Reborn Cat Sheriff

Chapter 529 Fire (Please Subscribe)
In any case, the six children did not want outsiders to affect their precious outdoor recreation time.

So they put aside the matter of those few people for the time being, and soon, guided by Lin Ge, they found a patch of green grass on the downhill road.

The lawn wasn't large, but the grass planted in it was surprisingly soft. Unlike ordinary lawns, it wasn't prickly underfoot, so it was most likely an expensive variety that was specially planted when the TV tower was still in operation.

Moreover, there are towering trees on both sides, which block most of the sunlight, so you don't have to worry about getting a tan while sitting on the grass.

So the six little ones quickly decided on a spot for their picnic and decided to cook their meal there.

Nie Zhuangzhuang took a large fire blanket from his backpack; it was a bit ugly, but its effect was undeniable. After spreading it on the lawn, he began to set out the cooking utensils and various vegetables that needed to be prepared.

The kids were all quite capable. Although the division of labor seemed a bit chaotic, the whole process was still relatively orderly.

After arranging all the tools and materials, Zhang Yining assigned tasks to the group.

Hu Miao led Xie Zaiqi and Zheng Jiacheng to the security guards, while the girls washed rice and vegetables and the boys filled buckets and water bags with water and brought them back.

Then Nie Zhuangzhuang's task was to install the stove and assist Zhang Yining. When he had time, he would also collect some dead branches and tree trunks to make a small field stove from another iron bucket to cook rice.

Wei Li's task was also very simple. Nie Zhuangzhuang helped her sit down on the fire blanket, and she was responsible for all the tasks, such as chopping and preparing vegetables. Although this child had difficulty moving around, she was probably the most skilled at making pastries among the six children.

She herself is very happy to be able to participate and contribute more, and even seems a little impatient.

"If you don't know how to cook, you can let me do it."

Seeing that Zhang Yining was holding the wooden spatula somewhat awkwardly, Nie Zhuangzhuang offered to exchange tasks and help him out.

"Go away!"

Zhang Yining rolled her eyes. Who was she looking down on?
Last night when I video chatted with my mom, she was diligently learning how to cook a few simple dishes. Although I didn't expect Wei Li to bring over such a fancy dish as dried chicken, I figured it should turn out pretty well following my mom's instructions.

"Xie Zaiqi and I went to the woods to gather firewood, so don't call us unless it's absolutely necessary!"

After three tiring trips back and forth, Zheng Jiacheng and Xie Zaiqi filled all the buckets and water bags. Feeling a bit bored watching the girls cook, the two decided to head out into the woods for an adventure.

"If the fire in the stove goes out, all three of you will go hungry for a whole day!"

Hu Miao glared fiercely at Zheng Jiacheng, but didn't stop them from running off to cause trouble. Playing and exploring were part of the outing, and besides, the girls' cooking game didn't need these three stinky boys coming over to mess things up.

Nie Zhuangzhuang looked around anxiously, the squawking of the two rascals in the woods making him uneasy. He couldn't join in the laughter of the three girls over there either, and being alone watching the fire all by himself felt particularly aggrieved.

In the end, Wei Li felt really bad and quietly gestured to Nie Zhuangzhuang to hand over the fire-watching work to her, which finally freed Nie Zhuangzhuang from the job.

The chubby boy gritted his teeth and charged toward the two treacherous guys in the woods. The three girls exchanged glances and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

They were just betting on how long Nie Zhuangzhuang could hold out; sure enough, boys are unreliable.

The three girls ignored them and continued chatting and awkwardly cooking.

Lin Ge watched over them for a while and found that the three girls were quite good at cooking, so he breathed a sigh of relief and stopped paying attention to them.

He stepped out onto the lawn, looked up at the lush green trees overhead, and felt that the atmosphere of this place was indeed very pleasant. Quiet and peaceful, it made one unconsciously relax.

With a slight frown, Lin Ge turned his head to look at the pavilion in the distance.

The family was still eating and drinking inside, especially the old man, whose loud voice always sounded like he was arguing, even when he was speaking normally. He was praising his son-in-law to his son, and the old lady beside him was also chiming in with compliments. This made his daughter very proud, but it made his own son frown repeatedly. However, seeing his kind-faced and good-natured brother-in-law, he could only suppress his displeasure.

