Chapter 7 7

He had looked at the feed bags in the storage room. There were a lot of them, about forty bags, piled up as high as people.Big waxed paper bags, about thirty pounds each, about twelve hundred pounds all together, or about half a ton.How long would it take four horses and one pony to eat all this? But he knew from the very beginning that this task was used by Bobby to distract him, and it was a very good excuse to buy feed before the actual need, so that he could distract Li Qi and stay away from Carmen temporarily.But actually they don't intend to buy feed, because they are turning left.All the feed bags had the brand name printed on them, along with a bunch of advertising touting the nutritional content, and the name and address of the manufacturer, whose factory was in San Angelo.He looked at it forty times, once on each bag, in large, clear print: SAN ANGELO, SAN ANGELO, SAN ANGELO.But San Angelo was northeast of Echo County, not southwest, so they should have turned right.

So, Bobby intends to remove him from Carmen's life forever, and Joshua and Billy have been ordered to get rid of him, and there is no doubt that Joshua and Billy will do as they are told, just like Bobby once said that.Li Qi smiled at the windshield. Forewarning is tantamount to arming in advance. They don't know that he has read the name of the feed store, they don't know that he has read the instructions on the bag, and they don't know that he has spent almost all of last week studying the map of Texas. .Of course, they wouldn't know that turning left and turning right would make a huge difference to him.

What method are they going to use?Carmen had said that her unemployed teacher friend had been scared away, but if he couldn't even talk to her afterwards, and everyone was already in the safer Pecos, then he was completely scared!So are they going to try to intimidate him?If so, they are taking a big joke.He felt the anger building up in his heart, but he used and controlled the power in the way he had learned, allowing the flow of adrenaline to release the stiff feet, allowing the adrenaline to build up strength in his body.He pulled his shoulders apart, leaning on Joshua on one side and Billy on the other.

how far?he asked pretendingly. two hours.Billy said. About sixty miles, going south on a perfectly straight road.The surrounding landscape remained unchanged, dry scrub grass on the left, and dull calcium carbonate lime with formed veins and rock formations on the right.All the scenery is exposed to the relentless sun, and there is no car on the road. It seems that only one or two cars pass this road every day.Maybe they just need to drive far enough, stop, kick him out, and he'll die of thirst on his own, no one can save him, or exhaustion from walking to death, or being killed by a snake kill.

No, not two hours.Joshua said.Just about a hundred miles. Then there's a chance they're going to that bar they mentioned yesterday, maybe they have friends there.Li Qi thought to himself, they'd better have them, two third-rate cowboys want to put me down, they are simply beyond their control, so he let out a breath, relaxed, hesitating in his heart.The kind of absolute anger he'd told Carmen about, there was usually a problem with it, it was overwhelming, or it was nothing.He remembered what had happened on his first day in middle school.In the summer vacation when Li Qi finished elementary school, his family moved back to the United States for half a year. At that time, he was enrolled in a big middle school, not the one attached to the base. It was probably near Dixburg, New Jersey, and he had already be prepared.With his usual overly serious attitude, he estimated that the middle school should be bigger and better than the elementary school, and it was the same in every aspect, even including the fight in the storage room.As usual, he was mentally prepared for the first day of school, and if someone dared to do something, he would definitely let the other party go around.This tactic has always worked: hit hard, get out early, settle your account with him first, and impress everyone.But this time, the impression was too clear, and the force of his attack was unprecedented, because he believed in his heart that middle school must be a big deal.

Of course, the first morning there was a pushover from a scumbag, and ten minutes later the stinky kid was in the ambulance and was going to the hospital for three weeks.Later, Li Qi found out that this is actually a very well-educated school, and so are the people in the school district, so his overly violent reaction made everyone treat him as a barbarian, even he himself felt this way, which made him feel a little ashamed .Since then, he has become calmer.Learn to determine what the situation is before you actually do it, and learn to warn the other party first under certain circumstances.

