself, not wanting others to notice his panic

In summary, the work of tomb raiding is detrimental to one's moral integrity, and I will no longer engage in it. Now, I am just hanging around Liulichang, helping people with their goods and passing the time.

Fat Wei immediately became unwilling, "Master Jin, this is not right! I clearly wrote in the order that there is a little Dingdang!"

Old Jindou handed a gun to Ghost Blade, but Ghost Blade shook his hand and said he did not need it. Old Jindou then tucked it into his waist himself. Clapping his hands, he said: "Alright! Today we will take a good rest, have a big feast tonight, and tomorrow we will all go into that factory to take a look."

The next morning, Chen Zhi and the others woke up early, but Lao Jindou told them there was no need to rush, as they would set off in the afternoon. Chen Zhi and the others then checked their knives and equipment once again.

Is it a misperception of the wind? Fat Wei asked nonchalantly

Afterward, Pang Wei took Chen Zhi to a basement, which was a private military supplies store. The owner had a fierce appearance, and the store sold items that were not available on the market. It was unclear how Pang Wei had found this place. Pang Wei selected some equipment and purchased 50 meters of 9-core paracord. Chen Zhi chose a high-intensity explosion-proof flashlight, which was much brighter than his previous one and also featured a 5000-volt high-voltage electric shock function. Pang Wei handed Chen Zhi a strap and said, "Pick two knives! Choose the ones that you find comfortable to use." Chen Zhi looked around and selected a black straight knife specifically designed for assault teams, measuring 31 centimeters in length, lightweight, and capable of being strapped to his leg. Pang Wei glanced at it and asked, "Is this the only one?" Chen Zhi nodded. "As long as you find it comfortable to use," Pang Wei smiled. Pang Wei did not buy a knife, presumably because he already had one.

The child that Pang Wei referred to was undoubtedly Chen Zhi, who shot Pang Wei an annoyed glance. Pang Wei, however, was quite enthusiastic, saying: "Stop looking at these useless blueprints. Come on, I will take you to buy some life-saving gear."

"Don't mention it," Pang Wei sighed and said, "Doing this work is not virtuous. My family has had three generations of only one son, not even a cousin. I could only work with my father for two years. Ten years ago, my father passed away!"

What happened next? Chen Zhi became interested in this Fat Wei.

Upon hearing Lao Jindou's words, Pang Wei laughed and said, "Jin Ye, don't try to scare me. I, Pang Wei, have been in this business for so many years; do I still fear the dead? Whether they are dead, alive, or half-alive, I can take them down as long as the payment is in place."

Fat Wei did not stop talking along the way, introducing himself to Chen Zhi. Fat Wei said that he originally came from the army's special forces, and after retiring, he had nothing to do, so he followed in his father's footsteps and became a treasure hunter.

Fat Wei mumbled a few words and then said nothing more, while Chen Zhi appeared somewhat flustered, "What is down there? Do we still need to use a gun? I, I have never fired a gun before!"

"Then who are you teaming up with?" Chen Zhi asked, blinking his eyes

Is he a legitimate businessman? From the way he carries himself, he seems more like a member of the underworld" Chen Zhi asked while driving

After dinner, Lao Jindou arranged for everyone to stay at the Retreat Pavilion, placing the three of them together in a large guest room, claiming it was to enhance their relationship, which left Chen Zhi at a loss for words

"With two friends who have shared life and death, we have fought many great battles together; those days were the happiest times of my life." A hint of nostalgia appeared on Pang Wei's face

When Chen Zhi heard this, he finally understood why he felt a sense of fear when he first encountered Lord Leopard; it turned out that the fellow was indeed a night demon, and fortunately, he did not provoke him at that time

After Chen Zhi listened to Pang Wei's words, he began to like Pang Wei a bit, feeling that they shared a common plight, both struggling hard for the sake of their elderly fathers

When the two returned to the Retreat Pavilion, Old Jindou was already waiting for them in the conference room. Old Jindou brought back a cloth bag, and upon opening it, there were three handguns and some bullets inside. This was the first time Chen Zhi had seen a real gun; he said nothing and picked one up to feel it.

Old Jindou turned his head and continued to speak to Fat Wei: "Did you write the list you mentioned earlier?"

The Pang family has been engaged in tomb raiding for three generations, yet they have not achieved any notable success. They primarily target the ancestral tombs of wealthy families from ancient times, and finding items such as gold rings or jade bracelets is considered a good outcome. There is an unwritten rule in the tomb raiding profession: one cannot work alone. The reason is simple; one person cannot manage everything. While one person digs, the other must clear the soil and keep watch. Typically, the two individuals working together are either relatives or close friends. This is because those who receive the goods at the entrance can be tempted by money, and there have been instances where the person below, after passing up the valuables, was left trapped inside while the other made a quick escape.

That Leopard Master is quite formidable. I have heard that although he is young, he is very shrewd, ruthless, and well-connected in both the underworld and legitimate circles. Do you know about one of the things he has done? Never mind, let's not talk about that. Just be careful around him, little brother.

The most important thing is that he fears that shadowy figure, something he has seen with his own eyes, and just thinking about it now makes him break out in a cold sweat. Could that thing be in the basement? The possibility is quite high! For some reason, at this moment, Chen Zhi thought of Fat Wei, this chubby man gave Chen Zhi a great sense of security

"So who did you work with later?" Chen Zhi asked

"Aren't you done with the grave visits? Why are you back?" Chen Zhi really does not like others calling him 'Orange', especially with the addition of the word 'Little'.

"This is not called grave digging, nor is it about disturbing someone's ancestral tomb, it is not unethical," Pang Wei said with certainty. "Moreover, my mother is ill and hospitalized, and she requires a substantial amount of money every month for her care. How can I not earn some money?" Pang Wei took a large gulp of beer

Pang Wei brought a few cans of beer upstairs from downstairs and called Chen Zhi to celebrate their first collaboration. Chen Zhi took a sip of the beer and called for Gui Dao to come over, but Gui Dao didn't even glance at them. Chen Zhi felt that he was increasingly disliking this pretty boy.

Old Jindou looked up and smiled at Fat Wei, saying: "It's not a matter of life and death, but there is something I need to tell you first. In recent days, we have installed several precision cameras in the cellar to monitor that area. However, later..."

While the two were conversing, the car arrived at the bustling downtown area of City Z. They purchased a set of waterproof jackets and a crossbody bag at an outdoor equipment specialty store. Encouraged by Pang Wei, Chen Zhi gritted his teeth and bought a pair of outdoor climbing and hiking shoes from Shitu Niao, which cost over 2,000. Pang Wei told him that when on a mission, one can save on anything, but not on shoes. A good pair of shoes can save your life at a critical moment. Pang Wei reiterated that when on a mission, one can save on anything, but not on shoes. A good pair of shoes can save your life at a critical moment.