"I'm going to the bathroom!"

Daqiang took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He knew the old man hadn't meant any harm, but the old man's words were really harsh. Besides, he would have to rely on his brother-in-law in the future, so he didn't have the courage to lash out even if he wanted to.

With a cigarette dangling from his mouth, Daqiang squinted and looked around for a restroom. He'd drunk a bit too much, and his head was spinning.

Feeling down and drunk, he became impatient and went to the public restroom, even though it was only a few hundred meters away.

Seeing that the kids over there weren't looking this way, Daqiang turned around, unbuckled his belt at the edge of the woods, and leaned against a tree trunk, shivering as he puffed out smoke.

"Don't look!"

Zhang Yining, whose face was dark, held Hu Miao's head so she wouldn't turn it around.

"I won't watch it!"

Hu Miao glared angrily at Zhang Yining, knowing perfectly well what that rude guy was doing.

She felt that her good mood for the day had been completely ruined by that awful family! Feeling both angry and furious, she swirled the eggs while cursing and swearing at the family.

Zhang Yining and Wei Li exchanged a glance, then shook their heads and sighed in unison.

Fortunately, the family that bothered us finally decided not to stay in the pavilion after they had eaten and drunk their fill. Instead, they gave a cold snort and left noisily.

They left the pavilion littered with trash, not cleaning it at all. The messy scene made Hu Miao, who had some free time, feel uncomfortable, and she kept glancing over there as if she couldn't resist the urge to clean it up.

"Go if you want, just ask Zheng Jiacheng and Xie Zaiqi to help you."

Zhang Yining was carefully stir-frying the chili and eggs, fully aware of her good friend's feelings.

Hu Miao immediately burst into laughter.

She walked to the edge of the woods with her hands on her hips, and without any ceremony called over the three boys who were playing a swordsman brawl inside, ordering them to come and do some work with her.

Xie Zaiqi and Zheng Jiacheng naturally dared not resist, and could only obediently follow Hu Miao to the pavilion to help that family of bastards clean up the various remains they had left behind.

"Seriously... what should I say?"

Lin Ge watched from afar as the enthusiastic Hu Miao directed the two boys while he went to the security room to borrow a broom and dustpan. He couldn't help but shake his head with a mix of emotion and helplessness.

Compared to that family, the little ones were so outstanding that he didn't know how to praise them enough.

Whether it's a sensible little girl or a hardworking little boy, they are all far superior to those guys who are just old but lack manners.

It took about five or six minutes for the three of them to clean up the pavilion. Hu Miao led the two boys to throw away the trash cans far away, while Zhang Yining and the other two had almost finished preparing lunch and were setting out bowls and chopsticks on the lawn.

After the six people gathered, they began to eat and drink heartily.

Lin Ge ate some of it and felt that the taste was actually just so-so.

But for the six kids, this was a meal they had cooked themselves, so they ate it with great relish, even fighting over it as if it tasted better than what they ate at home.

Nie Zhuangzhuang and Zheng Jiayi were playfully wrestling over a chicken leg, while the cunning Xie Zaiqi took the opportunity to stuff chicken into their bowls. The three girls huddled together, eating and drinking while whispering to each other, and suddenly burst into giggles.

This peaceful and harmonious scene filled Lin Ge with emotion.

It was as if he had raised his own little ones to grow up. Lin Ge could clearly feel that the six little ones had grown a lot since they first met. The mischievous and troublesome little ones from half a year ago were now sensible and capable enough to make people want to praise them. In many ways, they were even better than some adults. Now, he only hoped that this carefree life could last a long time.

"Ok?"

Suddenly smelling a burnt odor, Lin Ge frowned. Not only Lin Ge, but also Zhang Yining and the other six exchanged glances and slowly put down their chopsticks.

The six children all looked at the stove beside them. There was still some warmth and embers inside, but they didn't find anything unusual. So where was the smell of smoke coming from? And no one else was cooking here, were they?