Will we come back straight away?he asks. It was a tricky question, they couldn't say no, because that would make him wary, and they couldn't say yes, if they didn't intend to do it in the first place. Let's have two beers first.Billy said. where to drink We went there yesterday. I have no money with me.Li Qi said.I haven't gotten my salary yet. We treat.Joshua said. Is the feed store open that late?And today is Saturday? Buy in large quantities and they will wait for us.Billy said. Either it's a new feed store, or they decide to get a new one. I think you probably use a lot.He said.

It has always been like this.Joshua said. Will we go straight back after that? certainly.Billy said.You'll be home on time for your beauty sleep. That's good.Li Qi said. He pauses for a moment. Because I like it that way.He said. If you dare to trouble me, you will have to eat shit. Billy didn't speak, and Joshua just smiled and continued to drive his car. As the car travels south, the surrounding terrain gradually flattens out.According to the information seen on the map, the Rio Grande will roll towards them from the west, and from here it will enter the Rio Grande Basin, where a huge torrent in prehistoric times washed the land.Joshua drove steadily, at sixty miles, while Billy idly looked out his window.The road was still straight, and the roadside scenery remained unchanged. Li Qi rested and waited with his head resting on the gun rack behind him.Waiting is already a part of him. During his military service, before many intense actions, he had to sit in a car for a long time.The development of things is usually like this, the evidence is slowly accumulated first, and the conclusion will emerge at the end, and then the identity of the suspect is confirmed, and then the arrest is made.In the military, it doesn't take long for you to get used to the normalcy of waiting.

The further south the car was driven the poorer the road quality, the van struggled on the road and there was nothing in the rear load area so the rear wheels bounced a lot.There were bald eagles on some of the poles, and the sun was almost setting in the west, and finally there was a sign on the shoulder saying five miles to Echo, with a bunch of bullet holes in it. Isn't Echo Town in the north?Li Qi said.Where does Ellie study? Divide in half.Billy said.Half there, half here.In the middle is a wilderness of one hundred and sixty miles. The biggest town in the world, from start to finish.Joshua said.Bigger than Los Angeles.

The car passed a long curve, and after slowing down, a group of small buildings appeared in the distance, all of which were not high, and the sun shone from behind the buildings.There are some tin advertising signs on the shoulders that tell you, three miles away, what medicine is being sold in these building gourds: a gas station, a grocery store, a bar called Longhorn, owned by Harry.The bar sign is last, but the storefront is first.About a hundred feet after the shoulder turned east, the tin roof, asphalt-plank walls, stood low on a two-acre lot, the dirt of which was also all scorched.There were about eleven or two trucks parked in front of the house, facing inwards, like planes parked around the airport.Closest to the door is the sheriff's used car, which looks like an abandoned vehicle.

Joshua pulled the car into the parking lot, bouncing and bouncing, parking the car like any other car.The windows of the bar had beer labels in neon lights, trapped between dirty glass and striped curtains.Joshua turned off the engine and put the keys in his pocket. The sudden silence allowed Li Qi to hear the noise in the bar, the roar of the exhaust fan, the air-conditioning compressor, the broken jukebox, noisy conversations, There was the banging of wine bottles and glasses, and the sound of a pool table.Sounds like a natural bunch of people. Joshua opened the door with Billy and got out of the car, while Richie slipped through the passenger door and stood where he was, with his back to the sun.The temperature was still very high, and he felt the heat covering his whole body, extending from his neck to his heels. This time, Billy said, please. After entering the door is a hall, where there is an old-fashioned public telephone, and a bunch of phone numbers and messages are written on the wooden board next to it.Then there is the second door, with a yellow glass window, leading to the inside of the bar.Billy reached out and