Chapter 010: Ambush

It is evident that Secretary Zhang is much more enthusiastic about Cheng Kong than about Zhang Dong. In Secretary Zhang's mind, Cheng Kong is an important figure in the village. If Cheng Kong does not come, the villagers will blame this secretary for his inability to facilitate the construction of houses.

Upon hearing Zhang Dong's words, Cheng Kong immediately jumped up: "Alright, I can already feel a foul smell on me"

More than fifty individuals here are militia members, many of whom carry homemade shotguns, while the rest are a diverse assortment, including those with hoes, those wielding sickles, and even some carrying old red-tassel spears or kitchen knives, as well as carrying poles.

Feeling the somewhat icy stream water, Cheng Kong shivered all over. Although experts say that taking a cold shower in summer is not advisable and may lead to rheumatism and other issues, Cheng Kong could not care less about that. If one were to say so, one would also have to be wary of flower pots falling from the sky while walking down the street

Here, 10,000 yuan is not a small amount; it is enough to purchase two oxen

In this sweltering summer, drenched in sweat, jumping into the stream creates a splash of water that bursts forth; how can such a sensation be described by a mere word like refreshing

With a whoosh, several pieces of fried dough sticks and soy milk were devoured. Cheng Kong let out a satisfied burp, feeling truly refreshed. The fried dough sticks and soy milk in this mountain village are simply more delicious than those in the city. Otherwise, how could they claim to be part of green, pollution-free agriculture

Gradually, as night deepened, Cheng Kong and others began to take turns keeping watch. They set up two points on the ridge of Longwei Village, both of which were essential passageways for entering and exiting the village, and there were also guards stationed within the village.

Upon thinking of this, Cheng Kong curled his lips, realizing that he had indeed overthought the matter. A mere township official, insignificant in stature, actually dared to meddle in the affairs of the esteemed Secretary and Mayor, clearly having too much time on his hands.

Cheng Kong touched his nose and chuckled, "If that Shao Jun were to come here, we would surely have the opportunity to achieve merit and gain wealth!"

If I were to propose this suggestion myself, I would likely be regarded as a madman

The rest of the individuals need not be mentioned; the issue lies with those homemade shotguns, which are illegal firearms. They should be confiscated. To present them right in front of oneself, isn't that somewhat of a slap in the face

The stream is not deep, with a width of about four to five meters. Even when walking to the middle of the stream, the water only reaches the waist. Watching those strong men scrubbing off the accumulated dirt in the stream, Cheng Kong had no choice but to swim upstream, as he was unwilling to taste the water mixed with dirt; just thinking about it was somewhat nauseating

Yet, even the most imaginative individuals never considered the possibility of capturing that fugitive, who was armed with a firearm. If one were to encounter such a situation, it would be best to pray not to be struck by the opponent's bullets

Waiting in ambush for a fugitive is an endeavor that initially excites anyone involved, filled with enthusiasm and high spirits. However, by the time the afternoon heat wave, mixed with the unique humidity of the mountains, rolls in, Cheng Kong, the overweight individual, finds himself in a dire situation, with beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, his entire body drenched as if he had just jumped out of a puddle

Lying in the water, Cheng Kong leisurely scanned his surroundings. The lush green trees, shrubs, and vines intertwined to form a dense forest. The cacophony of cicadas mixed with the crisp chirping of birds created an ethereal atmosphere reminiscent of a valley.

"Come, try your aunt's cooking." Secretary Zhang had arrived early at the ridge, bringing along fried dough sticks and soy milk made by his wife, while Cheng Kong was considered to have gotten up late.

I said to Cheng Kong, why don't you go back first, take a shower, and come back after dinner to switch with us

And of course, if someone from Longwei Village were to be arrested by the police station, Secretary Zhang would be much more enthusiastic towards Zhang Dong

After swimming for a while, at a distance of fifty to sixty meters from the villagers, Cheng Kong finally chose a stone submerged in the water, sat on it, leaned back, resting his head on the shore, with his body submerged in the water below the neck. The comfort he felt was such that he wouldn't trade it for a room with air conditioning.

One should enjoy life to the fullest when things are going well

In order to take care of the overweight Cheng Kong, Zhang Dong assigned him to keep watch during the second half of the night, as it would allow him to get a bit more sleep.

On this ridge, in addition to the police officer Zhang Dong, there are also two armed police officers and about twenty militia members in their prime.

Waiting for Cheng Kong to finish breakfast, Secretary Zhang greeted him and, seizing this rare opportunity, finalized the arrangements for the land approval to build houses next week

Each night shift consists of about ten individuals, and even when encountering a fugitive passing by, there is no need to worry excessively about safety. Of course, this is merely a form of psychological comfort.

Although there are some bumps on my body from insect bites, there is hay under the mat, and the humidity is not too heavy. Moreover, in this weather, sleeping on the ridge is much cooler than inside the house

In addition to the militia company commander and the illustrations, Cheng Kong also said a few words on the side, mentioning the robust local customs and such, which softened the expression of the police officer somewhat, as they would still need to rely on these young militia members for work in the future

It is impossible; Longwei Village is too backward, with not even a single telephone. If Cheng Kong does not come this week, Secretary Zhang is also planning to find a time to pay a visit to the township.

At first glance, it resembled the guerrilla fighters during the Anti-Japanese War, causing the two police officers to twitch at the corners of their eyes

A middle-aged man, wanting to renovate his house, approached Cheng Kong upon seeing his appearance

This is a true reflection of the reality that a man of integrity cannot be without power for even a single day

Director Cheng, you may wash here; we do not have running water.

The other party also possesses a handgun with six bullets; once close combat ensues, the bullets do not discriminate.

Accompanied by a dozen young men, Cheng Kong set off on his journey. Not long after, a small stream appeared along the mountain path leading back to the village. Watching the clear water of the stream flow by, Cheng Kong found himself momentarily unable to move his feet.

Cheng contemplated for a moment and agreed that it would indeed be troublesome to ask others to fetch water upon returning, which felt somewhat inappropriate. It would be better to resolve the matter on the spot.

Seeing Cheng Kong squatting on the ground, constantly waving a banana leaf, Zhang Dong felt a sense of discomfort for him

In no time, a group of bare-bodied men jumped into the stream like a flock of ducks

As the sky gradually darkened, Cheng Kong lay on a ridge, his eyes wide open as he scanned the surroundings, prompting the nearby police officer Zhang Dong to chuckle and say, "Don't be nervous; Zhang Shaojun may not necessarily appear."

This place is truly beautiful. During this hot summer, if effective advertising is carried out and the roads are properly constructed, many city dwellers should be willing to come here for a refreshing holiday

Cheng Kong's words immediately elicited a burst of laughter from those around. Indeed, in order to capture Zhang Shaojun, a reward of 200,000 had been offered by the higher-ups. With about twenty people sharing it, each would receive nearly 10,000.

In this case, the villagers of Longwei Village should see an increase in their income; at the very least, telephone and running water will not be too far away.

Seeing the two police officers with unusual expressions, the militia squad leader chuckled and lit up two cigarettes: "Comrades, we have a lot of wild boars here, and the hunting rifles are used for hunting wild boars."

By the time Cheng Kong rubbed his eyes and got up from the ground, the sun had already heated the ground to a scorching temperature