Returning to the small mountain village of '86, intelligence updated daily.

After another bumpy ride on mountain roads, Zhou Shiwei and his son finally arrived in the town around 11 a.m.

This driver was more skilled and clearly more experienced on mountain roads, which is why they arrived a little earlier.

The two did not linger in town, but rushed home.

Finally, after rushing around, I arrived home around noon.

At this time, only Zeng Jiamei, Yang Laidi, and their grandparents were at home; Zhou Ming and Zhou Shijie had gone to work.

There was food on the table, with a small bowl turned upside down to keep it warm. They hadn't eaten yet and were waiting for the two of them; this was Zeng Jiamei's suggestion.

According to her, the father and son should be back around this time.

She also believed that the two would come home for dinner.

Sure enough, upon seeing Zhou Shiwei and his son return, Zeng Jiamei smiled, then quietly breathed a sigh of relief...

The grandparents assumed that Zhou Shiwei and his son had gone to the county town on business and did not ask any further questions.

Grandpa Zhou Yong'an held Zhou Rui's hand and asked them with great concern if they had been bullied outside.

In the old man's heart, whether it was Zhou Shiwei, who was over forty years old, or Zhou Rui, who was not yet twenty, they were still children.

Zhou Rui put the bag containing the items into the storeroom before returning and hastily eating a mouthful of food.

He glanced at his father, and Zhou Shiwei immediately understood. Then, without making a sound, he gave Zeng Jiamei a look.

The latter immediately understood and sat down next to his grandparents to chat.

Yang Laidi waited for the two elderly people to finish their meal and clear away the dishes.

Inside the warehouse.

Zhou Rui had already opened his pocket and taken out that cold weapon.

He held it in his hand, unloaded, and just gestured with it.

Zhou Shiwei walked in and, seeing his son's curious expression, patiently explained the usage, precautions, and range.

He spoke for over an hour.

No one came near.

It was Zeng Jiamei who was intentionally or unintentionally delaying.

Even if Yang Laidi was introverted, she could still understand at least a glance. After washing the dishes and tidying up, she didn't come over here.

Inside the warehouse, Zhou Rui skillfully demonstrated how to pull the bolt, simulating loading and firing a gun.

He actually knows everything, but he still has to pretend.

So, in the past hour or so, Zhou Rui has gone from being clueless and curious to exploring, and finally to being "skilled".

Zhou Shiwei stared in astonishment, praising his son's intelligence, learning ability, and quick wit.

Zhou Rui modestly stated that he hadn't actually fought any battles yet, and that it was all just for show.

Hearing his son say that, Zhou Shiwei laughed and replied:

"You can see a lot from the details."

"That Li Hu today, your Uncle Li, looks impressive and powerful, doesn't he?"

As Zhou Shiwei spoke eloquently, a past event came to mind.

"Actually, when he was a new recruit, he would tremble at the sight of a gun. During his first training session, he didn't even know where the bolt was. You picked it up quickly."

Zhou Shiwei didn't dwell on the past; his face showed more pride than anything else.

In this way, Zhou Rui successfully "mastered" the technique in front of his father and was able to shoot on his own.

The two men hid the gun in a very inconspicuous corner, covering it with dry grass and firewood.

Turning around and going inside, the two old people went back to the village to chat and watch chess.

Zhou Rui took out a small gift for his mother, and of course, his second aunt Yang Laidi also received one.

My aunt's expression has improved a lot recently; she's no longer the dull-witted girl she used to be.

She took the items and said thank you.

……

In the afternoon, the sun peeked out briefly, but it was quickly obscured by clouds again, and the weather turned cloudy once more.

In the evening, Zhou Shijie and Zhou Ming returned home. After the family finished dinner, they heard the sound of rain falling outside.

It's raining, just like the intelligence from this morning.

But Zhou Rui knew that tomorrow would be a good day, and not just because of the good weather...

That evening, Zhou Rui gathered with his father, second uncle, and younger brother to discuss going into the mountains together the next day.

Zhou Rui's reason was that since it had rained, wild mushrooms would appear in the mountains, so they should go up the mountain together and maybe even catch some.

The other three immediately said it was no problem, even Zhou Shiwei said:

"Anyway, a few more days of work won't make a difference."

However, Zhou Rui could tell that his father was afraid he wouldn't know how to use a gun and that they might get hurt, which was why he decided to go along.

The matter of the gun was not kept from Zhou Ming.

Since they were both men in the family, it was impossible to hide it from them. Besides, Zhou Ming also had to contribute, so it was better to be honest than to keep it a secret.

When Zhou Ming learned that his father and older brother had spent the past day and a half getting guns, his eyes were filled with admiration.

Especially the way he looked at Zhou Rui, it was as if he wanted to hug and kiss Zhou Rui.

Because he had been reading the martial arts novels Zhou Rui had given him for the past few nights, and he already admired and obeyed Zhou Rui without question, his admiration only grew stronger upon learning of this matter.

……

The drizzle continued all night, only stopping around four or five in the morning.

Zhou Rui didn't sleep well that night because as soon as he lay down in bed, those two pieces of information kept popping into his mind.

The more I think about it, the more excited I become.

So, I didn't fall asleep until midnight, on and off.

People in rural areas usually go to bed early, generally around 10 pm.

Firstly, entertainment is already scarce, and there's even less entertainment at night.

Secondly, the elderly feel it's a waste to leave the lights on unattended at night.

"Giggle giggle—"

In the village, it was unclear which rooster was the first to awaken the sleeping village.

Then came the sporadic crowing of birds.

Inside the Zhou family's house, four young men had already finished washing up.

Zeng Jiamei also got up early to cook noodles for everyone for breakfast. Then, she cooked a big pot of potatoes and put some chili powder and sauce in a jar.

This is lunch for the four of them today.

Yang Laidi didn't get up. No one told her last night, and Zeng Jiamei had to ask her herself.

Grandpa and Grandma were still asleep.

She knows her husband and her son well. Before going to bed last night, she asked her husband directly if they were going to go into the mountains tomorrow. Zhou Shiwei did not hide anything and answered yes.

With their supplies in hand, the four of them each carried a basket on their backs and were ready to set off.

Zhou Ming held a sharpened machete in his hand, Zhou Shijie carried a bow and arrows on his back and held a sickle in his hand, while Zhou Shiwei was simply dressed, with a machete at his waist and a thick wooden stick in his hand.

In addition to boiled potatoes and sauces, the four people's baskets also contained ropes and other essential supplies.

Zhou Rui carried a full bag in his basket.

It's almost six in the morning, and the sky is still dark, with only faint, scattered lights.

Zeng Jiamei's eyes were filled with worry. She had guessed that the group was going into the mountains after seeing them talking together yesterday.

However, she did not object, but quietly took care of the logistics.

"Be careful, everyone. I'm here at home. My siblings, parents, and I have prepared meals and are waiting for you to come back."