pushed the door open. To a military policeman, walking into a bar is as natural as a hitter walking to home plate.This is where he works, and about 90 percent of the little problems in the army happen in the bar.A group of young men who have received combat training, together with an unlimited supply of alcohol, coupled with the hostility among various units and the appearance of civilian women, plus the woman's husband and boyfriend also participated, the outbreak of the incident became inevitable. avoid.So just as the batter walked cautiously out of the batting area, looking infield, aiming outfield, calculating angles and distances, so the military police walked into the bar with the same concentration.First, count how many exits there are, usually three.One is the main entrance, the back door is behind the toilet, and the secret door behind the counter leading to the office.Li Qi could see that the Long Horn Bar had all three doors, and the windows were too small, so it was impossible for someone to come in and out from here. Then the job of the military police is to inspect the crowd, see where the troublemakers gather, who will quiet down and stare at you?Where is the provocative intent?In the Long Horn Bar, these are completely invisible.There were maybe twenty to twenty-five people in the long, low room, all men, dark skinned, malnourished, and wearing denim.Except for casual glances and familiar nodding greetings, no one paid special attention to the appearance of Billy and Joshua.The sheriff isn't here, but there's an empty stool by the counter, a freshly opened bottle on a used napkin, and it's probably a reserved seat. After watching people is a weapon.Above the bar is an antique revolver, tied with wire to a wooden plaque, and with pokers is branded the words: We don't call an ambulance.There should be a few modern pistols here, and there are also many long wine bottles, but Li Qi doesn't take these things seriously.Wine bottles can't actually be used as weapons, the only exception being in the movies where they are made of cotton candy and labeled with toilet paper.A real wine bottle won't shatter when it hits a table, because the glass is too thick and it will just make a loud noise, perhaps barely enough for a bat.What really worried him was the pool table, because it was in the middle of the room, with a bunch of hard balls on it, and four guys playing with pool cues.On a shelf on the side wall stood about a dozen clubs vertically, only slightly shorter than shotguns, the most advanced assault weapons in the bar.Because it is not long, it is just right in the hand, and it is not too short to be useless. In addition, the material is solid oak, and lead is properly added to increase the weight. The air in the bar was extremely cool, with a strong smell of beer and smoke, and the sound of people buzzing.The jukebox is near the pool table, and there is an area behind it with a small round table and a small stool next to the table with a red plastic chair cushion.Billy held up three fingers at the bartender and got three cold beers.Holding the wine bottle with his fingers, he took the lead towards the table setting area, but Li Qi reached the destination before him because he wanted to choose a seat first.His back to the wall is his principle, if he wants to see three exits at the same time.Reacher snaked forward and sat down, Joshua on his right front and Billy on his left front.Billy pushed a wine bottle across the scarred tabletop where so many cigarette butts had been snuffed directly onto the table.The sheriff came in from the back of the house, which was the direction of the toilet, and he looked down to see if the zipper was pulled.The sheriff paused for a moment when he saw Leech, but his face was expressionless, and then he walked on and sat down at the bar, on the empty stool.He shrugged, his back to the crowd. Billy raised his bottle to toast. good luck.He said. Li Qi thought to himself: Dude, you are the one who needs it.He took a swig of the beer, which tasted cool and grassy, ​​with a strong hop flavor. I have to get on the phone.Billy said. He pushed back the stool and stood up.Joshua leans to the right, trying to take the space that appears in front of Reach.Billy made his way through the crowd to the hall outside.Li Qi took another sip of beer, estimated the time, and counted the number of people inside.There were twenty-three people here, including himself and