Throwing away his gun was like handing his life over to the enemy.

Zhen Congyun stared at him.

Ling Shu was also staring at him.

Yue Dingtang saw Ling Shu shake his head slowly towards him, a barely noticeable movement.

If his marksmanship was fast enough, he could shoot a hole in Zhen Congyun's head before she pulled the trigger.

But that would be gambling with Ling Shu's life.

Judging from Zhen Congyun's previous shot that injured Ling Shu's leg, her marksmanship was also trained.

A person with agility was not scary, but a person who was also a lunatic was.

Yue Dingtang couldn't be sure if she would go crazy and retaliate before dying, even shooting Ling Shu in the back of the head.

The dim light created a small bright spot.

Even under this color of light, Ling Shu's complexion was still pale. 

His lips were tightly pursed, like ashes about to burn out.

Dry, obscure, with an ominous premonition, they slowly withered in early spring.

Yue Dingtang's heart skipped a beat.

He wrapped all his softness under a cruel and calm facade, like a still dead water, never letting Zhen Congyun see any clues.

When speculation becomes reality, no one can make the most accurate judgment of what a madman might do.

But not now--

He couldn't afford this risk.

Yue Dingtang threw the gun on the ground.

The sound was unusually harsh.

Zhen Congyun showed a satisfied smile.

So far, she had won this gamble.

She bet that Yue Dingtang wouldn't give up Ling Shu.

But obviously, she didn't expect to win so easily.

Zhen Congyun's intuition was right, and she felt that the truth might be far more exaggerated than she thought. 

"Come here, tie his hands, the rope goes to the second person on your left, and you lead the way."

Yue Dingtang didn't know the way, but Ling Shu did. She had Yue Dingtang lead the way while Ling Shu followed and directed. Even if they encountered any danger, Yue Dingtang would be the first to step into it, and if Ling Shu didn't want him to die, he wouldn't lead him astray.

It was a win-win situation.

Yue Dingtang knew that Zhen Congyun was very clever. Only a clever person could serve as her father's secretary. 

When she used her intelligence for scheming and plotting, she was even more formidable.

Ling Shu slowly stood up.

"Hurry up!" Zhen Congyun was impatient. 

Ling Shu forced a bitter smile, "Miss Zhen, you shot my leg, your Ivanov kicked my ribs, My arm was shot with a bullet, and now my hands are tied. Why don't you come and try, see how fast I can get up?"

Under the watchful eye of Zhen Congyun, Yue Dingtang couldn't make any small movements. 

The rope was tied tightly, and Ling Shu couldn't use his hands, so he could only crawl up the wall bit by bit, limping and in excruciating pain.

"Ling Shu, do you know what I hate most about you? It's this fake helplessness you always put on. People who don't know any better would think you're in such a difficult situation. Do you remember the day I invited you to dance? From the moment you made that kind of reaction, I already hated you. What kind of person are you, still daring to put on airs with me!" As Zhen Congyun thought more and more, she became angrier and angrier. 

She kicked Ling Shu's knee from behind, causing him to kneel down on one knee.

Yue Dingtang stopped in front and didn't turn around. 

He heard Ling Shu's bitter laughter.

"Miss Zhen, I am a poor and powerless boy who originally wanted to freeload. Unexpectedly, you took notice of me with your discerning eyes. I am both honored and afraid of others' jealousy. Isn't it natural to feel uneasy?" Ling Shu said.

Zhen Congyun replied coldly, "You say you're honored, but in your heart, you look down on me." 

Ling Shu took a deep breath and said slowly, "Miss Zhen, forgive me for being blunt, but at a time like this, it seems unwise to quibble over trivial matters. Even if I have offended you, we are all in the same boat now. Even if you take the item and kill me when the Japanese come, you won't be able to escape."

Zhen Congyun sneered, "That's up to you, Ling Shu. Yue Dingtang sacrificed his chance to escape for you. Don't you have anything to say?"

Ling Shu replied, "Miss Zhen, please calm down. I don't know anything. I was just following Old Yuan, who has disappeared now. I'm worried too..."

Before he could finish, gunshots rang out.

