Chapter 116: A Place to Stay
Seeing Yun Yao walk out of the room, Qi Xia turned his gaze back to Chu Tianqiu.
"Can my teammates be released?"
"But that 'Ultimate Dao' member in your team..."
"I'll handle it."
Chu Tianqiu nodded. "I originally prepared a 'Welcome Party,' but it looks like that will have to be postponed for now."
He walked to the classroom door and opened it. Zhang Shan was standing not far outside.
"You guys done talking?" Zhang Shan paused mid-sentence as he stared at Chu Tianqiu's face. "Damn, how'd you get hurt?"
"This is nothing." Chu Tianqiu waved his hand. "Zhang Shan, it was all a misunderstanding just now. Release Qi Xia's teammates."
...
Qi Xia followed Zhang Shan to the second floor of the school, finding his teammates in the equipment room at the very end of the hallway.
Chu Tianqiu had been cautious enough not to lock them up. Instead, he had prepared some canned food and bottled water and arranged for a middle-aged woman to keep them company and chat.
Around the woman's neck hung both a Buddha amulet and a cross, suggesting a rather complicated faith.
At that moment, she was pulling Officer Li aside, telling him stories about how the gods in the village helped the police solve cases.
"Qi Xia, you're here?" Officer Li saw Qi Xia and stood up first, looking at him like a lifeline.
"You guys okay?" Qi Xia asked.
"What could happen to us?" Officer Li looked at Qi Xia with confusion. "The question is, why are you just showing up now?"
"I went to see Chu Tianqiu." Qi Xia said, then scanned the group and asked, "Qiao Jiajin didn't come?"
"Isn't that thug with you?" Officer Li asked.
Zhang Shan, standing behind them, shook his head helplessly. "That mad dog is in another room. I told him from the start that if he didn't fight, he'd get food and water. But he absolutely refused to listen."
Under his guidance, Qi Xia found Qiao Jiajin.
He looked perfectly fine, but he was furious.
"Hey! Conman Kid!" Qiao Jiajin was tied up thoroughly, yet his aura remained fierce. "Hurry up and untie me! Today I'm going to beat that big guy until he cries!"
Zhang Shan was getting annoyed by him too. "You with the tattooed arms, do you really think I'm just some paper tiger? If I don't use my real skills, do you actually believe you can take me down?"
"How would I know without trying?" Qiao Jiajin snorted coldly. "Conman Kid, why have you sided with the 'enemy'? Did they threaten or bribe you?"
"Not at all." Qi Xia shook his head. "Qiao Jiajin, these people were about to let you go. But you were too agitated, and they had no idea what to do with you."
"Agitated?! You're calling me agitated?!" Qiao Jiajin roared. "They tied me up, and I'm not supposed to be agitated?!"
"Qiao Jiajin, you also threw a few punches," Qi Xia said. "How about you apologize to them? That way you won't have to stay tied up so uncomfortably."
Zhang Shan found this hard to believe. Qiao Jiajin couldn't even manage "normal communication," so how could he possibly "apologize"?
"I'm sorry." Qiao Jiajin suddenly lowered his head and said. "I sincerely apologize to everyone. Please untie me now."
"Huh?!" Zhang Shan was stunned, pointing a finger at Qiao Jiajin. "I thought you had some principles, kid! How did you apologize so fast?"
"The moment I heard an apology would get me untied, I instantly felt that everything I did before was my fault." Qiao Jiajin grinned foolishly. "That's just how I am, I can bend and stretch as they say."
Once Qiao Jiajin was back with the group, everyone followed Zhang Shan's directions to the northernmost room on the first floor.
Chu Tianqiu had assigned a classroom to the nine of them.
Many daily necessities had already been placed inside the classroom in advance.
There were a few old but still clean quilts, a small supply of bottled water and canned food, two lighters, and a flashlight.
This floor seemed to house many people, with each team occupying their own classroom.
As dusk approached, many people were sitting in their classrooms chatting.
The living conditions here were worlds apart from Qi Xia's last experience of "surviving in the wilderness."
They entered the classroom and first spread out the bedding. Qiao Jiajin used an old iron basin to start a campfire in the center of the room.
Officer Li brought over some cans, opened them for everyone, and placed them near the iron basin to heat up.
The nine people sat together in a circle, quietly waiting. The atmosphere was somewhat silent.
Qi Xia lifted his head and looked at the men around him—Qiao Jiajin, Han Yimo, Officer Li, Dr. Zhao—and silently made his own calculations.
"Getting used to things?" Zhang Shan walked in from outside, looking at the nine people in the room. "We're a bit limited on space, so having you nine together might be a little cramped. Sorry about that."
"Brother Shan, thank you." Xiao Ran stood up and smiled continuously at Zhang Shan.
Officer Li stood up, nodded at Zhang Shan amiably, and said, "Buddy, you've arranged everything well. Thanks for the trouble... Got any cigarettes?"
"Cigarettes...?" Zhang Shan paused at the question, then pulled out half a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, a reluctant look on his face. "This is all I have..."
"Don't worry, don't worry." Officer Li naturally took that half pack of cigarettes. "I'm not one to complain. Thanks, man."
Seeing his "spiritual sustenance" taken away, Zhang Shan panicked a little. "Hey... buddy, at least leave me one!"
"I've been holding out for too long." Officer Li pulled out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, and lit it.
"Alright, fine." Zhang Shan shook his head. "You all get a good rest tonight. You'll probably have to go do a game tomorrow."
After seeing Zhang Shan off, Xiao Ran cast a cold glance at Officer Li.
"What's wrong?" Officer Li asked curiously.
"Could you not smoke in here?" Xiao Ran said.
"Oh, sure. I'll step out." Officer Li nodded.
He turned his head to look at Qi Xia and asked, "Want a cigarette?"
Qi Xia thought for a moment and took one.
He had distinctly told Officer Li that he hadn't smoked in a long time.
"Han Yimo, how about you?" Officer Li looked at Han Yimo.
"Huh?" Han Yimo didn't understand what Officer Li meant. He smiled and said, "I don't know how to smoke..."
"I'll teach you." Officer Li stuffed a cigarette directly into Han Yimo's mouth. "It's not hard. One blink and you'll get it."
Then he looked at the remaining people and said, "It's not really appropriate for the three of us to smoke here. There are non-smokers. Come with me."
Qi Xia understood Officer Li's intention now. He put his arm around Han Yimo's shoulder and followed Officer Li out into the hallway.
The three of them didn't speak, just kept carefully scanning their surroundings as they walked forward cautiously.
What they were about to discuss was too sensitive. To avoid "walls having ears," they had to find a safe place.
But in this vast school, where exactly was a truly safe place?
"Qi Xia, would the rooftop be safer?" Officer Li asked. "Or maybe the basement?"
"No." Qi Xia shook his head. "The center of the playground is safest."