the bartender whose name should be Harry.Two minutes and forty seconds later, Billy came back, bent down and whispered to the sheriff, the sheriff nodded, Billy said something more, and the sheriff nodded again.Then the sheriff finished his drink, pushed his chair back, stood up, turned his head to look at the whole room, glanced in Li Qi's direction, turned and walked away, pushed the door and went out.Billy stood and watched him walk out, then meander back to his seat. The Sheriff is leaving.He said.He remembered that there were things to do elsewhere. Li Qi didn't speak. Did you make a call?Joshua asked, as if it had been rehearsed. Yes, hit.Billy said. He sat down on his stool and picked up the bottle. Don't you want to know who I'm calling?He said while looking at Li Qi opposite. Who are you calling to fuck me?Li Qi said. I called an ambulance.Billy said.Best to call first, because the ambulance was going all the way from Bresdio, and it might take hours. Actually, we're going to be honest with you.Joshua said.We lied to you before.We did turn one guy away, and he was having an affair with a Mexican woman, which Bobby didn't think was appropriate because Sloop was in jail and all that stuff.So he wants us to deal with it, and we'll just bring him here. Want to know what we did?Billy asked. Aren't we going to the feed store?Li Qi said. The feed store is far from here, in San Angelo. So what the hell are we doing here? We're going to tell you now!This is where we brought that guy. What does this guy have to do with me? Bobby thinks you're his kind, that's all. He thinks I'm having an affair with her too? Joshua nodded.certainly. What do you think? We agree with him, otherwise why would you be here?You're definitely not riding a horse, there's no denying that. What if I say we're just good friends? Bobby said it was definitely more than that. Then you believe it? Billy nodded.Of course, she also hooked up with Bobby, who told us about it.So how would you be different?We don't blame you, though, this bitch is a real beauty, and if she hadn't been Sloop's wife, I'd love her too.But even Pacman, you have to respect her family, that's the rule here. Li Qi didn't speak. She was a schoolteacher last time, Billy said, and did something he shouldn't, so we took him here, out in the backyard, and got out a pork shop knife and got some friends to put him on Grabbed and took his pants off and told him we were going to cut his bird off.So he scared the shit out of him, crying for his father and mother, begging that he would go away by himself, and begging us not to cut him, but we cut him a little bit, anyway, it was fun, let him bleed a lot and then let him go .But we told him that if we ever saw his face again, we would literally cut it off.And guess what?We never saw him again. It worked, Joshua said, and it worked well, the only problem was he almost bled to death, so we should have called an ambulance first, so we thought, _just remember next time.Don't people say that if you don't do anything, you don't gain wisdom?So this time we will call an ambulance first, as a special service for you, so you should be grateful. You cut that guy?Li Qi asked. certainly. It sounds like you guys are being silly. We have to take care of the whole family, so some things have to be done. And you let me know? Joshua nodded.What's wrong?who do you think You Are? Li Qi shrugged.Let's put it this way, I'm not a teacher. What does it mean? Meaning if you guys wanted to cut me, you'd be the ones who got in the ambulance. Do you think so? Li Qi nodded.The horse I'm riding has made me a little harder than you guys. Li Qi looked at the two of them in turn, without blinking, both of them were the same.Rock-solid self-confidence works wonders, especially in situations like this, and he does feel at ease.Such confidence comes from experience, and the last time he lost a two-on-one in a bar is too distant a memory. You have to decide.He said.Either give up now, or wait to go to the hospital. oh, you know what?Joshua smiled slightly.I think we're going to stick to the plan, because no matter how godly you think you are, we've got a bunch of friends here and you don't. I didn't ask about your social status.Li Qi said. But that's obviously true, because they do have friends here.Subconsciously, there was an atmosphere that made the whole room quiet, everyone became anxious and alert, and everyone began to look in this