The group looked towards the pavilion, which had been cleaned up by Hu Miao and the other two, and there were no signs of fire.

"No! It's really on fire!"

The next second, Lin Ge suddenly turned around and this time saw the source of the fire.

Right where the man had urinated, a faint line of fire was stealthily spreading outwards. Perhaps a cigarette butt had ignited something, and combined with the gentle breeze blowing from the hillside, a large area had already been charred black. Moreover, for some reason, the flames there were very short, producing little smoke, making it difficult to see in the sunlight and completely unnoticed. Furthermore, Lin Ge was also burning firewood, and the almost identical smell had even deceived him. By the time he realized the problem after his own fire had died down, a curved line of fire over ten meters long had already spread outwards, and it was still stealthily extending.

"on fire!"

Wei Li's expression changed drastically. Without thinking, he tried to put out the fire, but he stumbled and fell to the ground.

The flames over there were faint, but what appeared in Wei Li's eyes was the terrifying scene of his own house engulfed in flames. As if recalling something, Wei Li even trembled and shuddered, his face growing paler.

"It must have been the dead leaves on the ground that caught fire! But the layer of fallen leaves on the surface wasn't particularly dry, so the fire burned very slowly and insidiously. Damn it, I didn't even notice!"

Lin Ge quickly ran towards the fire, feeling a mix of resentment and lingering fear. The ease and energy brought by the six little ones had made him complacent; otherwise, he should have noticed the crackling sound of the burning branches much earlier.

"Quickly, put out the fire!"

Nie Zhuangzhuang also scrambled to his feet, rushed two steps toward the fire, then quickly turned back, grabbed the two unused buckets of water from the blanket, and ran.

The water rippled and soaked Nie Zhuangzhuang's trousers, but he didn't care at all. He gritted his teeth and ran towards the fire, even getting ahead of Lin Ge in just a few steps.

Suddenly, a headwind blew in, and the pungent smell of burning air made Lin Ge's expression change drastically. The wind made the flames leap even faster, and several withered leaves, now glowing red, were blown up by the wind, swirling and flying further away.

Nie Zhuangzhuang was the first to approach the fire and quickly poured a bucket of water on the edge of the fire where it had not yet been ignited. He remained as calm as his father in this situation.

Lin Ge looked back and saw Xie Zaiqi and Zheng Jiacheng dragging the large water bag, running quickly towards them. Zhang Yining and Hu Miao were also rushing over to help. Even Wei Li had calmed down and was making a call on Zhang Yining's phone. Lin Ge thought for a moment and quickly turned around and ran towards the security room.

When he rushed to the vicinity of the security room like a pig, the old man inside was still sitting with his legs crossed, using two chairs to make a bed, half-lying down and listening to an audiobook with his eyes half-closed.

Lin Ge slammed his head against the window of the security room and pounded on the glass with his paws.

"Ok?"

The old security guard was startled. Looking up, he immediately saw a cat with a ferocious expression. The cat was attacking the windowpane, its posture so fierce that it seemed it intended to smash the window and then come in to eat him.

"What happened?"

But someone brave enough to work as a security guard in this desolate place certainly wouldn't be afraid of a mere cat. So the old man slowly stood up, straightened his chair, and then opened the window.

"Ow~"

Lin Ge let out an anxious roar, the shrill sound of which made the old security guard's eyes twitch involuntarily.

But when Lin Ge turned and pointed to the fire, the old security guard's expression changed drastically.

He stared in disbelief at the raging fire that was gradually intensifying, and then at the children desperately fighting the fire and the chubby little boy running towards him with two buckets of water. For a moment, he was at a loss and didn't know what to do.

"Go put out the fire, you idiot!"

Lin Ge roared loudly while quickly scanning the security room to see if he could find anything like a water pipe or fire hose.

However, the security room was spotless. Apart from a folding bed and two quilts in the corner, a small TV and a kettle on the table, there was nothing else.

After a moment of hesitation, the old man quickly pulled out his phone and frantically but slowly made a call.

