Under the fist

Chapter 18 Bad News, Grief
"The net's closing!"

"pull!"

"Time to catch the fish!"

"Hey!"

"Be careful not to slip!"

"We can stay calm!"

In the depths of winter, as the fishmonger shouted, a deafening roar erupted from the frozen river, like a thousand troops charging into battle, creating a magnificent spectacle. There was also the sound of drums beating and people cheering, making the scene incredibly lively.

When the fishing nets for winter fishing were pulled out by everyone working together, everyone cheered and jumped for joy at the sight of the abundant catch.

Lian Youming was also among the crowd, holding a large fish in his hand, immersed in the celebratory atmosphere.

His holiday is over, and after distributing the fish, he will go back with the villagers of Kaoshantun.

Qin Yuhu squeezed into the crowd, and a rare smile appeared on his face.

As for Qin Hongxiu, she didn't have the chance to come out and join in the fun because she had to stay home to take care of Shen Qinghong, who was pregnant.

Baskets of fish were carried by the crowd onto mule carts on the shore.

Lian Youming was so busy that his hands and feet ached, but he was still enjoying it, experiencing both pain and pleasure.

Qin Yuhu, standing beside him, was also panting heavily, completely unaware that his palms had been cut by the fishing net.

But just as they were busy with their conversation, a middle-aged man wearing glasses and a People's Daily uniform suddenly strode up to Qin Yuhu and whispered seriously, "Old Qin, something's happened. Miss Gong has gone missing."

The joy on Qin Yuhu's face immediately vanished. "What happened?"

The middle-aged man glanced at Lian Youming beside him, then quickly pulled Qin Yuhu aside and whispered, "Someone reported that a few days ago they saw a young man go to the forest farm in the mountains. That man looks a lot like a wanted criminal. Do you think it's possible that..."

Lian Youming was busy loading the fish and didn't pay attention to the situation. Seeing Qin Yuhu hurriedly leaving, he casually asked, "Uncle Qin, where are you going?"

Qin Yuhu said without turning his head, "I have some things to do. You go ahead and do your thing. Don't wait for me."

Watching Qin Yuhu's departing figure, Lian Youming didn't think much of it. After all, he had gotten used to this man being away from home from dawn till dusk these past few days.

Amidst the hectic activity, Lian Youming didn't return to the village until noon, only then following the village secretary.

After returning to Kaoshantun, he spent his days identifying medicinal herbs with Liu Danao, helping to dry and grind them. At night, he would, as usual, ponder the things on the brocade handkerchief, especially the recipes, thinking that he would burn them after memorizing them all, otherwise it would be inconvenient to carry them with him.

Moreover, Lian Youming also planned to find time to meet the female educated youth named Yan Lingyun.

On the third day after returning to the village, that evening, Lian Youming was helping Liu, the village doctor, sift medicinal powder when two old hunters from Kaoshantun came in carrying homemade guns and said they wanted to take a few plasters.

Seeing that the two were covered in frost and snow, with icicles hanging from their hair and beards, looking exactly like two snowmen, Lian Youming couldn't help but ask with a smile, "Why did you go into the mountains in such cold weather?"

The two seemed to be dazed from the cold, rubbing their hands together by the stove as they casually replied, "Something terrible has happened. On the day of our winter fishing, Director Qin of Qingshan Forest Farm led a group into the mountains and they haven't come out yet. Several nearby villages are helping to search the mountains... Ugh... We're freezing to death..."

Lian Youming's smile froze instantly. "Director Qin?"

"Yes, he's a really good man. He came to our village not long ago." The two old hunters didn't notice that Lian Youming's face was getting stiffer and stiffer. They took the ointment and picked up a few peanuts from the stove. "Sigh, in this freezing weather, it's probably hopeless to get several villages to search the mountains together."

Seeing that Lian Youming remained silent, the two of them found it strange. "What? Didn't the Party Secretary tell you?"

Lian Youming felt a lump in his throat for a moment, and asked in a hoarse voice, "Why did he go into the mountains?"

