ryethenovel Chapter 28 Rifle Team
Chapter 28 Rifle Team
Fang Jianqiu, carrying Xiao Lin, quickly walked to the chestnut horse.
The mixed Quarter Horse was idly gnawing on tree bark when it saw someone approaching and snorted.
Xiao Lin nestled in Fang Jianqiu's arms, curiously watching the big guy.
She had never seen a horse this close before, let alone ridden one.
Fang Jianqiu supported Xiaolin with one hand and took off the two heavy winter coats with the other.
He unfolded one of the dark gray coats, its furry collar gleaming warmly in the moonlight.
"Here, put this on."
He draped his coat over Kobayashi like a cloak.
Looking at the brand-new and expensive coat, and then at her own dirty, tattered clothes and mud-covered hands, Xiaolin shrank back a little.
"Brother Fang...this outfit is so nice...I'll get it dirty..."
Her voice was so soft it was like a mosquito's hum, and her eyes were full of inferiority.
Fang Jianqiu didn't say anything, but gently and irresistibly wrapped her up in his arms.
The coat was huge; it was like a sleeping bag to ten-year-old Xiaolin.
Fang Jianqiu carefully buttoned up each button, then turned up the collar, finally wrapping her up completely, leaving only half of her head and a pair of big eyes showing.
Fang Jianqiu straightened her collar again to block the night wind.
"Is it still warm?"
Xiaolin nestled inside the coat, feeling the unprecedented warmth and envelopment, and nodded vigorously:
"It's warm...like being by a fireplace."
"That's good."
Fang Jianqiu opened the medicine box full of medicines.
He rummaged through the contents and pulled out a bottle of dark brown liquid with the words "fever reducer syrup" written on it.
This is a potent antipyretic and analgesic containing quinine, which is very common in this era and its effects are quite immediate, but the taste is really not good.
Fang Jianqiu pulled out the cork, took a sniff, and a bitter medicinal smell hit his nose.
"Kobayashi, open your mouth. Drink this."
He brought the bottle opening to Xiaolin's lips.
"This medicine is very bitter, but it will cure you once you drink it. You must hang in there."
When Xiaolin smelled that scent, her face instantly scrunched up, but after glancing at Fang Jianqiu, she obediently opened her mouth.
Glug, glug.
Brown liquid was poured into his mouth.
Xiaolin's brows furrowed more and more, and tears welled up in her eyes. Her body instinctively tried to resist, but she didn't utter a sound and swallowed every last drop of the bitter liquid.
Fang Jianqiu looked at the half-empty medicine bottle and wiped the medicine stains from the corner of her mouth with his collar.
"Yes, Kobayashi is very strong. Let's go now."
He glanced at Xiaolin's slightly flushed face; perhaps she was still a little sleepy.
"Go to sleep if you're tired. This medicine will make you sleepy. Once you've woken up, we'll leave."
Xiaolin simply shook her head, her eyes stubbornly refusing to close.
She turned her head to the side and looked at Jack behind her, who was already somewhat weak and was still groaning on the ground.
"I won't sleep. I want to see him suffer for my sister!"
Although her voice was weak, her tone was unusually firm.
Fang Jianqiu smiled and didn't say anything more to dissuade him.
He fastened the medicine box back up and hung it on the side of the saddle. Then, holding Xiaolin, who was wrapped up like a dumpling, he stepped into the stirrup with his left foot and gracefully mounted the horse.
He grabbed the rope that was binding Jack and tied it securely to the iron ring on the back of the saddle.
"Alright, let's watch him suffer together!"
Fang Jianqiu held the reins with one hand and wrapped the other arm around Xiaolin, who was wrapped in his coat, securing her firmly in front of him.
"drive!"
He gently squeezed his legs together.
The chestnut horse started to trot.
To take care of the sick Xiaolin, Fang Jianqiu did not let the horse run too fast, but kept it at a steady trot speed.
But for Jack, who was being dragged behind, it was already hell.
"Ah! Ah! Stop! Please stop!"
The rope snapped straight instantly.
Jack was suddenly pulled to the ground.
The road surface here is a compacted, hard dirt road, with many gravel and dead branches scattered on it.
His body rubbed against the rough road surface, making a teeth-grinding screeching sound.
His right arm, which had already been broken by Fang Jianqiu, slammed and bruised on the ground, causing him so much pain that he almost fainted.
"I have money! I'll give you everything! Let me go!"
Jack screamed and begged for mercy, his voice filled with desperate pleas.
He desperately tried to grip the ground with both hands to slow his slide, but his nails were quickly worn down and it was no use.
The clothes he was wearing were quickly worn out.
Next is the skin.
The excruciating pain of being cut with a dull knife drove him mad.
The skin on his back, thighs, and buttocks was gradually worn away, revealing red muscle tissue, leaving a long trail of blood on the road.
Jack's screams and pleas for mercy came from behind, each one more agonizing than the last.
