ebookslot Chapter 19 Fog Shrouds Tianjin
Chapter 19 Fog Shrouds Tianjin
Zhou Xing held his breath, his muscles tensed, like a fully drawn bow.
The gunman's footsteps were heavy; he wasn't a trained fighter.
He walked to the earthen wall, glanced left and right, and nudged the weeds with the muzzle of his gun, but saw nothing unusual.
Then he crouched down, checked the ground and the base of the wall, and chose a spot to set up his gun.
Zhou Xing was in the shadows three steps behind him, and could even smell the stench of cigarette smoke and sweat on him.
The gunman adjusted his posture, took off the long gun from his back, gently placed it in a recess on the wall, and aimed the muzzle at the center of the mudflat.
Then he took out the water bottle and gulped down two mouthfuls.
Just as he put down the kettle and prepared to lie down, his toe kicked a loose clod of earth.
The clod of earth rolled a few times before landing with a soft "thud" on Zhou Xing's lowered head. Small bits of dirt fell into his collar, causing a slight itch.
Zhou Xing didn't even blink, and his breathing remained extremely slow and light.
The gunman paused, then glanced back into the shadows.
Before the fog rose and the light dimmed, he could only see a pile of rubble and waist-high weeds.
He frowned, ignored it, turned around, lay down, and began to wait quietly.
Zhou Xing remained motionless.
Eight guns, three tough guys. Quite a move.
He can't move now, he can only wait.
He Jiu once said that when the Ghost Market opens and the lantern bearers enter the harbor, a thick fog will rise at the ferry crossing. The boats will only arrive when the fog is at its thickest. That will be the opportunity.
Time passed slowly as we waited.
The musketeers would occasionally let out bird calls, a coded signal to confirm each other's location and safety.
Around 9 PM, Zhou Xing heard several more groups of people arrive. They didn't speak to each other, but waited tacitly.
The sky was completely dark; midnight was approaching.
The mist on the river began to rise.
At first, it was a thin layer, but it gradually thickened, like a boiling boiler, flooding the center of the river and rolling towards the shore.
The fog was so thick it resembled an unyielding wad of cotton, leaving only a hazy gray-white expanse a few steps away.
Several low coughs and indistinct footsteps came from the direction of the riverbank, and the guests began to move.
The gunman ahead also made a slight adjustment, the muzzle of his gun vaguely pointing towards the area where the guests were gathered, waiting for his target to appear.
Zhou Xing knew he couldn't wait any longer.
He slowly stood up and gestured to He Jiu, who was huddled to the side: Stay where you are, don't move, be quiet.
He Jiu covered his mouth and held his breath.
Zhou Xing moved like a shadow, skimming the ground, towards the gunman lying behind the earthen wall a few steps away.
The fog became his best cover.
The gunman was intently focused on the mudflats, his ears perked up, his finger resting on the cold trigger guard.
Completely unaware, a hand quietly reached out from the thick fog behind him.
They precisely grabbed his wrist, which was holding the gun!
Wing Chun circle hand gesture!
The gunner's wrist went numb, and the muzzle drooped.
He reacted extremely quickly, slamming his other elbow back hard, and opened his mouth to shout.
Zhou Xing twisted his left hand, which was holding his wrist, to dissipate most of the force, and turned his palm into a finger, thrusting a sharp finger straight at the side of his neck!
A burst of powerful energy.
"Click."
The gunman's eyes bulged, his Adam's apple bent, and he collapsed limply.
But as the gun dropped downwards, the muzzle hit a brick wall...
"Bang!"
It went off accidentally!
Deafening gunshots rang out in the thick fog!
The muzzle flash pierced through the gray-white mist, leaving a brief streak of orange-red!
The body slipped.
Zhou Xing's heart tightened, and he rolled on the spot.
"What terrible quality control! They're practically a rifle squad now, can't they at least get a decent gun?"
Almost at the same instant the gunshot rang out,
"there!"
"Fifth brother?!"
Several short, angry roars immediately came from different directions in the fog!
Immediately following was the "click" of a rifle bolt being pulled back, the sound of footsteps rushing across the gravel, and...
"Bang bang bang bang bang!"
Gunshots rang out from different directions!
The bullets whistled through the thick fog, striking the surrounding rotten wood and rocks with crackling sounds, sending debris flying everywhere.
Although the target was not clearly visible, the gunmen were well-trained and fired in a sweeping pattern towards the source of the sound and the possible direction of movement.
Gravel flew everywhere, rolling across the ground, gunfire lines grazed past, and the smell of gunpowder filled the air.
