Because Gao Jiazhi went into the city to report the situation, the local police station also sent public security officers to understand the situation. They were utterly shocked by the battle prowess of the Guangming Production Team.
It can be said that this time the Guangming Production Team eradicated the thieves, which shocked the entire county.
"Brother, can you find Gao Jiaxing?" Xia Xiao asked.
"I can," Shitou replied.
Xia Xiao’s heart leaped with joy, "Then let’s go, let’s find Gao Jiaxing and casually take a look at the bandit’s lair to see if there’s any loot."
Immediately, Xia Xiao quickly reached the place where Gao Jiaxing and the others were through her space. As she exited her space, she just saw He Dato enter a door, and Gao Jiaxing chased after him.
"Brother, let’s go in and take a look."
Xia Xiao came out of her space and asked, "Where is the bandit leader hiding?"
"In an underground kiln," Shitou said.
Xia Xiao wondered, "Who knows if being a thief comes with any money or valuables."
"They are so poor they can’t afford to eat; they went to steal grain. Where would they find any treasures? If they really had treasures, they wouldn’t be thieves," Shitou replied.
"That’s not necessarily the case," Xia Xiao said, "These days, money can’t buy food, and treasures are not valued as much as grain."
As they spoke, Xia Xiao saw that Gao Jiaxing and others were fighting with a thief. She flipped over to where the underground kiln was, and immediately, there was a burst of gunfire, fiercely intense.
"Come on, we’re going into the underground kiln," Shitou said.
"Okay," Xia Xiao nodded. She also wanted to see what was inside the bandit leader’s lair. Even if there were no treasures, there might be extra grain.
Soon Xia Xiao arrived inside the underground kiln, and Gao Jiaxing also came over and started fighting with He Dato. Once they left, Xia Xiao, considering whether to take the extra grain or not, decided to take some of the food.
Shitou said, "What will you do with this? It is better left for the production team."
"If you don’t want me to take the grain, then why did you let me come here?" Xia Xiao didn’t understand.
"Move the stone on the ground," Shitou directed.
Hearing Shitou’s words, Xia Xiao exerted herself to move the stone on the ground and saw a chest underneath. Her eyes lit up, but she heard Shitou say, "Hurry, into the space, someone’s coming."
Xia Xiao, holding the chest, flashed into her space in an instant.
"Brother Gao, there is quite a bit of grain here, definitely stolen by the thieves," Fang Yuejin said with a face full of joy.
"Pack it up and take it back to the production team," Gao Jiaxing ordered, continuing to meticulously inspect the kiln. He looked at the hole where Xia Xiao had just taken the chest, squatted down to look, then stood up again.
"Brother Gao, what’s wrong?" Fang Yuejin asked.
"It’s nothing," Gao Jiaxing shook his head, moved the stone back to its original place, then stood up and told everyone to pack the grain, standing guard outside over the bandit leader.
In the space, Xia Xiao was frustrated that she could not open the chest.
"It must be a good treasure; the key should be on the bandit leader’s person. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be hidden so secretly."
Xia Xiao nodded in agreement. She and Shitou were thinking the same thing, but now she couldn’t open the chest.
"It’s also possible it’s not their chest. They might not be able to open it either," Xia Xiao said.
"In any case, we need to get the key to open the chest, or we’ll have to break the chest open," Shitou suggested.
Such a nice chest, I’m reluctant to destroy it. It seems I still have to find the key from the bandit leader.
The entire bandit den was cleared out by Gao Jiaxing and others, but when they returned to the production team, the thieves were taken away by the police, and naturally, the grain was confiscated as well.
Fang Yuejin was frustrated inwardly, wishing they had hidden some earlier. It was okay for the people to be taken away, but even the grain was gone, and nothing was left for the production team. If they had known, they wouldn’t have left.
Gao Guoqiang, seeing Gao Jiaxing return safely, finally let out a huge sigh of relief. This was also why Zheng Xianghong was unwilling to let her son join the military, and Gao Guoqiang didn’t say anything. Deep down, he didn’t want his son to face any dangers to his life.
Xia Xiao, looking at the captured bandits being taken away by the police, furrowed her brows, "Brother, do you think the bandit leader might betray us to win favor and reveal the chest? If the police go to the bandit den and can’t find it, will they think it’s Gao Jiaxing and the others who hid it?"
"That’s possible. But it’s also unlikely that he would say anything. He’s not stupid. If he reveals everything, they might not let him go."
"But I’m still worried," Xia Xiao crouched down to inspect the chest closely. "Can’t I unlock it without a key?"
"You can break it open to unlock it."
Xia Xiao deflated. She wasn’t a locksmith, nor could she take it to someone to unlock.
"Looks like I still need to find the key from the bandit leader," Xia Xiao said, then added, "Shitou, if you get close to the bandit leader, can you sense if he has the key on him?"
"I can," Shitou replied.
Xia Xiao rejoiced, "Then let’s hurry."
The bandit leader and his group were locked up in jail, and once Xia Xiao confirmed the location, she returned to the production team. Everyone was looking for her everywhere.
Upon seeing Xia Xiao return, Yang Xuehua asked, "Xia Xiao, where have you been?"
"I was following behind Gao Jiaxing, but I lost them," Xia Xiao replied.
"You really are bold," the people in the dormitory watched Xia Xiao helplessly.
Xia Xiao giggled, "It’s fine, I’m safe. Don’t worry, I’m small and nimble, very careful, and won’t be discovered."
"You should head over to the team leader’s place; Aunt Xianghong is looking for you."
Xia Xiao acknowledged with a sound and waved goodbye to everyone before heading towards the Gao family’s home.
Now, the entire production team had been cleaned and sanitized thoroughly, with no smell of blood nor visible bloodstains.
Upon arriving at the Gao family’s home, Xia Xiao saw Zheng Xianghong tending to Gao Jiaxing’s injuries. Gao Jiaxing had a number of injuries, albeit minor ones, which were enough to make Zheng Xianghong worry.
"You, ever since you were little, you’ve never stopped getting injured, being your mother really requires a strong heart," Zheng Xianghong said.
"Having such a brave and invincible son, you should be smiling," Gao Jiaxing pulled at the corner of his mouth and continued, then winced in pain, "Mom, be gentle."
"You know pain too, huh? When you are hurt, it pains your mother’s heart," Zheng Xianghong replied, her hands becoming gentler.
"Auntie, you were looking for me?" Xia Xiao inquired.
Zheng Xianghong said, "It was Jiaxing looking for you. But where have you been? I couldn’t find you, and neither could anyone else."
Xia Xiao grinned, "I saw Brother Gao hasn’t come back for so long, so I went out looking for Brother Gao."
"You don’t need to look for me; you just can’t stay still and use me as your excuse," Gao Jiaxing rolled his eyes at Xia Xiao.
Xia Xiao continued to play dumb, and Gao Jiaxing added, "Xia Xiao, you really do cause people to worry. It’s fine if you don’t run into trouble, but what if you do? Haven’t you thought about your own safety? Aren’t you afraid? Look at all the women in the production team, none of them run around to the sound of gunfire, almost blundering into a gunfight like you do."
"That’s not true," Xia Xiao protested, "I didn’t charge toward the gunfire; I was looking for you."