Big winner of 007

  Luo Yi stayed in the county town for over 10 days before he finally met with someone from the Ju Yi gang. The day before, Luo Yi had written a document all night and didn't sleep until late. The next day, he slept until 11 o'clock in the morning when the inn's young servant knocked on the door to report: "Mr. Luo, there are several people outside looking for you. The leader says his surname is Lu, do you want to see him?... However, Mr. Luo, I think they don't look like good people, they have something hidden in their clothes." The last sentence was spoken in a low voice by the young servant, who had been treated well by Luo Yi over the past few days and was especially reminding him to be careful.

  "Come on, come on, hurry up." Luo Yi quickly got dressed and put on his clothes. The second master of the Lu family, Lu Shuangyong, had arrived in person, so he had to pay attention to his image and not let the leader think he was being disrespectful.

  The shopkeeper brought Lu Shuangyong in, and Su Xiaofeng and Tu Jiu also entered with him. Luo Yi nodded to the shopkeeper, indicating that nothing was wrong, and the shopkeeper left. After Lu Shuangyong and others looked around and confirmed that there were no other people present, Tu Jiu closed the door.

  "Both of you are here, Su Ge and Tu Shu, please take a seat quickly," Luo Yi said.

  Lu Shuangyong and the other two exchanged a glance, suddenly took a step forward together, knelt down on one knee in front of Luo Yi, bowed their heads, clasped their fists over their heads, and shouted: "Master!"

  "What's going on here?" Luo Yi was taken aback, "Me? You... What does this mean."

  Lu Shuangyong raised his head and said to Luo Yi, "We brothers have discussed this for days. Please act as our leader. We came especially today to ask the leader to return to the camp."

  "Everyone, everyone, let's sit down first. We have a lot to talk about."

  "Has the master agreed?" Lu Shuangyong didn't get up and played a tragic tactic.

  "Cut, cut, let's start again." Luo Yi didn't fall for it and pulled everyone up to sit back down on the stools. During this time, he quickly thought through the whole thing and then asked with a poker face, "I didn't quite catch what you were discussing just now?"

  Lu Shuangyong is the leader of several people, and all things are answered by him. He said to Luo Yi: "That day, you and Xiao Feng risked their lives to break into the enemy camp at night, forcing the National Army's camp commander to give us a way out. Xiao Feng also told everyone that you volunteered to stay behind and guard the National Army's camp commander, which is equivalent to using your life to save everyone's life. Our former leader has left, and after discussion, it is decided that without a head, the snake cannot move, and without wings, the bird cannot fly. Everyone's lives are given by you, so we are willing to push you to be the new leader."

  Luoyi was secretly delighted, being a leader is much better than being a soldier, at least he wouldn't have to charge into the front line during battles. However, he knew that this wasn't the time to be complacent, so he pretended to decline, saying: "I... I'm too young and inexperienced, how can I be in charge? Lu Dage, you were originally the second-in-command, now it's only natural for you to take over directly. As for me, I'll just continue doing what I was doing before."

  Lu Shuangyong said: "Don't laugh at me, I know my own weight. In the past, when the big boss was around, he said that others have both bravery and strategy, but I only have two braveries without any strategy. Being a vanguard is no problem for me, but being the head of such a big family, I really don't have this ability."

  Su Xiao Feng said: "Luo Zi, I really don't know what's going on with you. In the past, you were like a second-rate guy, completely useless. This time, you first showed off your divine marksmanship, and then showed off your bravery, it's really impressive that you have both courage and strategy. If I hadn't personally followed you into battle, I wouldn't have believed you could do this so beautifully. In the end, you could have let me stay behind, and you could have led the team to break through the siege yourself, I wouldn't have had any complaints about that. But instead, you gave me the chance to survive, and you stayed in the tiger's den yourself. Honestly, I never looked up to you before. But this time, I'm impressed. Shuang Yong is like me, he doesn't mess around when it comes to fighting, but he's not good at leading troops. He wants to be the boss, but I don't acknowledge him. I'm willing to recognize you as the leader."

  Su Xiaofeng spoke like this, and didn't fear Lu Shuangyong getting angry. It seems that the relationship between everyone in this bandit group is still quite good, able to reach a level of speaking bluntly without reserve.

