I'm being held captive by a monster

Chapter 292 Stay Together

Songfu Road, Tiexi District.

The Second Experimental Primary School was extremely quiet under the cover of night.

In the opposite residential area, in those old buildings that are fifty or sixty years old, every household had already turned off their lights and gone to sleep.

A thick, black arrow, no bigger than a thumb joint, flew precisely between buildings as if remotely controlled.

The last one plunged down the chimney into a ground-floor apartment.

"Old Zhang sent a letter."

Hearing the noise, Xie Jiujiang, with a full head of white hair and wearing a black vest, put down the map of Beicheng in his hand and took off his reading glasses.

"Tsk! Wipe your feet! Wipe your feet before putting on your shoes!"

"I've told you so many times, you've made water everywhere..."

Lu Zhumei, whose head of silver hair was neatly combed, glared at her husband helplessly when she saw him take his feet out of the basin, only to step on the edge of the basin to drain the water, and then try to put on his shoes without even wiping them.

"I'm the one who mops the floor every day, so what's wrong with spilling a little water?"

Although Xie Jiujiang said that, he still obediently picked up a towel and carefully wiped his feet.

"Alright, you sit there, I'll go get it."

"Look at how slow you are."

Lü Zhumei put down her pen, went to the kitchen, and picked up the thick, chubby little arrow.

"What's wrong today? Are you taking your anger out on your husband again?"

"I've noticed, you do this every time you finish grading a set of papers."

"You're old enough to retire, why are you getting angry with a bunch of kids?"

"Teacher Lü, aren't all the people in your office young? Why don't you just let them approve it?"

After wiping his feet, Xie Jiujiang pulled down his trouser leg, looked at Lü Zhumei who was still angry, and slowly straightened up.

"How can I not be angry? They've filled in all these ancient poems with nonsense!"

"Red, delicate hands, yellow wine, and then they added two orioles singing in the green willows!"

"Look at this! Isn't this just scribbling nonsense? Is this even the same thing?"

Lü Zhumei picked up a scroll and pointed to the poems on it.

Xie Jiujiang listened with a smile.

"Forget it, I can't explain it to you."

Seeing this, Lü Zhumei also let out a sigh and shook her head.

"The way we transmit information is becoming increasingly outdated."

"They say it's for safety, but I don't see how safe it is at all!"

Xie Jiujiang unscrewed the arrow.

Inside the hollow quiver was a small note.

After pouring it out, he put his reading glasses back on.

"Give it to me! Let me see it!"

Having already finished grading three papers, Lü Zhumei saw Xie Jiujiang slowly smoothing out the small note, so she abruptly put down her pen.

He snatched the note from Xie Jiujiang's hand.

"What's wrong? What did Old Zhang say?"

Xie Jiujiang peeked out.

"...All comrades, please evacuate back to base immediately, tonight?"

Lü Zhumei squinted as she read the note, then handed it to Xie Jiujiang.

"Oh? Tonight?"

Xie Jiujiang read it again to himself.

What are you yelling about?

"Did my 'yelp' bother you? It was just an exclamation!"

"This little note only has a few words, how many times have you read it?"

Lü Zhumei picked up the foot basin, as if to splash it on Xie Jiujiang.

But Xie Jiujiang reacted too slowly; she had already pulled back before she subconsciously tried to dodge.

"Watching it a few more times isn't illegal."

Xie Jiujiang muttered to himself.

Then he crumpled the paper into a ball and said, "Let's go!"

He stood up and said.

"Go? Where to go?"

"Go to the base! Isn't it written there?"

"You want to go back?"

Lu Zhumei sat on the stool, picked up her pen, and began to grade the papers.

"Otherwise what? This is an order from above. You... you're over sixty years old, and you're still rebelling?"

Xie Jiujiang zipped up the vest he was wearing.

Lü Zhumei fell silent. "Old Xie, why do you want us to go back in the middle of the night?"

She said, frowning.

"This isn't a message telling us to go back; it's 99% likely that this message was sent to everyone."

"Send everyone back?"

"The organization must have received some information; they're about to get serious."

Although Xie Jiujiang moved slowly, his reaction was quick.

"Then we shouldn't go back even more!"

"If they all go back, how will we find out where the gluttonous ghost is going?"

"How can we protect Little Sixteen if we don't know the Glutton's movements?"

"No, you can go back by yourself. I have to keep an eye on Taotie, otherwise I won't feel at ease."

Lü Zhumei waved her hand and said.

Xie Jiujiang clicked his tongue and walked to her side.

"Honey, why are you still being stubborn?"

"The higher-ups must have their reasons for doing this!"

"As long as we stay hidden, that's the best we can do to protect Little Sixteen."

