Chapter 12: Zhu Family Village Encounters Bandit Abduction

  "Who says that's all nonsense? I'm going to the front line to fight against the devils, you can't doubt my determination!" Xue Yumei immediately stepped forward to express her determination to fight against the devils when she heard Chen Shaoqin's suspicion. Although in the previous battle, she was so scared that she couldn't even stand up, he believed that it was only temporary and couldn't be used as an excuse to say that she couldn't fight against the devils or label her as a braggart.

  "Must you protest so much?" Chen Shaoqin, faced with Xue Yumei's protests, really didn't know what to do for the better. So he said this sentence to Xue Yumei, then took out that tattered map from his body and began searching for their correct route on it.

  On this road, they were either evading the devils' pursuit or actively attacking the devils, and delaying their journey was already inevitable. Because of the battle with the devils, he also had some difficulty distinguishing their specific location, so now to determine their location, they could only use maps and compasses to search.

  "What? Have we arrived?" Xue Yumei saw Chen Shaoqin squatting down, checking the map on one side and occasionally using a compass to determine the direction. He didn't dwell on their previous conversation, but instead walked directly in front of Chen Shaoqin and asked him.

  "We are three miles ahead, at Zhujiashan. Because we don't know the layout of the little devils outside, we can't take the main road for now and can only cross over from this forest!" Chen Shaoqin said firmly to Xue Yumei while packing up the map and compass.

  When Chen Shaoqin spoke, Xue Yumei furrowed her willow-leaf eyebrows, and that pitiful look on her face would evoke sympathy from anyone who saw it.

  Ke Chen Shaqin seemed to have not noticed these, after picking up the map and compass, took a few steps out, when he found that Xue Yumei did not follow him, immediately stopped in his tracks, turned around to look at Xue Yumei who was still standing still on the spot: "Let's go! Why aren't you moving?"

  "Dummy!" Xue Yumei looked at Chen Shaoqin with a pitiful expression, as if begging him to speak, "I know you have your concerns, and it's indeed safer to walk in the mountains. But we've already shaken off those little devils' pursuit, and we've been walking in the mountains for a whole day without eating anything. Even if I can endure it, can you? Why don't we take the main road this time?"

  "No way!" Chen Shaoqin immediately rejected the request, "We can think of other ways to eat, but taking the main road is absolutely not acceptable. We can't joke with our own lives!"

  "Overbearing!" Xue Yumei felt that Chen Shaoqin was a person who didn't understand romance, didn't know how to cherish and appreciate others, and didn't respect other people's wishes. As long as he decided on something, no one could change it. So she immediately used the two words "overbearing" to express her protest.

  "I've said what I wanted to say, whether you want to leave or not is up to you!" Chen Shaoqin didn't plan on wasting any more time here. Looking into her eyes, he made his attitude clear: he didn't want to make things difficult for anyone. If she was willing to follow him, he welcomed it; if she wasn't willing to follow him, he wouldn't blame her and certainly wouldn't stop her.

  Xue Yumei was just about to agree to Chen Shaoqin's request and follow him on the road, but at this moment, a voice came from behind them: "Neither of you can leave!"

  As soon as the voice fell, more than a dozen people suddenly jumped out from the grass beside them and surrounded Chen Shaoqin and Xue Yumei in the middle.

  These people were dressed in ordinary civilian clothes, and except for the fact that they were holding weapons, there was nothing else about them that looked like a squad. After rushing out, two of them immediately pressed their gun muzzles against Chen Shaoqin's chest, and then the other two removed all the equipment from Chen Shaoqin's body and took it away.

  "This is great, neither of us can leave now!" Chen Shaoqin saw what was happening in front of him and blamed Xue Yumei. If it weren't for this girl refusing to leave, this wouldn't have happened. At least that's what he thought at the moment.

  Xue Yumei was at a loss for a moment, she didn't know that things would turn out to be like this, so at this moment facing Chen Shaoqin's complaints, the grievances in her heart didn't know how to express themselves.

  Before Chen Shaoqin could finish complaining, a leader-like figure appeared among the dozen or so people, glanced at Chen Shaoqin and Xue Yumei, immediately raised an eyebrow, with an air of wanting to give orders to deal with them. At this time, one of his subordinates came to his side and whispered: "Second Master, this kid is a superior officer, if we move against them, won't it cause trouble for the boss?"

  "Our brothers haven't done business for a long time, if it goes on like this, the brothers won't wait for others to find trouble, they will starve themselves to death!" Second Master listened to the reminder, seemingly not taking it seriously, and instead said his own theory, "You few, take them away!"

  A few people heard the order and immediately stretched out their hands to push Chen Shaoqin forward, which made Chen Shaoqin very uncomfortable. So Chen Shaoqin pushed them away with a loud shout, "No need for you guys to push me, I have legs of my own!"

  A group of people took Chen Shaoqin and Xue Yumei through several mountain ridges, entering a valley. At the entrance of the valley was a gate made of bamboo, with four men standing guard outside, armed with long guns, looking like soldiers. On top of the gate, there were patrol teams constantly scanning the surroundings. This structure not only provided concealment during battles but also offered a vantage point for firepower.

  The four guards at the gate saw the young man leading the way and immediately stepped forward, respectfully calling out: "Second Master, you've returned! The master has asked about you several times!"

  "Is that so? Big Brother is looking for me!" The man seemed delighted after hearing this, asked a question, and then ordered the people beside him, "Little Fourth, keep an eye on them, I'll go see Big Brother!"

  "Yes!" The one called Little Four immediately responded.

  The second master did not hesitate and walked in hastily.

  "Isn't it just your Eldest finding his mother? Is there a need to be so anxious and flustered? Really!" Chen Shaoqin saw Second Master rushing into the mansion in such a state, and naturally was very curious. However, on his face, he still pretended to be completely unbothered, casting a disdainful glance at Xiao Si before speaking in an indifferent tone.

  "What does this have to do with you! Shut up!" Xiao Si didn't intend to answer him at all, and directly roared at Chen Shaoqin. This move made Chen Shaoqin feel like a tiger falling into a plain being bullied by a dog, and he was very unhappy in his heart. However, facing so many guns pointing at him, he could only hold back his temper for the time being.

  Just as Xiao Si was shouting, a person walked out of the gate and said to Xiao Si: "Xiao Si, Master said, let you take these two people in!"

  "Alright!" Little Fourth immediately responded, then led Chen Shaobin and Xue Yumei into the pavilion.

  Inside this pavilion is a separate world, with houses made of bamboo frames all around, leaving an empty space in the middle. On this empty space are two racks, on which guns, swords, spears and other weapons are neatly arranged, it seems that these people use them for training.