A few people lay like dead pigs, none of them speaking, not even the one who had been the most vocal earlier.
We couldn't make too much noise. Although theoretically we were already out of the country, in reality, it was just a small stream a few meters wide. Anything unusual would alert the patrolling police.
My senior whispered something in my ear. I understood, took the handkerchief my senior handed me, and turned to go to the stream to wet it.
It was too dark, so they didn't know what I was going to the stream for. They were still sitting on the ground, slumped over.
I came back with the wet handkerchief and walked up to the person who had been chattering non-stop. I was certain he was the leader, as he was the only one talking earlier.
He sat up in terror and said softly, "What do you want?"
I kicked him to the ground, forcing him to tilt his head back, and then covered his nose and mouth with the dripping handkerchief.
The soaked handkerchief had poor permeability. Before long, he was struggling so hard he was kicking his legs about.
I said softly, "Do you want me to add more water?"
There were many broad-leafed plants here, making it easy to scoop water with a large leaf.
Not to mention adding a lot, even a few drops would be enough for him.
He was already struggling to breathe. Adding more water would likely suffocate him.
Seeing the force of his struggling legs weakening, this coward said in a voice as small as possible, "I'll talk, I'll talk."
"That's more like it. If you had said that earlier, why would you have to suffer this?"
I removed the wet cloth covering his mouth. He gasped for air, and it took a long time for him to calm down.
The rest of it was much simpler. He not only told us they were Brother Hui's people but also revealed Brother Hui's current hiding place: a headquarters of an armed force opposite us, one of Brother Hui's former suppliers.
This was much as my senior and I had analyzed. Brother Hui was likely hiding in the Golden Triangle.
However, this location was rather unusual. Their hideout was an armed base, heavily guarded, with over a thousand armed men. For us few to go there rashly would undoubtedly be suicide.
Unexpectedly, this place wasn't far from us, only about a few dozen kilometers of mountain road.
The scheduled meeting time was six in the morning. It was already two in the morning now. We still had these four people with us. Taking them back was out of the question, so we had to call them to notify them to set out.
My senior walked aside to make a phone call, while I squatted down and asked the leader some more questions.
Of the four of them, the one I was questioning had been Brother Hui's trusted subordinate for many years. The other three were newcomers who had joined recently. Brother Hui's men had suffered heavy losses at the club last time, and few escaped. Apart from those who stayed behind in Spring City, he only had about five or six people around him. After coming here, he recruited a group of border residents. These people, having grown up in war, had fighting and killing as their basic survival skills. They didn't need much training; they would risk their lives for money.
Therefore, he managed to gather forty to fifty more people without much effort.
My senior came back after the call, and I pulled him aside to tell him my plan.
There were five of us in total. Two of the Daoist brothers were young men in their twenties. We would pretend to be their men and infiltrate the base. My senior and the others would wait outside for us, and then find a way to get in to support us.
The prerequisite was that this leader had to cooperate with us.
If he betrayed us to his boss, we would be exposed to Brother Hui directly.
That would be like walking into a trap.
My senior immediately shook his head. The chance of success was too low.
I also felt it was a bit unreliable. Here, this kid told us everything he knew because we threatened his life. If we let him go, without the fear of death, he would most likely try to kill us.
My senior said, "This may not be a good plan, but it's the only viable one we have. However, how are you going to control this guy?"
I said, "You watch the other few people. I'll take this kid aside to have another chat and see if I can find any loopholes."
My senior nodded. I walked over, pulled him up, and walked towards the dense forest.
The kid wriggled his backside, unwilling to go. He thought I was going to kill him for information after questioning him.
He had no choice now. No matter how unwilling he was, his hands were tied, and coupled with the earlier ordeal, he had no strength left to struggle with me. Reluctantly, I dragged him inside.
We walked dozens of meters, and there was a clearing of a few square meters.
I let go of him. He slumped to the ground and said to me with a hint of pleading, "I've told you everything I know. Please spare my life. I'll do anything you want."
Of course, I didn't believe his nonsense. If I spared his life, he would then try to kill me. There was no other outcome.
I shoved the wet handkerchief back into his mouth, then stepped on his calf. I put some force into my foot, turned, and heard him groan. He passed out from the pain.
In any case, there were still several hours until dawn, so I could play with him slowly.
After a while, he woke up. I stared at him and said, "You want to live, right? As long as it's dawn, I'll send you to the police station. If you don't have any murder charges, your life will be safe. But I don't know how long you'll be in prison. Good luck to yourself."
"Brother, brother, I beg you, just finish me here. I don't want to go to jail. You know, people like us, they always find something. If I go in, I'll be imprisoned for life."
"You don't want to go in, right? Then shall I send you back to your boss?"
Unexpectedly, he became even more agitated at this remark, directly saying two words: "No!"
Having clashed with Brother Hui for so long, I knew a lot about his character, and even more about how he treated his subordinates. As for those who betrayed him, Brother Hui would make them wish they were dead, even if they survived.
That's why he had such a strong reaction.
"Then what do you want? Sending you to eat prison food is not an option. Sending you back is also not an option. Tell me, what would satisfy you?"
"If I fall into your hands, I admit defeat. As long as you don't send me to jail or send me back, my life is yours. You can do whatever you want with me."
"You say that so easily, making empty promises. What reason do I have to believe you?"
"I'm not lying. As long as you don't kill me, I promise to follow you wholeheartedly!"
He said it decisively, showing a posture of loyalty.
"Alright, tomorrow you'll take me to the base. I'll decide whether to send you in based on your performance. I'll also give you a guarantee: as long as you don't betray me, I won't hand you over."
He showed a hint of joy, and his tone changed: "Really? You can be a hundred percent assured. I've truly had enough of Brother Hui. He not only eats human flesh and blood but is also perverted, attracted to both men and women. Several of my brothers were harmed by him."