PDLP Chapter 40 Big News, A Stream
Chapter 40 Big News, A Stream
He was an ordinary-looking young man, wearing round-framed glasses and a faded old suit, looking like a junior clerk who had just finished get off work.
But he was actually an intern reporter for the Honolulu Evening Post, named Lem.
As a junior reporter who spends all his time thinking about making a big news story to get a promotion, he has a natural sensitivity to these sudden and sensational words.
"They're all dead?" "Captain?"
The two words themselves are attractive enough, but when you add White's leather jacket that smells of gunpowder and blood, and that expression that looks like his whole family has died, it becomes even more tempting.
Lem calmly put down the newspaper, picked up the barely touched beer in front of him, and pretended to be drunk and want to move to a different spot for some fresh air.
He stood up unsteadily and moved to an empty seat closer to White's table.
He was cautious and didn't dare get too close. After all, the revolvers hanging on those guys' waists were no mere decorations. These guys were clearly desperate criminals who lived on the edge. If he was caught eavesdropping, he could really die.
He had his back to White's table, but his ears were perked up like a rabbit's.
Amidst the noisy background sounds, a few intermittent keywords still managed to reach his ears.
"...That idiot Hans..."
"...It's all over...more than eighteen...gone..."
"There's only one... who isn't human... who's practically a demon..."
"...Headquarters...must provide compensation..."
Lem's hand holding the glass trembled slightly, and the beer almost spilled.
Hans? More than a dozen dead? A demon?
As he pieced the fragments together, Lem felt his heart begin to pound violently, as if it were about to leap out of his throat.
He had a premonition.
This is the big news he's been waiting for!
He knew the name Hans; he was an agent for the Viepior Plantation, a local tyrant with connections in both the legitimate and underworld circles. What could have happened to cause such a disastrous turn of events, even inflicting heavy casualties on what appeared to be an elite mercenary force?
Lem didn't listen any further; those few words were enough for him to sketch out a rough outline.
He was going straight to the Wipio Plantation to get firsthand intelligence!
He downed the beer in his glass in one gulp, then casually paid the bill and left.
Little did he know that this news would be far more shocking than he had imagined.
It could even affect the already delicate political landscape of Honolulu.
............
Inside a wooden cabin deep in the rainforest.
"So, if we don't want to live like savages in these deep mountains, we should first go to Chinatown and get some identification?"
Fang Jianqiu held a piece of leftover bread in his hand and asked thoughtfully.
"That's right."
Xiao Yuanshan nodded and took another sip of water to moisten his throat:
"Honolulu isn't some dead zone for Qing devils; the foreigners are strict. Especially for us Chinese, without legal identification or a guarantee from the Chamber of Commerce, we're no different from rats in the street. And for people like us with no credentials to get back to Honolulu's Chinatown, we have to rely on the Chinese laborers here. They have to smuggle us in by small boat. Otherwise, as soon as we enter that area, we'll be checked by the foreign police, which will cause a lot of trouble."
The conversation between the old man and the young man gradually subsided.
On the bed next to her, Xiaolin was already holding her somewhat worn-out rag doll, Tangtang, and was snoring softly. The day's ordeal had been too tiring for her, and now that she felt safe, she was sleeping soundly.
"Well, I've pretty much made up my mind."
Fang Jianqiu took out a heavy little bag from his pocket, untied the rope, and poured out a gleaming double eagle gold coin into his palm.
"Brother Xiao, do you think this is enough for them to give us a ride?"
This was something he plundered from Hans; it was in excellent condition.
Xiao Yuanshan peeked out and saw that the gold coin was glittering under the kerosene lamp, almost blinding his old eyes.
"That's enough! This one is more than enough!"
Xiao Yuanshan nodded repeatedly.
"These days, a single Double Eagle gold coin can buy your life, let alone just a ride with the wind. If those smugglers saw this thing, they'd probably treat you like royalty."
Fang Jianqiu then handed the double eagle gold coin to Brother Xiao, and the two agreed to go together to negotiate the next day.
After finishing their business, both of them felt physically exhausted.
Xiao Yuanshan stood up, stretched his stiff back, and said to Fang Jianqiu:
"Brother Fang, I can see you've had a long day; you're covered in blood and mud. Just walk about a hundred steps to the east, and there's a stream. It's clean water flowing down from the mountain."
"These past few years, we poor people who fled here have relied on that stream to survive. You can go there to wash yourself and relieve your fatigue. There's hardly anyone around at night, it's quiet!"
"This is the soap I got from those elderly Chinese fishermen. Take it and use it!"
Fang Jianqiu's eyes lit up upon hearing this.
He'd been wanting to take a shower for a while.
These past few days, I've been rolling around in the pigsty and working like a slave on the plantation; I'm already rotten to the bone.
Not to mention, after all those battles, their bodies were covered in the smell of blood and gunpowder, which was really uncomfortable.
Just then, Sarah, who hadn't said much and had just been spacing out, suddenly came over like a cat that had smelled fish.
She moved very close to Fang Jianqiu, whispering in his ear:
"Jianqiu, I just rode a horse and I'm all sweaty and sticky. I feel so uncomfortable. I want to take a shower too."
Her voice became soft and sweet again, with a hint of coquettish nasal tone.
Before Fang Jianqiu could say anything, the old man Xiao Yuanshan had already spoken with a smile:
"Haha, it's alright, it's alright! That place is indeed a good spot. Everyone's asleep at this hour, and it's far away and very quiet. No one will pass by. Go ahead and enjoy yourselves. Young people should wash up and stay clean!"
As he spoke, he winked at Fang Jianqiu, giving him a knowing look.
Fang Jianqiu was both amused and exasperated by the old man.
Before he could react, Sarah had already grabbed his hand without saying a word and dragged him outside.
"Hurry up, Jianqiu, the sun will be rising soon!"
Fang Jianqiu felt somewhat helpless, but he didn't stop her and let her pull him out the door.
Actually, he also had some questions he wanted to ask Sarah.
Some things must be discussed openly, otherwise we won't feel confident when doing certain things.
The two left the cabin and jogged into the woods in the direction Xiao Yuanshan pointed out.
Not long after, a rushing sound of water came from nearby.
After passing through a dense patch of ferns, the view suddenly opened up.
A small stream, about two or three meters wide, meandered through the rocks. The water was crystal clear and shimmered under the moonlight, like a flowing silver ribbon.
The bottom of the stream was covered with smooth pebbles, and several unidentified small fish darted in and out of the crevices. The banks were covered with lush aquatic plants and wildflowers, and the air was filled with a moist and fresh fragrance of grass and trees.
It is indeed very quiet here.
Apart from the sound of the flowing stream and the occasional chirping of insects, there were no other noises.
The moonlight, like water, poured down, gilding this little world with a hazy silver veil. The shadows of the surrounding trees swayed gently in the night breeze, as if drawing a natural curtain over this tranquil space.
The atmosphere was both tranquil and subtly ambiguous.