The sky was still light when they left the city, but by the time they reached the outskirts, dusk was settling in.
The sun had completely set, and it was estimated that darkness would fall within half an hour.
Fortunately, Shenjiaba Village wasn't too far from the county town, about ten li. It would take less than an hour by bicycle, and they should reach home around dusk.
Gao Feng had also brought a flashlight used by the factory's security department for patrols. The tin flashlight was equipped with two brand-new size 1 batteries, just in case they couldn't see the road clearly when it got dark.
"Daddy, I'm sleepy."
The little child, clutching Chen Yang's clothes, rested her round face against her father's back. The little one was feeling drowsy.
Riding in a vehicle was like this. Although she had already slept on the bus earlier, the dirt road was very bumpy and shaky. Adults would definitely find it uncomfortable, but for a child, it was like a rocking cradle from when they were younger.
Swaying back and forth, it was bound to induce sleepiness.
"Wukang, why don't you ride my bike and hold Yan Yan. She might fall if she falls asleep."
Chen Yang slowed down a bit. They had already passed quite a distance from the place where the murder was rumored to have occurred, and there were no villages nearby.
It was all fields and land. Chen Yang felt a little more at ease, so he stopped the bike.
After all, the little child was only two or three years old. Sitting alone in the back and holding onto his clothes, it was already excellent that she could sit stably without falling.
Now that she was sleepy, Chen Yang dared not let her continue to sit alone in the back.
"Brother-in-law, I'll hold her."
"Be good, Yan Yan, your cousin will hold you."
Zhao Wukang was very fond of the little child. Such a cute little baby, who wouldn't like her?
"Uncle will hold you."
The little child wasn't shy. She had seen Zhao Wukang many times. Zhao Wukang sat on the back seat of Chen Yang's bike.
But at this moment, for some reason, Gao Feng suddenly felt a chill down his spine.
He couldn't quite describe this feeling. Usually, when he patrolled with the captain of the security department, that retired soldier often said that on the battlefield, one had to learn to sense killing intent.
Especially for reconnaissance soldiers, not being able to sense killing intent meant going to their doom.
Gao Feng didn't understand; he had never been a soldier, but at this moment, he felt that he might have some understanding of the captain's meaning.
"Brother-in-law, Wukang, be careful."
But Gao Feng glanced around and behind him, and there was no one.
Yet, the more he found nothing, the more uneasy Gao Feng felt, and a layer of sweat even broke out on his forehead.
Hearing his words, Chen Yang, who had just relaxed a lot, suddenly felt his heart leap into his throat.
He believed that at a time like this, Gao Feng would not joke around.
If he said that, he must have discovered something.
"Wukang, don't keep the tool on your waist."
Chen Yang sped up the bicycle. Gao Feng had brought three iron pipes, two tied to the back of Gao Feng's bike, and one tied to the back of Chen Yang's bike.
Listening to Chen Yang's words, Zhao Wukang, holding the child with one hand, quietly untied the rope binding the iron pipe to the back seat with the other, and held the iron pipe in his palm.
Caution is the parent of safety!
Not to mention Gao Feng and Zhao Wukang, even Chen Yang's back clothes were soaked with sweat.
Even when Chen Yang encountered robbers on the train last time, he wasn't as scared as he was today. That was in broad daylight, with so many people on the train.
But this time was different. The victim's tragic appearance had already terrified many people.
The crucial thing was that the murder scene was on this very road. Although they had passed it, it wasn't far.
The most important thing was that the victim's clothes were stripped off. But logically, if it was for money, the killer had ridden away with her most valuable bicycle. Instead, it was left with the victim's body, hidden in the bushes and covered with wild grass.
As for whether the victim had been violated before her death, in addition to the brutal knife wounds and flesh cuts, no one knew.
After all, in such a situation, no one dared to approach and look closely except the victim's husband. The victim's husband fainted on the spot. When the public security officers arrived, although they sent forensic doctors to investigate the scene, the public security bureau would not disclose such information to the public.
Therefore, even now, people still didn't know why the killer had attacked the victim. The public security bureau had no conclusion, and they couldn't catch the killer.
In such a situation, wouldn't people be in a state of panic!
The unknown was the most terrifying.
No one knew what the damned killer's motive was, why they had killed the victim, so in everyone's eyes, they themselves could become a victim.
This included Chen Yang, Zhao Wukang, and Gao Feng. They had no idea what the killer's motive was for killing, nor did they know if they themselves would become his target.
"Brother-in-law, that feeling is gone again."
"I always feel like someone was watching us just now."
After riding a little further, that feeling disappeared, but Gao Feng's whole body was as if he had been fished out of water, completely drenched in sweat.
"Don't let your guard down, keep riding. Once we get back to the village, even if something really happens, they shouldn't dare to follow us in."
"The brigade often organizes militia training, and Old Master Tu's family has flintlock guns. If they dare to come, we'll catch them off guard and kill them, the bastards."
Chen Yang felt his lips trembling as he spoke. There was no doubt that he also had that spine-chilling feeling from earlier.
Chen Yang didn't know if they were scaring themselves, but caution is the parent of safety, so they pedaled their bicycles desperately.
"Wukang, why aren't you saying anything, kid."
Chen Yang was a little puzzled. He hadn't heard Zhao Wukang speak for a long time, so he turned his head.
Where was Zhao Wukang behind his bike!
"Damn it!"
Chen Yang slammed on the brakes with both feet. He didn't even care about Chen Hao, who was sitting on the front seat. He dropped the bicycle and rushed forward.
"Hiss."
Chen Yang felt a piercing pain, and blood immediately flowed from his palm.
At this moment, the knife was less than a palm's width away from Zhao Wukang's neck.
And at this moment, Zhao Wukang lay on the ground, and both he and the child in his arms were stunned with fear.
In extreme fear, people can be so scared that they lose their voice and cannot speak.
Clearly, Zhao Wukang was in this state now.
"Xiao Gao."
Seeing Chen Yang drop the bike, Gao Feng also reacted instantly. When he turned his head.
He only saw Chen Yang holding a boning knife, and a hunched man was holding the knife handle with both hands, preparing to stab Chen Yang.
Chen Yang's hand was tightly gripping the blade, and blood was already flowing everywhere.
Gao Feng almost instinctively picked up the iron pipe and rushed over.
The man twisted the knife handle fiercely. Chen Yang felt his hand go numb with pain, but at this moment, he couldn't care about the pain anymore.
If he let go and allowed this foul-smelling man to retrieve the knife, they would probably all die here today.