He rolled once, straightened his back, and retreated rapidly, simultaneously shouting in the direction of the shack where He Jiu was hiding:
"Run! Run towards the lights!"
The fog was so thick that no one could be seen more than five steps away.
But deep within the fog, there was a faint, dim light – the fog lamp of the lamplighter.
Zhou Xing activated his full listening skill, his hair stood on end, and he no longer ran in a straight line. Instead, he swerved left and right in the fog, sometimes crouching low and sometimes darting forward, narrowly avoiding several bursts of bullets.
Bullets grazed my body, the scorching heat stung my skin, and mud and gravel pelted my skin.
He Jiu scrambled out of the shack and desperately rushed toward the dim light, panting heavily.
The musketeers were positioned in layers of ambush, and the fifth musketeer hadn't expected Zhou Xing to be just a few steps behind him.
Although the gun discharged accidentally after the man died, triggering an alarm, the area remained empty for the time being.
But all around, hurried, heavy footsteps began to sound, rushing toward the lights!
The other gunmen also reacted, firing to suppress the enemy while trying to block the entrance first!
A distance of a few feet seemed exceptionally long in the fog.
As the light drew closer, it became clear that it was a white paper lantern hanging at the bow of the boat, its steady glow illuminating a small patch of dark water at the bow.
At the bow of the small sampan stood a gaunt lamp carrier wearing a straw hat and raincoat, seemingly oblivious to the gunfire that was right in front of him.
Five people had already gathered by the pier:
An old man in a melon-shaped hat, a man carrying a sack, a young man in a Western-style suit carrying a drawing board, and a couple.
They were also startled by the gunfire, and looked warily into the fog, but were not too panicked.
Just as the two were only two or three steps away from the light, the thick fog on their left suddenly parted!
A dark figure lunged out; it was one of the three skilled gunmen.
He was fast, having taken a shortcut, and now stood blocking the pier, just in time to see Zhou Xing charging towards him.
Holding a gun in his right hand makes close combat inconvenient, while his left hand, with fingers together like a knife, thrusts straight at Zhou Xing's ribs!
Zhou Xingting had already caught the sound of the wind. His forward momentum did not diminish. He twisted his waist and hips to dodge by an inch, and then used his right hand to grab and deflect the attack.
Wing Chun clapping!
"Snapped!"
Their arms touched briefly before separating.
The gunman felt a supple force deflect his momentum, causing him to stumble.
Taking advantage of this brief opening, Zhou Xing pushed He Jiu forward with his left hand, then slid sideways and barely slipped past the gunman!
The two exchanged half a move, neither gaining a decisive advantage.
But Zhou Xing used this momentum to move three times faster, bursting out of the fog and stepping onto the slippery wooden planks of the pier.
He Jiu, who was being pushed away, felt his calves cramp and almost fell.
Almost simultaneously, two more dark figures burst out of the fog!
It was the other two skilled gunmen, their hands wielding their guns with remarkable steadiness, who instantly formed a semi-circle, their muzzles pointing at Zhou Xing and He Jiu.
The atmosphere on the pier instantly became tense!
On one side are Zhou Xing and He Jiu, who are described as disheveled and covered in mud.
On the other side were three men with cold, menacing eyes and menacing aura, each carrying a gun.
Several customers from the nearby ghost market silently stepped back.
All eyes were drawn to the lone lamp at the bow of the ship and the silent, stone-like "lamphandler" beneath it.
The lamplighter slowly raised his head.
The shadows beneath the straw hat were heavy, revealing only half of a gaunt face and chin.
His cloudy eyes swept over the crowd on the pier, pausing briefly on the guns, before his hoarse, dry voice uttered each word with difficulty:
"Turn off the engine. Pack up."
His voice wasn't loud, but it was undeniable:
"The Ghost Market area is open from midnight to dawn. Lights are on, firearms are prohibited, and killing is forbidden."
Those who break the rules will be forever barred from this path, and their misfortune will extend even after death.
The three gunmen's expressions changed. They exchanged glances, their fingers rubbing against the trigger guards, clearly extremely unwilling to give up.
The leader's gaze was fixed on Zhou Xing, then he glanced at He Jiu, who was panting heavily.
Zhou Xing slowly straightened up, his right hand seemingly hanging casually at his side, but all his muscles were already adjusted to the best state of exertion, and his left hand slightly pushed He Jiu back.
He met the gunman's gaze, his eyes calm.
The fog rolled silently all around, the gunfire had stopped sometime earlier, leaving only the gentle lapping of the river against the decaying wood and the suppressed breathing of the crowd.
The lantern bearer, holding a bamboo pole, stood motionless, waiting.