Supplied with the input text, I will now provide the English translation, adhering strictly to all the specified rules. I will ensure accuracy, fluency, naturalness, and literary beauty, avoiding direct translations and awkward phrasing. Specific terms, idioms, names, and place names will be handled according to the guidelines. Fixed translations will be used where specified. The output will consist solely of the translated English text, maintaining paragraph structure and adhering to English novel conventions for punctuation and formatting. No explanations, comments, or Chinese characters will be included.
Elder Zhu was immediately furious.
He stared intently into Zhang Shaohua's eyes and demanded, "In a few days? In a few days, we'll all be tortured to death by the Dragon Group. What good will it do to save us then? Save our corpses!"
Heaven knew what kind of days they were enduring inside.
This was something Zhang Shaohua could never imagine!
The only reason they had held on for so long was the lingering resentment in their hearts.
Waiting for the Zhang family to send someone to rescue them!
But now, Zhang Shaohua claimed he was merely here to exchange information, not to rescue them?
In an instant, Elder Zhu felt as though the sky was collapsing!
Just as Elder Zhu was seething with anger.
Elder Zhao beside him spoke again, "Old Zhu, let Young Master Zhang come in first. Someone might overhear us if we talk out here."
Elder Zhu had initially intended to throw caution to the wind.
After all, he had endured so many interrogation methods without revealing a single word.
Yet Zhang Shaohua claimed he wasn't here to save them.
But Elder Zhu also knew that Zhang Shaohua was now their only hope.
If Zhang Shaohua were discovered by the Dragon Group, they would truly be caught in one fell swoop!
With this thought, despite his immense anger, Elder Zhu could only nod slowly, stepping aside slightly to let Zhang Shaohua enter.
After entering the prison cell.
Zhang Shaohua got straight to the point.
"You didn't reveal anything to the Dragon Group, did you?"
Elder Zhao's expression revealed a knowing smile upon hearing this.
It was laced with sarcasm and disdain!
He knew that Zhang Shaohua's arrival was solely for this purpose!
"Of course not. If we had, would you still be safe outside?" Elder Zhu retorted indignantly.
Elder Zhu's temper was naturally volatile.
After the sleep deprivation experiments of the past few days, Elder Zhu's temper had become even more volatile!
He was almost a walking fuse.
Naturally, he was not polite when speaking with Zhang Shaohua.
A flicker of displeasure crossed Zhang Shaohua's eyes.
But he suppressed it and continued to ask Elder Zhu and the other man, "Do you think there are many patrols around here?"
This question seemed related to rescuing Elder Zhu and his companion.
Therefore, Elder Zhu and the other man's expressions turned serious.
"The patrols here are basically on three shifts. I've counted, and there's only a one-minute gap in between, and it's very easy to be spotted."
"Young Master Zhang, when do you plan to rescue us?" Elder Zhao asked directly.
Zhang Shaohua pondered for a moment, offering only a vague answer, "Wait a little longer. I'm already working on a plan. It's difficult even to see you."
Elder Zhao exchanged a look with Elder Zhu, and they had no choice but to suppress their impatience and continue, "What's the situation outside now?"
"News of your capture has spread like wildfire throughout the entire new recruit training base."
"I tried to contact my family to get you rescued, but they've been unresponsive!" Zhang Shaohua said irritably.
Because Elder Zhu and Elder Zhao had been captured, everyone looked at Zhang Shaohua strangely.
If before, people were reluctant to associate with Zhang Shaohua.
Then now, they despised him!
Originally, Zhang Shaohua, relying on the Zhang family's prestige and his own decent abilities.
Though he lacked a core team, he could at least maintain a familiar face.
There were always people willing to include Zhang Shaohua in their affairs.
But now.
After Ouyang Feng went to Da Xiong's side, Zhang Shaohua became a complete loner.
No one was willing to pay him any attention!
Speaking of this, Zhang Shaohua felt a surge of anger!
Elder Zhao continued, "I don't think the Zhang family can help much. The main thing now is to contact the Zhang family and the hidden operatives of the Shadow Organization within the Dragon Group, and slowly plan our rescue."
Zhang Shaohua nodded slightly, then said with some frustration, "You think I haven't thought of that? It's only by contacting the hidden operatives that I had the chance to see you!"
"But these hidden operatives stationed at the Dragon Group don't even have a single official Dragon Group member. How are we supposed to plan anything?"
A skilled cook can't make a meal without ingredients.
These hidden operatives couldn't even infiltrate the most central areas of the Dragon Group.
How could they rescue Elder Zhu and his companion?
Hearing this, Elder Zhu and Elder Zhao's hearts sank by half.
The Zhang family was not part of the Dragon Group, and they were too far away to help.
And from what Zhang Shaohua implied, most of these hidden operatives were useless...
"In any case, don't say anything foolish while you're in here. Just hold on for another two days, and I'll find a way to get you out."
"Otherwise, don't blame me for being heartless!"
Zhang Shaohua saw that it was about time to leave.
Before leaving, he didn't forget to admonish the two men!
Elder Zhu immediately felt as if he had swallowed a fly, disgusted and uncomfortable.
Wasn't Zhang Shaohua trying to provoke him?
But for the sake of getting out.
Elder Zhu, no matter how much dissatisfaction he felt, could only endure it.
"Understood, Young Master Zhang. We'll keep our mouths shut tight," Elder Zhu conceded.
Elder Zhao, standing beside him, spoke sarcastically.
"Young Master Zhang, you need to act quickly. The Dragon Group's interrogation methods are truly cruel. We can't hold on much longer."
The meaning behind these words was clear: they were threatening Zhang Shaohua.
If Zhang Shaohua didn't rescue them soon, they would confess everything about the Zhang family and the Shadow Organization to the Dragon Group!
Hearing this, Zhang Shaohua became enraged!
Earlier, he had repeatedly told these two not to lay a hand on Ouyang Feng.
But what did they do?
They completely ignored Zhang Shaohua's warnings, attempted an assassination in the dead of night, and were caught instead.
And now they had the audacity to threaten Zhang Shaohua!
"If you hadn't tried to kill Ouyang Feng, none of this would have happened."
"I will do my best to save you if I can. When you want to say something, think it through carefully. Even if you don't care about yourselves, you should at least consider your wives, children, and elders at home."
Zhang Shaohua retaliated against Elder Zhao in the same manner.
Elder Zhao gritted his teeth.
He had intended to say more.
But Zhang Shaohua, in his anger, turned and left!
The prison door was closed.
Both Elder Zhu and Elder Zhao were deeply angered.
It would have been better if Zhang Shaohua hadn't come at all. His arrival was filled with threats.
Who could tolerate that?
"This Zhang family is truly..." Elder Zhu's face turned red, struggling to find words to describe them.
It was Elder Zhao who added, "Shameless!"
"Do you think Zhang Shaohua can really rescue us?" Elder Zhu asked, his face grim.
He felt that based on Zhang Shaohua's attitude just now, the chances were slim.
Especially since Zhang Shaohua had mentioned that he couldn't contact his family.
That meant something might have happened to the Zhang family!
Now, the two of them deeply regretted why they had risked their lives for the Zhang family.
They had ended up in such a miserable state!