He Ming instinctively glanced at Tang Jun, fearing that upon hearing the news of Yuan Yu’s incident, Tang Jun would go crazy.
But soon, He Ming realized he underestimated Tang Jun.
Tang Jun calmly inquired and found out that soone was injured in a nearby village and took Yuan Yu away. He was slightly relieved, since being taken away due to injury ant there was no imdiate danger.
On the mountain.
"Xiao Jun, you’re too daring." He Ming felt uneasy walking in this desolate mountain forest.
"Xiao Jun, I promised Aunt Tang to bring you back safely." He Ming grabbed Tang Jun and said, "I’ll go rescue Doctor Yuan, you go back to the company, okay?"
He Ming was almost pleading with Tang Jun, but Tang Jun wouldn’t listen.
"Mingzi, if we run into people, you’re my brother, I’m your elder brother, and we’re here to gather herbs for dicinal purposes."
Tang Jun completely ignored He Ming’s words. He dared to climb the mountain to find people because he was fully prepared, especially since Yuan Yu was also taken by them; he had to go rescue her.
"Xiao Jun, I really should have pulled Feizi along too," He Ming said, looking miserable.
"Who’s there?" A sudden shout startled He Ming.
"We brothers are here to gather herbs in the mountains." Tang Jun replied directly in the local dialect. The mont he saw the newcors, Tang Jun’s entire deanor changed. With a dicine basket on his back, filled with freshly gathered herbs, beside being tall and handso, he genuinely appeared to be a dicine gatherer, with dirt on his shoes and sweat on his face.
"Yeah, my brother and I are here to gather herbs." He Ming echoed, disguising himself as an ordinary man. He looked at the few n with fear, especially since they held knives in their hands.
He Ming raised his hands, appearing frightened.
"Xiao Ming, what’s wrong?" Tang Jun looked at He Ming in confusion, though he knew those n were holding guns, but since Tang Jun couldn’t see, he couldn’t just guess; he had to play dumb.
"Brother, they have knives in their hands."
He Ming whispered anxiously to Tang Jun, his nervously scared expression deserving an acting award.
"Knives?"
A flash of fear crossed Tang Jun’s face. Instinctively, he shielded He Ming behind him and said, "We live in Dafu County. We’re just here to gather herbs."
If you listened carefully, Tang Jun’s voice still carried a tremble. Though he was protecting his brother, his fear was evident in his body language.
"Are you two brothers?" The man scrutinized Tang Jun and He Ming. Knowing they were herb gatherers, he relaxed a bit but continued to question, "What’s your na?"
"You say it first."
The man pointed to He Ming.
"I’m Xiao Ming." He Ming internally criticized this na choice, but Tang Jun had already ntioned it earlier.
"What about him?" The man pointed to He Ming.
"My brother, Xiao Jun." He Ming cautiously answered, looking like he was afraid of getting into trouble.
"We’re really just here to gather herbs, mainly looking for wild ginseng," Tang Jun volunteered, "I’m blind. My brother and I heard there is wild ginseng on this mountain and wanted to buy so to try."
"Can wild ginseng cure blindness?"
The man sneered, his gaze lingering on Tang Jun’s eyes.
"You’re blind?" The man stepped forward.
"Brother Yan," another man restrained him, his gun unwaveringly aid at Tang Jun and He Ming. In such exceptional tis, who knew what these herb gatherers were really up to?
"What can a blind man do?" Ni Yan indifferently remarked, as he walked over, seemingly to verify whether Tang Jun was really blind.
"What do you want?"
He Ming looked at Ni Yan anxiously, but Tang Jun blocked him.
"Blind n can still climb mountains to gather herbs?" Ni Yan looked at Tang Jun with disdain. To He Ming’s questioning, he couldn’t even spare a glance, as he raised his gun slowly towards Tang Jun’s forehead.
Ni Yan, like a child intrigued by a toy, exclaid, "Hei Zai, co look, his eyes are really different from ours, no light, no reflection."
"If a blind man had light and reflections like us, would he still be blind?"
Hei Zai stared at Tang Jun, finally landing his gaze on their hands, "What exactly do you do?"
"My brother and I have been toiling hard since childhood, our hands all calloused." Tang Jun volunteered. Despite Ni Yan’s gun pointing at him, he seed oblivious and asked, looking puzzled, "Xiao Ming, what’s that in front of ?"
Before He Ming could respond, Ni Yan’s gun was already aid at He Ming’s forehead.
"Brother, we’re good people. We really are good people."
He Ming looked miserable, practically crying snot and tears, pleading their innocence. His dialect vocabulary wasn’t extensive, so he repeated the sa lines.
"What do you want?"
Tang Jun fiercely yelled, "What do you plan to do with my brother?"
"Shut up."
Ni Yan raised his hand and slapped Tang Jun across the face.
"Ah..."
Tang Jun was knocked to the ground and rushed at Ni Yan, saying, "Don’t bully my brother."
Tang Jun’s fighting style was crude, relying only on brute strength.
"Get out of the way."
Ni Yan kicked Tang Jun aside.
"Brother." He Ming watched Tang Jun protect him as though he didn’t value his own life. Even knowing the circumstances forced him to act, He Ming was genuinely touched, his shout was sincere and heartfelt, with no pretense at all.
"Brother Yan, let’s just leave these two alone," Hei Zai decided they were not a threat, pulling Ni Yan back, "Brother Yan, we have more urgent matters."
Upon hearing this, Ni Yan quickly agreed, "You’re right, business first. But this is our territory; who dares to sneak in?"
"We have quite a few enemies,"
Hei Zai quietly reminded, today their task was to patrol the surroundings, checking for any suspicious infiltrators.
"What’s there to fear? Whoever cos, I’ll shoot them,"
Ni Yan waved his gun boldly, unafraid of anything.
Hei Zai, familiar with Ni Yan’s temperant, gave a reminder, "Brother Yan, what about these two?"
Though they didn’t pose a threat, who knew if they would report back after leaving, or if they were being used?
"Take them back and keep them locked up for a few days. After this incident blows over, we’ll let them go."
Ni Yan waved his hand dismissively. They were locking people up left and right during this tense period just to ensure no information leaked.
"Where are you taking us?"
"We’re not going."
Tang Jun and He Ming loudly refused, struggling, but apart from getting beaten more, it was all in vain.
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