Chapter 4

  The dishes were served one after another, still the same old ones, and the atmosphere began to liven up. Wang Jinlong and the various leaders started frequently urging everyone to drink, Xiao Ming was somewhat overwhelmed, holding onto his bowl and refusing to put it down, his face red as he said to Wang Jinlong: "Master of the house, I really can't drink anymore, if I drink any more I'll make a fool of myself, if there's something you want to say just say it, let's skip the wine."

  Wang Jinlong burst out laughing and said: "Xiao brother is straightforward, so I won't be polite either. You said earlier that you were waiting for an opportunity, but when will this opportunity appear?"

  Xiao Ming thought for a moment and said: "This can't be said for sure, I think it won't exceed three years at most."

  "So what are these time brothers going to do?"

  Xiao Ming smiled and said: "I haven't thought about this yet, I should probably just wander around everywhere. Anyway, even if I'm idle, I've got to find something to do, right?"

  Wang Jinlong nodded and his expression turned solemn: "Xiao brothers, I have something on my mind, but I don't know if I should say it."

  "Make yourself at home, don't hesitate to speak up if you need anything."

  "Brother, your skills are naturally impressive, but after all, a good tiger can't withstand a pack of wolves. You must be careful in everything. King Jinlong paused and continued: "Since brother doesn't have plans for the time being, I'd like to invite you to stay and help train the team. It's just that life in the mountains is simple and hard, I'm afraid it would be a hardship for sir. Of course, if sir wants to leave, he can do so at any time. What does sir think?"

  "Hold on, let me think about this for a moment..."

  Everyone shouted in unison: "Mr. Xiao, stay behind, wait until we've practiced enough, and then go back to the Northeast with the master!"

  Xiao Ming looked up at Wang Jinlong, who smiled and nodded. Xiao Ming thought to himself: This is a pretty good team, it's worth staying with them for now, if it doesn't work out, I can always make other plans later.

  Having made up his mind, Xiao Ming suddenly stood up, bowed to everyone and said loudly: "Thanks for the brothers' appreciation, I'm grateful. I'd like to stay, but I have a few conditions, please agree."

  Everyone's eyes turned to Wang Jinlong, and Wang Jinlong said: "Please speak, sir." "Firstly, my identity cannot be exposed, otherwise there will be trouble; secondly, as your instructor, I must have the final say in training matters; thirdly, the muzzle points outward. Can you brothers do it?"

  Everyone looked at Wang Jinlong, and Wang Jinlong calmly asked, "Is that all?" Xiao Ming nodded. Wang Jinlong's gaze turned to the crowd, "Did you all understand?" The crowd nodded.

  "What's wrong with you all, still standing there? Hurry up and pour wine for Instructor Xiao!" Wang Jinlong suddenly stood up, slamming the table and shouting loudly.

  The crowd suddenly came to their senses, stood up and shouted in unison "Instructor! Instructor!", someone grabbed Xiao Ming's wine bowl and poured him a drink. Wang Jinlong raised his cup and said: "Brothers, from now on, Mr. Xiao is our instructor, I'll say it upfront, whoever disobeys the instructor's orders or defies him, don't blame me Wang Jinlong for being ruthless. Come, let's toast to Instructor Xiao, bottoms up!" The crowd responded in unison, raising their cups together, and Xiao Ming no longer declined, downing his drink in one gulp. Wang Jinlong put down his bowl, wiped his mouth and said: "Damn it, today we'll drink freely, I'm a man of my word, training starts in three days!"

  Xiao Ming woke up to find it was already the second day morning, his head feeling heavy and dizzy. He saw Wang Jinlong acting as if nothing had happened, and secretly admired him. After washing his face and eating something, he felt much better, and the two of them sat down to drink tea and chat.

  After a casual conversation, Xiao Ming suddenly asked: "I heard that the Japanese army's combat power is the first in Asia. Have you ever fought against the Japanese? How about their combat power?"

  Wang Jinlong was silent for a while, then said: "These Japanese are not bragging, without talking about tactical coordination, even if it's just individual soldiers, they might be able to take on three of us! However, if you want to compare with Instructor Xiao, I'm afraid even three of them wouldn't be your match!"

  "It's like this..." Xiao Ming lowered his head in thought, then suddenly raised it and stared at Wang Jinlong, asking: "Wang Dangjia, how many people are there on our mountain?"

  "Yesterday's drill, plus the thirty or so on sentry duty in various places, and adding the dozens of old, weak, sick and disabled people farming on the back hill, there are about two hundred people, to be exact you should ask Mr. Ji." Wang Jinlong said, "We're a family now, don't be too polite, I'm older than you by several years, just call me Old Wang or Older Brother."

  "That's not right, can't be without rules." Xiao Ming asked again: "Then, how about the money and grain in the mountain stronghold?" Xiao Ming thought that after being a bandit for so many years, he should have some savings.

  Who would have thought that Wang Jinlong was very embarrassed, rubbed his head and said: "This... Instructor, you don't know, my mountain stronghold is benevolent and doesn't rob, but the evil ones have high walls and big courtyards, many guns and a large following, it's not easy to get started. We can only rely on collecting protection fees from nearby villages and merchant teams, and doing some night work, our days are tight and we can't even afford a decent gun. Mr. Ji has been having headaches all day. However, the brothers have no complaints!

  "Like that..." Xiao Ming nodded thoughtfully, suddenly stood up and said to Wang Jinlong: "I'll go back to my room for a while. Please ask Mr. Ji to come over, I have something to discuss with him."

