Chapter 53: Go with him?

“This entrance is hidden behind these hills. It’s very secretive. I only know roughly that it’s this place, but I haven’t found out the specifics. But give me some time, I…” Ruyue didn’t say any more, as if she was very guilty about this matter.

I don’t care. I smiled and said to Ruyue, “Ruyue girl, you’re already very good at this.”

“Third brother, you don’t know, this road is very important, because I suspect that the low mountain in the middle is the most secret place in this village. Didn’t you say something about the inner village before? I think the inner village should be on that mountain?” Yueyue’s tone was not very sure, but she was more or less certain.

I frowned and was a little unsure. If that was the case, was the inner village on the mountain? But I felt that it wasn’t quite the same thing. It shouldn’t be that simple.

One of the most uncomfortable emotions for humans is that, even though we are extremely concerned and curious about something, we can’t get an answer for a while. I don’t want to fall into this kind of emotion, so I simply don’t think about it anymore.

So I asked Ruyue, “Right, you just said that every night, the village affairs meeting in this village would inexplicably disappear for an hour or two? Why?”

“Why? I don’t know, but I know that this time is like a taboo time. Not only does the village council disappear, but most of the village’s senior officials also disappear. The reason why I changed clothes in the middle of the short mountain is that the village is located here, because they always gather here and then walk in through the road we identified and disappear.” Ruyue bit her lower lip and her eyes revealed a deep sense of doubt.

I was silent, feeling that this news was extremely important, but I couldn’t say where exactly it was important. It was completely unfounded, but I believed in my intuition and silently kept this matter in my heart.

For a while, everyone was silent. Hui Gen’er was used to squatting next to me, half leaning on me. After we had discussed all the issues and exchanged information, he stretched lazily and said to me, “Brother, it’s not going to work to wait like this. In fact, I feel that this time my situation is not ordinary. I…”

I was already thinking while we were talking, and when Hui Gen’er said this, I was still a little dazed, so I asked, “What do you mean?”

“The meaning of being unusual is that I also feel impatient. I think that this time I might really be able to meet the master? I’m not sure.” Hui Gen’er’s big eyes revealed sadness. His eyes have always been like a child’s, although they are no longer the round, childlike feeling of when he was young, but they are still as big and bright as ever. The emotions that come from such eyes can always be particularly moving, not to mention that he is my younger brother, who has always been so dependent on and trusting of me.

I habitually put my hand on Hui Gen’er’s bald head, a habit that I’m afraid I can’t change. Then my thoughts drifted far away. The image of the crying boy who said he would never eat cake again overlapped with the image of the young man with childlike innocence. Compared to Hui Gen’er, who has always been relatively calm because of his Buddhist practice, he rarely shows impatience. But that Hui Daxia is probably also the thorn that can’t be removed from this innocent heart, the biggest knot. The reason behind this is that it has to do with deep feelings, so it can’t really be seen through like in Buddhism… Huh, Hui Daxia, can I see you again?

“Brother…” Seeing me in a daze, Hui Gen’er called out in a somewhat aggrieved voice. In addition to sadness in his eyes, he really revealed a kind of impatience that he himself was also confused about.

I patted his bald head and said, “I know you don’t want to wait like this, you want to take action. But there’s no hurry. This village is scarier than you think. But it won’t be long now, because waiting won’t change anything. I just hope to know a little more.”

I didn’t explain the reason. I had a hunch that we didn’t have the power to overthrow the village. Even the strange road made me feel that there was no chance at all! I thought that our only chance was to find a key and then look for a slim chance in that key. That was why I had delayed taking action.

Hui Gen’er had unlimited faith in me. When he heard me say that, he nodded and stopped talking, staring at the moon and wondering what memories it brought back.

Ruoyue, however, also patted Hui Gen’er’s bald head. She felt the same way about Hui Gen’er as I did, and she was also the older sister that Hui Gen’er had chosen. She said softly to Hui Gen’er, “Actually, we have already gained a great opportunity. Everyone has a bug in their hands, and this is the opportunity for us to act together.”

Yes, the opportunity to act together, but the thought of the elders of the martial arts world, who were also teachers and fathers, who had been desperately searching for them, might be gathered on the same piece of land as themselves, only to be frustrated and unable to see them, was not so peaceful in everyone’s heart. Everyone was restless and anxious, as if on fire. After Ru Yue’s words, everyone was silent.

After a while, we probably agreed that the next time we got together would be the time to act, but if there was no action within 20 days, then we would get together again and exchange information.

We didn’t force ourselves to act, but at this moment, I’m afraid everyone had a doubt in their hearts. Could we wait for twenty days?

The time for the gathering passed quickly, and it was already almost an hour since we had simply exchanged a few words. Ruoyue told us that, just to be on the safe side, we should disperse quickly and return to our respective places. This was the only flaw in the village that we had caught, and it was always good to be extra careful.

We didn’t delay, and we all dispersed. In this seemingly hopeless life, the inner comfort that a gathering can bring is self-evident, and the resistance to certain “brainwashing” things is also greater. I never thought that the breakthrough in this village was actually found by the soft and gentle Yue Yue. I hope that everything will go smoothly for us in the future.

However, in this village, which I have always found to be the most strange in my life, there are too many things that I have not thought of. When I occasionally think back on the past, I also feel that I was somewhat naive at that time. In fact, I had long been placed on a tightrope, and all others needed to see was how we, a group of people, performed on the tightrope…

Thanks to this reunion, my days in the village seem less helpless and anxious.

Every time we met in the dining hall, my friends and I would exchange a glance that only we understood, a glance that conveyed a sense of understanding and security.

I didn’t go to the entertainment room again. Maybe that’s all the information I could get. If I knew more, I would attract the attention of people who were interested in me. Before taking any action, I would rather hide myself. The more low-key I am, the better.

I did not forget the promise. Three days later, the mysterious person who made me feel familiar would meet me.

I was actually surprised that I had forgotten to mention this piece of information at our last gathering. I thought about the reason for this, and I was afraid that it was because I was unsure of the situation and didn’t want to worry my friends, so I didn’t mention it until the day we met.

Because I didn’t go to find out anything else, in this regular village, the days were also boring… except for seeing the children being ‘brainwashed’ and ‘cultivated’ a few more times, everything else was so boring. In the case of not being so clear about the time, the three days passed quickly.

Three days later, I entered the house as usual, and there didn’t seem to be anything unusual.

In fact, after entering the house, I didn’t even light the oil lamp, and I silently stood behind the cave window, quietly waiting and observing everything in the courtyard.

Knowing that the village affairs would disappear every night, I also understood why the mysterious person would be so bold as to ask me to meet him at night!

He should be back, right? Since he took such a risk to send me a note… I calculated the time in my heart. As time passed, it was probably time for the village affairs to disappear. My heart beat inexplicably faster. I felt that the mysterious person should be appearing soon!

In a state of uncertainty, I lit a cigarette, but before I could finish, I saw a figure standing outside my courtyard.

He was dressed in black, and if it weren’t for the reflection of the silver mask, I would have almost missed him!

I took a deep breath, gently put the cigarette back into the cigarette case, and then walked out of the door slowly… and the mysterious man was still standing outside the courtyard waiting silently.

He came so early, probably in a hurry, but I didn’t wait for him in the courtyard, and he still waited patiently, which shows that he must have been very determined to see me.

Who could he be? As I pondered, I had already walked up to him. Separated by a yellow earthen wall, we were only five meters apart. Under his silver mask, his eyes looked particularly dark.

He didn’t say anything, but waved his hand, meaning to follow him.