direction, and then looked at each other.The atmosphere began to brew, the pool players slowed down, and Li Qi could feel the tension in the air deepening.The room gradually quieted down, and provocations appeared. Maybe the situation might not only be one-on-two, but it might be more serious. Billy smiled and said: It's not that simple to scare us.He said.This is also our specialty! Bobby once said: They have fought a ton and a half of cattle, they will not take you seriously.Li Qi has never seen a rodeo, so he has no idea about this kind of stuff, only that he has seen some clips on TV or movies before.He guessed that the knights sat on some kind of fence, near the corral, and then jumped off the field when the cattle were let out, and then had to stay in the field.how long?Eight seconds?If you can't hold it, you may be kicked badly by the cow, trampled on or horned by the cow, so these guys have some courage and strength, and their endurance should be good, and they are more accustomed to pain and injury.However, they are also accustomed to a certain pattern, a certain step-by-step, a certain countdown in order, and then they suddenly start to act.Li Qi is not sure how to say it, it may be three, two, one, start!Or ten, nine, eight anyway, they are used to waiting first, counting the seconds, slowly accumulating, breathing deeply, and getting ready. Come on then!He said.Now, to the yard. Li Qi came out from behind the table, walked around Joshua before he had time to react, walked in the opposite direction of the jukebox to the right of the pool table, and headed towards the toilet entrance.The crowd blocked his way, but moved slowly to let him pass.He heard Joshua and Billy following behind him, and he felt them brewing, accumulating, preparing, maybe twenty steps before the exit, or thirty seconds before the yard.Twenty-nine, twenty-eight He deliberately stepped on an average pace, aggravating the accumulation of rhythm.Twenty-seven, twenty-six hands hang naturally on both sides Twenty-five, twenty-four. He reached out and grabbed the last club on the rack, turned it upside down, and made a full 180, hitting Billy's temple with all his might.one!The sound of a broken bone was heard clearly over the sound of the jukebox, blood sprayed out, and Billy fell as if he had been machine-gunned.Reach swung the club again, slashing down on Joshua like a slugger trying to hit a home run.two!Joshua reached out to block the attack, but his arm snapped in two.Under the screams, Li Qi waved again, heading towards the head.three!He hit the target hard, knocking him off balance, and then Reacher poked him in the face, knocking out a few teeth.Four!He backhanded the club as hard as he could, hammering it down on his upper arm, smashing the bone.five!Joshua fell, lying head to toe with Billy.Li Qi stood next to the two of them and made four more shots, quickly and violently.Six, seven, eight, nine!Against the ribs, collarbone, knees and head, nine strokes in total.Six or seven seconds of violent wind and rain, hard hit, early shot!Calculate your account with him first, so that they are caught off guard. The other people in the bar all hid to the side at the moment of the attack, and now slowly and cautiously gathered together again.Li Qi held the cue stick in his hand, and turned around with an imposing manner.He bent down to get the truck keys out of Joshua's pocket and dropped the club with a clang.Breathing heavily, he swaggered out, pushing everyone who stood in his way.No one was seriously trying to get in his way, and apparently there was a limit to friendship in Echo Town.He walked to the parking lot, still short of breath, and the heat outside made him sweat profusely.Li Qi walked to the truck, got on the truck and started it, reversed the truck, left the building and headed north.The door of the bar was closed tightly, and no one chased it out. An hour into the drive back, the sun had set in the far west, and by the time he turned into the farm gate it was pitch black.But the red house was brightly lit, and there were two cars parked in the yard, a sheriff's used patrol car and a lime green Lincoln. The police car was flashing red and blue, and the light from the porch of the house illuminated the Lincoln, but the yellow light made the car look like dead skin.Swarms of moths were scurrying about, large, thin insects swarming around the light bulbs on the porch, each forming and re-forming like a