  Xiao Ming returned to the room, opened his suitcase, and pulled out a large stack of foreign currency from the lining. There were tens of thousands of dollars, at least twenty or thirty thousand. After putting away the suitcase, he tucked the money under his arm and went back to the hall.

  Ji Hongru had not arrived yet, Xiao Ming quietly placed the money in front of Wang Jindong. Wang Jindong was startled: "Instructor, what does this mean?"

  Xiao Ming smiled and said, "No other meaning, just once the training starts, the brothers' physical consumption is huge, they must have sufficient nutrition to guarantee their physical strength. Otherwise, they will soon be exhausted and easily fall ill. Don't worry about the cost, this money comes quickly, but it's not taken from our own people. If you treat me as a brother, don't decline!"

  Wang Jinlong stood up, patted Xiao Ming's shoulder, sighed, and said in a low voice "good brother" before sitting back down again, no longer speaking.

  "With a loud childish voice, a little girl darted in, jumping and pouncing on Wang Jinlong, followed by Ji Hongru."

  "Little Xiaoyue!" Wang Jindao's eyebrows rose in a smile as he stood up and scooped up the little girl, using his whiskers to tickle her small face. "Xiaoyue, why haven't you come to see me for two days?"

  "Didn't you come back? I heard you went down the mountain. Did you bring me some good stuff?" The little girl spoke straightforwardly, getting straight to the point.

  "What's this?" Wang Jinlong was clearly at a loss for words, stuttering and stammering.

  "Xiao Yue, don't be rude, come down and see Mr. Xiao." Ji Hongru helped Wang Jindong out of the predicament. Ji Hongru was a private school teacher in his previous life, and it wasn't until he was over 30 that he had this daughter, whom he treasured like a precious gem. One year, disaster struck, and his wife passed away due to illness. Ji Hongru fled with Xiao Yue, starving on the road, but was rescued by Lao Dangjia and became an accountant in the mountains. Due to his straightforward nature and fair dealings, he earned the trust and respect of the mountain stronghold's people. Xiao Yue was lively and lovable, and Wang Jindong took her in as a foster daughter, doting on her even more than Ji Hongru did. Whenever she got into trouble, she would run to her foster father for refuge, leaving Ji Hongru helpless."

  Xiao Yue jumped down from Wang Jinlong's body and looked at Xiao Ming with big, shining eyes. "You're the one who just came, what teacher, instructor?"

  "It's me, I'm Xiao Ming, what's your name?" Xiao Ming smiled, and a strange sense of closeness rose in his heart. He had always wanted to have a little sister, but it never came true.

  "My name is Ji Xiaoyue, if someone bullies you on this mountain in the future, just find me and I'll help you out!" The little girl had a good impression of Xiao Ming's smiling face, but the cold air emanating from his eyebrows made her feel uncomfortable. She quickly raised her own status to try to overwhelm him with her presence.

  Wang Jinlong burst out laughing and pinched Xiaoyue's cheek, saying: "Little girl, you don't know the instructor's methods. Even your uncle Xin and uncle Mao aren't his match. Ma Liu and several others together couldn't beat him, who dares to bully him?"

  Xiao Yue stuck out her tongue: "So fierce, bragging? Not telling you guys anymore, I'm leaving." She bounced and jumped away.

  Wang Jinlong and Xiao Ming exchanged a smile, and Ji Hongru smiled wryly: "This kid has spoiled me, Officer Xiao is laughing at me." Xiao Ming waved his hand and said: "Where, where, this child can be taught, this girl is like me when I was young, if Mr. Ji is willing, I'd like to take her as my apprentice."

  Ji Hongru hastily said: "If so, it's an honor for the young lady, I'll thank you first. This, I don't know what the master wants me to do?"

  The two of them finally came to their senses, and Wang Jinlong pushed the money on the table in front of Ji Hongru: "Officer Xiao took it, put it away, Officer Xiao has something to do with you."

  Ji Hongru hesitated for a moment, put away the money and asked: "What are your orders, Mr. Xiao?"

  Xiao Ming said: "I dare not order, I want to ask the master to purchase some things, and I will give you a list later. There is also a recipe, and the diet will be based on the recipe in the future. In addition, please ask the master to get some quicklime, brush the house once, and get some insecticide. The lice and fleas here are too many, it's easy to spread germs, and we need to cultivate good hygiene habits for the brothers in the future, so they won't fall ill before going into battle." Then he turned to Wang Jinlong: "Boss, this afternoon you find someone to take me around to see if there is a suitable training ground. What do you think?"

  Wang Jinlong said: Alright, I'll let Sun Erdou take you there. This kid is agile and has a good mouth, he's also familiar with the mountain village. Xiao Ming nodded, got up to bid farewell, and returned to his room to prepare for departure.

  After lunch, Xiao Ming handed over the menu and list to Ji Hongru. Ji Hongru took a look and was shocked. Not to mention the large quantities of cloth, medicine, tools, and daily necessities on the list, just the food alone was a huge expense, although at that time the purchasing power of French currency was still good.

  Xiao Ming had no concept of current prices and seeing Ji Hongru's cold sweat, he asked: "What's wrong, Mr. Ji? Are you uncomfortable or is the money not enough?"

  Ji Hongru said: "Enough is enough, it's just that as time goes on, it can..."

  "So, can you support me for three months?" Xiao Ming asked lightly.

  "According to this calculation, if we don't buy anything big, three months would be enough."

  "That's settled then, we'll think of something else in three months." Xiao Ming chuckled and went to look at the terrain with Sun Er Gou.