"I think what Captain Zheng Caisheng said makes sense too, striving for credit is part and parcel of being honest. We’re all genuine soldiers, especially Captain Zheng... he’s, he’s not that clever... And, I actually don’t quite believe our Captain would be taken out by Captain Zheng..."
Black Beard rubbed his chin and yelped, "Ouch!"
"...My beard pricked my hand."
"...Black Beard, can you not joke around at crucial times? It really kills the mood!"
Black Beard waved his hand and scratched his head, hesitating and mumbling,
"If Captain Zheng Caisheng hasn’t captured our Captain Liu, then... who sent the message? Xiao Douzi should’ve already delivered the gun to where the prisoners are held, right...? Should we wait some more? Wait for Xiao Douzi to come back, he must’ve seen Captain Liu and Camel, yeah!"
Cheng Jianing nodded too; they were two soldiers through and through, not too keen on racking their brains over such matters, which they couldn’t understand to save their lives.
Dou Ziming usually didn’t say much, but when it came to action, he was pretty efficient.
Black Beard had barely finished speaking, and Dou Ziming had already circled back.
"Black Beard, let’s make our move quickly. Captain Liu has already grabbed a gun; if we charge from this side and Captain Liu bursts out from the inside! We can swiftly eliminate Captain Zheng Caisheng!"
Dou Ziming panted with excitement.
"Did you see Captain Liu?"
"Oh, I didn’t see him, but Captain Liu saw me. You can’t see the people below the wall from where that air vent is. But Captain Liu gave me directions through the communication device."
Black Beard clapped his hands,
"Perfect! Then we don’t need to waste words with that Zheng! Charge!"
"Exactly, if they’re unkind first, don’t blame us for being unrighteous!"
The three hot-blooded youths raised their guns and swept past several guards outside the base. Although they weren’t firing live ammunition, getting hit still burned like hell!
"Damn it! All this deception! I bet it’s that bastard Liu Fan stirring up trouble!"
Suddenly, Zheng Caisheng got hit by two shots, and he was instantly enraged.
"First, catch those two crouching bastards for me! Captured or not, they’re still trophies, and I’ll present them as a big gift to Liu Fan!"
As he spoke with vigor and fury, the door to the cell where the prisoners were kept flung open and twelve people burst out, catching all six members of Zheng Caisheng’s group and restraining them swiftly!
"What the hell is this!"
The entrance was thrown into chaos, and Black Beard and the others, who were about to charge out, suddenly froze.
Their steps hesitated and stopped.
"Huh? Xiao Douzi, where’s Captain Liu?"
Dou Ziming’s eyes, full of spirit, rolled around as he searched carefully for Liu Fan and Camel. But aside from the excited faces of the fresh recruits, Liu Fan and Camel were nowhere to be found.
"What’s going on here..."
Cheng Jianing’s voice trembled a bit.
Black Beard frowned tightly and suddenly gasped, "Sss..."
"What is it, Black Beard!"
"...Got pricked by the beard again."
Black Beard shook his hand; at this moment, Cheng Jianing, his whole body tense and shaking, felt the urge to shave off the short, stubby beard off Black Beard’s face!
"Let’s... just hold tight and watch the situation for now..."
Dou Ziming suggested cautiously, truly afraid of being blamed by his two brothers.