In the evening, the Trinity Institute convoy set up camp next to the road at a spot chosen by Wang Jing. Ren Xiaosu noticed that the location of the campsite chosen by the authoritative medical figure was quite particular.
Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin looked at each other. He whispered, “The terrain is flat, and we’re on relatively high ground. Although it’s close to a water source, it avoids the path where wild animals might take to get to the water source. He’s definitely experienced.”
Off to the side, Wang Jing was giving pointers to the doctors on how to set up their tents. He said with a smile, “I’ve made a lot of trips to the Kong Consortium over the years. You guys can take the opportunity during this trip with me to experience the vast world outside the strongholds. At the same time, you should also learn how to set up camp in the wilderness. As I’m getting older, there’ll come a day when I can’t even walk anymore. At that time, you’ll have to lead the medical exchange group to the Kong Consortium.”
A middle-aged man adjusted his glasses and said with a smile, “You’re still going strong, so you can bring us on a few more trips, I’m sure.”
Wang Jing shook his head. “No, I can’t anymore. My health is declining by the year, and my legs are starting to hurt as well. I can’t compare to you young people at all. The distance from Stronghold 64 to the Kong Consortium is 310 kilometers. Even if the cars don’t break down along the way, it still takes three days to arrive there. If anything happens, we still have to repair the vehicles by ourselves. I remember when I was young, we encountered a sudden blizzard on our way there. As it was spring, we did not bring along any snow chains for the trip. In the end, we got stranded for half a month on this 310-kilometer journey. It wasn’t until the snow had completely melted that we finally managed to get to the Kong Consortium.”
The doctors standing next to him listened quietly. Although these stories were of no practical help to everyone, they sounded very interesting.
Ren Xiaosu was putting on an act off to the side as he clumsily set up the tent while Yang Xiaojin started a campfire. As the saying goes, the insider knows the ropes, while the outsider just comes along for the ride. With Wang Jing’s years of experience in camping, he was a little surprised to see Yang Xiaojin’s proficiency in getting a fire started. However, he did not say anything. After all, this girl was only tagging along with Ren Xiaosu and was not considered a member of the Trinity Institute.
Wang Jing did not think too much of it either. He only felt the girl was quite good at her task.
He continued sharing his past experience, “Back then, the roads we took to get to the Kong Consortium were in terrible shape. We were trapped in the snow and couldn’t move at all. At that time, our relationship with the Wang Consortium was pretty bad, so they were unwilling to come and rescue us. They were probably thinking it would make us back off from organizing the medical exchange. We didn’t have enough food and clothing to go around in the wilderness. In the end, we even ran out of gas. It was so cold we nearly froze to death in our cars. You guys know Dong Li, right? He’s the director of the First Hospital in Stronghold 62? He used to be an excellent cardiac surgeon. But during the trip, he suffered frostbite on two of his fingers and could not perform any more surgeries after that.
“There was another time when we encountered bandits along the way. Fortunately, they only robbed us of some medicine before letting us go on account that we were doctors. Ever since then, all of our Trinity Institute’s doctors started practicing shooting after we got back. Didn’t you guys ask me why I needed to bring a gun for the medical exchange? That’s why.”
A middle-aged doctor next to him said with a smile, “Why do you all think Elder Wang always brings me along whenever he comes out? Is it because of my medical skills? No, it’s because I’m the best shooter among us!”
Wang Jing rambled on and on in the wilderness, sharing mainly interesting anecdotes that happened during the academic exchanges in the past years. The stories were more vivid than Ren Xiaosu had imagined, and it sounded like they had it much tougher as well.
Curious, Ren Xiaosu asked, “Don’t you find it tiring after all these decades? What is it that you’re after by working so hard?”
Since Wang Jing intended to train Ren Xiaosu, he decided to say a few more words. “This is for the cause we believe in. Now that the medical field is declining and with so many things still waiting to be researched, how can we just shut ourselves in? Besides, is what we do really that tough? Ancient folklore mentions a great person who thrice passed by a house without entering. Do you know who that was?”
Ren Xiaosu had never really read about ancient folklore, and there were no books that touched on them in Stronghold 88’s library either. He thought for a moment before saying, “The God of Wealth?”
Wang Jing was stunned. “Although your answer is wrong, it seems you do have some life experience….”
However, right at this moment, Ren Xiaosu was stunned. He turned to look at Yang Xiaojin. Then he realized she had also noticed that someone was quietly approaching.
Yang Xiaojin was already slowly reaching behind her back where she kept her pistol. She whispered, “Are we taking action?”
