r18novel Chapter 979 Weapons
Chapter 979 Weapons
Gu Nan looked at the two hand grenades the shopkeeper pushed towards him. The metal casings gleamed coldly in the dim light. He raised an eyebrow—this shopkeeper was truly "resourceful," even stocking such things; he certainly knew how to do business. He didn't refuse, took them, weighed them in his hand, and stuffed them into the inner pocket of his coat. His fingertips touched the cold metal, and he felt a little more at ease: "Thanks."
The owner smiled and waved his hand, his face beaming with a friendly smile: "Don't mention it, we're all regular customers. Just come back often to support our business."
Gu Nan didn't say anything more, turned around and went up the creaking wooden stairs. Pushing open the back door of the general store, the wind at the alley entrance was cooler than before, swirling with fallen leaves. He tightened his coat, turned up the collar to block the wind from getting into his neck, quickened his pace, and soon disappeared into the deep night. With these two guys with him, the chances of success at the brick kiln tomorrow would be much higher. He knew that dealing with a ruthless thug like Xiao Bao required some serious weaponry to keep things under control.
When he got home, a dim electric light was on inside. Ran Qiuye was sitting at the table picking vegetables. When she saw him come in, she quickly stood up and said, "You're back? I was just about to cook."
Gu Nan nodded, hung his coat on the hook behind the door, and took out the grenade from his pocket, hiding it in the wooden box under the bed and covering it with a few old clothes—he couldn't let Qiu Ye see these things, lest she worry.
"I got back a little late today." Ran Qiuye added some firewood to the stove, the firelight warming her cheeks. "I left you some food; you can just heat it up and eat."
Gu Nan walked over and gently put his arm around her shoulder from behind: "Qiu Ye, did anything happen in the yard today?"
Ran Qiuye turned around, patted his hand, and said with a hint of reproach in her eyes, "What could possibly be wrong? You're just too nervous. There aren't that many bad people watching our house every day. The yard is pretty peaceful. Tiedan even asked me to pass on a message to you, saying that his dad's pickled vegetables are ready and he wants you to go and get some when you have time."
Gu Nan knew she was trying to put him at ease, so he nodded in agreement: "I was too anxious, always worried that you and the two of you would suffer. Let's not talk about this anymore, let's eat, I'm really a bit hungry today."
Ran Qiuye smiled and turned to the kitchen to get the food. The millet porridge was thick and flavorful, served with a plate of stir-fried vegetables and two steamed buns—simple yet comforting. Gu Nan ate with relish, drinking two bowls of porridge, which brought a smile to Ran Qiuye's eyes.
After dinner, Gu Nan didn't read as usual and went to bed early. He stared at the ceiling, his mind racing with plans for tomorrow—how many men did Xiao Bao bring? What was the terrain like at the brick kiln? Where was a good place to hide, and where was it easy to break out? In case of a firefight, how could he subdue Xiao Bao as quickly as possible while ensuring his own safe escape? A barrage of questions swirled in his mind, like fighting a silent battle.
Ran Qiuye came in after clearing away the dishes. Seeing that he was awake with his eyes open, she knew he was thinking about something. She didn't ask any questions, but gently tucked the blanket around him and said softly, "Go to sleep early. You'll be well-rested and have the energy to get things done tomorrow."
Gu Nan turned his head and saw the concern in her eyes. His heart warmed, and he reached out to hold her hand: "Yes, you should go to sleep early too."
Ran Qiuye nodded and blew out the lamp. In the darkness, Gu Nan slowly closed his eyes, forcing himself to clear his mind—he had to be well-rested tonight; tomorrow's tough battle wouldn't allow for any mistakes. He could feel Qiuye's steady breathing beside him; it was the stability he had to protect, and his greatest source of confidence at this moment.
The silence of the night dissipated with the crowing of roosters. As dawn broke, Gu Nan got up. He looked at Ran Qiuye, who was still fast asleep, and moved gently. When she woke up rubbing her eyes, he said, "I'm going to work. I might have to work overtime at the factory today, so I'll be back a little late."
Ran Qiuye yawned, completely unaware that a storm was brewing, and simply nodded obediently: "Be careful on the road, I've saved some dinner for you."
Gu Nan responded and turned to leave. Just as she reached the alley entrance, Gu Bei's figure emerged from behind the wall, asking in a low voice, "Do you need me to come with you?"
Gu Nan didn't stop walking. He turned his head and said, "Once Uncle Tong's operation starts, Hei Zi will be able to come back. You keep an eye on things nearby and wait for my signal. You can come and provide support when the time comes."
"Don't worry." Gu Bei nodded, his sharp gaze sweeping over the surroundings. "Leave this to me. I will make sure nothing happens to your wife and child."
Gu Nan hummed in agreement, and as he turned the corner, he quickly pulled a silver-gray bulletproof vest from his canvas bag. It was made of a special material he'd redeemed from the system shop—thin as a cicada's wing yet incredibly strong—the system had warned him that it couldn't be penetrated by even 20th-century automatic rifles, let alone old-fashioned handguns of this era. He neatly put it on under his work clothes, zipping it up to the collar, so that from the outside, there was no trace of anything amiss.
Meanwhile, in an abandoned brick kiln on the outskirts of the city, Xiao Bao stood on a slope, coldly observing the dozen or so people below. These men all had fierce expressions, yet they exuded a sense of inexperience—they were all idle thugs he had recently hired from the black market at great expense. Though called assassins, they were more like desperados, and were nowhere near as skilled as Zhang Du and his ilk, who had received professional training.
“Remember your mission.” Xiao Bao’s voice was like ice. “Find Gu Nan and kill him. After it’s done, everyone will get double the money.”
The men below immediately erupted in cheers, their faces filled with greed: "Don't worry, Brother Leopard! He's just a worker, right? We'll take care of him in no time!" "Once we get the money, we'll go out for a good drink!" They didn't take "killing a worker" seriously at all, treating it as an easy job.
Xiao Bao didn't expose him, but sneered inwardly—he never expected these people to succeed. Their only purpose was to entangle Gu Nan, exhaust him, and force him to reveal a weakness. The real killing blow was hidden in the canvas bag behind him—a sniper rifle he'd bought on the black market, its barrel gleaming coldly, ready to deliver a fatal blow to Gu Nan. He deliberately concealed Gu Nan's skills, only saying he was an ordinary steel mill worker, to make these people underestimate him and work for him.
That would give Gu Nan a chance to kill him in one blow, and also avenge Monkey and Zhang Du. This is what Xiao Bao wants to do most right now, since all the people he brought have been killed. This is a big deal.
Gu Nan stopped in his tracks when he reached the warehouse door. The iron door was ajar, and the inside was eerily quiet. He didn't rush in, but instead mentally commanded, "System, scan the warehouse interior and see how many people are inside."