aircannonsinc Chapter 1161 Escape
Chapter 1161 Escape
Erqiang was trembling with fear, as if he had been thrown into an ice cellar in the dead of winter, chilled to the bone. His lips were blue with cold, his teeth chattered, and he could barely speak coherently: "He...he told us to run south, saying...saying to lure you away...he himself...went north, saying the forest over there was dense, the trees so tall they could block out the sky, and you definitely wouldn't be able to find us..."
Upon hearing this, Li He became anxious. He stomped his foot hard on the ground, causing the nearby dry branches to fall to the ground. His voice trembled as he said, "Brother Liu, let's hurry and search to the north! That black pine forest to the north is very strange. The older generation says there's a 'bewitching array' inside. Few people who go in can come out safely! What if he falls into some deep ditch or bumps into something wild..." He became more and more frightened as he spoke, his brows furrowing into knots.
Liu Di frowned, his knuckles turning white from clenching his fists. He knew that forest to the north well—years ago, he'd gone there with others to trap rabbits, only to get lost not far in and wander around for a whole day before finally finding his way out. The trees there were so dense they blocked out the sky, barely letting in any sunlight. The ground was covered with a half-foot-thick layer of dead branches and leaves, soft and yielding underfoot, concealing many deep ditches and hidden pits, some big enough to swallow half a person. If he really went in, he might not find anyone until dark, and might even end up drowning himself.
He glanced at the children tied to the tree trunk, their heads drooping, their faces pale with fear, barely daring to breathe. He looked up at the sky again; the sun was already setting in the west, its golden-red light filtering through the leaves and casting dappled shadows on the ground, offering little warmth. If they didn't hurry, once the sun set, the forest would be pitch black, making progress even more difficult.
Liu Di gritted his teeth, a plan forming in his mind: "Fine. Let's take these guys back first. We have witnesses and evidence; they can't escape. Later, we'll report Jia Banggeng's name and get a wanted notice. All the police stations in Beijing will be watching; he can't just disappear into thin air, can he?" He sneered, a ruthless glint in his eyes. "He can run, but he can't hide. His household registration is in a courtyard house; the address is clear. He can't just fly away! We'll go straight to his house and catch him red-handed! I don't believe he can stay away from home forever, or hide forever!"
Banggeng in the woods was unaware that he was being watched, let alone the notice for assistance. He leaned against an old locust tree, panting, his chest pounding like a startled rabbit, the thud making his ribs ache. Sweat streamed down his face, mingling with the dirt on his skin, forming droplets on his chin that stained his dirty clothes, spreading into a small dark patch.
He gazed at the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves overhead, his mind racing as he considered his next move. He'd heard from the old folks in the courtyard that there was a coal mine not far from the mountains, where the heartless owner hired child laborers, providing food and lodging. It was tiring, but at least they wouldn't starve. Unlike back home, where they ate only thin porridge, the kind so thin you could see your reflection in it, easily blown away by a gust of wind.
From deep within the dense forest came the calls of an unknown bird, "coo-coo," one call after another, echoing in the silent woods, like someone sighing in the shadows, sounding a little eerie. But when he thought about not having to go to the countryside to plow the fields, not having to drink that thin porridge that could reflect your image every day, and not having to listen to the endless scolding of adults, he couldn't help but grin—the grime clinging to the corners of his mouth cracked, revealing two rows of slightly crooked teeth.
At least for now, he is free. He has his own feet, can go wherever he wants, and doesn't have to listen to anyone.
Banggeng trudged forward, his steps uneven, the withered branches and leaves rustling as if someone were following him. The path was full of potholes, and he had to dodge vines that blocked his way. His trousers were torn in several places, and he didn't bother to wipe the blood seeping through. It was a very difficult journey. But the thought of not having to go to the countryside, of not having to live that endless, miserable life, filled him with a burning passion that gave him strength.
As he walked, his mind started to wander, even indulging in wild fantasies: If he could find a few other teenagers like himself who didn't want to go to the countryside, form a gang, and become their leader, that wouldn't be bad. He'd lead the group, first to teach Gu Nan a lesson—that guy always acted so serious, always meddling in everything, and last time he'd told Qin Huairu about him stealing chickens; then he'd teach He Yuzhu and Xu Damao a lesson—one a hypocrite, always giving him stale cornbread, the other a real scoundrel, always trying to coax him with candy, only to give it to his own sister. Neither of them were good; why should he have to live under their thumb before?
Bang Geng grew increasingly excited, his steps becoming lighter. He imagined himself followed by over thirty henchmen, each one fierce-looking, carrying either sticks or bricks, swaggering through the alleyways. Anyone who dared to provoke him would be met with a wave of his hand and a group of men rushing forward, guaranteed to make the other person beg for mercy. Then, he could eat white flour buns whenever he wanted, drink braised pork whenever he wanted, and never again would he have to drool over what others had, never again would he have to live at the mercy of anyone.
Thinking this, he felt more energized, straightened his back, and quickened his pace. Fortunately, he had secretly hidden some food in his backpack during this time—a few pieces of dry, hard cornbread that would break your teeth if you gnawed on them, and half a bag of scraps of rice crust he had collected, some broken and some hard, but at least he wouldn't go hungry and could last for two or three days. Once he got out of this forest, everything would be alright.
The setting sun cast a long shadow on him through the branches, like a menacing monster, but he wasn't afraid at all. Instead, he hummed a tuneless little melody, a few lines he'd heard from the loudspeaker at the alley entrance, and didn't care that it was off-key. He walked resolutely into the depths of the woods, his figure growing smaller and smaller in the twilight, like a stubborn little black dot plunging headlong into the unknown darkness.
On the other end of the line, Liu Di, sweat beading on his forehead, gripped the phone receiver and recounted Bang Geng's escape in detail, going through each level of the hierarchy. The person on the other end listened, their tone as calm as if discussing the weather, offering only a few perfunctory words of advice: "I know. These things happen all the time. Every day, some can't endure the hardship and want to run away. I expected it." After all, nine out of ten young people sent to the countryside were forced by their families. Many couldn't bear the toil in the fields and the coarse food, and secretly slipped away. It wasn't anything new, nothing to be surprised about.
Then, the message was relayed to the neighborhood office, with the same casual tone: "Keep an eye on things, check on the situation when you have time, and don't let this kid wander around outside and cause any trouble."