He stopped Yang Xiaojin and turned to Wang Jing with a smile. “Are you carrying a gun? May I have a look at it? I’ve never seen one before.”
The middle-aged man who spoke earlier laughed and said, “Guns are not for playing with. Since you’ve never held one before, it’d be bad if you accidentally fired it.”
Wang Jing waved it off. “It’s alright, he just wants to have a look. If he’s going to be traveling on this route often in the future, he’ll have to start learning how to handle firearms sooner or later.”
Everyone could hear the implied meaning behind Wang Jing’s words. He was basically saying he would frequently let Ren Xiaosu go on the medical exchange in the future!
With that, Wang Jing took out a pistol from under his arm. As a doctor, he actually carried a gun around with him all the time. However, Ren Xiaosu was not surprised. He and Yang Xiaojin had already noticed it.
Ren Xiaosu said with a smile, “Is it loaded? Can I try firing it?”
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The middle-aged man said, “It’s better if you go back to the stronghold’s shooting range to practice first.”
Just as his words trailed off, Ren Xiaosu saw a red dot appear on Liang Ce’s chest. A voice came from the forest north of the campsite. “All of you, stand up and place your hands behind your heads. Put your guns down on the ground. If not, I’ll kill him.”
Ren Xiaosu stared at the red dot on Liang Ce’s body. The intruder was actually carrying a gun with a laser sight? Would normal people possess something like that? Could they really have encountered army deserters from the Kong Consortium?
With the gradual migration of the Northerners to the South, it was no longer bandits who were running rampant in the wilderness but deserters.
The world was about to descend into chaos as the smell of gunpowder filled the air.
Everyone in the campsite stood up and placed their hands behind their heads.
Liang Ce was a little nervous. He looked around but did not know who could save him. He swept his gaze to the middle-aged man who claimed to be a good marksman earlier. However, he saw the man had already put his gun obediently down on the ground.
The person in the forest started to approach the campsite. Ren Xiaosu said in a low voice, “It sounds like there’s only one person nearby. I’ll make my move directly. If he has other companions hiding in the distance, can you take care of it?”
Yang Xiaojin gave a slight nod.
Honestly, Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin really did not think deserters would be much of a threat. If not for the fact they were trying to get into the Kong Consortium’s stronghold with their identities hidden, the deserter pointing a gun at them would already be dead.
They saw the deserter walking out of the forest. His uniform was tattered with holes, and the camouflage paint on his face was mixed with dust. His face was so dirty his expression could not be seen.
Yang Xiaojin examined the other deserter’s military uniform and confirmed, “It’s really a deserter from the Kong Consortium’s military.”
The deserter strolled up to them and said coldly, “I’m sorry, everyone. I don’t have a choice either. The war in the North has gotten too chaotic. I need to go to the South and try to build a life there, so please hand over all your money.”
Then the deserter looked at their vehicles. When he realized there was a Red Cross sign on them, he was overjoyed. “You’re doctors? Are there medical supplies in the cars? You, go and move all the medicine into a vehicle.”
Liang Ce was forced to do so as he had a gun pointed at him. When the deserter saw the medicine in the vehicles, he got very excited. With this amount of medicine, he could easily become rich when he got to the South!
Wang Jing and the others did not say anything throughout this. If the deserter were only after their medical supplies, there was no need for them to put up a fight. They could just give them to him.
But then the deserter said to Liang Ce, “Bring over two jerrycans of gas from the other vehicles and load them into the trunk as well!”
Liang Ce continued to do as he was told. Ren Xiaosu thought that guy was really unlucky. He was even the first one to get targeted during a robbery.
The deserter kept his gun up and looked around the campsite. He suddenly saw Meng Nan and Yang Xiaojin. When his gaze landed on the latter, he almost could not take his eyes off her. He said to Yang Xiaojin, “Get into the car and quietly drive for me. I’ll let you go when I get to the South—”
Bang!
The deserter looked down at his chest in a daze before falling backwards slowly.
Liang Ce was trembling all over as he looked at Ren Xiaosu. However, he saw Ren Xiaosu also looked terrified. A wisp of smoke was still coming out from the muzzle of the gun in his hand.
Liang Ce said nervously, “Didn’t you say that you’ve never held a gun before?”
Ren Xiaosu said in a trembling voice, “Yeah, I’ve never held one before. I admit that I took a gamble there. But he was threatening my girlfriend just now, so it was either you or him that had to die tonight….”
Liang Ce did not know whether to laugh or cry. However, he still said solemnly in the end, “Thank you!”
“Gratitude received from Liang Ce, +1!”