Wang Defa’s worries were met with silence from both Zhang Dabiao and me, as the trouble was of his own making, or perhaps it had sought him out.
No one would be unmoved by a treasure like the semi-yin realm, spoken of only in legends. Even with the power and influence behind Wang Defa, they would not dare to openly acknowledge such metaphysical matters. After all, with national unification, such supernatural claims could not be brought into the open.
This had led to the current predicament. The sleeping Daoist of Maoshan and the old Heavenly Master Fang of Longhu Mountain were both titans in their respective fields. Any harm to either would trigger a chain reaction, a consequence that a mere squad leader like Wang Defa could not handle.
Zhang Dabiao lit another cigarette for Wang Defa and patted his shoulder, saying, "Old Wang, this situation was unforeseen by anyone. Who has the ability to predict the future? Besides, who are the sleeping Daoist and the old Heavenly Master Fang? They are like the mountains and rivers of the underworld. I believe they can protect themselves."
"I hope so!" Wang Defa’s expression eased slightly, but his face remained somber. Zhang Dabiao was not one for comforting words. Why bring up the sleeping Daoist and the old Heavenly Master Fang at a time like this? Their fates were beyond control. The main concern now should be what had actually happened on Qingfeng Mountain.
The mountain sprites couldn't have rioted without reason. Even after some of them were killed by Hu Sixi and Wu Yun, they had already attacked the camp once. Logically, there shouldn't have been a second attack.
And who was that shadowy figure fighting the old Heavenly Master Fang and the sleeping Daoist? Could it truly be the resurgence of mountain sprites and evil spirits?
Just as we were at a loss, a violent coughing fit erupted from the car Wang Defa was driving, so loud it sounded as if he were coughing up his lungs.
There was no one else in his car except Wu Yun, who was injured and unconscious.
"Water… give me water…" Wu Yun mumbled, her voice barely audible unless one strained to hear it in the profound silence.
Zhang Dabiao had a family, and caring for someone, especially a woman, was not his responsibility. I, a single bachelor who hadn't even touched a woman's hand yet, was even less capable of caring for someone.
Thus, the crucial task of giving her water fell to Wang Defa. Wang Defa’s old face flushed, whether from excitement or something else, it was hard to tell. After a few sips of water, Wu Yun fell back asleep, showing no signs of waking.
"When will she wake up!" After carefully laying Wu Yun down, Wang Defa appeared somewhat annoyed. He had hoped that Wu Yun would be able to tell them what had happened on Qingfeng Mountain once she woke up, but it seemed she wouldn't be waking anytime soon.
"You should take good care of her. Only when she wakes up can we know what happened on Qingfeng Mountain. Oh, and don't forget to call back and tell them to bring more heavy weaponry, otherwise, their arrival will be in vain," I said to Wang Defa, yawning.
"Qingyun is right. Perhaps Qingfeng Mountain has undergone an unpredictable change. If, and I mean if it's possible, you should notify Beijing and see if the operation can be canceled? Otherwise, it might not be a matter of just one or two lives," Zhang Dabiao chimed in, also yawning to show his exhaustion, completely ignoring Wang Defa’s murderous glare.
"Captain Wang, I'm tired. I'm going to rest. You take care of the injured!"
I completely ignored his murderous gaze and turned to leave. Zhang Dabiao chuckled and followed suit, leaving Wang Defa there cursing, "None of you are helpful, and I won't take care of anyone!"
We pretended not to hear his curses. We got into the car, pushed the front seats back to form a makeshift bed, stretched, and prepared to sleep.
Zhang Dabiao did the same. Just as I was about to fall asleep, Zhang Dabiao suddenly spoke, "Brother, aren't you worried about their lives?"
I forced my eyelids open and replied, "What does their life or death have to do with us? It would be best if they all died, then we'd be at peace. Is there such a good thing as immortality in this world?"
As soon as I finished speaking, my vision went black, and I fell asleep. I slept soundly, without even a dream, until I was awakened by a fragrant aroma.
Rubbing my eyes, I saw that it was already broad daylight. Zhang Dabiao, who had been sitting in the passenger seat, was no longer there. I had no idea when he had gotten out of the car. I looked back at Yue'er; she was still in her "sleep." It seemed she, like Wu Yun, wouldn't be waking up anytime soon.
Looking out the car window, I saw Zhang Dabiao and Wang Defa drooling over a makeshift stove. The aroma was coming from the stove in front of them.
Gurgle—
My hungry stomach growled, telling me I needed to eat something now, or I would soon faint from hunger.
"You two are too unkind. You didn't call me when you had good food." After getting out of the car and taking care of my personal needs, I leaned over with a hint of dissatisfaction and said.
"Do I need to call you? You smelled the aroma and got out of the car yourself. Calling you would be a waste of breath," Wang Defa said impatiently while stirring the food in the pot.
I remembered my master saying that if a person is hungry, they could taste delicacies even in a piece of steamed bun. The pot of instant noodles and some dried beef in front of me made me feel like crying.
I stopped eating only after I could no longer consume any more. After letting out a satisfied burp, I felt my stomach churning, wanting to heave. With great willpower, I managed to subdue it and, with a stiff neck, managed not to vomit.
After drinking the last drop of noodle soup, Wang Defa wiped his mouth and said in a low tone, "I've spoken with them on the phone. They've dispatched reinforcements, and they'll arrive by nightfall."
This was the first time Wang Defa had openly admitted to us that he was from Beijing. Although I knew his identity, this was the first time I had heard it directly from him.
"Haven't you told them about the danger here? How many people have died? Are they going to fill the gap with human lives?" Zhang Dabiao stood up, his tone somewhat harsh.
My expression was also very grim. I hadn't expected that some important figure from Beijing would disregard the lives of others for their own pursuit of immortality. Weren't they afraid of the backlash from Longhu Mountain and Maoshan?
After all, these great sects, with thousands of years of heritage, had incredibly complex networks. If the sleeping Daoist and the old Heavenly Master Fang were truly lost on Qingfeng Mountain, the consequences would be dire. These consequences could not be resolved by the loss of one or two lives.
Wang Defa sighed, spread his hands, and said, "The old man doesn't have many days left, so I have to hurry. Unless…"