Arriving in the bedroom, considering the possibility of spending the night outdoors, I directly used the bedding on the bed to wrap Mu Jige, tied her securely with a rope, and carried her to the north window. Zheng Bingbing jumped out first to receive her, and then I, carrying the fried rice, climbed out the window. The two of us carried the bedding and exited from the north gate of the residential complex. In front of us was a small riverbank. The water was not deep, and looking left and right, there were no bridges. We had to wade across. Fortunately, the other bank was grassland, so there would be no footprints left.
It wasn't a sorghum field, but a cornfield that stretched as far as the eye could see. The corn stalks in the north were so tall, averaging around 2.2 to 2.3 meters. Once inside, one couldn't be found at all.
I led the way with Mu Jige on my back, and after about a hundred meters, we reached a low-lying area. Looking around, apart from the tall corn tassels, there was only a patch of azure sky. Even if I stood on tiptoe, I couldn't see the small town to the south.
However, the midday sun was indeed scorching. Coupled with the fact that my skin had been scratched by corn leaves, leaving many bleeding cuts that stung hotly.
This couldn't be done in the sun, for one reason.
Secondly, we had to prepare to prevent aerial reconnaissance by drones.
I studied the terrain and used my utility knife to cut through more than twenty corn stalks at their base, creating a clearing the size of a double bed. Then, I used the soles of my shoes to flatten the ground and placed Mu Jige in the middle. I untied the ropes, unfolded the bedding, and the comforter and sheets perfectly covered this area.
I pulled out the bedsheet and, at a height of about 1.5 meters from the ground, tied it to the surrounding upright corn stalks with short ropes to form a flat-topped tent. Then, I cut off the upper parts of the corn stalks I had just cut, arranged them in their original positions, and connected the bottoms with ropes. I then spread them out and placed them three-dimensionally on the bedsheet. The parts that showed the color of the bedsheet were covered with corn leaves. This would help with both shading and, from an aerial view, would make this area not significantly different from its surroundings.
"Uncle, you're a camouflage genius! Where did you learn all this? Are you from a logging family!" Zheng Bingbing asked excitedly, very satisfied with this little shelter.
I pointed to my head: "It's all on-the-spot improvisation. It might be a talent."
Zheng Bingbing pouted: "You're full of yourself."
"It's cool under the crops," Zheng Bingbing, already starving, opened the fried rice box and began to eat heartily.
"Uncle, why aren't you eating?" she asked, her cheeks puffed out.
"I want to go back and check the complex," I said. Criminal psychology teaches that suspects often return to the scene of the crime, and I was no exception.
"Isn't that a bit dangerous?" Zheng Bingbing looked at the sleeping Mu Jige beside her. It was likely not her concern for my safety, but rather her reluctance to be alone with the warm corpse.
Bingbing had helped me a lot, and I had to consider her feelings. Moreover, I estimated that leaving Mu Jige alone here wouldn't be a problem, so I pulled Bingbing up: "Don't eat for now. Come back with me for a bit."
"What about her?" Zheng Bingbing pointed at Mu Jige.
"No one will find her, and it's not far. Let's go and come back quickly."
"Okay."
Zheng Bingbing and I returned the way we came, passed through the cornfield, reached the river, waded across, and entered the complex. I deliberately detoured around two more buildings, circling to the south of building number 7 where we had rented before. Because we moved quickly, the plainclothes police officer was still sitting in the pavilion, smoking. It seemed reinforcements hadn't arrived yet.
Zheng Bingbing actually took out a plastic bag from her pocket, opened it, squatted on the ground, and continued eating her boxed meal.
I wasn't as carefree as she was, but I lit a cigarette and sat on the steps, occasionally turning my head to glance at the plainclothes man's latest movements from behind the corner of the wall.
About five minutes later, I suddenly heard cars entering the complex, moving very fast, and more than one.
I quickly pulled Zheng Bingbing to a safer spot and cautiously observed. I saw the plainclothes man get up and walk towards them, then break into a run. He led three black sedans and a minivan to a stop in front of building 7.
I noticed that one of the sedans had a license plate starting with Feng G, meaning it was from this city. The other three all had Feng J plates, indicating they were from Fucheng. This meant that the forces sent were definitely from Shen Xingyue, and she might even be in one of the cars...