Xie Jiujiang said, pressing on Lü Zhumei's shoulder.

Lü Zhumei shook her head, "Do you know the saying, 'A general in the field may disobey orders'?"

"Look at what happened to Yue Fei back then, he just followed orders from above."

"Now we need to analyze the actual situation realistically."

Lü Zhumei glanced at Xie Jiujiang.

"And you just said that you want us to go back because those ghosts want to change their search policy, right?"

"...Yes, that's what I said, but..."

"So! So we should stay here and see what these ghosts have really become!"

Lü Zhumei raised her voice by a octave, completely drowning out Xie Jiujiang's words.

"If you ask me, forcing us all to retreat is exactly what those gluttons want!"

"Stop pressing it. I need to stay and see what those gluttons are up to."

She shrugged her shoulders.

The tone left no room for doubt.

"Oh, what you said makes sense, but there must be a reason why the higher-ups want us to go back."

"That makes absolutely no sense! It makes no sense at all!"

Lü Zhumei snorted coldly.

Xie Jiujiang shook his head.

My wife and Zhang Hang never got along.

Because he was going to risk his life to fight this epidemic in June, Zhang Hang didn't tell her a single thing.

She is the teacher of the sixteenth month.

I've always treated Sixteen like my own daughter.

As a result, he didn't even get to see her one last time.

Therefore, Lü Zhumei always thought that she must make the greatest effort for the sixteenth month!

She definitely doesn't want to go back to being a coward now.

"Tsk, Old Zhang's situation is a bit too sudden. He has to go back tonight..."

Xie Jiujiang unfolded the note again and began to read it.

"Stop looking! It's just the same few words no matter how much you look at it! What's so special about it?"

"Oh dear, didn't I feel something was off?"

"What's the problem? If you want to go back, go back yourself! You can't persuade me otherwise."

"Tsk, what are you saying? If you don't go back, how can I leave?"

Xie Jiujiang also sat down on the stool, looking at the North City map marked with countless routes, which he had almost worn out from flipping through it, and frowned.

"So tell me, what conclusions have you drawn from your analysis?"

After finally finishing grading the papers, Lü Zhumei took a sip of water to calm down.

"...Since Lao Zhang specifically emphasized that we should evacuate tonight, it means that tonight is the only safe night."

"But we observed for more than twenty days, and the ghosts became more active at night."

"Especially here, there are so many confused ghosts that those gluttonous ghosts are too timid during the day and only dare to wander around at night."

How did Old Zhang know it would be safe tonight?

Xie Jiujiang walked to the window again.

I lifted the curtain a little and looked outside.

It's already 12:30 in the morning.

The streets outside were eerily quiet. "Haven't I told you several times already? The Gluttonous Ghost needs to change its strategy; it can't be a seamless transition tonight, can it?"

Lü Zhumei also started looking at the map.

Each block, and even each building, has its own marked arrival time for the gluttonous ghost.

"Yes, if that's the case, how did Old Zhang know that Tao Gui was going to change his strategy?"

"He must have known that the Gluttonous Ghosts were changing their strategy before he knew there wouldn't be any Gluttonous Ghosts patrolling tonight, before he notified us to go back tonight, right?"

"That makes sense, doesn't it?"

Xie Jiujiang spread his hands and said.

After thinking for a moment, Lü Zhumei nodded.

"That makes some sense. So tell me... how did Old Zhang know that?"

She looked up and asked.

Xie Jiujiang chuckled.

Stop shaking your head and just say it!

Lü Zhumei urged.

"I bet... isn't there a human informant among the gluttonous ghosts, according to legend?"

Do you think this is true or false?

"Anyway, I think it's true. Otherwise, how would Old Zhang know that Tao Gui was going to change his strategy?"

Xie Jiujiang asked and answered himself.

Lü Zhumei narrowed her eyes with a hint of disbelief. "Really? Do the Gluttons really have our people on their side?"

“My dear wife, think about it, after Peach Blossom Spring disappeared, don’t you feel that our lives and activities have actually become smoother?”

"...A little."

"So, although it's unbelievable, all the signs indicate that this comrade really exists."

"……Um."

Lü Zhumei frowned and nodded.

"So, my dear, now that we gluttons have connections, there's no need for us to stay here any longer!"

"That comrade definitely knows more information than we do. Maybe he's the one who told Lao Zhang to notify everyone to evacuate."

Seeing Lü Zhumei nod, Xie Jiujiang quickly said.

The speaking speed is due to the rapid exhalation.

"...You, Xie Jiujiang, were you waiting for me here? No wonder you were beating around the bush! You were just trying to trick me!"

"I don't believe it! I don't believe we have any people on the Taotie's side!"

"If it is, it's a conspiracy by the gluttonous ghost!"