One of the villagers, Wang Jin, sighed, "I heard he went in to look for someone and even brought weapons. Who would have thought he'd get himself caught?"

"Looking for someone? Gong Wuer."

A name popped into Lian Youming's mind almost instantly.

Qin Yuhu had previously mentioned that the person was staying on the mountain.

But why did he bring a gun into the mountains?

Find someone?

Could it be that Gong Wuer has encountered some danger?
Thinking of Qin Yuhu's uncertain fate, Lian Youming was in a state of utter confusion, and his hands trembled.

You should know that Aunt Shen is about to give birth, and there's also Qin Hongxiu...

Lian Youming got up and walked out without thinking.

Unfortunately, as soon as I stepped out, I was blocked by someone.

The village secretary's face also looked grim. He was squatting by the roadside, puffing on his pipe, seemingly watching over the villagers returning home. But as soon as he saw Lian Youming running out with red eyes, he immediately stood up and hurriedly called over several able-bodied men from the village, "Quick, quickly, hold him down!"

Lian Youming was very fast on his feet. A group of people chased after him for more than 200 meters before he was tackled by several villagers who were rushing back.

Upon seeing this, everyone rushed forward and quickly pinned Lian Youming down.

Looking at the boy who was still struggling on the ground, the old Party Secretary, dressed in a sheepskin coat, sighed. "Young man, don't blame me. I know you have a close relationship with Director Qin, but now is not the time to show off. It's frighteningly cold in those mountains now, and they're all old forests. Even the most experienced hunters in the Greater Khingan Mountains don't dare to go in, let alone a greenhorn like you."

"I want to go into the mountains!"

Lian Youming's eyes were red, his jaw was clenched, and the veins on his cheeks were taut, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't break free from the large hands on his body.

The old Party Secretary shook his head. "Tie him up first. Guo Chuang and Xu Hui, you two are responsible for looking after him, even when he needs to relieve himself."

The other two educated youths who were still unaware of what was going on nodded in agreement.

Ignoring Lian Youming's shouts, the group simply tied his hands and feet and locked him in a wooden hut used for storing firewood.

Lian Youming lay on the haystack, his heart pounding with tension. He felt as if a surge of hot blood was rising within him, and his eyes were so red they looked like they could bleed.

After a long while, his body went limp and he collapsed to the ground, praying in his heart to every god and Buddha he could find. Finally, there was one more name.

"Gong Wuer".

The mere thought of this name brought a sudden clarity to Lian Youming's mind.

If Qin Yuhu really went into the mountains to find Gong Wuer, then what kind of danger did he encounter?
The only thing that could put a master of internal martial arts like Gong Wuer in such a dangerous situation is someone of the same kind.

"Have more people gone up the mountain?"

Lian Youming's eyes narrowed slightly, and he almost immediately thought of the secret that the old man guarding the mountain was keeping.

That earthen house.

"call!"

With a gentle exhale, Lian Youming straightened up and sat up.

No.

He had to go and see.

If Qin Yuhu is still alive, that's fine, but what if he really meets with misfortune...

Lian Youming's eyes hardened, and a surge of malice rose in his heart. "None of them will have an easy time."

Just then, the wooden door was pushed open, and a person carrying food walked in. It was an acquaintance, the female educated youth named Zhao Xiaozhi who had been assigned a gun with him at the forest farm. "Classmate, have something to eat, don't be angry with yourself."

Seeing that Lian Youming remained silent, Zhao Xiaozhi did not leave, but instead began to do ideological work, talking about history and philosophy, the spirit of the Long March, and then rambling on about revolutionary martyrs, the years of resistance against Japan, and a whole bunch of other things.

Lian Youming was so anxious at the moment that he couldn't listen to any of this and could only close his eyes helplessly.

After a long while, until the girl left, gazing at the half-closed wooden door, Lian Youming suddenly puffed out his cheeks, pursed his lips, and took a deep breath. As two toad-like sounds rang out from his chest and abdomen, he suddenly mustered all his strength, twisting his arms like a winch, and without caring whether his wrists were torn or bleeding, he managed to break the knot.

