Zhao Gongfeng, holding back his anger, took a deep breath and said, "It's unlikely Zhang Shaohua can save both of us. We need to think of another way."
But how could they think of anything when they were locked up by the Dragon Group?
Even though no one was guarding the door at the moment, they both knew that the Dragon Group members were definitely lurking just outside. They were trapped with no escape.
It seemed their only hope was Zhang Shaohua's rescue. A silence fell upon them.
"Right, we forgot to tell Zhang Shaohua about Ouyang Feng," Zhao Gongfeng slapped his forehead. Zhang Shaohua's earlier behavior had been so infuriating that Zhao Gongfeng had completely forgotten this crucial matter! The last time they had attempted to assassinate Ouyang Feng, the Dragon Group had been right outside. If Ouyang Feng wasn't a traitor, then the heavens themselves would be lying! They had to inform Zhang Shaohua, lest he place his complete trust in Ouyang Feng and end up betrayed.
But now, they couldn't get the message out. They could only stare at each other, helpless.
"If Zhang Shaohua isn't an idiot, he should be able to guess," Gongfeng Zhu said, uncertainty lacing his voice. After all, Zhang Shaohua had acted like an idiot before, refusing to listen to anything. It was highly likely Zhang Shaohua believed they were caught simply due to bad luck, stumbled upon by Dragon Group patrols.
This thought made Zhao Gongfeng anxious. He paced the small cell, sweat beading on his forehead like soybeans. If only he hadn't argued with Zhang Shaohua earlier! It was too late now. Zhao Gongfeng wasn't worried about Zhang Shaohua's well-being, but rather that if Zhang Shaohua were also captured, their chances of escape would be practically zero. The Zhang family was too far away to know anything about the freshman training base. If they were all apprehended, no one would be left to rescue Gongfeng Zhu and Zhao Gongfeng.
"No, this message must reach Zhang Shaohua," Zhao Gongfeng resolved. "We'll see if we have a chance to pass it on tomorrow."
Gongfeng Zhu, however, poured cold water on his enthusiasm. "What method do you propose? We can't get out, and there's no one to deliver the message. You don't expect the walls to talk, do you?" He slumped to the ground. "Just give up. Let fate decide!" In their confinement, they were fed only twice a day, with mostly plain vegetables. They had little energy left for anything else, barely enough to maintain basic bodily functions.
Meanwhile, Zhang Shaohua, having huffed away from the chef, unleashed a torrent of curses at the two men. "These ungrateful wretches! The Zhang family treated them well, yet they dare to threaten me! If they hadn't been so foolish, ignoring my advice and insisting on going after Ouyang Feng, none of this would have happened! And now, these two useless sacks of meat don't even reflect on their mistakes but try to threaten me from inside!" Zhang Shaohua's greatest anger stemmed from their attitude towards him. He simply couldn't stand being disrespected!
The chef listened submissively, offering no opinion. Once Zhang Shaohua's tirade subsided, the chef asked opportunely, "Young Master Zhang, you've seen them. What's our next move?"
Gongfeng Zhu and Zhao Gongfeng knew about their hidden operatives. Fortunately, they hadn't revealed anything to the Dragon Group, or their network of informants within the Dragon Group would surely have been exposed. What should they do? Zhang Shaohua, like a headless fly, spun around the spot. If he knew what to do, he wouldn't be so agitated! To Zhang Shaohua, Gongfeng Zhu and Zhao Gongfeng deserved their fate.
But now, these two held leverage over the Zhang family and the Shadow Organization, and they had to be rescued. After much thought, Zhang Shaohua asked, "How many of our covert operatives do we have left?" The chef hesitated before detailing their distribution to Zhang Shaohua. "Young Master Zhang, while we all cultivate martial arts and possess some strength, it's nowhere near enough to rescue the two of them!" the chef warned.
Putting aside how tightly Gongfeng Zhu and Zhao Gongfeng were guarded, their combined martial prowess wouldn't even match up against the Dragon Group members. Compared to geniuses with abundant resources, the Dragon Group operatives were certainly lacking. However, after systematic training and the practice of the Dragon Group's treasured cultivation techniques, they could utterly crush ordinary martial artists. Most importantly, the Dragon Group, through their training, excelled at coordinated group combat. Their ragtag group would barely be enough to fill the Dragon Group's teeth.
"Damn it!" Zhang Shaohua furiously kicked a nearby flowerbed, a surge of anger coursing through him. If brute force wouldn't work, then they would have to resort to softer methods!
Meanwhile, Zhou Yu watched as Zhang Shaohua furtively entered and then stormed out, barely suppressing a laugh. Though he didn't know what had transpired between Zhang Shaohua and the two Gongfengs, it was clear they had argued, hence Zhang Shaohua's fury. Zhou Yu had always said that Zhang Shaohua lacked the charisma to command respect, especially from his subordinates. Zhang Shaohua had never treated them well, relying only on threats. Given this, it was only a matter of time before he could break Gongfeng Zhu and Zhao Gongfeng.
Zhou Yu remained in the cell until almost dinnertime when Lin Weidong arrived. After a day's rest, Lin Weidong looked visibly more energetic. Upon seeing Zhou Yu, Lin Weidong asked curiously, "They didn't take any action at noon today?" Lin Weidong knew Zhou Yu's character well. If something had happened, Zhou Yu would have dealt with it and then informed him. But today, Lin Weidong had waited all day for a notification that never came. Now, it seemed nothing had occurred.
"They did come, but it was the covert operatives who took Zhang Shaohua to speak with Gongfeng Zhu and the other one," Zhou Yu said directly. "I couldn't be bothered to stop them."
Lin Weidong clicked his tongue. "Just a meeting, exchanging information? Zhang Shaohua is too timid!" With the Dragon Group deliberately letting them, Zhang Shaohua still dared to do nothing! Zhou Yu nodded in agreement. "However, they seemed to have argued. Zhang Shaohua looked quite upset. In a couple of days, the interrogation should yield good news." Zhou Yu said with a smile. This way, Lin Weidong wouldn't be held back any longer and could focus on dealing with the covert operatives from the Zhang family and Shadow Organization embedded within the Dragon Group!