separate blizzard, flying among the many bulbs.In the background of the moths, the cries of nocturnal insects have grown overwhelming. The front door was left open, and there was noise in the hall, a small group talking loudly and excitedly.Li Qi walked up to the house and saw the sheriff, Rusty.Gurriel, Bobby, and Carmen stood by the gun rack alone.She had given up her daytime shirt and jeans and was now wearing a red and black sleeveless dress with a knee-length skirt.She looked numb and sluggish, her face blank with conflicting emotions.On the other side of the room was a man in a suit, standing next to a red-framed mirror, so Reacher could see his front and back at the same time.Apparently the driver of the Lincoln, he appeared to be well off, slightly overweight, neither short nor tall, and was clothed in compacted crepe.He was about thirty years old, with light-colored hair, neatly brushed back from above his domed eyebrows.His face was pale and he must have seldom been out, and the sunny side of his skin had sunburned red marks, as if he had played golf not long ago in the afternoon.There was a big politician's grin on that face, as if he had heard some exaggerated praise and pretended it wasn't necessary. Reacher stood on the porch for a moment, deciding not to go in, but his weight made the boards rattle so loudly that Bobby inside heard it.He glanced out into the darkness, then turned his head again in surprise, and stayed where he was for a full second before rushing out through the gate.He grabbed Li Qi's elbow and walked downwind of the wall to the entrance so that no one in the hall could see him. what are you doing herehe asks. I work here.Li Qi said.remember? Where are Joshua and Billy? They quit. Bobby stared at him.What are they? They quit.Li Qi said again. What's the meaning? Meaning, they decided they would never work here again. why? Li Qi shrugged.how could I know?Maybe they just want to exercise their rights in the free labor market. What? Li Qi didn't speak.Bobby's disappearance and the sound on the porch drew everyone inside to the door, Rusty.Gurriel came out first, then the sheriff, and the guy in the crepe-striped suit.Carmen remained inside, approaching the rifle, equally expressionless.The people who came out were all silent, looking at Li Qi, Rusty's face seemed to be facing some kind of social problem. What's wrong?Rossi asked. This guy said Joshua and Billy quit.Barbie said. They don't.Rossi said.Why are they doing this? The man in the suit kept leaning forward, as if he wanted someone to introduce him. Did they say why?Rossi asked. The sheriff looked directly at Li Qi, his face remained motionless.Li Qi didn't answer, just stood there and waited. Hello, I'm Heike.walker.The guy in the suit spoke loudly and candidly while holding out his hand.I'm the District Attorney in Pecos and I'm very close with this family. Sloop's oldest friend.Rusty said absently. Li Qi nodded and extended his hand to greet him.Jack.Li Qi.He said.I work here. The guy took Li Qi's hand with both hands, and there was a faint smile on his face, which seemed half sincere, half ironic, you know anyway, standard politician smile. Are you registered to vote here?he asks.If anything, I would like to say that I am running for judgeship in November and definitely want your support. He started laughing to himself, trying to make it seem like nothing.Facing a group of acquaintances, this man is content with his impolite democratic activities, as if you understand anyway.Li Qi retracted his hand, nodded and said nothing. Heike has always been helpful.Rossi said.He now brings the happiest news. Al.Did Eugene show up?Li Qi asked. No, not yet.Rossi said.is another matter. And it has absolutely nothing to do with elections.Heck said.Everyone should know that too, right?I agree, every time it hits November, it makes us want to serve every voter, but you also know that I'm going to help you get this done anyway. And you should know that we vote for you no matter what, Heike.Rossi said. Next, everyone started smiling at everyone, and Reach jumped over them to watch Carmen stand alone in the hall.She is not smiling. You need to get Sloop out early.He said.I guess tomorrow. Heike.Walker looked down, as if Reacher had just paid him a compliment. Already determined.He said.They kept saying they couldn't do the administrative work on weekends, but I made them change their minds.It is said that this is the