Chapter 1728: Ambush and Kill

Bai Ji didn't know what a "dimensional strike" was, but he was in fact experiencing one.

Even without many years of accumulation, Wang Yan's identity alone as a college student from outside, a determined young man who came here to build up impoverished areas, meant Bai Ji didn't stand the slightest chance of competing.

"Brother Yan, have you and Xiao Yan gotten together?"

When going to bed at night, Bai Ji, still unwilling to give up, wanted to confirm it again. He smoked a cigarette, acting as if he didn't care much, yet the ash grew very long without him noticing.

Wang Yan nodded with a smile: "I'll treat you to a drink at the wedding."

"It's not that I want to lecture you, Brother Yan, but this is too fast. You haven't been in Mazhi County for two months yet, and you've only met Xiao Yan a few times; how can you already be together? And even talking about marriage?"

"Relationships progress step by step. Although Xiao Yan and I have met few times, each meeting brought us closer. She sees me as a determined young man, and I see her as beautiful and gentle; isn't it just like a toad eyeing a mung bean—they match perfectly. The speed has something to do with how long we've been together, but not that much."

Wang Yan also smoked, saying with a laugh, "You might not know yet that in some developed areas, there are dance halls, bars, and the like; if a man and a woman take a fancy to each other, they can have relations that very night, and even the location is quite casual."

"Isn't that just a Young Lady?"

"Those who ask for money are Young Ladies; what about those who don't?"

"There are those who don't ask for money?"

"Some might even be so happy they give the man money, though such cases are rarer. But people acting as flesh-and-blood Bodhisattvas for each other—that situation is not uncommon."

"This..." Bai Ji gaped, not knowing what to say.

"They call this freedom, openness." Wang Yan chuckled, "There are all sorts of rare things in big cities. Compared to these people, don't you feel that Xiao Yan and I are quite normal?"

Bai Ji shook his head, said nothing, and just continued smoking, very fiercely...

The next morning, after having breakfast at Bai Ji's home, Wang Yan went to fetch the reply letter Wangmu had given for He Qingyuan, chatted with Xiao Yan for a while, and arranged to go to Xiao Yan's home next time for a meal to meet her family.

After all this, under Xiao Yan's reluctant farewell, he drove away from the county town, heading toward the outpost in the village below...

Driving alone in such an environment was actually quite dangerous. Because the road was always the same, the scenery on both sides showed little change—endless Gobi desert and grasslands, with towering snow-capped mountains in the distance.

People easily let their guard down, unable to concentrate, and might end up driving off the road. Once the roads are improved and cars go faster, the disaster could be even worse.

After a bumpy ride back to the outpost, he had just parked the car when he saw Bai Ju, who had been keeping watch from a high point, running over.

Ever since Wang Yan mentioned that poachers might come to raid their base, Bai Ju had started keeping watch, usually staying outside to look out.

"Duo Jie and the others have entered the mountains! They told me to let you know that you don't need to go this time."

Bai Ju ran up to Wang Yan, saying anxiously, "But I feel the situation is wrong now; it's not safe for them to enter the mountains. We haven't received any news for so long before; there's likely an ambush in the mountains now, just waiting for the mountain patrol team to walk into the trap."

Dong Zhiba also ran over: "Brother Yan, I think Sister has a point."

Wang Yan patted his head: "Stop thinking about it; stay here and guard the house honestly. The hides have all been transported away, so there shouldn't be any major problems; just you all be careful. As for you... you still want to follow us into the mountains, right?"

"I want to help Duo Jie and the others. You said the situation is grave; what if they get harmed by those poachers? One more person means more strength. Moreover, I am public security; I have law enforcement authority, my marksmanship is accurate, and I can definitely help. Besides, I'm going voluntarily, so if anything happens, it won't be your fault."

"Do you think it really wouldn't be my fault?"

Amidst Bai Ju's pitiful disappointment, Wang Yan changed his tune: "However, I've decided to take you into the mountains. Go, switch to a larger vehicle, bring enough fuel and supplies; we need to prepare food and drink for Duo Jie and the others in case of emergencies."

"Dong Zhiba, quick, quick, quick!" Bai Ju excitedly called to Dong Zhiba, and together they helped pack things up.

There was still quite a surplus of supplies, mainly because a sum of money had arrived earlier, so much more had been purchased during procurement. Vehicles were not lacking either; after two rounds, seven or eight cars had been confiscated, including some slightly larger small trucks. Weapons and ammunition were also plentiful, all previously captured; the mountain patrol team had already obtained control over the distribution of weapons and ammunition.

In no time, the small truck was loaded with many items; Bai Ju took the wheel, and the two set off directly.

"I heard that the four vehicles the herders saw entering Bolamula last time went in that direction." Bai Ju pointed toward the distance.

Wang Yan's gaze, however, fell on the ground: "Let's circle around here first and see if we can still find tire tracks."

"We should be able to; there was no strong wind yesterday, nor rain or snow."

Following his instructions, Bai Ju drove diagonally and soon spotted faint tire marks. They had already been partially covered by dust swept up by the wind.