Yue Dingtang grunted and stumbled back, clutching his arm. 

"After three days, the casket of Deputy Mayor Jin's mother will briefly stop at Guanyin Temple. All we need to do is move the contents of the box into the casket, and we can smoothly arrive at the train station. As Deputy Mayor Jin, even the Japanese will give face, and there will be no one to stop us. Deputy Mayor Jin's mothers dying wish was to return to her roots. Her hometown is in Beijing, and this casket will eventually be transported from Fengtian to Beijing. Once we arrive in Beijing, without the Japanese surveillance, it will be much easier to retrieve the valuables from the coffin." Ling Shu spoke without hesitation, almost finishing his words in one breath.

Zhen Congyun was very satisfied. "Wouldn't it have been better if you had been this straightforward earlier? Why did Deputy Mayor Jin help you?"

Ling Shu replied, "I don't know. It was Old Yuan..."

Zhen Congyun aimed her gun at Yue Dingtang's other arm once again.

Ling Shu sighed, "I really don't know. But now, Northeast China is nominally Manchukuo. The former Qing emperor was invited to rule, and it is said that he will ascend the throne by the end of this year or early next year at the latest. Jin, the deputy mayor, is surnamed Aisin Gioro and is a close relative and elder of the former Qing emperor. In the past, he was a legitimate imperial relative and nobleman. With such a status, even if he is just a puppet as the deputy mayor, there is still some respect and courtesy to be shown. It's already been one day, so it should be two days later when we find out."

Zhen Congyun narrowed her eyes, "I see." 

Currently, Fengtian is experiencing heavy rain and the Japanese are conducting extensive searches. 

Ordinary items cannot leave the city, let alone two boxes of treasures. 

However, if they have the mother of Deputy Mayor Jin as a shield, the plan may still be achievable.

Yue Dingtang reached into his pocket.

"What are you doing?" asked Zhen Congyun.

"Stopping bleeding with gauze. I brought it from the hospital before. Let's stop the bleeding. Otherwise, even if you don't beat me to death, I will die from excessive bleeding. How can I help you move the boxes in two days?" Yue Dingtang remained calm and took out two rolls of gauze, throwing one to Ling Shu.

Zhen Congyun watched them coldly, but did not stop them.

"After bandaging, get up and lead the way. Don't pretend to be dead. How much further?" Her voice was like a death sentence, firmly imprinted on Ling Shu's back. 

"After crossing this ditch, there is a stone gate ahead. It cannot be opened directly. Someone needs to go to the dead end next to it and get a stone that fits perfectly into the groove under the stone gate to open it," said Ling Shu.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" exclaimed Zhen Congyun in anger.

She looked like she was about to shoot Ling Shu again at any moment.

Ling Shu defended himself, "You didn't ask! I had to show you the stone gate so that you would believe me. Otherwise, you wouldn't have trusted anything I said."

"How did you know the way to open it?" asked Zhen Congyun. 

Ling Shu said, "Old Yuan told me that the craftsman who made this stone door had an elder in his family who had built a tomb for Empress Dowager Cixi. Although Tang Yulin's secret passage is not a tomb, it has a special purpose for him. He also had to consider the storage of wealth and personal safety, so he created a mechanism similar to a tomb. Unfortunately, he didn't get to use it, but it ended up benefiting Old Master Guan."

As they spoke, the horse lantern illuminated a small halo within a limited range ahead.

Sure enough, Zhen Congyun saw a stone door.

It was intact, without a keyhole, but with a small semicircular groove at the bottom.

"Only one of you can go, and bring the stone back to open the door."

"I'll go."

"I'll go."

The two almost spoke at the same time.

Zhen Congyun said, "Yue Dingtang will go." 

She didn't do it for Ling Shu's injury, but because she was afraid that Yue Dingtang would stay and she wouldn't be able to control him.

After all, Ling Shu was seriously injured and was a bargaining chip in her hands.

"Miss Zhen, Old Yue doesn't know the way and doesn't know where the stone is. Secondly, I'm afraid he'll leave and leave me here to be kneaded and flattened by you. Wouldn't that be more miserable?"

