No, he’s going off track.
In this era when a simple touch could get a couple married and issuing certificates, Captain how can you be holding her like that?!
Wait, no, his train of thought has gone off again!
Captain, didn’t you just ask where the goods were? Why aren’t you asking now?
Jiang Feng wondered: was it his brain acting up, or had their captain’s brain gone haywire?
Lin Yinyin wasn’t surprised being carried by Li Jinye.
This man looked cold, but that kettle proved he wasn’t heartless. Besides, he had already been carried by Niu Peng and the others before, and they shared a package of braised pork knuckle, so there was some camaraderie.
Li Jinye didn’t know why, but looking at the exhausted girl, he felt a trace of pity.
He had seen her play the pitiful girl with mischief in her eyes; seen her holding a basin of meat, lively with a curved smile; seen her tear apart her relatives with ruthless force, and rebel with that blood-stained gift but this time, maybe she was truly exhausted, too tired even to pretend, utterly seeking support.
After being set down, Lin Yinyin pretended to pull a candy from her pocket and popped it into her mouth.
Mmm, sweet!
Not the thick-chested sweetness of a soldier, but the pure sweetness of candy.
Once her blood sugar stabilized, she said, “Soldier, the goods you’re looking for are still in that room. During the chaos, I moved them to the pile of firewood in the kitchen.”
Li Jinye understood.
He had been watching her and hadn’t seen her take the goods out. But Boss Du was certain the goods were gone. When he went in to check, the space under the bed was indeed empty.
He had thought she might have hidden the important parts on her person. Now it seemed plausible that, as she said, they were in the kitchen’s firewood pile.
“Are these goods important to you?” Lin Yinyin asked.
“Yes.” Li Jinye’s tone turned serious. “They’re national treasures.”
Lin Yinyin had a sense of the situation and waved her hand. “Alright then. You go get the goods; I’ll rest here for a while.”
“Okay.” Li Jinye didn’t ask further and turned to leave.
The courtyard instantly fell silent.
Jiang Feng hesitated a moment before speaking: “Miss… what’s your name?”
He was genuinely curious this girl had earned the captain’s special attention. Who exactly was she?
Lin Yinyin now had some strength and her mind was clear. She knew that if the man returned and didn’t find the “treasure,” it would be trouble.
She needed to leave quickly.
She looked at Jiang Feng calmly. “My name is Lin Yinyin. And you, sir?”
“My name is Jiang Feng.”
“Mm, Brother Jiang, I’ve been weak since childhood, and just now I exhausted myself running. My blood sugar is low; I need to eat something quickly. Do you have anything to eat?”
Saying this, Lin Yinyin collapsed weakly, looking like she was about to pass out.
“Oh, there are steamed buns in the room. The deputy bought some earlier.”
“Thank you, Brother Jiang. Could you bring them to me?”
Jiang Feng: “……”
Bring them?
He pointed to his bound leg.
Lin Yinyin pretended not to see, feigning helplessness. “Ah! I’m so weak, I have no strength at all.”
Jiang Feng: “……” Remembering how the captain carried her, he gritted his teeth.
Fine, it’s just getting a steamed bun! They’re soldiers helping civilians is their duty.
He gripped a chair and painstakingly stood. His leg had several fractures; every step was painful.
He stole a glance at Lin Yinyin, who was staring up at the sky!
Fine, he’d better just get the buns.
As he turned and lifted his leg, a dull pain struck the back of his neck.
Lin Yinyin’s reflexes were quick; she caught the limping soldier, preventing further injury to his leg.
Once he was stabilized, she dashed into the kitchen.
Fortunately, there was a pile of firewood. She hid the two boxes from her space within it.
She thought: as long as that man isn’t stupid, he’ll come check here.
Though it pained her to give up the treasures, the soldier said they were “national treasures.” She had no choice but to let go.
She was a patriotic young bud she wasn’t afraid of trouble!
Yes, these treasures weren’t important! She wouldn’t feel regret or sadness!
But… should she peek inside the box?
Just one glance?
Seeing what the treasure looked like isn’t illegal, right?
“No, no, no, no!”
She slapped herself. Patriotic duty must be respected how could she harbor improper thoughts toward national treasures?
Lin Yinyin suppressed her curiosity and, though her body ached, left the kitchen.
Next stop: the commune hospital. She needed to “add a meal” for Lin Dayong.
When Li Jinye returned to Courtyard 5, the battle with Zhan Yang was nearly over.
These black market dealers were secretive and skilled at hiding, but in a frontal fight, they were no match for trained soldiers.
Now they were squatting in two rows, hands bound behind their backs.
Li Jinye didn’t look at them and went straight to the kitchen.
The firewood pile was torn apart; nothing was there.
“Where are the goods?” His eyes were ice as he stared at Boss Ke and Boss Du.
Both spoke in unison: “That woman took them!”
“Hmph!” Li Jinye didn’t waste words. He signaled the deputy and went straight to the original small courtyard.
Upon entering, he saw Jiang Feng passed out.
He rushed into the kitchen, tore apart the corner of the firewood pile, and indeed found two wooden boxes hidden there.
The copper locks on the boxes were intact, without a trace of tampering.
Li Jinye’s lips curved. He didn’t know how Lin Yinyin had managed it, but her heart was pure she was a patriotic person.
He personally unlocked the boxes. Inside, the crossbow components were neatly arranged.
On top was a slightly yellowed blueprint. Though its corners were worn, the markings were still clear.
“Captain, it’s really the God Arm Crossbow!” The deputy, who had appeared, exclaimed.
“Yes.” Li Jinye’s eyes also glimmered with excitement.
The strongest sniper crossbow of the cold weapon era they had finally found it.
“During the Battle of Yancheng, each of Yue Fei’s Beiwai Army was equipped with one. Using long-range precision, they decimated the Jin army.
These crossbows were portable, had long range, high power, and incredible accuracy. With modifications, they rivaled rifles and cannons.”
The deputy’s voice trembled. “No wonder the general ordered this blueprint found at all costs.
With the nation’s shortage of firearms, modifying the God Arm Crossbow while keeping its portability and integrating modern tactics would make it a deadly weapon on the battlefield!”
Li Jinye agreed. With spies active recently, he could not let the blueprint fall into the wrong hands.
He carefully rolled it up and tucked it into the inner pocket of his uniform over his heart.