"I'm not going back. I won't feel at ease until they stay here and watch over me!"

Enraged, Lü Zhumei kicked Xie Jiujiang twice.

"Oh, don't be angry, don't be angry!"

"Fine, I won't try to persuade you anymore. Don't get upset, you're not that old..."

Xie Jiujiang took off his reading glasses and coaxed him.

Lü Zhumei rolled her eyes at him.

"...Old Xie, you should go back. I'm serious."

After a long silence, Lü Zhumei spoke earnestly again.

"It's been more than twenty days. Someone must have died on the Taotie's side, otherwise they wouldn't be able to make such a big move."

"Staying here will definitely be dangerous."

"I can stay behind and observe on my own, so don't hold me back."

As she spoke, she got up and started packing Xie Jiujiang's clothes.

"Sigh, it's been dragged on for so many years, a few more days won't make a difference."

"Besides, you have to attend classes during the day and keep an eye on those ghosts at night. You can't keep up with the constant activity, and you're more likely to miss information."

Xie Jiujiang raised his hand and pressed the clothes down again.

"Even though things are like this, as long as I can help Little Sixteen, that's enough."

He threw the short, stout arrow into the brazier.

Sparks flew out, and in the blink of an eye, the arrow disappeared into the orange-red flames.

"Then go to sleep early."

Seeing this, Lü Zhumei didn't say anything more, but got up and walked into the house.

"Let me take another look."

Xie Jiujiang yawned and slowly put on his reading glasses.

My finger followed the map's lines, moving forward little by little.

What are you still looking at?

The dull thud of quilts being laid out came from inside the room.

"Shouldn't we analyze the strategy of those ghosts?"

"If you ask me, we should be safe tomorrow or the day after, because the Gluttonous Ghosts are short-handed."

"That's the good thing about the epidemic: the longer it drags on, the fewer gluttons there will be, which is more advantageous for us..."

Xie Jiujiang's face was almost pressed against the map.

What do you mean by "we'll be safe tomorrow and the day after"?

Lu Zhumei changed into a sweater, crawled into bed, and leaned against the bed frame to ask.

"The gluttonous ghost is probably going to take drastic measures against the confused ghost as well."

"The place we live in is neither too close nor too far from the Gluttonous Ghost Committee, and it's neither too big nor too small compared to other districts."

"The Gluttonous Ghosts don't have enough manpower, so no matter what... it's impossible for them to be the first to investigate us."

"I guess..."

Xie Jiujiang took off his reading glasses and carefully put the map away.

What are you estimating?

"It's probably nothing serious."

He sat on the bed, took a couple of breaths, and then turned off the light.

……

……

Half past two in the morning.

At the shelter, Zhang Hang turned on the phone he had found in the cat house again, looking at the text messages with a serious expression.

Although the cat's message to him this time was very convoluted.

There are many doubts in the middle that can only be explained by far-fetched means.

But one thing he was certain of was...

This phone is definitely the work of a cat.

Aside from cats, no one else has the ability to turn a cell phone into a plank of wood.

So even if there are still doubts...

You must first execute the cat's commands.

Let's get everyone back first!

"How about it?"

There was a knock at the door. Zhang Hang put away his phone, looked up and asked.

"Currently, only the teachers from Tiexi District and the refugees from Binhe District have not yet arrived."

Yu Kexin took a deep breath and said.

"..."

Zhang Hang nodded silently. "At this time... they most likely won't be coming back."

"Now prepare to activate the base's stealth system."

He looked out the window, his voice serious.

"it is good!"

"By the way, you... still can't get in touch with Orange?"

"...We can't get in touch with her, no one can reach Teacher Orange."

"Okay, I understand. You can go now and do a good job."

After leaving Zhang Hang's room, Yu Kexin's face showed a hint of worry.

Not just Teacher Orange, Sister Xiaole, Brother Xizi...

She can't contact anyone now.

Although the voice in her ear didn't say anything.

But since everyone has to come back, the gluttonous ghost must be planning something big.

But what if Ms. Tachibana and the others didn't know about this...?

"Kexin, what's going on?"

"Why is everyone back all of a sudden?"

With her large pregnant belly, Wenwen seemed to be looking at Kexin, and asked as she looked at the relaxed atmosphere of the group chatting below.

"...I don't know either, it was Uncle Hang's request."

"I still have tasks to complete, let's talk about Sister Wen later!"

Yu Kexin ignored Wen Wen and walked away quickly.

“Hey Kexin…”

Wen Wen watched Yu Kexin's retreating figure, his expression darkening.

He then gently rubbed his stomach, gritted his teeth, and returned to his office, locking the door behind him.

I picked up my phone and made a call.

(End of this chapter)