My Gold Rush Career Begins in 1984

Chapter 68 Instigation
Peng Yuanchao's words were full of encouragement, which made Zhou Jingming smile slightly.

Because that's what he wanted to say.

It must be said that although the defeat of the few was somewhat tragic, the fact that they managed to protect their gold and the goldmine of the small peninsula is something that should make everyone happy.

Now, hearing Peng Yuanchao say that the gold found would be divided equally, they became even more excited.

Effort always pays off.

This is what Peng Yuanchao wanted to tell them.

If this gold is not divided equally, it will make everyone feel uncomfortable. If such a thing happens again in the future, who will be willing to step forward and fight?
It's very intuitive and vivid: the gold prospectors in the Gold Rush Valley are like wolves hunting and fighting for prey in the valley—insidious, cunning, fierce, and cruel…

The negative aspects were displayed in full detail.

Ultimately, the wolfish nature of this group of gold-digging novices needs to be stimulated by gold and driven by their dreams of getting rich quick.

When you come to the Gold Rush Valley to pan for gold, there's no chance of a smooth journey.

Everyone strives for that sliver of "wealth" amidst deceit, intrigue, and peril.

This is why, after seeing real gold and silver, no problem is a problem anymore.

Of course, there are exceptions...

Zhou Jingming glanced at Cao Qidong and noticed that he kept glancing at the gold that had been confiscated and piled on Peng Yuanchao's bed, his eyes filled with greed.

As if he caught Zhou Jingming looking at him out of the corner of his eye, Cao Qidong instinctively turned around and looked back. A hint of panic flashed in his eyes, and he quickly lowered his head, trying to remain calm.

Zhou Jingming initially wanted to say that he was not entitled to a share of the gold, but considering that Old Tang and his gang might come knocking at any time, it was not advisable to say something that would disturb people's peace of mind. He decided to deal with Old Tang's matter first and then settle the score.

Such a person should never be kept in the team. They don't take on important tasks, they only think about getting benefits, they have too many pretentious and scheming thoughts, and their minds are unsettled, which will cause a lot of trouble.

They might sell out the team members without you even knowing it, so it's best to kick them out of the team sooner rather than later.

Previously, they were trying to prevent the mining site from being leaked, but now, after this incident, there's no longer any need to hide it.

He simply reminded Peng Yuanchao, "Brother Peng, you'd better keep that gold safe!"

Peng Yuanchao glanced back at the small glass bottles on his bedside table, then waved his hand dismissively: "It's alright, we'll divide them up after we eat!"

Zhou Jingming thought for a moment, then didn't say anything more.

Everyone was busy picking up their bowls and chopsticks to eat, but before they could even take a few bites, Jinwang outside the dugout let out a fierce growl and started barking again.

Zhou Jingming hurriedly put down his bowl and chopsticks, picked up his hunting rifle, crawled out of the dugout, and saw that the direction Jin Wang was looking fiercely was the direction of the river beach where Lao Tang and his men's camp was located.

His eyes narrowed immediately: "They really came!"

Peng Yuanchao and the others also crawled out of their dugouts. They looked at Jin Wang and then at the woods by the riverbank, and realized that it was Old Tang and his gang who had arrived.

Peng Yuanchao cursed, "Damn it, we can't even have a peaceful meal... Brothers, grab your weapons!"

He was the first to grab a shovel, and the others followed suit.

Previously, when dealing with the bearded man and his gang, everyone was unharmed. But now it's different. Most of them have been injured to varying degrees. Moreover, everyone knows that Old Tang's gang has more men and more guns, so it's impossible not to panic.

Peng Yuanchao was no exception. He lowered his voice and asked Zhou Jingming, "Brother, what are you planning to do? They have a lot of guns!"

Zhou Jingming patted the No. 12 double-barreled shotgun he was carrying: "They have guns, and so do I. It's not about how many guns you have, it's about who's using them!"