Xiaolin nestled in Fang Jianqiu's arms. Because her coat collar blocked her view, she couldn't see the specific horrific scene behind her, but she could hear the continuous wails.
She looked up, but her view was blocked by Fang Jianqiu's resolute chin.
"Brother Fang, do you know what that bad guy is saying?"
She asked softly, her voice filled with curiosity, not fear.
"Him? He's begging for mercy, begging us to let him go."
"Does he realize he's wrong?"
Kobayashi blinked.
"No, he just knew he was going to die."
"Hmm... Brother Fang, you're so smart..."
Xiaolin nodded as if she understood, her voice growing softer and softer, more and more ethereal.
The effects of the medicine kicked in, and once the tension from being under control for so long was released, drowsiness washed over me like a tidal wave.
After she said that, she fell silent.
Fang Jianqiu looked down.
The girl in my arms had closed her eyes, and her breathing had become steady and long; she had fallen asleep.
The wailing of the foreigner behind him changed from heart-wrenching screams to weak groans, and finally disappeared completely, leaving only the dull thud of a body being dragged on the ground.
Fang Jianqiu looked back.
Jack was no longer moving, his body a bloody mess, it was hard to tell whether he had fainted or had already died.
"Get lost."
Fang Jianqiu drew his military knife from his waist and swung it backhand.
"collapse."
The rope snapped instantly.
The rotting corpse rolled into the roadside bushes.
Fang Jianqiu sheathed the knife and wrapped Xiaolin's coat tighter to make sure it was airtight before giving the reins another tug.
"drive!"
The chestnut horse strained with all four hooves, finally picking up speed, and galloped through the night like an arrow released from a bow.
He needs to find Ye Lang and Brother Xiao first.
He knew that place, of course; it was near the abandoned mill north of the plantation, the backup hiding place that Xiao Yuanshan had mentioned before.
Then he led them directly away via the main road, which was his original plan.
Furthermore, when the fat man was punishing the Hans in the kitchen earlier, he inadvertently revealed some information in his ramblings... a so-called rifle squad would come to provide support from the southern valley entrance.
This further solidified his resolve to leave the main road.
"However, one horse might not be enough."
Fang Jianqiu was making plans in his mind.
"I hope Brother Xiao, with his old bones, can still ride a horse..."
Using the bright moonlight to orient himself, he spurred his horse and sped towards the location where Xiao Yuanshan was hiding.
......
Meanwhile, in the countryside, about ten kilometers away from the Vepio plantation.
This is a hilly area with complex terrain, full of rocks and bushes.
A troop of cavalry was resting in an open area.
"Boss, a whistle has been sent from headquarters."
A cavalryman with a full beard pointed into the distance and shouted.
The white man in the lead was sitting on a large rock, wiping the rifle in his hand.
His name was White, and he was the leader of this rifle squad.
"Hmm? At this time? Let's call him over."
White frowned and slung the rifle over his shoulder.
Soon, a whistleman riding a black horse came running over. The two didn't exchange any pleasantries, and didn't even bother to dismount; they started talking right away.
The whistle whispered a few words and handed White a note.
White looked at it, a satisfied smile spreading across his face, and nodded.
Not long after, the whistleman rode away and disappeared into the night.
White stood up, clapped his hands, and drew his teammates' attention.
"Hey guys! Don't just stand there! I have good news!"
The group consisted of about a dozen people, all tall, burly white men. Upon hearing their leader's call, they all got up from the ground.
They weren't the kind of plantation overseers who were only good at whipping people.
These people are clearly much better equipped.
Most of them carried a Springfield trapdoor rifle on their backs, which was the standard issue equipment of the U.S. Army, known for its high accuracy and long range.
There were also a few guys who were holding the latest French-made Lebel bolt-action rifles, pulling the bolts and making a crisp clicking sound.
Even the pistols at their waists were all large-caliber revolvers from Colt or Smith & Wesson.
Each horse also had two or three spears stuck in its saddle.
"We just received a notification that we have an extra task."
White crumpled the note in his hand into a ball and casually threw it on the ground.
"Ten kilometers away, that fat guy named Hans's plantation has rioted, and it seems that they've even been attacked at his doorstep. He's in a real panic."
"Really? They couldn't even handle a few piglets? They got beaten to a pulp?"
"Who cares! You all know what this means, right?"
White grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth:
"That means more money! And it's our favorite job! Time to go suppress riots!"
Upon hearing this, the group of killers cheered instantly.
"Great! Now I have enough money to go to Honolulu and find the best girls!"
"Haha! Money doesn't matter, as long as there are yellow-skinned pigs to beat!"
Some cavalrymen excitedly waved their sabers, while others fired a shot into the air.
"Alright, alright! Shut up, all of you!"
White raised his hand to suppress their excessive excitement:
"But we can't just ignore the job of capturing slaves."
"what?"
The people below immediately began to wail again.