  Tu Jiu, like Luo Yi, was originally a lower-ranking member of the gang and had no right to speak on important matters. This time, Lu Shuangyong and Su Xiaofeng brought him along, mainly because he had always been a protector of Luo Zi and had deep feelings for him. In the future, if Luo Zi became the head of the gang, Tu Jiu's status would definitely be elevated. Hearing the two leaders speak, Tu Jiu felt that he should also say a few words.

  "Lu...the big boss's..." Tu Jiu didn't know what to call Lu Yi anymore.

  "Please, everyone, regardless of whether I'm the leader or not, still call me Luo Zi. This 'Big Leader' title is four words and it's tiring to say." Luo Yi said with a bow.

  "Hey, Luo Zi, what's going on with you these past few days? Can you tell everyone what's happening. You're completely different from before, is a ghost really possessing your body?"

  Luo Yi said: "To be honest with you all, I wasn't originally like this. My family was actually quite well-off and I had studied for a few years. Later on, my family encountered misfortune, everyone died, and I ended up drifting around outside. Then, somehow or other, I contracted a serious illness, so I didn't remember anything from before. According to Ninth Uncle, during this period of time in the gang, I did many absurd things, but it was all because of the illness. This time when we were fighting, maybe my brain got stimulated a bit, and as a result, everything from before came back to me, while on the other hand, everything about the gang was forgotten. So that's how I became like this now."

  "Oh, I see!" Su Xiao Feng exclaimed with excitement, looking at Lu Shuang Yong. "Shuang Yong, if it's really like this, I'll feel even more at ease. I've been worried that Luo Zi would revert to his old self again. But now it seems unlikely. I said so, didn't I? The things that camp leader wrote for Luo Zi in the enemy camp, I'd never even heard of them before. We originally thought Luo Zi was illiterate, who knew he actually studied?"

  Lu Shuangyong stood up and was about to salute Luo Yi again, but Luo Yi quickly stopped him: "I'm telling you, Lu Dage, can't we just have a good talk? No need for all this fuss, it's making me dizzy."

  Lu Shuangyu awkwardly smiled: "Luo Zi, listening to you talk like this, I feel more at ease. You can be our big boss then. We're only left with over 40 people now, are you thinking of your own rich relatives and planning to abandon us to seek good fortune?"

  "Rest assured, I won't leave everyone. Without the Gathering of Righteousness, there would be no Luo Zi. How about this, I'll temporarily take on the role of leader for now. If we happen to meet someone more suitable in the future, we can switch. However, I have one request - don't call me 'master', just keep calling me Luo Zi."

  "This doesn't sound right, Luo Zi," said Tu Jiu. "In the future when interacting with others, saying that our Union's leader is called Luo Zi also doesn't sound good."

  Luoyi said: "Actually, I have a big name, called Luoyi. If we need to deal with outsiders in the future, you can call me Luoyi. But if it's within our group, still call me Luzi. What do you think, Luda and Suda?"

  "Alright," said Lu Shuangyong, "Luo Zi, stop calling me 'big brother' and just call me Shuangyong. Call him Xiaofeng. That's what the big bosses used to call us in the past."

  "Just call me Tuzi." Tuzi also came to perform.

  Luo Yi said: "This won't do, Shuang Yong and Xiao Feng are only a few years older than me, I'll just call them by their names. Ninth Uncle, you're a senior, how can you be called randomly? Alright, Shuang Yong, Xiao Feng, Ninth Uncle, let's settle it like this, let's go eat!"

  Everyone stood up and followed Luo Yi out the door to eat. This thing called status is really strange, just a few days ago, Luo Yi was just a small fry who was ordered around by others, but suddenly he became the leader of the gang, and everyone immediately accepted their subordinate status. As soon as Luo Yi stood up, everyone followed him, surrounding him from front to back.

  Luo Yi had thought about becoming the leader of the bandits, but he felt that this possibility was too small. According to seniority, it wouldn't be his turn anyway. But today, after hearing Lu Shuangyong and Su Xiaofeng's words, it seems that everyone is quite serious about letting him become the leader. The peasants in the 1930s were really simple-minded. If this were modern times, there would be canvassing for votes and bribery to elect a class committee member.

  When they arrived outside the inn, several other helpers followed. This time, Lu Shuangyong came to the county town with a total of 7 people. Three people went into the house to ask Luo Yi to be the leader, and four people stayed outside on guard. Everyone wore long shirts in an untimely manner, with the intention of hiding their long guns inside their clothes. However, Luo Yi casually hung the gun holster given by Bai Yunfei on his body, openly inserting the revolver into the holster.

