The square was quiet. Although many people stood around, no one spoke. Everyone was extremely tense, guns in hand, looking as if they were facing a formidable enemy.
I concealed myself in the bushes near the square and looked out. Since the square was not large, the guards were positioned close to each other, about twenty meters apart. This meant that if any one of them were attacked, it would alert those on both sides, triggering a chain reaction that would draw people from all directions.
I noticed a pattern: some guards would visit other posts, ostensibly to borrow a cigarette or a light. They wouldn't linger, leaving after a minute or two to return to their positions.
It seemed the plan needed to change. We had to act simultaneously, with three people taking action. One would be dealt with by a disguised figure, while the other two would create a diversion by borrowing cigarettes or lights, thus covering the disguised assailant.
I quietly retreated and explained my plan to the senior.
The senior was silent for a moment, then said, "Then let Xiao Zhang assassinate one of them. You and a Taoist brother will wear guns and pretend to be on duty, engaging the guards next to them. The rest of us will approach the building and rendezvous at Brother Hui's room."
I said, "We should choose the side near the cells. There are enemies on only one side here, so we don't have to worry about both. We just need to deal with the one furthest inside, and we'll handle two."
"Good, that's settled."
The area near the cells was darker. If we took someone down, it would be hard to tell without a close inspection. I had been watching for a long time and had finally spotted a guard dozing off, crouched against the wall.
This was the only weak point, and it was easier to hide there.
Time is a strange thing. Normally, days just blur into one another, and time feels like it flies. But when waiting, it becomes extraordinarily long, with each second feeling like a year.
It was just past midnight, and we still had over two hours until the operation.
Several people squatted silently in their positions, looking bored.
Suddenly, we faintly heard a commotion from the square, and we all froze, wondering what had happened.
The senior and I walked towards the foot of the mountain to investigate.
Pushing aside the branches that concealed us, we saw a wooden frame erected in the center of the square. A large pile of firewood had been stacked beneath it. Several people were dragging a bound man towards the frame.
My heart sank. This person was most likely A Bei.
It seemed Brother Hui was playing a new trick, using A Bei to lure us out.
He probably figured we'd definitely come back for him. Instead of letting us sneak in, he decided to openly place bait and trap us.
Seeing A Bei, who was already hanging upside down from the frame, my heart felt as if it were being twisted by a knife. I understood Brother Hui's malicious intent. He had A Bei's head facing downwards, his face towards the fire below. Once the fire was lit, even without direct burns, the thick smoke alone would make life unbearable.
I really wanted to shoot the rope right then and fight them to the death.
Calming myself, I realized this wouldn't solve anything and would only lead to our complete annihilation.
For now, A Bei would have to endure this inhumane torture a little longer. We had to ensure the surprise attack went flawlessly, buying him time.
After securing A Bei to the frame, the men below began to light the firewood with torches.
The firewood seemed a bit damp. I saw them pour some gasoline-like substance on it before it caught fire.
Immediately, thick smoke billowed up, engulfing A Bei in the haze.
Choked by the smoke, A Bei coughed and cried out incessantly. The people below cheered excitedly, as if watching a thrilling movie.
This is the tragedy of human nature. A Bei was one of them, their countryman. In a sense, their fates were the same. Today, A Bei might be tomorrow's self. Seeing their own kind being roasted in flames, did they have no compassion? No sense of shared vulnerability?
These people had lived in a state of anarchy for many years. Under extremely harsh living conditions, their core survival unit was the individual. Anything that didn't concern them personally was disregarded without any moral boundaries.
A Bei's cries echoed in the sky. The senior's face grew more solemn. He whispered to me, "We can't wait any longer. We have to act early!"
I nodded. It was good this way; everyone's attention was on the frame, creating a perfect opening.
I asked the senior to wait there while I went to call the other three over.
The five of us each carried a rifle. I handed the extra pistol to the senior, as a pistol was more effective at close range.
We were completely unfamiliar with firearms in our area, and using them wasn't very smooth. However, something was better than nothing. We could always discard them during close combat.
After we regrouped, we quickly approached the house where we had fought the three burly men during the day.
This house was located in the weakest lit area of the square, so the guard density was higher than elsewhere, with a sentinel almost every ten meters.
As we neared the location, I signaled to the two Taoist brothers. Xiao Zhang, dressed in the black uniform, sauntered towards the guard who was squatting against the wall.
He covered his mouth and nose with a black cloth, making it impossible to tell who he was from the outside.
The black-clad figures held the highest rank here, second only to Brother Hui. The outer subordinates always looked up to them.
The noisy commotion from the frame and A Bei's screams provided us with considerable convenience. Xiao Zhang nonchalantly passed by the guards and went directly to the last one.
As he passed the second guard, that guard even snapped to attention and stood stiffly, watching him go to the next post.
The squatting guard, seeing Xiao Zhang approaching, was startled and quickly stood up, snapping to attention to report the situation.
Xiao Zhang, without a word, went up and slapped the guard from both sides, making him unsteady and nearly fall to the ground.
"What the hell kind of guard are you? With the enemy so close, everyone else is at their post with full attention, and you're here dozing off?"
After saying this, he delivered another slap, knocking him to the ground.
The nearby guards watched in surprise as Xiao Zhang disciplined their comrade. Neither dared to move, their attention solely fixed on them.
Seeing that the time was right, I waved to the Taoist brothers, who were ready to act, and we rushed towards the other two sentinels simultaneously. Before they could react, we covered their mouths and noses with our handkerchiefs soaked in the sedative.
Like the guards before them, they slumped to the ground without a sound.
Xiao Zhang had already dealt with his sentinel. The senior and the Taoist brothers quickly emerged from the bushes and moved to the base of the wall.
Xiao Zhang arranged the collapsed guard in a sitting position. From a distance, he still looked as he had before.