After saying that, he hurriedly returned to the dugout, took out a rope, made a noose, put it around Jinwang's neck, and handed it to Wuyang: "Brother, keep an eye on the dog for me, don't let it run away and get itself killed. Also, you two stay in the dugout and listen to what they have to say, don't let those bastards get too close..."

After he finished speaking, he picked up his hunting rifle and disappeared into the woods to the right of the dugout.

They didn't go far, about thirty meters from the dugout, and squatted down behind three birch trees growing side by side.

That was a hiding place he had already chosen. His body was hidden by tree trunks and a small clump of bushes in front of him, so it was not easy to spot him unless you looked closely.

The dugout was located on a grassy slope in the forest, with only a few shrubs and birch trees growing sparsely. It was very open and convenient for shooting.

Peng Yuanchao glanced at where Zhou Jingming was hiding: "Brother Wuyang, does Brother Zhou mean he's planning to use a gun? Does he... does he dare to shoot? Can he handle it alone?"

Before Wu Yang could speak, Cao Qidong blurted out, "Could it be that this Zhou fellow is thinking of running away since things aren't going well?"

Hearing this, Wu Yang glared at him and said, "Bullshit! Would Brother Zhou be that kind of person?"

"Why are you swearing?"

Cao Qidong suddenly got excited: "Just now, everyone else went up, but he was the only one holding a gun and watching from behind. He could have easily driven them back with just one or two shots, but he didn't make a single move, and let our group of people go up and kill them."

Look at us now, a whole bunch of people, most of them injured, they won't recover for at least ten days or half a month, how are we going to dig for gold then?

I overheard what he said to the foreman. Those were just excuses. Anyone can make up excuses.
Ultimately, it was the leader who laid the foundation and pulled the team up, not him. So when the leader said something, he took it seriously.

He was perfectly fine, but he kept bringing us up to fight. Those were shovels, chisels, and pickaxes. Anyone who got hit by one of those could have been killed. Look at Brother Peng, that rock that hit him on the head. If it had been any harder, can you imagine what would have happened? Some people were even knocked unconscious. If they had died, who would have been responsible?
He's saying that because guns were used, the situation changes, but if no guns were used, no one would die? I think he's just deliberately watching us go to our deaths.

Upon hearing this, Peng Yuanchao frowned.

Wu Yang couldn't stand it anymore and grabbed Cao Qidong by the collar: "What the hell are you trying to instigate?"

"Instigation? Everyone has seen it for themselves, do I need to explain?"

Cao Qidong snorted: "Hey Wu, everyone knows you're in cahoots with Zhou Jingming, of course you'll side with him."

On the other hand, you two go for walks in the woods every morning and evening, supposedly to check out the surrounding area, and Zhou Jingming is always glued to you. Who knows if you two are really guarding this golden opportunity, or if you have other plans?

Upon hearing this, the others all looked at Wu Yang and began to whisper among themselves.

Clearly, everyone had strong opinions about Zhou Jingming's actions during the previous fight.

Even Xu Youliang, who was usually quiet, said, "Brother Peng, I also think this is not a good idea. We probably can't hold onto this dugout. I think we should retreat to the woods behind it so we can escape if things go wrong."

Hearing this, Wu Yang felt somewhat disheartened.

He shoved Cao Qidong aside and looked at him coldly: "I didn't expect you to be so eloquent! I'll remember what you just said and tell Brother Zhou every word of it."

Brother Zhou is right, you're a cowardly and despicable troublemaker.

I'm busy right now, so I'm not going to waste time talking to you. I'll settle things with you later.

Peng Yuanchao listened to these words, his expression shifting between light and dark. After a few seconds of silence, his expression hardened again, and he gave Cao Qidong a deep look: "Shut the hell up... I still believe that Brother Zhou won't harm me. With his abilities, there's no need for him to."

Upon hearing this, Cao Qidong's expression changed drastically.

He avoided Peng Yuanchao's piercing gaze, lowered his head, and seemed lost in thought.

(End of this chapter)