Chapter 37: The Advancing Brother Chen
“So, are we really going to take those people out?”
Glancing at the pistol and axe on the passenger seat, Sean swallowed hard, his words coming out with difficulty.
“More or less,” Li Changsheng replied coolly.
You must be insane—who would ever go with a lunatic like you...
Wiping the cold sweat from his brow, Sean forced a nervous smile. “Hey, man—or, Boss, or Lord, if you prefer. If you don’t like those, I can call you something even friendlier.”
Li Changsheng clicked his tongue. “Call me whatever you want, but be quick about it. I’m in a hurry.”
Sean’s eyes darted uneasily. “Look, buddy, I know you’re strong, but you’re still just a man. If a group starts shooting at you, you’ll end up dead. So...”
Li Changsheng asked, “So?”
“So maybe we should head back and think this through. Or you could call Rick—he’s a great shot. The two of you could handle it, no problem.”
“So you admit you’re not as good as Rick? No wonder Lori isn’t interested in you,” Li Changsheng said with disdain.
“Nonsense! How could Rick possibly compare to me?”
“Then who else should I bring but you?”
“Fine, but it’s just recon, right?”
“Mm.”
...
Despite his deep reluctance, Sean drove on, forced into the car by Li Changsheng’s threats. Damn bastard! If you want to get yourself killed, do it alone! If he stood a chance against him, Sean would’ve kicked Li Changsheng out of the car right then and there.
Cursing inwardly, Sean racked his brain for ways to stall. If the car broke down, wouldn’t that solve everything?
Li Changsheng undid the handcuffs on their captive, Randall. Seeing the man trembling with nervousness, Li Changsheng spoke, “I’m letting you go, so don’t shout. Dave and Tony are my friends. We’re going to join them. We won’t hurt you.”
Randall nodded frantically, breath coming in ragged gasps.
Li Changsheng removed the blindfold and tape from Randall’s mouth, letting him sit for a moment before asking, “Are your people still at the wind farm?”
Randall shook his head. “No, I don’t know, really.”
With a snort, Li Changsheng shoved him aside. “The only reason you’re alive—the only way you leave here—is if you bring us in. Understand? I need to make sure what Dave and Tony said is true.”
His words had plenty of holes, but Randall, too rattled to notice the details, glanced around and saw only Li Changsheng and Sean in the car—no followers in the rearview mirror. He relaxed a little. “We set up a camp near the wind farm, right by the highway, about twenty kilometers from here.”
Li Changsheng’s eyes lit up. So this guy really does know the area. Remembering from the original story that Randall and Maggie went to the same school, Li Changsheng could already imagine the consequences if he let Randall return.
Sean, in the front seat, was equally shocked—both at Randall’s convincing act and at Li Changsheng’s shameless cunning at extracting information.
Li Changsheng tossed Randall a loaf of bread.
Randall seized it, biting off a huge chunk, all caution gone. “Guys, we’re on the same side now. You’ll like being with us. Sometimes we can be pretty wild, but we’re tough, too.”
Li Changsheng asked, “Won’t joining you get boring? Anything exciting over there?”
Randall gave him a sly, meaningful smile, lowering his voice. “Of course. At that farm, we ran into the farmer and his two daughters—you know what I mean. In front of their old man, it was—well, it was intoxicating madness.”
“But you probably won’t get a chance to enjoy it now,” he added.
“Oh, really? You people sure know how to have fun.” Li Changsheng’s expression hardened. He turned to Sean, his voice icy. “Sean, pull over.”
“What?” Sean looked confused.
“I said, stop the car.” Li Changsheng’s tone was devoid of emotion.
Screech.
The sharp noise of the brakes shattered the night’s silence, as piercing as a scream.
Randall shouted, “Hey, why are we stopping? There’s still ten kilometers to go!”
Lifting his axe, Li Changsheng looked at Randall coldly, then wordlessly dragged him out of the car and threw him onto the roadside.
Staring up at Li Changsheng and the axe, Randall seemed to realize what was about to happen. He scrambled backward, desperate. “No, you can’t—spare me, please—”
Squelching sounds filled the night, Randall’s screams mingling with the thud of the falling axe.
Watching the scene in the rearview mirror, Sean’s entire body went rigid. When he finally tore his eyes away, he realized his clothes were drenched with cold sweat.
He really is a madman.
A long moment passed.
With a slam of the car door, Li Changsheng climbed back in, grumbling, “What a waste of bread.”
Seeing Sean still frozen, Li Changsheng snapped, “Drive.”
“Where to?” Sean swallowed nervously.
“The wind farm.”
“A—all right.” This time, Sean didn’t dare argue.
They drove on in silence for another seven or eight kilometers before Li Changsheng ordered Sean to turn off the headlights and continue in darkness.
Under the faint starlight, the car crept forward like a beast lurking in the night.
At last, they stopped about four hundred meters from the wind farm.
In the darkness, a cluster of huge wind turbines rose in the distance, their three massive blades utterly motionless.
Not far from the turbines, lights flickered in several wooden cabins. Through the windows, shadows moved—there were a lot of people, at least twenty by Sean’s count.
Sean glanced at Li Changsheng, then back at the distant figures, hesitating. “Listen, maybe we should call it off. Let’s go back and regroup.”
Li Changsheng didn’t answer right away. He slung the axe over his back, walked to the trunk, and lifted out a massive black bag.
Dragging it over to Sean, he said, “Sean, you’ve caused too much trouble in the camp. You’re out of control. Tonight might mean nothing to me, but for you, it’s essential.”
Seeing the cold look in Li Changsheng’s eyes, Sean suddenly understood.
A chill shot straight through him.
Is he planning to kill me too?
Sean’s hand crept toward the grip of his pistol.
Li Changsheng seemed not to notice. “Sean, your fate is in your hands. Tell me—what do you choose?”
Sean’s hand trembled on the gun, memories flashing before his eyes, finally settling on the day he met Jockey.
He recalled Li Changsheng’s posture, the way he moved.
If I make a move now, I’ll die...
“What do you need me to do?”
At last, Sean removed his hand from the weapon and wiped the cold sweat from his brow.
“Go scout. Get detailed information about this group.”
“All right.” Sean took a deep breath and slipped away into the shadows.
Not bad...
A wise man adapts to the times...
Soon, Sean returned, breathless. “Nineteen people—two sentries—everyone else is inside having a party.”
“A party?”
“Yeah, except what’s roasting on their spit is a person...” Sean gagged as he spoke.
“All the more reason they have to die.” Li Changsheng tossed him the hunting rifle they’d borrowed from the farm. “Take out the sentries, cover me from behind. I’ll handle the rest.”
“Are you crazy? They have automatic weapons, heavy gear, body armor!”
Li Changsheng unzipped the black bag, revealing a Gatling gun gleaming coldly in the night. “What armor can stop this?”
Sean could only stare in disbelief.
Oh, God...
What the hell are you?