The government troops and Qing Ge's men had formed a semi-encirclement, pinning them down at the foot of the mountain.
The loudspeaker blared, and many surrendered, discarding their weapons and raising their hands.
No one attempted to escape through the water channel anymore; anyone who surfaced was doomed.
I instructed everyone to keep a close watch on the entrance. Wen Siqiang, having fired his first shots, seemed to be enjoying himself, hoping for more people to appear so he could spray them with bullets.
Unfortunately, no one came to their deaths. After a short while, the shouting stopped. Brother Bao called us from below, signaling that the battle was over and we should come down.
Wen Siqiang grumbled, cursing the cowards for not giving him a chance to shoot.
His curses were useless. Who dared to oppose grenades? What did it mean to be met head-on? To come up was to invite certain death!
By the time we descended, the government troops had already escorted the prisoners away from the battlefield. Qing Ge and Brother Bao, along with their men, were waiting for us. Seeing us approach, Brother Bao said, "You guys have done a great service. The government troops tried to eliminate them several times but failed. It's unbelievable how easily they were all captured this time, not a single one escaped."
I replied, "It's because our brothers were fearless and meticulous. They deserved their demise. We walked right through them in our vehicle, and they didn't even notice. It wasn't due to our brilliance, but the enemy's carelessness. Half of today's victory was given to us by the enemy."
Qing Ge laughed heartily, "Hua Zi is young but sharp. It's their misfortune to have encountered you!"
Brother Bao added, "We also owe a lot to Big Brother for inviting the government troops to help us, clearing the obstacles on our transport route. Otherwise, we would have been worried sick about getting the raw stones out."
Qing Ge said, "We're all brothers. No need for pleasantries. If the stones can't be transported, I don't make money either. So, we are brothers bound together, a family who speaks plainly. Long Ji has already paid the taxes for the raw stones. We'll arrange shipment once we're done here."
Brother Bao said, "Let's get out of here quickly. It's best to transport the raw stones overnight. If there are any remnants of this force, we'll face unnecessary trouble."
Qing Ge replied, "Alright, you guys go back and focus on opening the market. Set a date and inform me and Long Ji, and we'll be there to celebrate!"
Brother Bao and Qing Ge walked out side by side. Numerous flashlights illuminated the path, making it much easier to navigate than when we arrived. Soon, we reached the main road.
Outside, Teng Ji had already delivered the raw stones to the roadside. There were four trucks in total. The roads in Myanmar are poor, so they don't use large trucks, mostly these ten-tonners. These were our brand of trucks, which had made great contributions to our industrial and agricultural production back then. Now, they had become the backbone of transportation for the Burmese.
Before setting off, Brother Bao had settled the accounts with Teng Ji and Qing Ge. Qing Ge dispatched over a dozen men to escort the trucks to the border to hand them over to our people before returning.
Da Kui and Wen Siqiang left with them.
Brother Bao and I took Qing Ge's van to Yangon. We had an early flight back the next morning.
After bidding farewell to Qing Ge, we accompanied the trucks out of the mountainous area. We overtook them and drove towards the city of Yangon.
Although we had a permit from the government troops, we couldn't afford to be careless. As long as the raw stones didn't cross the border, no one could guarantee our safety.
Despite the danger today, it was a triumphant victory. We had forty tons of raw stones, covering low, medium, and high grades. If we could get them back safely, even without gambling ourselves, we could earn tenfold.
It wasn't entirely about money. This was our first venture, and first impressions are crucial. We had high-quality raw stones, paving the way for future market prosperity and laying a solid foundation for our reputation.
Myanmar, such a small country, and I had already experienced gunfire on both visits. One can only imagine what life is like for those who live here year-round.
The vehicle bumped along the road, but my eyelids grew heavy, and I soon drifted off to sleep.
The two trips into the mountains earlier had exhausted me completely; I was simply too tired.
When I opened my eyes, we were already at the entrance of the hotel lobby. The driver informed us he would pick us up at six-thirty the next morning before driving away.
I was extremely tired. After completing the check-in procedures at the front desk and getting my key card, I greeted Brother Bao and quickly took the elevator back to my room.
Brother Bao reminded me to lock the door securely when I slept and to be mindful of any noises outside.
I asked for Brother Bao's room number and then headed straight to my own.
The night passed without incident. The next morning, I was awakened by the room phone. I had slept soundly, almost without moving, until dawn.
I suddenly remembered we had an early flight, and the hotel was urging me to get up and go downstairs.
I checked the time; it was indeed six-twenty. If I didn't get up now, I'd definitely miss my flight.
When I came down, Brother Bao was already waiting in the car. He didn't say anything when he saw me and told the driver to go.
Brother Bao said, "You'll have a lot of hard work when we get back. Sorting and cataloging so many stones is a very demanding task."
I replied, "The work is a bit much, mainly due to the tight schedule. But don't worry, I'll bring two young people to help, which won't affect the market opening. I will definitely make our raw stones shine and establish our reputation as the best in Ruili!"
Brother Bao said, "With your word, I am reassured. Whatever you need, I will spare no effort to ensure its supply."
I said, "Now that we have the raw stones, my current concern is our two enemies. Their father and son will not let us have peace."
Brother Bao replied, "Yes, Kang Gong is a knotty problem. I've racked my brains but haven't come up with a perfect plan. What about you? If you have one, let's implement it quickly. I don't want those two in this world for another moment!"
I said, "There will definitely be a way. As long as we think it through slowly, we'll surely find the best solution to deal with them!"
Brother Bao said, "You're full of bright ideas, kid. I believe in you. The sooner we get rid of them, the sooner we can rest easy!"
I nodded. The Crown Prince and his son were also a major concern for me. The last time, the Crown Prince had hired Wu De, who almost beat me to death. After a few more incidents like that, I figured I'd be crippled if I wasn't killed.
The car stopped at the entrance of the airport departure hall. The driver bid us farewell, and Brother Bao and I went to check in.
At that time, Yangon had many tourist groups, with many fair-skinned foreigners and quite a few Chinese. The airport was bustling and lively.
After all, Yangon was the capital back then, and visiting this mysterious country was a dream for many.
Brother Bao and I had no luggage, just two empty-handed individuals, looking out of place among the other tourists.
We seemed like oddities, like bodyguards without anyone to protect, a bit awkward and out of sync.
We didn't have the mindset to consider such things. We quickly completed the check-in procedures, passed through security, and headed towards the boarding gate.
Just then, a figure flashed in front of me. I felt this person was behaving abnormally, sneakily, and didn't seem like a good person.