With his hands freed, Lian Youming reached behind his back with his right hand and pulled out a military dagger, then quickly cut the hemp rope binding his feet.

As dusk approached and the north wind howled, he took a deep breath and slipped into the twilight without a second thought.

Hearing the exclamations behind him, Lian Youming quickened his pace. His stamina was already far beyond that of his peers, and now, activating the Toad Fishing Technique, he could not stop, like an arrow released from a bow, and soon left the villagers far behind.

"Don't chase after us."

Fortunately, it didn't snow tonight.

Relying on his memory of descending the mountain, Lian Youming hurried along the mountain path.

Kaoshantun is located at the foot of the forest farm, but as the saying goes, "looking at the mountain makes one's horse run itself to death." These rolling forest mountains look close, but it takes a lot of effort to actually get up there.

Lian Youming didn't care about anything else. Saving people was the most urgent thing. He held his breath and rushed up the mountain with all his might.

Although it was getting dark, at least the road was open, so we didn't get lost.

This rapid trek took Lian Youming over an hour; his legs were nearly numb, and his heart and lungs felt like they were about to explode. But looking at the mountains so close at hand, he was overjoyed and followed the familiar mountain path into them.

The mountain was shrouded in darkness, with only faint moonlight filtering through the gaps in the old, gnarled branches and withered twigs, scattering across the forest. Frost was beginning to form, the thin snow had not yet melted, and a bone-chilling cold was quietly spreading.

Lian Youming moved between light and darkness, recalling his memories of hiking up the mountain, and hurried to the top.

At the same time, he was also seriously considering what kind of existence could force a master like Gong Wuer into a dangerous situation, if it was really as he guessed.
For some inexplicable reason, Lian Youming suddenly recalled a sallow, demonic face.

This person seems to be from Northeast China as well.

When they reached the halfway point of the mountain, Lian Youming was too exhausted to walk any further. He squatted down, panting heavily, his chest heaving violently like a bellows.

Concerned for Qin Yuhu's safety, he took a few breaths and hurried back up the mountain.

Those who searched the mountains may have already been here, but Lian Youming had reason to believe that there was definitely something unknown hidden in those earthen houses.

He has to see it with his own eyes before he can give up.

at last.

Lian Youming went up the mountain and returned to the forest farm.

Without stopping, he headed straight for the old man's earthen houses.

Especially the one in the very middle.

Lian Youming remembered that when those people surrounded and killed the old man guarding the mountain, they seemed to want to break into this house.

The earthen house was empty and pitch black, with nothing but blue bricks scattered on the ground.

Lian Youming frowned, and almost without thinking, he looked down at the ground. He then stomped his feet as he walked, panting heavily, each step taken with all his might.

Since the secret is buried, it must be hidden underground.

After walking around twice, Lian Youming's expression suddenly changed. He then moved his right foot and stared intently at the sunken blue brick.

Even though he couldn't see clearly in the dark, he had sensed it just now.

Below it, there was nothing at all.

"Hey!"

Then Lian Youming narrowed his eyes, flipped his right hand, gripped the military dagger tightly, and stomped hard on it.

"Wow!"

Several blue bricks, resembling a doorway, all sank down together.

Lian Youming felt his body plummet, and when he regained his balance, he found himself on a row of stone steps.

A cold wind was blowing behind me.

Lian Youming pressed himself against the wall and carefully walked in.

However, after walking only a few steps, a faint smell of blood wafted towards them.

Lian Youming's expression changed drastically, and he felt something trip him up.

He gathered his breath, slowly squatted down, gripped the triangular military dagger in one hand as if to push forward, and cautiously reached out with the other hand.

The moment Lian Youming touched it, his heart leaped into his throat. It was a corpse, cold as iron, clearly dead for some time, and it seemed to be holding something in its arms.

With a quick groping, his eyes gleamed, and in the darkness, he swiftly flicked his bayonet, then grabbed a Type 56 submachine gun with his left hand.

Without the slightest hesitation, Lian Youming almost habitually flipped the triangular bayonet outwards, attached it to the gun barrel, and then shook the gun, causing the bayonet to spring straight up and become one with the Type 56 rifle.