first time in history that prisoners are released on a Sunday, so I say, there is a first time for everything! Heike is going to drive us there.Rossi said.We're almost leaving, driving through the night. We'll wait for him on the sidewalk.Heck said.Outside the gates of the prison, seven o'clock in the morning.Brother Sloop will be given a grand welcome. Are you all going?Li Qi asked. I dont go.Carmen said. She walked quietly out onto the porch, like a ghost, and stood with her feet together and her hands on the railing.He bent forward with his upper body, crossed his hands in front of his chest, and looked at the dark northern horizon. I have to stay and take care of Ellie.she says. There are still seats in the car.Heck said.Ellie can come too. Carmen shook her head.I don't want her to see her dad coming out of the prison gate. Then, it's up to you.Rossi said.He's just your husband anyway. Carmen didn't answer, just trembling slightly, as if the temperature at night was thirty degrees Fahrenheit instead of ninety degrees. Then I'll stay too, Bobby said, stay and take care of me.Sloop would understand. Li Qi glanced at him.Carmen suddenly turned and walked back into the house, Rusty and Heike.Walker also entered the house, but the sheriff and Bobby stayed on the porch, and the two took half a step towards each other, subconsciously forming a human wall to prevent Li Qi from entering. So why did they resign?asked Bobby. Li Qi looked at the two of them and shrugged. Well, they don't really resign, I just put it in a nice way to save your family's face.Actually we got to a bar and they got into a fight with somebody, you saw us in the bar, didn't you, Sheriff? The sheriff nodded cautiously. It happened after you left, Li Qi said, they fought with someone and lost. With whom?Bobby asked.what guy? The guy who shouldn't be messed with. Who is it? A very big guy.Li Qi said.They were fixed for a minute or two and I figured someone called an ambulance.They're probably in the hospital right now, or they're probably dead, but from what I've seen, they've lost, and lost badly. Bobby's eyes widened.Who is that guy? Just someone, going about his own business. who? Probably some stranger! Bobby paused.is it you? I?Li Qi said.Why are they fighting with me? Bobby said nothing. Why are they fighting with me, Bobby?Li Qi asked again.Is there any reason for them to trouble me? Bobby said nothing, just stared wide-eyed, then turned and strode into the house, slamming the door behind him, leaving the sheriff where he was. So they were badly injured?asked the Sheriff. Li Qi nodded.Seems like this, you should call and ask, then start posting messages telling other people that this is what happens if they mess up with the wrong person. The sheriff nodded, still cautiously. Maybe you should keep this principle in mind too.Li Qi said.Bobby told me that people here will solve their own problems. He said that people here don't like public power to interfere, which means that the police in private affairs are better left alone. He said this is a tradition in West Texas. The sheriff was silent for a while. I think it is possible.He said. Barbie said it was absolutely, a very clear tradition. The sheriff turned his head.Yes, this perception is correct.He said: And I am a very traditional person. Li Qi nodded. Glad to hear that.He said. The sheriff paused on the porch steps, then walked on without looking back.He got in the car, turned off the warning lights, started the engine, carefully walked around the Limeson green Lincoln sedan, and drove down the driveway toward the gate, and the engine started to rev.Li Qi smelled incompletely burned oil vapor in the air, and there was a small fart sound from the muffler.The car accelerated to the distance, and everything returned to calm, only the remaining grasshoppers were still squeaking. Li Qi walked down the porch and made a detour to the kitchen.The door was open, probably for ventilation or the maid wanted to eavesdrop on what those people were saying.She was standing just inside the door, and there was an insect-proof curtain made of plastic strips hanging on the door, so she was very close. Hey!Li Qi said hello.He had learned a long time ago to be considerate to the people in the kitchen, so that you can have good food, but she didn't answer, just stood there cautiously. I guess.He said.You only made two dinners. She didn't say a word, meaning she was right. The information