My Promotion Story Through Time Travel

Chapter 142 Finishing Touches

who?!

Although Lin Ziping was still carrying the wooden plank, he paused, his body tensed, and he became fully alert.

Xiao Jiazheng seemed to sense Lin Ziping's tension and turned around to say, "Don't panic, all the criminals have been arrested. Inside are colleagues from the county government, and... Xiao family guards."

The voices of the last few "Xiao family guards" were extremely low; if Lin Ziping hadn't had good hearing and was focused, he wouldn't have been able to hear them.

Also, Xiao Jiazheng's tone was strange just now. It sounded like the deep, bubbly voice of a domineering CEO from the past.

Thinking back to the time he ran into Xiao Jiazheng while wearing women's clothing to buy menstrual pads, alarm bells went off in Lin Ziping's mind. Although he was wearing a headscarf, his figure and posture hadn't changed much. Could this person have recognized him?

The atmosphere suddenly became a bit strange. Lin Ziping chuckled twice in an attempt to break the tension: "Hehe, our people are fine, but we still can't let our guard down. Xiao Jiazheng, you still haven't been out enough. You still need to go deep into the grassroots and get in touch with the people, don't you think?"

"Yes, you're right." Although he couldn't see Xiao Jiazheng's face, Lin Ziping could sense his rising tone.

It's like punching cotton. The intention was clearly to break the awkwardness and make a sarcastic remark, but it just made things even more awkward!

Lin Ziping was unwilling to speak and silently carried the wooden plank behind Xiao Jiazheng.

After a short while, Xiao Jiazheng stopped and said, "We've arrived."

Lin Ziping put down the plank and looked around. It was a slightly wider tunnel, with some people lying on the ground and others busy taking care of them.

Upon closer inspection, he discovered that some of the people lying on the ground were motionless, while others had missing limbs like rag dolls, and were groaning in pain.

"Was this caused by gunpowder?" Lin Ziping murmured to himself, recalling scenes from television he had seen before.

Xiao Jiazheng said with grief and indignation, "Who knew that these villains would be so heartless as to use gunpowder to blow up the tunnel? Shi Yong and the others are still clearing the collapsed area over there. It's very deep."

Lin Ziping recalled the shape of the mountain and said, "This mountain looks like a cliff. Could this tunnel lead to the bottom of the cliff?"

“Who knows? This Cat Mountain stretches for hundreds of miles, and there are many places I’ve never been to. Let’s not talk about that. Let’s lend a hand and get them out of here,” Xiao Jiazheng said.

Lin Ziping nodded, said no more, and joined the others in taking care of the wounded on the ground and leading them out.

Nine people were injured and two died, resulting in the loss of one-third of the team of about 30 people.

The bandits also suffered heavy losses, with about ten elite men captured, along with a number of middle and high-ranking members, as well as key figures like Uncle Jiang and Jiang Xiaoba.

Lin Ziping secretly compared the numbers in his mind. There were three people he saw in the council hall when he came to the mountain stronghold who were not included in this number, as were the hundreds of young men who were training.

Looking back on this bandit suppression, although they suffered a lot and the government paid a heavy price, Lin Ziping still felt a sense of unreality.

What caused the fire on the mountain last night?

Where did the others in the mountain stronghold go?

Where is the person who saved Li Qiongying and herself with that arrow?

……

The fog is thick, and there is clearly another group of people hiding in the shadows.

"Sir."

Lin Ziping was lost in thought, but his hands kept moving. He and his colleagues were counting the number of casualties when they heard Hu Rongrong's voice.

Yes, there's also the issue of resettling Hu Rongrong and the others.

"Sir, may I ask where the county magistrate is?" Lin Ziping stopped what he was doing and turned around to see Hu Rongrong smiling gently as she asked someone else.

The man was a young lad, about fifteen or sixteen years old, dressed in the uniform of an officer or soldier. He wasn't from the county government, and Lin Ziping didn't recognize him, though he looked somewhat familiar.

The young man looked at Hu Rongrong, his face slightly flushed, and scratched his head, unable to speak: "I...I..."

"Brother Bing, you're busy, I'll take her there." Lin Ziping hurriedly stepped forward and said, "I know where Magistrate Wei is."

The young man looked at Lin Ziping, put down his hand that was scratching his head, and said with a simple smile, "That's great, then I'll trouble you."

Hu Rongrong looked at Lin Ziping, took a small step back, and gave a slight curtsy, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, sir."

She followed behind Lin Ziping, sighed softly, and said, "You shouldn't have stepped forward."

Lin Ziping understood Hu Rongrong's implication: she thought only Lao Qi knew that he had saved them, and if Lao Qi didn't say anything, no one else would know what Lin Ziping had done, and the responsibility wouldn't fall on him.

But secrets never stay hidden forever. Who can guarantee that Lao Qi will never say anything, especially since Lao Huang watched him leave?

It's much better to explain things in advance than to have someone point out your weaknesses and create a potential threat later.

Lin Ziping didn't offer much explanation, but replied with a smile, "It's alright, just consider it a farewell to the Buddha."

“You know… you can just take me there in a little while, you don’t need to show up yourself,” Hu Rongrong said.

Lin Ziping neither confirmed nor denied it.

To facilitate repairs, a few rooms were temporarily cleared out. Magistrate Wei and Chen Feng were interrogating Jiang's great-uncle when a low, mournful wail came from inside.

Lin Ziping lowered his head and waited respectfully to the side.

When Uncle Jiang was brought out, he saw Lin Ziping and Uncle Jiang's pained expression became even more intense.

"Enter!"

Just then, a sound came from inside the house.

Lin Ziping led Hu Rongrong inside and clasped his hands in greeting, saying, "Sir, I have rescued some women from the tunnel. May I ask how you intend to settle them?"

Hu Rongrong was taken aback, a hint of annoyance flashing across her face, but she quickly knelt down, touched her forehead to the ground, and cried out loudly, "Please, Your Excellency, do justice for us!"

Magistrate Wei looked at Chen Feng and said, "Sir, what do you think of this..."

Chen Feng smiled and said, "This is a matter under Magistrate Wei's jurisdiction. There's no need to worry about us."

Magistrate Wei's smile vanished, and he sat up straight: "Who are you?"

Hu Rongrong said, "I am the daughter of the Hu family, grain merchants in the city. I was kidnapped by bandits and taken to the mountains."

"Oh, you're Hu Qiang's daughter," Magistrate Wei asked after a moment's thought.

“Yes, my father is Hu Qiang,” Hu Rongrong said. “My other sisters were also captured by bandits and taken up the mountain.”

"There were other women too. I never imagined Fuchun would forcibly abduct women." Magistrate Wei was filled with righteous indignation. "Where are they?"

"exist……"

"I've settled them in a house next to the watchtower," Lin Ziping interrupted Hu Rongrong.

Magistrate Wei frowned: "Lin Ziping, you saved them?"

"Yes."

Magistrate Wei seemed to have thought of something, and a look of disgust appeared on his face.

"Sir, what should we do with them?"