Wang Yan jumped out of the car and squatted on the ground, examining the tire tracks carefully.

"Can you tell anything from this?" Bai Ju also squatted there. "With just one set of tracks, is there even a need to look?"

Wang Yan smiled without refuting: "Our luck isn't bad; we can see the tire tracks. Let's follow them."

But in reality, he truly could discern something.

After all, he understood trace examination; he had seen the mountain patrol team's vehicles and had a basic impression of their tire tracks. Here, he could see the tracks of the two vehicles the patrol team usually drove, as well as the tracks of four different vehicles, plus the tracks of two additional vehicles.

Moreover, in terms of sequence, the four vehicles entered first, followed by the patrol team's two vehicles, and then another two vehicles followed them in.

It was also evident that among the six vehicles belonging to other poachers, three were trucks, indicating that their material preparations were quite sufficient. This was truly an attack targeted at the mountain patrol team.

Duo Jie was also somewhat overconfident; he should have directly gathered the dozens of members of the mountain patrol team to enter together.

But then again, if dozens of people had entered the mountains together, the poachers wouldn't have been foolish enough to confront the mountain patrol team head-on.

Wang Yan did not tell Bai Ju these things; Bai Ju was someone who couldn't keep her composure, but in such a situation, what good would her anxiety do? It would only disturb her eating and sleeping, affect her condition, and instead make it easier to botch things.

Thus, while Bai Ju drove conscientiously, Wang Yan took the opportunity to do some geographical surveying and mapping, not wasting time. At the same time, he explained to Bai Ju the precautions to take in Bolamula and introduced the wild animals encountered along the way, just as Duo Jie had explained to him back then.

"We're really lucky. I heard the climate in Bolamula changes frequently, yet from the time Duo Jie and the others entered until we entered now, two days have passed, but it still hasn't rained, so we can still follow the tire tracks they left behind to catch up. I remember when you guys entered the mountains before, the conditions weren't great, right? It rained as soon as you entered."

Bai Ju was still happily following the traces left by Duo Jie and the others under the dim yellow headlights in the darkness. But shortly after she finished speaking, raindrops began to patter against the car windows, gradually growing heavier.

Wang Yan shook his head amusedly: "If Zaco were here, he would surely say the Mountain God dislikes hearing you talk."

"Is it really that accurate?"

"Obviously not. It was going to rain anyway; you just happened to speak at the right moment. Let's stop; don't drive anymore. We two can save ourselves the trouble of pitching a tent; we'll just make do in the car for the night and eat something simple to fill our stomachs."

Rain pattered loudly against the car windows; outside, it was already pitch dark. Inside the cab, a flashlight served as the light source.

Wang Yan gnawed on dried yak beef: "Now we've finally got our wish; how does it feel?"

"No special feeling; it's just that the altitude is a bit higher, so I feel slightly uncomfortable and need to adapt a bit more." Bai Ju thought for a moment and said sincerely, "Indeed, it's somewhat inconvenient for me as a woman, but I can overcome it."

The two ate their dry meal; as long as they didn't feel hungry, that was enough. Afterwards, they turned off the flashlight, immersed themselves in darkness, listened to the sound of heavy rain beating against the metal body of the car, and gradually fell asleep.

The rain stopped in the middle of the night. When Bai Ju groggily opened her eyes, the sky was slightly bright; looking to the side, she saw Wang Yan there, using a notebook and the faint light to write and draw.

"This rain must have washed away all the tire tracks; what do we do next?"

"Let's just keep driving forward; at this point, no one can do anything; we can only rely on luck."

After a simple breakfast, the two set off again.

Wang Yan still did not tell Bai Ju about the urgency of the situation; he steadily continued searching for a needle in a haystack within Bolamula, still attending to his own affairs.

Of course, the vehicle got stuck a few times along the way; fortunately, Wang Yan possessed sufficient strength to push it out alone. Otherwise, if anyone else had been here, the situation would have been truly difficult to handle; the vehicle likely could not have been freed, and without it, escaping Bolamula would have been arduous—whether they survived would depend entirely on the Mountain God's mood.

As they wandered aimlessly within Bolamula, Bai Ju grew increasingly agitated. Bolamula was too vast; one vehicle and two people were far too insignificant here. After the initial excitement faded, only monotony remained; Bai Ju spoke less, and her spirit waned.

After two more days of travel, on the afternoon of the third day since entering the mountains, the situation finally changed.

"There are tire tracks! Very fresh!" Bai Ju exclaimed excitedly. "And it looks like several vehicles."

Right ahead of their vehicle, deep impressions pressed into the muddy ground, along with signs of tires slipping, appeared before the two of them, winding toward the distance.

"I see them. Drive that way." Wang Yan pointed in a direction.

"Both directions are possible; how can you be sure it's that one?"

"You can tell the direction just by looking at the tracks. Didn't they teach you that at police academy?" Without waiting for Bai Ju to speak, Wang Yan waved his hand. "It doesn't matter if you don't know; you can learn slowly later. Dorje, Tso, and the others all know how to read them. Usually, when you're on the road, observe vehicles and such more often; bit by bit, you'll get it."

