Chapter 691 - 684_1
The brothers had been waiting and waiting, initially thinking that the kidnappers would make a move on them, but there was no movement from the outside. They were all growing wearied from the wait and puzzled. Hadn’t those people said they would use them as bait today? Why then had they still not taken action? Could there be a change in plans or had they changed their minds? It wasn’t until the evening that the brothers had lost all hope for any actions today. However, they then heard some noise outside, followed by the sound of the door opening. They quickly braced themselves for what was to come, and then two kidnappers walked in.
"I say, brothers, they’re just children. They can’t turn the sky upside down. Locked in such a room, there’s no need to keep them tied up all the time. Quan An is really too cautious. Look here, they’re all meek and quiet." Upon entering and seeing Dalang and his brothers all tied up and huddled together, still appearing as scared as before, not daring to say a word and behaving obediently, the kidnappers spoke with a sense of disdain, obviously feeling Quan An’s previous instructions were unnecessary. Kids from the countryside are, after all, more honest. They’re nothing like those cunning children from noble families, who really require vigilance. Thinking this, the kidnapper couldn’t help but feel a degree of contempt and lowered his guard towards Dalang and his brothers.
The brothers had a tacit understanding among themselves and, following Er Lang’s advice, had deliberately put on this act to confuse the enemy. Now it seemed to have had an effect. Er Lang, seeing the kidnapper’s demeanor, flashed a look but didn’t let his guard down. He even took advantage of the kidnapper’s inattentiveness to remind Dalang, San Lang, and Si Lang with his eyes to stay vigilant and not to relax lest the kidnappers were merely tricking them and they revealed themselves.
Having grown up together, the brothers had an extraordinary rapport. Previously, when they’d fought with the other village kids, they had often cooperated with each other. With a single glance from Er Lang, the brothers understood, blinking their eyes to signal their agreement and to reassure Er Lang.
The brothers made these subtle movements very discreetly, specifically avoiding the kidnappers’ notice. Naturally, the kidnappers did not detect anything. However, the other kidnapper was not like the casual kidnapper who had spoken earlier. Clearly more obedient to the orders from above, he still followed instructions despite his personal doubts.
"You’d better hold your tongue as well. Since the order has been given from above, it can’t be wrong to act on it. These kids might look obedient, but they’re a little too clever for comfort. What’s abnormal is suspect. We’d better remain cautious. If something were to happen, it’s not something you or I could bear."