The blue bricks at the entrance behind him are slowly being restored and closed again.

Looking at the pitch-black, bottomless passage, Lian Youming, holding his gun, crouched down and walked along the wall into the depths.

Without a doubt, a fierce battle must have taken place here. It's just unknown whether there are any survivors inside, or whether Gong Wuer and another mysterious adversary have not yet retreated.

Moreover, Lian Youming had begun to feel uneasy.

Even if the owner of this gun wasn't Qin Yuhu, he must have been one of the soldiers who accompanied him. Now that he has died here, has Qin Yuhu also become a cold corpse?

Lian Youming dared not think about it in detail.

A chill ran down his spine, as if an invisible hand was pushing him forward.

The deeper he went, the stronger the lingering stench of blood became, like a coiled evil dragon constantly stimulating the pent-up anger in Lian Youming's chest and abdomen.

It seems that those who came with Qin Yuhu have indeed died here.

But Lian Youming's rationality suppressed his restless heart.

Just as he stepped off the last step, Lian Youming suddenly stopped breathing, because a weak breath could be heard in the deathly silence of the darkness.

Is anyone still alive?

Lian Youming was delighted and was about to make a move, but his right foot, which had been halfway out, slowly retracted.

Something is wrong.

The fact that these people died here proves his guess was correct.

If that's the case, then who is this living person?

If it was Qin Yuhu or someone traveling with him, then Gong Wuer should also be alive. If he was alive, why didn't he save him?
This aura was extremely weak, completely unlike that of an internal martial arts master, so it couldn't possibly be that mysterious person.

Lian Youming was suddenly jolted, because he had considered another possibility. That is, Gong Wuer and the mysterious man were still here and had not left. Perhaps the two were locked in some kind of stalemate, just like the old man guarding the mountain and the four demons of the White Lotus Sect.

With a thought, Lian Youming was already considering whether or not to retreat.

As long as we can get out, we can call some helpers. Once we block the entrance, the other party will have no chance of escaping.

But listening to that weak breathing, what if it was Qin Yuhu?

This person was clearly on the verge of death; every second counted, and they had to be saved, even if it meant death.

However, the moment Lian Youming stepped into this place, a fierce and terrifying killing intent was already locked onto him like a sharp arrow on a bowstring, pointing at him from afar, as if if he retreated, a barrage of arrows would be fired, bringing about the end of his life.

Although this murderous aura was invisible, it gave Lian Youming the illusion of falling into an ice cave, chilling him to the bone.

They didn't leave as expected.

Lian Youming first swallowed slowly, then his eyes hardened, because he had made his decision.

He raised the gun and pulled the trigger in the dead silence.

"boom!"

The gunshot rang out, the bullet struck down, and instantly ignited the lamp oil on the ground.

The flames spread instantly, dispelling the darkness before Lian Youming's eyes.

In the firelight, besides several figures lying on the ground, two others were standing.

One is Gong Wuer.

A thin line of crimson blood seeped from the corner of the man's mouth as he leaped into the air toward them.

And the other person...

The man's expression was ferocious, his appearance like a demon, his teeth bared as if he were laughing. In the shifting light and darkness, he seemed to transform into a humanoid mandrill, his feet pushing off the ground and leaping into the air, darting about as if flying. His body was shrouded in darkness, as if chasing after the firelight, trying to compete for the lead.

Fast, too fast.

Lian Youming only had time to catch a glimpse of a swift shadow shooting out from the darkness. In the blink of an eye, the person was already several steps away. As if with the intention of killing with one blow, the person stretched out his arm and suddenly hooked his right hand inward. Wherever his fingertips passed, even the blue bricks were scratched with several claw marks as he pounced straight at the person.

So fast! It came so quickly and fiercely, and without a sound.

Lian Youming's face turned deathly pale, but his eyes also turned sinister. He caught a glimpse of Qin Yuhu lying on the ground, his life hanging in the balance.

"Da da da……"

A deadly threat looms ahead, and fiery serpents seem to leap and spit.

"Die!"

(End of this chapter)