Instead of calling 119 (the emergency number), he dialed a number that sounded like someone's boss or supervisor. The dial tone on the other end was jarring to Lin Ge. Perhaps out of panic, the old man stood still, waiting for the call to connect, seemingly with no intention of helping to put out the fire. Seeing that he couldn't rely on the old man, Lin Ge jumped out of the window, turned, and ran back to the fire scene to join the firefighting team.

"Mimi!"

His face was covered in soot, sweat, and a pale, panicked expression. Nie Zhuangzhuang ran past Lin Ge carrying an empty bucket, greeted him, and continued rushing toward the pool.

On one side of the fire, along an arc-shaped fire line, the other children were still working hard to suppress the flames. Hu Miao and Zhang Yining each grabbed a branch and desperately beat at the fire from the ground, while Xie Zaiqi and Zheng Jiacheng quickly filled their water bags and poured water onto the burning dry leaves, hoping to extinguish the fire or slow its spread. The children were fighting the fire with tears in their eyes, struggling under the smoke and fumes.

On the other side, Wei Li nervously hung up the phone and then pushed his wheelchair with difficulty toward the fire: "Yi Ning, 119 said they have notified the nearest fire department and they will be here soon. They told us not to take any risks and to go to a safe place to protect ourselves!"

"What if we don't put out the fire, and it gets bigger?"

Zhang Yining looked up, her face and clothes covered in soot. She wiped her face with her dirty hands and stubbornly said, "If we're a little braver, the burned area will be smaller, and the firefighters will have less work to do and fewer potential hazards! Wei Li, don't come over and cause trouble. Zheng Jiacheng, get to work! And be careful, it would be so stupid to actually hurt yourself!"

"I'm not a fool!"

Zheng Jiacheng pursed his lips and, together with Xie Zaiqi, poured the water from the water bag into the folding basin in front of them. Before they could fill it up, Hu Miao couldn't wait any longer, snatched the basin away, rushed forward, and splashed the water into the fire.

Wei Li stopped by the roadside and watched this scene quietly, his lips pressed so tightly they almost bled.

She was extremely frustrated that she couldn't help, and then she watched helplessly as thick smoke gradually rose up, the scene of the fire seemingly worlds apart from the calm it had been just moments before.

However, in Lin Ge's view, this was proof that the fire was effectively under control. The thick smoke was a sign of incomplete combustion, and the fire was detected in time, preventing it from spreading too severely. Even now, only about ten square meters of woodland still showed signs of burning. After Nie Zhuangzhuang poured water on the surrounding ground for the second time, the fire's spread was contained, and it was unlikely to cause a more serious situation.

Of course, this is also thanks to these children. If they hadn't acted quickly and boldly to put out the fire, who knows how terrible the fire would have become.

Of course, it's possible that it will turn off on its own, but who would dare to gamble on that?

Seeing the children covered in dirt, some even trembling with fear as they tried to put out the fire, their eyes brimming with tears—whether from the suffocating smoke or sheer terror—Ling Ge felt frustrated that he couldn't offer any help at this crucial moment.

"oops!"

Hu Miao suddenly screamed and lost her balance, falling to the ground. The wet ground was covered in mud and embers, instantly smearing her with ash.

But just as Lin Ge rushed over to pull her away, Hu Miao quickly got up again. She tossed aside the folding basin she had accidentally crushed, gritted her teeth, picked up the nearly empty water bag, and prepared to rush inside.

Xie Zaiqi and Zheng Jiacheng quickly grabbed the ends of the water bags and helped pour the water into the most raging part of the fire.

"Woooooooo..."

Hu Miao cried as she poured water, it was unclear what she was crying about. When the water bag ran out, Xie Zaiqi dragged it towards the TV tower, while Zheng Jiacheng joined the firefighting efforts.

Lin Ge watched this scene quietly, and he could already faintly hear the sound of fire trucks.

The sound was as beautiful as celestial music, which made Lin Ge breathe a slight sigh of relief.

"But... we can't let those bastards who caused this disaster get away!"

With a gritted teeth, Lin Ge handed the situation over to the six children and the hesitant old security guard who ran over, then turned and rushed in the direction the group of people had left.

They absolutely have to give us an explanation for this, you bastards!
(End of this chapter)