jdhmnovel Chapter 272 Handover and Departure
Chapter 272 Handover and Departure
Yi Guang took the order and left, returning soon with several sturdy war horses. Meanwhile, Chen Feiyang and Liu Zishan had finished counting the supplies in the bandit den and came over to report to Lei Tao, "Captain Lei, there's quite a bit of supplies here, including food, clothing, and even some medicinal herbs. I guess they looted them from the local residents."
"These are the hard-earned money of the common people." Lei Tao frowned, his expression solemn. He stared at Chen Feiyang and said earnestly, "Feiyang, go to the county town immediately to report to the authorities. Say that we successfully wiped out a bandit den and captured not only the bandit leader but also several of his followers. In addition, the amount of seized supplies is huge, and it is impossible for us to handle it properly with just a few people. Tell the local authorities to send someone to take over immediately. Make sure to return all the food to the people, and make arrangements to send these rescued girls home safely. As for the remaining bandit captives, how to deal with them will still have to be done according to local rules. As for the credit, it will all be attributed to the authorities!"
Chen Feiyang was slightly stunned, a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes, and he couldn't help but ask, "Captain Lei, this is the bandit's nest that we worked so hard to take down. After all the effort, we just give the credit away like this. It's a shame, isn't it?"
Lei Tao patted Chen Feiyang on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Our goal is to save people and eliminate harm for the people, not to compete for credit. The most important thing is that the people can get back what belongs to them and these girls can return home safely. Besides, with the local authorities stepping in, subsequent matters can be handled more thoroughly, and the people can return to normal life more quickly."
Chen Feiyang nodded thoughtfully, with a relieved look on his face: "Captain Lei, I understand, I'll go right away!" After that, he turned around, mounted a fast horse, raised the whip, and galloped towards the county town.
Looking at Chen Feiyang's receding figure, Lei Tao breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to look at Meng Xiaoyu and the other rescued women, his eyes full of tenderness and concern: "Don't be afraid, everyone. We will be able to send you home soon." Meng Xiaoyu gently leaned against Lei Tao, tears of emotion flashing in her eyes: "Lei Tao, thank you, thanks to you..."
While waiting for the arrival of county officers and soldiers, Lei Tao and his team members stayed in the bandit's lair, comforting the frightened woman and guarding the kidnapped bandits.
Soon after, a noisy sound of footsteps and horse hooves could be heard in the distance. Lei Tao stood up and looked into the distance. He saw a group of soldiers, led by Chen Feiyang, rushing towards them in a mighty procession. Leading the group was a middle-aged man in a Mao suit, slightly portly, with a dignified expression. He was the local county magistrate, Li Mingyuan.
Li Mingyuan walked quickly to Lei Tao, with a polite smile on his face, and extended his hand, saying: "I have long heard of your great name. This time, it is thanks to you warriors who have rid the people of this evil."
Lei Tao stepped forward, reached out his hand and firmly shook the hand that Li Mingyuan offered him. His face looked sincere, and his tone was calm as he said, "County Magistrate Li, you are too polite. We just did what everyone would do when faced with such a situation. These supplies belong to the people living nearby. Their lives are already difficult, and having these things stolen by bandits has made things even worse. So we hope to return these supplies to the people as soon as possible so that they can maintain their lives."
At this point, Lei Tao paused for a moment, then continued, "In addition, we have captured some bandits alive and have tied them up, waiting for the government to deal with them. These bandits committed crimes and must be punished accordingly so that the people can be given an explanation. And those girls who were rescued have experienced these terrible things and have been hurt both physically and mentally. I hope the county can arrange personnel to send them home safely so that they can reunite with their families and get over this terrible experience as soon as possible."
After hearing this, Li Mingyuan nodded solemnly and said, "Don't worry, Mr. Lei, I will make sure to arrange this matter." He turned to the adjutant behind him and quickly gave orders: "Organize people immediately, classify and register the supplies, and return them to the people door to door. Make sure that no one is wrong. Select a few reliable brothers to escort these girls home, and be sure to pay attention to safety on the road. Also, escort all the bandit captives back to the county jail. Don't make any mistakes!" The adjutant stood at attention and saluted. After receiving the order, he quickly turned around to make arrangements.
The officers and soldiers sprang into action, escorting the bound bandits out of their hiding places one by one. Their heads drooped, their faces dusty and dusty, their former arrogance gone, though they occasionally uttered curses. The leading bandit leader, held on either side by two sturdy officers and soldiers, glared at Lei Tao fiercely, his eyes filled with resentment, but he had no choice but to submit.
The escorting officers and soldiers, armed with rifles, surrounded the bandits, forming a tight escort. At the front of the team, an experienced officer rode a tall horse, his expression stern, always alert to the surrounding movements, preventing other bandits from coming to the rescue.
At this moment, a soldier trotted over and whispered something in Li Mingyuan's ear. Li Mingyuan's expression changed slightly, then returned to normal. He turned to Lei Tao and said, "I'm sorry, there's a small situation in the team that I need to deal with. Please wait for a moment, Mr. Lei."
Lei Tao nodded, watching Li Mingyuan hurried away, feeling a sense of unease. He exchanged a glance with Chen Feiyang, who understood and quietly winked at Liu Zishan and Yi Guang. The three of them dispersed discreetly, warily observing the surroundings.
After a while, Li Mingyuan came back with an apologetic smile on his face. "I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, Mr. Lei. It was just a small incident that has been resolved. This time, it's all thanks to you. When I report to my superiors, I will definitely ask for credit for you."
Lei Tao waved his hand and said, "County Magistrate Li, there's no need for rewards. We just hope the people can live a peaceful life. Oh, and I have one more thing to remind you. Although this bandit den has been destroyed, there may still be scattered bandits around. I hope the county can strengthen public security."
Li Mingyuan responded with a smile: "Of course, if you need anything in the future, just let me know." As everyone was busy, supplies were loaded onto the carriage one after another, and the rescued girls also boarded the carriage to go home.
Lei Tao helped Meng Xiaoyu onto the horse and said, "Let's go to the county town and find an inn to stay in first. You've been traveling for so long, it's time for you to have a good rest." Meng Xiaoyu nodded slightly, her eyes full of fatigue, but she felt more at ease because she was with Lei Tao.
Lei Tao mounted his horse and sat behind Meng Xiaoyu, gently holding her waist to prevent her from being jolted along. He said to the others, "Brothers, let's go to the county town." He squeezed his legs against the horse's belly and galloped off in the direction of the county town. Seeing this, the others immediately followed. The sound of horses' hooves echoed in the silent forest, and the dust they kicked up filled the air.
When they were almost at the county town, Lei Tao suddenly pulled the reins and turned to Chen Feiyang, Liu Zishan, and Yi Guang and said, "Brothers, we're about to enter the county town. The situation there is complicated, and a spear is too conspicuous and could easily cause trouble. Everyone, hand over your spears and I'll keep them."
Chen Feiyang immediately removed the spear from his back and handed it to Lei Tao, saying, "Brother Lei, I'll do as you say." Liu Zishan and Yi Guang also quickly untied their spears and handed them to Lei Tao. Lei Tao took the spears, tied them neatly, wrapped them in cloth, and placed them on the horse's back (actually, he had already stored the spears in the space of the Bagua Top Gyro). The group then continued on their way, stopping at the county gate.