Closer to Revealing My True Self
Chapter 567 - 370: I Ask You~_2

Chapter 567: Chapter 370: I Ask You~_2

Someone in the black market was offering a high price—completing this job meant he wouldn’t have to worry for the rest of his life!

The offer from the black market caught the attention of at least seven gangs, which frequently operated in the Shanxi region and parts of the plateau.

However, some gangs were based overseas and some were under official surveillance, so they could only probe from their end.

What a pity, such a good opportunity wasted, the money was not earned.

"Don’t rush, let’s just wait and watch for a while. If there’s no sweep by the officials, we’ll look for another chance to come back," the boss said, not sure if he was comforting others or convincing himself.

The second-in-command was very supportive, "The last time there was a major clean-up, the authorities even deployed drones, which was a huge hassle! The goods we currently have can be exchanged for a lot of money; let’s just hide out for a while."

As they conversed, it had already become completely dark, and the wind in the mountains grew fiercer, with snowflakes swirling in the air.

"Damn! A blizzard!" cursed the fifth man.

The boss didn’t show any annoyance, "Isn’t a blizzard good? No patrol staff will come up the mountain in this weather. The paths are sealed with snow, making us safer."

The fifth man, "I’m just worried we’ll get trapped here."

The others, "..."

The second-in-command slapped him on the back of the head, "Can’t you talk properly?! Who’s the dog?!"

The fifth man bared his teeth, "I didn’t go to school; I just remember that phrase, and there’s another... what is it... terrapin?"

The second-in-command stood up wanting to hit someone.

The boss, "You mean ’shooting fish in a barrel’?"

The fifth man, "Right, right, that’s it! The boss gets me!"

The boss sighed and turned to the person beside him, "Second, you’re more familiar with this area than I am, think of another route for tomorrow."

"Yes, big brother," the second-in-command responded.

The previously planned route didn’t account for a blizzard, but now things were different – some places became extremely unsafe once covered with snow and prone to falls.

The second-in-command wasn’t pondering routes, staring blankly at the knife in his hand; his thoughts were elsewhere.

Whenever the authorities conducted occasional sweeps, he wouldn’t leave if the clean-up wasn’t severe, instead he would sneak into a town.

He was someone who couldn’t settle down, always finding something else to do if he couldn’t poach pelts—whether legal or illicit didn’t matter to him, as long as it brought in big money, not just small change which he disdained.

They all dared to hunt down the first and second class protected animals in strictly controlled reserves; their hands were stained with the lives of countless wild creatures and humans alike.

He was a person who would do anything for money.

This time when the boss mentioned abducting Feng Yi, he agreed immediately. Even without access to more information or extensive networks, he understood the boss! Given the boss’s ambition, it certainly wasn’t Feng Yi himself that was the target, but rather what goods and how much money Feng Yi could be traded for!

The kidnapper tasked with capturing Feng Yi was someone he had known before; only this time, he wasn’t the one making the contact. It was the more cautious boss who arranged for the kidnapper to abduct Feng Yi.

That was a big celebrity after all; even though they weren’t starstruck, they would come across news about him online, especially since he was an expert at the Conservation Bureau. With such a sensitive identity, they of course had to be extra careful.

Missing the mark this time was no big deal; when they came back, he could go solo!

As the snowstorm intensified, they set up some simple early warning devices nearby, buried a couple of animal traps in the snow, and then hid inside their tent.

The fifth man kept talking in the tent, lamenting that they hadn’t managed to abduct Feng Yi.

In the black night, a howl as if piercing through the heart:

"Ten million!"

Not far off, Feng Yi, who had just located them and overheard some conversation:

"I’m only worth ten million?!"

From what he knew, on certain markets, a Shatush shawl would sell for one to several million, and raptors were similarly priced in the millions.

So in the eyes of these poachers, he was only worth ten Shatush shawls or ten raptors?

The only global supplier driving the Ancestral Factory single-handedly, and they valued him so cheaply!

He had to teach them a lesson!

Feng Yi originally wanted to continue listening to them chattering away to see if he could pick up any significant information.

However, the poachers inside the tent were probably too exhausted from the day’s work and, needing to rest for tomorrow’s journey, soon everyone was quiet.

