Chapter 251 - 204: The Shocked Niu’s
Just then, the car door opened, and out stepped a young man. He wore a crisp, military-style woolen greatcoat and a sable fur hat, giving him an imposingly noble air.
The production team captain didn’t recognize this person at all. He wasn’t some official from the Commune or the county, as the captain had imagined. The greatcoat sat perfectly on the young man, making him look exceptionally sharp and lending him an extraordinary aura. After the young man got out, an old man climbed down from the driver’s cab.
Someone a bit older in the crowd looked at the old man and called out uncertainly.
"Hey, isn’t that the Guan family patriarch’s good friend, Zhao San? Third Master Zhao!"
Just then, several more people jumped out from the back of the truck’s cargo bed. The first one to jump down was none other than Guan Yongguang, whom everyone had feared the worst for. Seeing Guan Yongguang appear, his aunt scrambled to her feet in joyous surprise.
"Ah, Yongguang! You’re finally back!" she sobbed. "I thought something terrible had happened to you! Your father and your uncle are missing... if you disappeared too, how would we possibly survive?!"
"It’s alright, Aunt. I’m back. I’m okay."
Guan Yongguang finished speaking and offered a smile to his aunt, his second sister, and his younger siblings. The production team captain and the other villagers were overjoyed to see him and quickly crowded around.
"Yongguang, you’re back! Where have you been?"
"We were worried sick! Your aunt was just about to tell us to form a search party for you!"
Someone with sharp eyes spotted the strip of white cloth tied around Guan Yongguang’s waist.
"Huh? Yongguang, why do you have a white cloth tied around your waist? People only wear those for funerals. That’s terribly unlucky. Take it off, quickly."
Guan Yongguang bowed to the surrounding crowd, then cupped his hands and announced in a clear voice.
"Thank you all for your concern. It’s a long story, but I’m fine. I was just delayed by something."
He then turned to the production team captain and said in a low, somber tone.
"Uncle Song, I found my dad... and my uncle!"
"What? You found them? Where are they?"
For a moment, joy flashed across Guan Yongguang’s aunt’s face, but she quickly realized something was wrong. Putting together his grief-stricken expression and the white cloth tied around his waist, a terrible feeling washed over her.
The others sensed it too. Just then, the truck’s tailgate was lowered with a loud CLANG. The crowd turned at the sound and saw two high-quality coffins being carried down by the militiamen from Dragon King Pond who had accompanied them.
At the sight of the two coffins, and then looking back at the white cloth on Guan Yongguang’s waist and his tear-streaked face, his aunt’s vision went black and she fainted. Guan Yonghe was heartbroken, but she knew she had to take care of the living. She rushed to hold her mother, calling out to her repeatedly, as other women from the crowd hurried over to help revive her.
As the most worldly person there, the production team captain of Song Family Village pulled Guan Yongguang aside to question him first.
"Yongguang, what in the world happened? You have to tell me. I’m completely lost."
"My dad and my uncle were killed by a Wolf Pack on the mountain. These men helped drive them off."
Guan Yongguang explained everything in a single sentence, then introduced Third Master Zhao and Zhao Wendong, who were standing nearby.
"This is my grandfather’s good friend, Third Master Zhao, and this is the Civilian Militia Captain of Dragon King Pond, Zhao Wendong—Brother Zhao San."
’What? Zhao Wendong?’
The production captain of Song Family Village froze. ’I know that name. It’s practically legendary! He’s the most prominent figure in the county right now. To think he’s this stylish man standing right here... and Guan Yongguang has managed to connect with him. It looks like I need to handle the Guan family’s affairs even more seriously now.’
"Oh, a pleasure to meet you, Third Master! And you, Captain Zhao! I’ve heard so much about you!"
"You flatter me. It’s just an empty reputation," Zhao Wendong replied calmly as he shook the captain’s hand.
Once the full story became clear, the surrounding villagers from Song Family Village sighed with sorrow. They couldn’t believe the Guan Brothers had truly met with disaster in the mountains. In a way, they were also fortunate; they had run into Zhao Wendong, who had managed to preserve their bodies. Otherwise, the Wolf Pack would have surely torn them to shreds, leaving nothing behind.
"Alright, the men have been brought home," said Third Master Zhao. "While the sun’s yang energy is still strong, let’s have the family pay their respects. Then we can lay my two grand-nephews to rest and let them find peace."
Seeing that Zhao Wendong’s men had even brought tools like shovels and pickaxes, the production team captain quickly called for everyone to help. They hadn’t been able to join the search, but this was a tragedy on their own doorstep, a duty no one could refuse.
"Oh my god, how can you two really be gone?" wailed Guan Yongguang’s aunt, who had just come to. "I kept thinking you were just lost! Those damned wolves! Why did they have to devour you?!"
Guan Yongguang’s aunt, having regained consciousness and understood the situation, burst into heartbroken sobs. She tried to throw herself onto the coffins but was held back by the villagers. The coffins had to be placed in the courtyard first for the family to pay their respects, and then they had to be taken to the gravesite and buried before noon. The frozen winter ground would be hard to dig, but many hands make light work—it would just take more time.
Guan Yonghe and Guan Yongguang’s younger siblings began to cry as well. The youngest, only four or five years old, also seemed to understand that his father was gone. Unwilling to watch such a heart-wrenching scene, Zhao Wendong went over to Guan Yongguang and Third Master Zhao.
"I’m heading to the county for now. I’ll be back this afternoon to pick you all up."