I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

Chapter 213: Chapter 193: Father Lin and Mother Lin Arrive

”Reporting to the sirs! Under Comrade Zhao Wendong’s leadership, the capture mission was a complete success. We killed one special agent and captured another. We have no casualties!”

The team’s leader, Officer Tang Er, ran up first to salute and report, his voice filled with pride.

”Hahaha, excellent!”

”That’s wonderful!”

Upon hearing the news, Director Tang, Special Commissioner Wei, and the others were overjoyed. Their faces beamed with excitement and relief. This New Year wouldn’t be so difficult to get through after all!

”Quickly, take us to see.”

Tang Er quickly led Director Tang and Special Commissioner Wei back to the group. The leaders examined Robe Sanae, who was clearly dead, before walking over to Takaichi Koinu. His leg was injured, and he was trussed up and pinned down by four men. Staring at the familiar face—a clerk who had once worked under him—Director Tang felt a wave of lingering fear. If Takaichi Koinu had escaped, he would have been forced into an early, disgraceful retirement. He would never have been able to face his old comrades again.

”You damn spy! Serves you right! You got exposed trying to get revenge on Li Guangming!”

Takaichi Koinu lifted his head, his face a mask of defiance.

”Director, don’t flatter yourself. The death of Li Guangming’s family had nothing to do with us. No one would risk exposure just to get revenge on him. Wouldn’t it be better to let him continue his evil deeds and bring ruin to the common folk?”

”You were so desperate this time you even had your son lead the team to catch us. But our capture has nothing to do with Tang Er. You aren’t that skilled.”

He then turned his head to look at Zhao Wendong.

”Just who are you? How could you give commands to the eagle?”

Zhao Wendong didn’t even spare him a glance. He had no interest in talking to a spy. His attention was fixed entirely on Director Tang. Understanding his unspoken request, Director Tang gave a grand wave of his hand.

”Let’s go. This isn’t the place to talk. We’ll head back to the labor farm to rest first. I’ll throw a victory celebration for everyone!”

”Alright!”

”Awesome.”

”Let’s go, let’s go!”

The soldiers, who had toiled all day, cheered at the news of a victory celebration. This was especially true for the militiamen. A full meal eaten outside meant they wouldn’t have to use their own food at home for two or three days, saving a significant amount of their grain supply.

Back at the labor farm, Zhao Wendong was invited to join the leaders, along with Zhou Mancang and Chen the Seventh. Everyone else was told to rest and wait for the mess hall to serve dinner. Just as Zhao Wendong was about to go inside, Xiaojin returned, dropping a wild rabbit as it landed. Zhao Wendong immediately pressed the rabbit into Chen the Seventh’s hands.

”Hahaha, Brother Old Qi, consider this a rabbit in return. A little compensation from Xiaojin.”

Chen the Seventh looked at the Golden Roc as it tilted its head and stared at him. He simply smiled, shook his head, and accepted the rabbit without protest. He knew Zhao Wendong didn’t lack for food—otherwise, he wouldn’t have traded grain for the Golden Roc in the first place. His own family, however, desperately needed it. This rabbit would mean his children could have a rich New Year’s feast, which was especially important now, during this difficult time when he was being severely ostracized by his relatives.

The moment Lin Huaimin and Wang Lulu entered the room, they saw their son-in-law chatting and laughing comfortably with the leaders. Zhao Wendong saw them as well and quickly rose, ushering them to sit beside him. Director Tang sized up Lin Huaimin and Wang Lulu and gave a silent nod. They both had the look of intellectuals. Besides, he had already given Zhao Wendong his word, and now Zhao Wendong had done him this enormous favor. He would handle the matter of transferring Lin Huaimin and Wang Lulu for re-education elsewhere. He would make it happen!

”Comrade Wendong, you can take them away with you today. Haisheng, you coordinate on your end and prepare the necessary paperwork.”

”Yes, Director.”

Liu Haisheng shot to his feet and replied. Lin Huaimin and Wang Lulu’s faces lit up with joy, and their eyes welled with tears. Though they had dared to hope, now that the moment had actually arrived, they couldn’t contain their emotions.

”Thank you, Director! Thank you!”

The pair bowed deeply in gratitude, and Director Tang smiled as he helped them straighten up.

”If anything, I should be thanking your wonderful son-in-law,” he said. ”Tang Er, come on, tell us exactly what happened today.”

Tang Er and Chen Baoguo began to animatedly recount the day’s events. The crowd gasped in amazement as they described the Golden Roc tracking the spies, the dogs pinpointing their location, the timely disposal of a grenade, and the discovery of the enemy’s ambush. Wang Lulu gripped Lin Huaimin’s hand, her nails digging into her husband’s palm from sheer tension. Yet Lin Huaimin seemed oblivious to the pain, his face a mask of retrospective fear as he listened.

’This was no game,’ they thought. ’This was a real hail of bullets. One careless move, and he could have lost his life on that mountain.’ The more they thought about the dangers Zhao Wendong had faced to save them, the more they admired him, and the more touched they became. ’What on earth did our daughter do in a past life to be lucky enough to meet such a wonderful man?’

Director Tang and the other officials were also listening with rapt attention, repeatedly patting Zhao Wendong on the shoulder and expressing their gratitude. They were especially delighted by the end of the story: Chen the Seventh’s brave struggle against Robe Sanae, and Zhou Mancang’s crucial shot that killed the spy and saved Chen the Seventh’s life. The leaders declared that Zhou Mancang and the others must also be officially commended for their merit. And when they heard that Zhao Wendong was Zhou Mancang’s cousin, they marveled at the wonderful twists of fate.

”Comrade Zhao Wendong, you’re not just a master eagle tamer, you’re an expert with dogs too! The performance of these dogs was incredible; they put our own wolfhounds to shame. So, Comrade Zhao Wendong, I have to ask... in the future, could we borrow your dogs as studs for our military canine unit?”

”Hahaha, of course! No problem.”

Soon, the farm’s mess hall had the meal ready. Though ”meal” was a generous term for what was merely sorghum porridge and steamed corn buns. Even this simple fare pained Liu Haisheng to part with; he only dared to serve it after confirming with Director Tang multiple times that the grain would be replaced. But the humble victory meal could not diminish everyone’s enthusiasm. The moment Zhao Wendong entered the mess hall, he was met with a thunderous round of applause. Many of the other laborers working at the farm watched him, with Lin Huaimin and Wang Lulu at his side, their eyes filled with undisguised envy.