91 Where Did You Go?
“There’s no one in that house at all,” Jiang Yang said with a grim expression.
Su Ying raised her eyebrows. “No one?”
“Yes. When I entered the house and walked around, I found no traces of people living inside at all. I suspect that place is just a location for them to exchange their goods.”
Su Ying felt that this was very likely, and it was clear to her how careful this person was.
“The goods won’t appear in that house out of the blue. You continue to keep an eye on that man and get Wang Su to keep an eye on the house where he took the goods. I don’t believe that I can’t uncover their transaction method.”
“Yes, Mistress. I will continue to keep an eye on him.”
As they had to build a lot of houses, they used up a lot of wood. So the next morning, Su Ying asked the mercenaries to continue felling trees.
The mercenaries used the electric saw provided by Su Ying to cut down the trees and piled them to the side. When it was almost time to call it a day, they would transport the logs back.
All of them were sweating profusely, but they didn’t dare to stop. Su Ying had said that if there weren’t enough logs, they could still have dinner, but they would also get to “enjoy” a big meal of headache.
When they recalled the excruciating pain that made their whole body numb and made them wish they could die quickly, they worked even harder!
“Leader, we’re all too tired. Let’s rest for a while. We’re only 30 short of the required number. We’ll definitely be done by afternoon.”
Number One was also exhausted, so he allowed them to look for a place to rest before he distributed the food he had brought.
The mercenaries chewed on the dry food in their hands, not knowing what to feel. Who would have thought that such a fate would befall them?
“Big Brothers, are you guys felling trees?”
A scholarly-looking man dressed in a dark blue cotton robe and a bandana on his head walked over. He was probably too tired as he too, casually sat down opposite the mercenaries.
The mercenaries were very tired and didn’t even bother to talk, so they only glanced at him and didn’t say anything.
“My name is Yang Hui, and I’m a scholar living in the Tiger Base. When I’m free, I’ll teach the children in the base camp. If any of you have children who are studying in your families, you can send them to me. I won’t charge you any money. You only need to give me one catty of flour per month, that’s all.”
It was only then that mercenaries look at the man with a peculiar expression. “There’s a place where teaching is conducted in the Tiger Base?”
“Of course. Big Brother, are you guys new here? Then you might not know this, but we not only have a teaching place, but we also have a restaurant where you can eat meat for free.”
Upon hearing this, the mercenaries became alert. “Rice in the Tiger Base costs nearly a hundred copper coins per catty. Why would that place give people meat for free?”
“You may not know this, but the restaurant owner used to be a great philanthropist. He was framed and exiled here. After he arrived at this place, he saw that the people here were not living well, so he thought of ways to bring a lot of meat back here and give it to everyone for free. However, each person can only eat it free once. If they want to eat again, they will have to pay.”
“Where is it?”
“After entering the Tiger Base, head south. You’ll see it after walking for an hour. It’s called the Dust and Gust Restaurant.” After the man finished speaking, he stood up and dusted the grass off his robe. “It’s getting late. I have to hurry down the mountain so that my mother won’t worry. Brothers, I’ll take my leave now.”
After watching the man walk away, one of the mercenaries asked, “Leader, do you think he’s telling the truth? Is there really someone so stupid as to distribute free meat to others?”
“It might be true. Otherwise, why would that fellow come to us and talk nonsense?”
Number One said with a glum face, “Have you forgotten those human corpses in the wooden building last time? Who knows what kind of meat it is? All of you forget about this. Get up and work after you’ve rested.”
Number One was very clear-headed. Who didn’t want to have meat for every meal? However, there were all kinds of people in this Tiger Base. There was no need to put himself in danger for a bite of food.
“Leader, are we really going to stay here and be ordered around by that woman? I’ve had enough of this kind of life.” One of the mercenaries began grumbling.
Number One finished the dry food in his hand and stood up. “I won’t stop you if you want to run away, but don’t expect me to go and collect your bodies when you die.”
Who did they think Su Ying was? She could even kill the mother of her husband’s trusted aide with her own hands. There was nothing she couldn’t do. Furthermore, they used to be her enemies. She could easily take their lives without even blinking.
He wanted to fight her, but he didn’t have the ability. He might as well take it one step at a time.
Number One got up to work, but he didn’t notice that two young mercenaries had quickly fled when he wasn’t paying attention, running in the direction that the scholarly man had left.
At nightfall, the mercenaries pulled the logs back.
When they returned to the courtyard, Number One asked Number Two to do a headcount of their group. This was something that had to be done after every trip back and forth.
When Number Two counted to the end, he realized that two people were missing. He quickly reported the situation to Number One.
“Leader, those two brats, Tie Tou and Gen Zi, have disappeared.”
Number One’s expression turned unpleasant. Su Ying had said that if anyone were missing, the whole group will suffer the consequences.
However, what he feared the most, happened next. Number One saw Su Ying walking towards them.
“Don’t reveal anything yet. Those two brats might be hiding somewhere to slack off for a while. They might come back later.”
“Okay.”
Number Two looked at Su Ying nervously.
Su Ying was there to check the quality of the timber, but as soon as she got close, she noticed that Number Two was looking at her with fear in an evasive manner.
Su Ying narrowed her eyes and inspected the wood without any change in her expression.
These trees must have been growing for many years. Their size and color were very good, and it was perfect for building houses and making furniture.
After her inspection, Su Ying didn’t leave. Instead, she walked one round around Number Two and stopped in front of him. She looked at him with an ambiguous expression and said, “What are you afraid of?”
Number Two’s legs turned to jelly and he almost knelt down in front of her. “Not… nothing.”
Su Ying raised her eyebrows. “You don’t want to talk?”
Number Two’s knees buckled and he knelt down immediately. “Mistress, please calm down. There… there are two fellows who haven’t returned yet. They may have gone… gone to take a dump…”
Su Ying’s eyes swept over the rest of the mercenaries casually. “What numbers are they?”
“Num… Number Eight and Number Nine.”
Su Ying’s gaze landed on Number One. “Why didn’t you tell me when you came back?”
Number One’s hair stood on end as well. “I didn’t notice it when I went down the mountain.”
While they were talking, Su Ying saw two sneaky figures creeping in from the courtyard gate.
The two of them bumped into Su Ying as soon as they entered the compound. They were so frightened that they froze on the spot.
Su Ying stared at them icily with her almond-shaped eyes. “Where did you go?”
The two men’s faces tensed up. “We… we went to… to take a dump.”
The corner of Su Ying’s lips curled up slightly. “Really?”
“Argh!”
Suddenly, Number One clutched his head in anguish and rolled around on the ground.
“I’ll ask you one more time. Where did you two go?” Su Ying asked, her face totally devoid of expression.