is wrong.He said.Is it Bobby? She nodded.He told me you're not coming back. He was wrong.He said.It was Joshua and Billy who weren't coming back, so I figured I'd have their dinner!Eat both.I am hungry. She paused, then shrugged.I'll get you there, she said, right away. Li Qi shook his head.I'll eat here, he said, so you don't have to walk. He opened the plastic curtain with the back of his hand and walked into the kitchen.The chili was very strong, probably left over from lunch. what did you dohe asks. steak.she says. Very good.He said.I'm far more interested in bovids than in odontoids. What? I mean I like beef better than armadillo. Me too.she says. Using pan tongs, she pulled two plates out of the warm oven, each topped with a medium-sized prime rib, a large portion of mashed potatoes, and a small portion of fried onions.She placed two plates side by side on the dining table, with a fork on the left side of the left plate and a knife on the far right, in what looked like an extra-large meal. Billy is my cousin.she says. It should be now.Li Qi said.Joshua may be worse. Joshua is also my cousin. In this way, it would be a pity. Different families.she says.Farther away, but both are idiots alike. Li Qi nodded.Obviously not very smart. But the Gurriers were different, she said, whatever you were doing with that Mexican woman, you should remember this. Then she leaves, leaving him to eat alone. After Li Qi finished eating, he rinsed both plates and left them in the sink.He went to the barn, went in and sat down in the heat because he wanted to be closer to the house.Li Qi sat on a bale of hay with his back to the horses.The horses fluttered when he came in, but after a while they got used to his presence.Li Qi heard the horses falling asleep one by one, and the moving hoofs gradually stopped, replaced by the sound of slow exhalation. Then he heard footsteps over the porch planks, down the steps, on the dirt, across the yard.He heard the Lincoln's doors open and close.The engine starts, the transmission shifts into gear.He got up and went to the door, and saw the Lincoln turning around in front of the house.The porch light illuminated the rear of the car, and Li Qi could see Heike.Walker's back appeared behind the steering wheel, Rusty.Gurriel was beside him.The light from the porch turned her combed-up hair into cotton candy, with the shape of a skull peeking out from below. The big car drove straight out of the gate, then turned right without any hesitation, and sped away.Li Qi watched the car's bright, cone-shaped headlights pass through the sharp wooden fence, from left to right through the darkness, then the sound disappeared, and the sound of insects came back again at night, and the big moth beside the light was the only one left moving objects. He waited inside the gate of the stall, wondering who would come to him first.Probably Carmen, he thought, but it was Bobby who stepped onto the porch, about five minutes after his mother left to pick up his brother.Bobby walked down the steps and walked directly across the courtyard to the path leading to the dormitory.He puts his baseball cap back on, the brim reversed.Li Qi walked out of the barn and stopped him. Horses need watering.Barbie said.Also clean the stables. you do it.Li Qi said. What? you heard it. Bobby stood still.I will not do it.He said. Then I will let you do it. what is this? Change.Li Qi said.Things are different for you, Bobby, the good times are over, trust me.From the moment you decided to ask Joshua and Billy to pick on me, you crossed the line, you no longer have the status you used to, and now you have to do what I tell you to do. Bobby said nothing. Li Qi glared at him.If I tell you to jump, you have no right to ask how high you want to jump, just start jumping.is that clear?現在我是你的老大。 巴比站著不動，李奇便舉起右手，大弧度揮動手臂，速度緩慢，作勢要甩他巴掌。巴比趕緊躲開，卻直接迎向李奇的左手，李奇順勢用左手扯下他的棒球帽。 現在去處理馬的事情。Li Qi said.處理完了就跟他們一起睡吧！要是我在早餐前又看到你，就打斷你的腿。 巴比站著不動。 你打算叫誰？brother?李奇問他。女傭？還是警長？ 巴比沒有回答，夜晚的空曠壓了下來。回聲郡，一百五十人，絕大部分至少都在漆黑地平線外六十甚至一百英里遠處。這是孤獨的絕對定義。 good.巴比安靜地說。 他慢慢走向馬廄，李奇把帽子丟在地上，漫步走向大屋，門廊燈光照在他的眼睛上，巨大單薄的飛蛾群湧出來迎接他。 殺人團隊的三分之二看到他走進屋子。他們的技術要比先前的偷窺者高明，女人一看地圖，便否決了從西邊進場的策略。原因之一，維多利亞皇冠沒辦法克服沙漠地形；其二，躲在一英里外一點意義也沒有，尤其在一片漆黑的情況下。比較高明的辦法是直接沿著路開過去，在離屋一百碼處停下，讓兩個人跳下車，然後再把車子掉頭，往回朝北離開。留下來的那兩個步行躲到最接近的石頭防線後方，再慢慢接近南邊的紅色大門，然後在離柏油路面十碼的凹洞裡面躲起來。 下車走路的是兩個男的，身上帶著夜視裝備。那不是什麼高檔貨，也不是軍方配備，只是從運動用品目錄郵購來的普通商業產品，跟其他東西一樣都裝在那個尼龍大提箱裡。夜視鏡是雙筒的，裡面裝了電子強化器與紅外線接收裝置外，也能接收夜晚地面冒出的熱能。從李奇走路的影像看來，他搖搖晃晃、閃爍不定。