  " Luo Zi, put the gun away, don't let people see it." Lu Shuangyong said in a terrified tone, while using his body to block Luo Yi, his eyes scanning around to see if there were any security patrols nearby. Years of being an outlaw had cultivated this cautious habit in him.

  "Nothing's wrong, just listen to me."

  He first took the helpers to a tailor's shop, had the tailor take out several custom-made uniforms, and had the helpers change into them. He himself remained in his school uniform. Lu Shuangyong and others did not understand Luo Yi's intention, but seeing his confident appearance, they also changed their clothes obediently.

  People rely on clothes and horses rely on saddles. Wearing a set of majestic uniforms, several helpers immediately showed off their elegant demeanor, even the sloppy Tu Jiu looked younger by several years. With the long shirts removed, the long guns could no longer be hidden. Luo Yi had everyone shoulder their guns, form a line, and parade through the county town.

  "Luó Zǐ, what if the security team asks?" Su Xiǎo Fēng reminded.

  Luo Yi unfolded a letter of appointment for everyone to see. Everyone only recognized the blue sky and white sun emblem on top, but as for what was written, they didn't understand. Luo Yi had no choice but to read it aloud: "Hereby appointing Luo Yi as the captain of the Ma Tieling Security Team. September 10th, Year 22 of the Republic."

  "Ma Tieling? Bao An Team?" Lu Shuangyong asked cautiously, "Luo Zi, you're not thinking of letting us surrender, are you?"

  Luo Yi said: "Double bravery, what is called amnesty, who recruits whom? Now we have fewer people and weaker strength, let's first ensure our own safety by setting up a security team, and then recruit soldiers and buy horses. When we become strong and powerful, can't we do whatever we want? Have you heard of Li Zicheng? How many times has he surrendered in his life, but in the end didn't he still hang the emperor?"

  Lu Shuangyong had heard the storyteller talk about Li Zicheng's story and knew that such a thing really existed. He chuckled: "I'm not that fussy. Now you're the boss, listening to you is definitely right."

  A group of people wearing uniforms, carrying guns, walked towards the best restaurant in town. Along the way, they indeed encountered the county's security team, but no one dared to ask them anything. The security team's soldiers whispered to each other:

  "Brother, where did these soldiers come from? Their uniforms look evil."

  "You don't even know this is Chiang Kai-shek's guard regiment, fully equipped with German gear."

  "Nonsense, what German equipment? I haven't seen those soldiers carrying anything but Hanyang-made rifles. I think they're just the private troops of some wealthy family."

  "This cloth is green in one piece and yellow in another, didn't it dye well?"

  "Don't talk nonsense, national troops are coming and going all the time, who knows which unit this is."

  Lu Yi ignored the security guards in the county town and led his men directly into a restaurant he was familiar with. After finding a private room and sitting down, Lu Yi asked: "What does everyone want to eat?"

  "Just fill your stomach, and it's even better if you have some meat," Su Xiaofeng said.

  Lu Shuangyong said: "Luo Zi, we... don't have much money left. This time Jialin gave me 5 big oceans, which is almost all the family's savings. Before we came out, the old camp's food was already running out, and everyone was half-starved. We still need to wait for you to go back and lead everyone to find a rich household to do another job."

  Luo Yi took out the remaining eighty dollars from his pocket and handed it to Lu Shuangyong: "Shuangyong, this is the money I extorted from Bai Yunfei. You're in charge of keeping it safe and returning it to Jialin when we get back."

  Lu Shuangyong's eyes widened: "So much money? Great, let's buy some grain and take it back."

  "Never mind, I've already bought everything we need to eat and use. Let's save this money for now. When we get back, I'll find ways for everyone to make some money. Don't worry, from now on, we won't have to suffer from hunger and poverty again. You guys have suffered for so many days, let's just have a good meal first."

  After finishing speaking, Luo Yi called the shopkeeper and ordered dishes without hesitation: "Shopkeeper, bring one roasted chicken, one salted duck, a 5-catty trotter, a 4-catty carp, scrambled eggs, stir-fried pork liver..."

  Everyone gazed at Luo Yi's mouth with greedy eyes, as if the delicious food was going to jump out of his mouth. No one stopped Luo Yi, they just quietly loosened their belts. The new master of the house is treating us to a meal, everyone should eat well tonight.