Zhen Congyun said, "He's willing to put down his gun for you, but you don't believe him?"

Ling Shu said, "You won't kill us until you see something. But if there's a chance for us to escape now, Old Yue may not be unmoved. Miss Zhen, the human heart cannot withstand temptation. I have already repaid the favor just now. Now that I am injured, I want to run but can't go far. Let me go find the thing, at least I can walk away and breathe, without having to be with you all the time." When Zhen Congyun heard the last sentence, she wished she could shoot his other leg.

She really disliked Ling Shu, but she couldn't tolerate Ling Shu disliking her just as much.

"Yue Dingtang, you go. "

Yue Dingtang looked deeply at Ling Shu, said nothing, and turned back to walk.

"That road is a dead end. You don't have to go all the way. The stone is probably embedded in the corner of the wall about fifty steps away to the right. Old Yuan put the stone there."

Yue Dingtang nodded and gradually walked away.

"Miss Zhen, can I sit down and rest for a while?"

Without waiting for an answer, Ling Shu sat directly against the wall.

The gunshot wound made every breath feel like fire, and he knew he was probably running a fever without even touching his forehead.

His throat was so dry that even speaking was a struggle. 

As far as Ling Shu was concerned, if he made it back alive, he would definitely report to De Xing Guan three times a day for a good meal. 

Of course, Yue Dingtang would foot the bill. 

That is, if they could make it back alive. It seemed like a bit of a luxury to have that wish come true at the moment. 

Ling Shu sighed inwardly. 

This place in the northeast was really getting the best of him. 

For the first time, he hadn't been defeated and killed in battle, but this time it seemed like he might die young. 

Suddenly, Zhen Congyun threw a black object at him. 

Without thinking, Ling Shu caught it. It couldn't possibly be a bomb, or it would have killed her too. 

To his surprise, it was a military water bottle, still filled with water. 

Without hesitation, Ling Shu opened the lid and chugged the ice-cold water. 

It went down his throat and into his stomach, causing him to shiver and become completely alert from head to toe. 

The whole person was like withered grass on the brink of death, but suddenly revived like a life-giving rain. 

The refreshing feeling made Ling Shu let out a comfortable sigh. 

He knew that Zhen Congyun wasn't suddenly being kind, but was rather afraid of him dying. 

If he died, it wouldn't matter, but if he failed in his mission, it would be troublesome. 

Ling Shu smiled and said, "Thank you, Miss Zhen. I haven't finished drinking yet, there's still some left." 

He tossed the water bottle back to her. Zhen Congyun coldly snorted and took it. Although Ling Shu quenched his thirst, his injuries didn't improve at all, and his body was still uncomfortable. 

Ling Shu was so weak that he couldn't even lift a finger, so he closed his eyes to rest. 

However, Zhen Congyun had no intention of letting him sleep. 

"Old Yuan is the trusted aide and steward of old master Guan," she said. 

This woman was both ruthless and shrewd, deliberately not giving him a moment's rest, even if it meant denying him the chance to recuperate. Ling Shu had no choice but to muster his strength to deal with her. 

"That's right."

Zhen Congyun asked, "How did you two get together when you have nothing in common? And why would he trust you?"

This question had been lingering in her mind since she found out about Ling Shu and Old Yuan's collusion. 

Although both of them were insignificant in her eyes, Zhen Congyun didn't want to overlook any possible fatal doubts in her current situation.

Ivanov died, and all the people he brought with him died as well. 

Yue Dingtang and Ling Shu were not easy to deal with, but if it weren't for their mutual restraint, she might have been the one who died.

Zhen Congyun suddenly missed the bustling Zhen family in Shanghai. Although that home was like a luxurious cage, raising her like a canary, at least there was personal safety, unlike now, where she was wandering around in life and death.

Comparing the two options, Zhen Congyun didn't know which one was better for her.

She hated her family and tried her best to escape.

But after actually escaping, she found that the outside world was vast and dangerous.

It seemed like a long time had passed before she heard the other person's voice.

"Because I once served in the Northeast Army and Old Yuan was my comrade."