Negotiations
The artillery exchange lasted about ten minutes. As if by some unspoken agreement, both sides stopped firing at nearly the same time, leaving only scattered gunshots echoing here and there.
This gave the rebels who had fled into the village a precious chance to catch their breath, reposition, and prepare to defend against the government forces closing in.
The farm and its surroundings enjoyed a brief lull. Those hiding in the warehouse and cellar also relaxed a little. The shelling had been intense, and the whistling shells and the explosions after they hit had seemed to be right on top of them. Everyone had been terrified.
Perhaps the government forces responsible for the shelling had noticed the Five-star Red Flags hanging on all four walls of the warehouse in the village. Their aim had been a little off, but none of the shells had landed directly on the warehouse. Even the nearest impact had been more than fifty meters away. Still, the deafening explosions and spreading shock waves had been enough to make everyone tremble with fear.
"Rebels! Chaka, can you talk to them?"
While the shelling outside was temporarily on hold, Li Bai saw no difference between the rebels and the government forces.
"Are you crazy? They're rebels! I don't want to get myself killed!"
Chaka Abuluta hurriedly shook his head like a rattle drum, refusing to take that risk no matter what.
He was still young and didn't want to die so soon.
"Someone over there is watching us. Looks like an officer!"
Fang Zhiguo noticed a rebel officer looking their way from a distance.
The arrangements outside the warehouse entrance were now completely exposed. The rebel soldiers who had fled into the village had occupied other houses, and for the moment, they didn't seem interested in