"Drive, and stay alert. We'll likely exchange fire soon. It's understandable to be nervous, but you must control yourself; do not act impulsively."

Bai Ju said, "I haven't acted impulsively!"

"Then could you slow down a little?"

Bai Ju immediately eased off the accelerator, somewhat embarrassed. "I... I didn't notice."

"Breathe deeply. Slower. Steadier."

Guided by Wang Yan, Bai Ju's pounding, agitated heart finally calmed somewhat; her driving gradually stabilized as they continued deeper into the mountain ranges...

Bang-bang-bang! Gunshots rang out; occasionally, bullets struck the vehicle, making crackling noises.

Tso bared his teeth, cursing viciously: "These damn bastards; they actually dare to surround and attack us."

"We cut off their source of income; what wouldn't they dare?" Sampa looked at the blood-soaked fur on Tso's body. "You should at least press on the wound, or you'll bleed out and die soon."

"But I still need to return fire."

Holding a gun in one hand, Tso struggled to shoot backward. If not for the shoulder strap, the gun would have slipped from his grasp and fallen.

"You can't even hold the gun steady; what return fire are you talking about?" Dorje shouted loudly, urging Tso to tend to his wound immediately.

Tso remained unconvinced; he fired another burst, saying, "If only the college student were here; he would definitely kill them all. At the very least, he could kill their drivers, preventing them from catching up while ensuring they couldn't escape."

Dorje had no time for nonsense; he loaded bullets into the gun one by one, then leaned his body out of the window to shoot at the pursuers behind.

Beside this vehicle was the small supply truck driven by He Qingyuan, Old Han, and the others; they were also doing their best to fire aimed shots.

Behind and to the sides, six vehicles maintained a certain distance in pursuit; the people aboard were all operating rifles, rattling off rounds toward them.

Bullets occasionally whizzed past, making clattering noises that made one's heart tremble with fear.

Dorje and the others fled in panic while the poachers gave chase; they ran in the direction from which they had come.

However, just then, the small truck driven by He Qingyuan got stuck in the mud, unable to free itself no matter what.

"Stuck!" He Qingyuan cursed, then grabbed his gun. "Get out! Let's fight them to the death!"

Old Han drained the strong liquor from his flask in one gulp, cursed viciously as well, and jumped out of the vehicle...

"Dorje! Dorje! Old He and the others are stuck!" Sampa, on the other side, spotted the situation through the rearview mirror and immediately shouted a warning.

Dorje took one look, hesitating not even a second: "Turn back!"

Sampa was even more decisive; in fact, he hadn't even waited for Dorje to issue orders. While warning Dorje, he had already turned the steering wheel and driven back.

"Let's fight them to the death!" Tso hurriedly pressed bullets with one hand, his eyes already red with fury.

He Qingyuan and the others, hiding near the truck's front, also saw the vehicle returning; they waved their hands and shouted loudly, signaling that there was no need to rescue them and urging them to flee immediately.

But there was no time for many words; Sampa simply drove diagonally into the mud, positioning their vehicle alongside the small truck to serve as cover.

At this point, speaking so much nonsense was useless; He Qingyuan and the others merely held their guns, firing aimed shots at the poachers.

The poachers in the distance, seeing that Dorje and the others had stopped due to being stuck, slowed their six vehicles, fanned out in a semicircle, and half-surrounded Dorje's group. From over a hundred meters away, they fired shot by shot toward them.

They weren't fools; they were here to kill Dorje, not to be killed by him. The mountain patrol team still possessed the ability to resist. Anyway, with ample supplies and Dorje's group trapped by their stuck vehicles, unable to move, the poachers naturally felt no rush; Dorje and the others were as good as dead.

They just fired aimed shots, practicing their marksmanship. Like a cat playing with a mouse, they were simply toying with them.

"Dorje, they intend to trap us until we die!" He Qingyuan said.

"I have no solution either. Even if we escaped from here on foot, without vehicles and without food, we still couldn't make it out of Bolamula."

Dorje sighed. "I have failed everyone. This time, I was indeed too underestimating of the enemy; I never expected them to be so audacious, reaching such a frenzied, conscience-less degree."

Everyone fell silent, momentarily unsure what to say; death had simply arrived too suddenly.

At this moment, He Qingyuan smiled. "Actually, it doesn't matter if we die. Li Yongqiang and his gang haven't paid us yet. The college student is still outside; when the time comes, he will definitely fight for us. Our families will receive some money, so we won't have died in vain."

Old Han nodded. "The college student is indeed good; I just fear the county authorities might refuse to honor their commitment when the time comes."

Once this topic was broached, everyone began discussing cheerfully what would happen after their deaths, showing no fear of dying.

Only Tso, having been injured, lost his spirit once things quieted down, speaking even less. He merely said that returning to the embrace of the Mountain God would make his father and mother happy.

Just as everyone had accepted the inevitable fate of death, a small truck drove over from the distance...

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