When people find themselves in desperate situations, they often turn to the most trustworthy people around them as their only support.
At this point, the only familiar person left around Feifei was Xiao Qiang. Coupled with the fact that she had no other options, she naturally had to rely on him.
"What can we do?" Feifei asked Xiao Qiang in a low voice. Though she didn't harbor much hope, she really wanted to hear his plan. Given the dire situation, the fact that Feifei hadn't yet broken down was a testament to her extraordinary psychological resilience. Most women, when faced with such a life-and-death scenario, would have been crying their hearts out, let alone have the presence of mind to think of a way to escape.
Xiao Qiang gave a slight smile and said in a low voice, "Just say you want a drink of water."
Feifei was dumbfounded upon hearing this and glanced at Xiao Qiang with a puzzled look. She didn't understand his game plan, but since he said it so confidently, she had no choice but to cooperate with him.
"Could I have a drink of water?" Feifei asked Third Shi as instructed.
Upon hearing Feifei's request, Third Shi turned his head to look at her, "Water? You're quite demanding, lady. There's plenty of water in the afterlife, take your time savoring it." It was clear he didn't feel like dealing with this soon-to-be dead person.
Xiao Qiang laughed at this point and said to Third Shi, "Brother Third Shi, allow me to stick my nose in. Since we're settling scores today, can't we fulfil her final wish? After all, 'Death is the end', you wouldn't want her to haunt you eternally, would you?"
Then he added, "As for me, I have no other requests. If you gentlemen don't mind, I'd like to have a drink. After ten years in prison, I have yet to taste alcohol."
Xiao Qiang's casual comments made Third Shi pause for thought. He exchanged glances with his two brothers and seeing no objection, he nodded, "Alright, have a taste."
It wasn't that Third Shi was foolish, but he knew Xiao Qiang and Feifei didn't pose any serious threat. Facing three armed men, regardless of Feifei being a woman, even if she were a man, Third Shi believe there wouldn't be any issues. Especially considering that their hands and feet were bound, any resistance would be futile.
Fourth Shi holding a water bottle came up to Feifei, patted her pretty face with his hand and said with a wicked grin, "Heh, I like this girl. Such tender skin. Practically oozing water."
Feifei's face turned pale instantly. In such a situation, if these guys harbored any untoward intentions, she would have no choice but to bite her tongue and commit suicide. She'd rather die than be violated by these beasts.
Xiao Qiang chuckled and glanced at Third Shi, "Brother Third, I've heard 'Even thieves have their rules'. You're killing us today, but to do this is a bit low, isn't it?" He knew how to play with words, and he could see that the Shi family, though brutal, cared a lot about their reputation.
Just as he expected, Third Shi frowned, "Fourth, did you forget what Second Brother said?"
Then he looked at Xiao Qiang, "We don't need your reminder, today we brothers are here to avenge our eldest brother. You and that girl won't be tormented, I promise you, we will give you a quick death so you both can be a pair in the netherworld."
Xiao Qiang chuckled without further comment. Feifei managed to get a drink, and then stayed silent.
As for Xiao Qiang, he took a sip of the wine offered to him, smacked his lips and said somewhat unsatisfied, "Brother, could you untie my hands? I won't be able to run anyway since my feet are bound with this girl. Can you let me have my fill of drink? Even as I turn into a ghost, at least I'll be a well-fed one."
Fourth Shi was already annoyed by Xiao Qiang's previous mockery, he sneered at Xiao Qiang's words, "You're quite the talker, even at death's door. You want me to treat you to a drink and a meal as well?"
Xiao Qiang shrugged, "Don't be so hostile, I've spent ten years in prison and have met people much tougher than you. If you decide to kill me now, even if I frown, it means you've taken care of me!"
He knew that if he kept yielding to these types of people, they would definitely despise him. Only by showing a bit of a veteran's spirit from time to time, could he survive and resonate with them, achieving his own demands.
As expected, Third Shi laughed, "As for you, I now believe that you really have spent ten years in hard labor. If it weren't for avenging my older brother, on a normal day, I would definitely befriend you."
As he spoke, he pointed at Xiao Qiang and said, "Fourth, untie his ropes. He's right. We don't plan on surviving today. We can't let ourselves be disrespected."
Admittedly, the mindset of these extremely vicious individuals could be quite odd sometimes. They were clearly ruthless killers, yet they insisted on imitating the pride of powerful warriors of ancient times. This was the same concept as acting like a whore but wanting a monument for chastity.
It was clear that within this group, hierarchy was respected. Upon hearing his brother's command, Fourth Shi approached Xiao Qiang reluctantly, untied his ropes, and coldly warned him, "Watch yourself kid, or I'll blow your brains out."
This guy was clearly a cold-blooded murderer. Xiao Qiang sneered internally and considered how to deal with this bastard. Threatening him as if he was weightless.
The Shi brothers appeared to be heavy drinkers. Even though they didn't bring much water with them into the woods, they still brought an entire barrel of spirits. Xiao Qiang accepted it without politeness, guzzled down the liquor, choked, and feigned the image of drinking for the first time - much to the amusement of the others.
"Look at this kid, still wet behind the ears."
"No kidding, look at how greedy he is..."
The group carried on with their banter, not noticing that Xiao Qiang had discreetly taken a slip of paper from his sleeve and smeared a milky liquid from it around the lip of the plastic barrel.
After putting down the barrel, Xiao Qiang wiped his mouth and boldly pinched Feifei's cheek, joking, "I didn't notice earlier, but this woman is pretty. In my next life, I need a few women like this to warm my bed. Dying under the peony flower is better than being a ghost."
His antics caused everyone to pause. Feifei showed a disbelieving expression, while the three Shi brothers burst into loud laughter. They enjoyed watching Xiao Qiang make a fool of himself. There was always pleasure in watching a formerly decent man descend into vulgarity. Decent people made them uncomfortable.
Xiao Qiang brushed off their laughter, not even giving a glance to Feifei's reddened eyes. Instead, he raised the barrel in hand and proposed to the Shi brothers, "Gentlemen, care for a sip? This booze ain't half bad. Life should be lived to the fullest. Who knows when we'll get the chance again."
Third Shi paused for a moment. Although he didn't quite understand Xiao Qiang's meaning, he knew that this time, they could very well be walking towards their deaths. Soon, the surrounding area would be swarmed by military personnel in search of the culprit. Whether or not they escape would depend on fate.
How about a sip then?
He laughed and accepted the barrel from Xiao Qiang, "Why not, let's warm ourselves with a bit of this."
Watching the transparent water flow down Third Shi's mouth, a grim smile tugged at the corners of Xiao Qiang's mouth!
Drink up. This time, not even a god could save you!
Thanks for your support, seeking for further collection, recommendation, and clicks. Today, I took my son to the hospital for a hearing test. The results were not good. The doctor asked us to come back in half a month. The pediatrician informed me that my son's heart has a confirmed issue and his development is likely to lag behind other children. He would also need to undergo heart surgery. My wife and I were moved to tears in an instant.
Thanks for Cai Jin, Greedy Wolf, Shadow, Old Three, Down-and-out Troubadour, Once Please for Happiness, Moonlight Wolftooth, and Nuclear Warhead for their generous tips. Chenguang will hold these in his heart and is forever grateful.