Alright then, time to take them down first.

Just as Feng Yi was about to make a move, someone came out of the tent.

The third man had drunk too much water earlier and was now awoken by the urge to urinate. He came out with a flashlight to relieve himself.

As soon as he stepped out, he was met with a face full of snow and just wanted to take care of his business nearby, but remembering the boss’s rule, he walked a few more steps ahead.

Just as he found a spot, a figure flashed by; the third man didn’t have time to react and fell with a muffled groan.

But Feng Yi cursed silently; when that man fell, the flashlight shone towards the tent for an instant, and suddenly there was movement inside the tent.

Still inexperienced. I’ll be careful next time.

With that thought, Feng Yi sidestepped, dodging an arrow shot from inside the tent.

Two figures quickly rushed out from inside.

One was thinner, the other even more robust.

The former was holding an emergency light.

Feng Yi dodged the light from the emergency lamp and curved around, but with extreme speed, he decided to take down the man with the lamp first!

The blade in the opponent’s hand flashed a dark glint.

Feng Yi didn’t even bother to dodge; he sent both the man and his knife flying.

The emergency light fell from the opponent’s hand, and Feng Yi kicked it away.

Behind him, the tall and strong figure pounced like a ferocious tiger, the murderous intent even more ruthless amidst the snow, and the swinging steel shovel made a chilling sound as it cut through the air.

Bang!

The sturdy alloy handle made a brittle cry as it bent.

Lao Wu, who was holding the shovel, felt as if his fingers were about to shatter from the impact!

Then, another colossal force sent the shovel flying, where it was intercepted by nearby rocks with a clang before it fell into the snow not far away.

The flashlight that Lao San dropped on the snow dimly lit the area, but the snow muffled its light enough to keep things from being completely dark.

Lao Wu, whose night vision was fairly decent, had just had his shovel smacked away and was still a bit dazed.

Normally, he was the muscle of the gang and was wholly unprepared for this turn of events.

His initial momentum stalled.

He looked towards this unknown newcomer.

Under the faint light, indistinct shapes and lines appeared eerie and sinister, not at all human!

A cold wind brushed from behind the stranger, seemingly bringing additional chill.

On the other’s face, flicking with each breath, was something resembling the tongue of a snake or lizard from the movies!

Lao Wu’s breath hitched.

He had thought the patrol team had found them, so he attacked fiercely and wildly without hesitation, but suddenly he realized...

This thing, it seems, is not human at all!!!

Instantly, his mentality collapsed!

That ferocious face lost all expression.

The powerful muscles in his legs now felt like limp noodles, rendering him powerless.

Lao Wu, a man who didn’t believe in gods or Buddha but did believe in demons and ghosts!

He feared no "good," but he was afraid of worse "evils."

Thus, he was especially talkative at night, using it to distract himself. Chattering and violence were both ways to embolden and conceal his weakness.

He had hidden it well over the years; only the gang’s leader, who knew the truth, would also cover for him and guide him on how to behave.

As a result, after years of working together, the others in their small group didn’t know about his weakness. Even when they went poaching at night, he never showed fear but instead his berserk state made everyone else in the group wary of him.

But now, the gang’s powerhouse, with his bear-like physique, seemed as if he would crumble at the slightest breeze!

He couldn’t force a sound from his thick throat!

However, this strange visitor of unknown race was looking at him, drawing closer.

Lao Wu: ...

Feng Yi had just noticed one escape, the one who had shot arrows at him from inside the tent. However, in this weather, a normal person wouldn’t get far in a short time, so he wasn’t in a hurry to chase.

Feng Yi looked at the poacher in front of him.

He had already knocked out two, and this was the only one left who could speak. Moreover, Feng Yi remembered that the one who talked a lot inside the tent was this man, so he decided to ask a few questions.

The low-temperature environment did affect the windcoat, making speech sound more rigid than usual.

Combined with Feng Yi’s deliberate voice modulation, the rigid, slightly trembling voice was incredibly eerie under the wind and snow, hardly seeming human.

Feng Yi: "I~ask~you..."

Lao Wu’s face twisted, and he fell to the ground, unconscious.

Feng Yi: "..."

You could’ve let me finish asking before fainting!