Chapter 96: Abandoned?

In the urban area, at the trading company.

Gu Tongshan walked to the window and dialed Xu Hu's number.

"Hello? Master!"

"The garrison's people just came, but we basically ignored them. Listen carefully, those above will definitely support you today, just handle things well," Gu Tongshan said with furrowed brows. "Absolutely don't touch the garrison. If you can't resolve the problem, call me immediately, our navy side has ways."

"Understood," Xu Hu responded.

"We'll wait here for your news," Gu Tongshan hung up the phone.

Near Dragon River border bridge, Xu Hu sat in his car with a dark face, saying: "Call the brothers in charge, tell them to block the roads. As soon as they see people from the other side, call me immediately."

"Got it!" the young man in the passenger seat immediately nodded.

About two kilometers from the border bridge on a road, Wei Xiangzuo held his phone and said with furrowed brows: "Damn it, are you idiots? Don't let people wander around the garrison entrance. If you gather at a military unit's entrance, they can determine at any time that you have illegal military intentions. If they really open fire, killing you would be for nothing, understand?"

"Got it."

"Tonight Xu Hu is in charge, whether to fight or kill, it's all his decision, we just follow," Wei Xiangzuo instructed again.

"Understood, Big Brother!"

After speaking, Wei Xiangzuo hung up the phone and turned to tell the six or seven managing leaders beside him: "Talks above broke down, we're going to fight."

"Can we really fight? If the garrison escorts those people into the city, do we dare block the cars?" a middle-aged man asked with his hands behind his back.

"If the garrison really interferes like that, the navy naturally has ways to step in and resolve the problem," Wei Xiangzuo said softly. "If those above dare give this order, it means they definitely have confidence. Outside the district, there are fewer rules, just fight blindly."

"Sigh, Old Gu really cares for Xu Hu," a leader couldn't help but sigh. "If people from our hall were killed, the navy probably wouldn't step in to wade these muddy waters."

"Say less!" Wei Xiangzuo reprimanded.

......

Outside Haiyan Pit.

Two navy military vehicles received orders to leave their original stationed area and drove east.

In the car, an officer held his phone and asked: "Big Brother, nothing can go wrong, right? We haven't received orders from command."

"Command has tacitly approved," the man on the phone replied in a low voice. "Don't worry about anything, just stay by the border bridge. If the garrison doesn't show up, you don't show up either, understand my meaning? The maritime police and customs anti-smuggling side have already approved the procedures. If the garrison absolutely protects them, you go directly to suppress them. The principle is, conflict can occur, but don't fire first."

"Understood."

"That's it."

The two hung up, and the officer turned to instruct the driver: "Drive faster!"

......

In Garrison Patrol Post No. 04.

Yu Mingyuan shouted at the patrol post squad leader: "What exactly are you doing?! What do you mean I leave first, abandon them?"

"Troops from inside the line will come pick them up, but those above mean that you shouldn't get involved in what happens next, you should go back first..."

"Bullshit! If someone's coming to pick them up, why have me leave first?" Yu Mingyuan shouted in complete disbelief. "Before they left, I promised that no matter what happened tonight, I would protect them. If I suddenly leave now, what will they think? How can I explain this?!"

"Brother Yu, I'm just a small squad leader, I don't count for shit. How would I know exactly what those above arranged? If you don't leave, it's hard for me to complete my duties. Don't make things difficult for me, okay?" the squad leader replied with a dejected face.

Yu Mingyuan looked at him, veins bulging on his forehead, and after a long silence, he directly took out his phone.

"Mingyuan!"

Just then, the military officer who had gone up the mountain with Bai Hongbo and others earlier walked over and said softly to him: "Those above must have their reasons for arranging things this way."

Yu Mingyuan looked up.

"Listen to me, let's leave first," his friend replied softly. "Don't make trouble for those above."

Yu Mingyuan stared at him and suddenly asked: "If I leave, can the garrison escort them across the line?"

His friend was stunned.

"Can they or not? Speak!" Yu Mingyuan shouted.

"They probably won't escort, but someone will definitely pick them up from inside the line," his friend turned to look around. "Don't shout. Think about it - if people escort them and conflicts occur with the navy side on the way, and finally the situation can't be controlled and shots are fired, what do we do? How big an incident would that be?!"

"You and I both know how many people are outside. Without an escort, can they even get across the line? If people can't even get in, what the fuck are you picking up?!" Yu Mingyuan put his phone in his pocket and turned to leave. "I'm definitely going back with them. Let those above decide how to handle it themselves."

"Mingyuan!" His friend chased after him.

"...If I abandon them now, then all my previous decisions were idiotic behavior," Yu Mingyuan shouted back. "Don't try to persuade me, I don't want to argue with you."

His friend looked at him, speechless.

Yu Mingyuan strode into the barracks and looked up to call out: "The garrison won't escort us, but someone inside the line will pick us up. I'm going back with you. If Xu Hu wants to make a move, let him kill me first! Let's go."

Su Tianyu, Kong Zhenghui, and the others were very surprised to hear this, but after seeing Yu Mingyuan's complex and angry expression, they knew this wasn't the time to blame him for anything.

"Standing here in a deadlock won't solve anything, so let's go," Su Zhengcai stood up.

"Let's go!"

Yu Mingyuan called out and led everyone toward the exit.

At the main gate, the border post squad leader said to Yu Mingyuan's friend: "I haven't received orders to escort people, so we can't leave our posts."

"I know," his friend nodded. "I'll go out with Mingyuan."

"You...!"

"Fuck, is Xu Hu going to dare kill me?!" his friend replied with a dark face and directly got into his military vehicle.

Yu Mingyuan looked up and demanded of the squad leader: "Where are the people picking us up?"

"Border bridge," the squad leader replied.

"Let's go, get in the car!" Yu Mingyuan called to Su Tianyu and Kong Zhenghui, getting in the car first.

"This is quite risky!" Old Kong said softly but incisively to Bai Dabiao: "The garrison won't escort or cross the line - they're afraid of being caught between a rock and a hard place."

"Whatever happens, happens!" Bai Dabiao replied with a dark face. "I definitely won't just stand there and let Xu Hu cut me down."

With that, everyone got into the cars.

......

In the urban area.

Yu Jinrong sat on the sofa and looked up to ask a middle-aged military officer: "Our garrison won't show up?"

"If you go, the navy will also go, and customs' maritime police and anti-smuggling departments will all be there. If they say they want to summon Bai Dabiao, what can you do? What reason does the garrison have to stop them?" the officer took a sip of tea and asked with a calm expression. "Patrol Post No. 04 only has a few people. If conflicts break out at the scene, do you open fire or not? Isn't that being caught between a rock and a hard place?!"

Yu Jinrong fell silent.

"Just wait inside the line," the middle-aged officer stood up. "I'll make a call."

......

Around 6 AM, as dawn broke, seven or eight vehicles drove out of Patrol Post No. 04.

In the car, Su Tianyu kept his head down, his fingers flying as he sent text messages...