Chapter 102: A Hundred Steps Forward

Panting, the three once again boarded the plane, their earlier excitement and ease upon arriving in Sanfu now replaced by a heavy silence.

Chen Cao’s fingers lightly tapped the armrest as he closed his eyes in quiet contemplation; if one looked closely, his ears twitched subtly. Stanley remained seated by the window, but no longer in the mood to admire the passing scenery. His legs were crossed tightly, hands resting on his knees, muttering softly in the local tongue.

Karissa, meanwhile, rested her chin on her hand, her bright blue eyes gazing thoughtfully at the deep azure sky.

They all understood well that this journey might be their last—that they were heading into battle, into a robbery, into an ordeal few humans could endure in a lifetime.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived at Grenore Iguana Airport. On behalf of the captain and crew, I wish you a pleasant journey. Thank you!” The sweet voice of the flight attendant echoed through the cabin.

Chen Cao opened his eyes. “We’re here!” With that, he stood and stepped out of the plane.

Stanley took a deep breath and followed closely behind him.

Karissa quietly lifted her luggage and trailed after the two.

Stepping out of the airport, the air was thick with the humid scent of the tropical rainforest. Grenore was a tropical rainforest nation, its economy relying heavily on exotic jungle beasts and tropical scenery unseen anywhere else in the world, attracting visitors from all corners.

Though Iguana Airport was small, there were plenty of taxis—drivers all locals, their dark skin contrasting against bright white teeth, eagerly awaiting passengers. In Grenore, taxi drivers doubled as tour guides; once you hired a taxi, they would take you directly to your hotel, steer your spending, and escort you to your desired destinations, sharing local tips and precautions. Naturally, they earned generous commissions from hotels and shops, making taxi driving here a lucrative, if somewhat greasy, business.

As the three stepped out, enthusiastic drivers greeted them in halting Mainze dialect.

Karissa, wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, was visiting Grenore for the first time. She removed her sunglasses and wide-eyed, glanced around curiously—only to be sharply glared at by Chen Cao, prompting her to put them back on.

The baseball cap and sunglasses were Chen Cao’s deliberate choice. The reason was simple: Stanley was a typical Odru ethnic, Karissa a typical Caucasian, and Chen Cao an Asian. With Karissa’s youthful beauty, such a trio would inevitably draw attention. Today was not an ordinary day; caution was paramount.

“Hey, sir! Take my taxi—I’ll show you the ferocity of the long-snouted crocodile and the jungle king’s mighty ape, plus all sorts of beastly fangs! The price is right, and the hotel I have is the best in Grenore,” a plump black man flashed a bright smile, eagerly greeting them and reaching to grab Karissa’s luggage.

“We already have a ride,” Chen Cao said coldly, pressing down on the suitcase the driver was trying to seize.

The driver hesitated, his expression shifting, muttering angrily in the local tongue before quickly restoring his enthusiasm and moving on to approach another white couple.

“Hey, boss, we have a ride? How come I didn’t know?” Stanley leaned in curiously.

Karissa, still wearing sunglasses, looked questioningly at Chen Cao.

Without replying, Chen Cao led the two as they spoke, exiting the airport. Beyond the terminal stretched an endless row of vendor stalls selling trinkets.

Chen Cao turned to those following behind and said, “Wait here. I’m going to buy something. Remember—no talking, no engaging with anyone. Understood?”

“Don’t worry, boss. We got it!” Stanley waved.

Karissa nodded seriously.

Without another word, Chen Cao headed toward the stalls.

“Boss is so mysterious—does he know someone here too?” Stanley spread his hands helplessly, then fanned his collar. “It’s really hot here, hotter than the desert!”

Karissa leaned against the roadside railing. “Didn’t I tell you not to talk?”

“Hey, who asked you? God never said we can’t talk!” Stanley retorted angrily, clearly annoyed by Karissa’s novice caution.

Karissa shrugged helplessly and looked toward the retreating figure of Chen Cao.

Meanwhile, Chen Cao had not gone far; he stopped by a general goods stall and began gesturing animatedly with a lean black vendor. Soon, he pulled out a US dollar bill and sealed the deal. While Stanley and Karissa speculated on what Chen Cao had bought, he returned carrying a rolled-up paper.

It was a local map—not very precise, but with an error margin under five kilometers, sufficient for their needs. “Let’s go.”

“Boss, you’re not seriously planning to cross Grenore to…” Stanley trailed off, unwilling to name the place, but his meaning was clear.

“Of course. I have my ways. This isn’t the place to talk. Let’s move.” Chen Cao glanced around before striding ahead to a taxi. The black driver immediately nodded eagerly and opened the door, but Chen Cao didn’t get in. Instead, he whispered a few words in the driver’s ear, prompting the man to become serious, glance around cautiously, and then whisper back while motioning toward a direction.

Stanley and Karissa, following closely, looked that way and saw the earlier persistent taxi driver.

Chen Cao patted the new driver’s shoulder and slipped a ten-dollar bill into his shirt pocket. Then, waving to the stunned Stanley and Karissa, he approached the other driver.

Stanley muttered under his breath, not understanding the language but sensing the driver was cursing him after Chen Cao’s rejection.

Chen Cao smiled brightly and walked over to the man.

The white couple declined the first driver’s invitation with polite hand waves. Watching them leave, the driver looked dejected but then noticed Chen Cao, eyeing him with suspicion and stepping back toward his cab, studying Chen Cao’s calloused hands.

Chen Cao greeted warmly, “Hi, Jared!”

The driver was momentarily stunned. Though the Mainze dialect was difficult, he could barely understand it. He replied haltingly, “How do you know my name?”

Chen Cao smiled mysteriously, pulling a wad of US bills from his pocket. “Got business? You in or not?” He made a figure-eight motion with his fingers near his stomach and leaned in to whisper in Jared’s ear.

Jared’s eyes gleamed greedily at the green bills, but seeing Chen Cao’s hand gestures and whispered words, he snapped back to caution. “I’m just a taxi driver. I don’t do anything else.”

Karissa looked puzzled, but Stanley understood—Chen Cao was asking for weapons.

Chen Cao lowered his hand and stepped forward. Jared immediately leaned back against the car window, placing his hand on the seat’s backrest.

Stanley and Karissa exchanged nervous glances. Even Karissa, lacking street smarts, could see the bulge in the seat—the butt of a gun peeking out.

Taxi drivers carrying weapons gave a vivid picture of the chaos reigning here.

Chen Cao extended a hand, signaling Jared to relax, still smiling. He gestured lightly toward the sky. “It’s getting late. No business today, right? Don’t worry, we’re legitimate. We won’t put you in trouble.” He then offered another bill and turned to motion his companions, walking away immediately.

“Just like that? A hundred bucks gone!” Stanley was dismayed. Their boss was reckless. With less than five hundred dollars left after buying tickets—and not enough for return tickets—this was a desperate gamble.

“Wait!” Jared called out just as they had taken a few steps. After a pause, he bit his lip, climbed into the taxi, and waved them over.

“Get in!” Chen Cao smiled faintly, pulling the two stunned companions into the car. None understood what Chen Cao was playing at—buying maps and weapons made sense, but Grenore was at least a thousand kilometers from the Jinji Jungle. What was his plan? And with no highways, was he seriously going to travel on foot?

The car soon rumbled onto a dirt road. Despite Iguana being a major tourist city, the surrounding low-rise buildings and pothole-ridden mud roads made Stanley and Karissa uneasy as they bounced in the back seat.

Jared kept fiddling with the steering wheel, trying to steady the speed, expressionless.

Chen Cao sat in the front passenger seat. The car played occasional popular music, including some songs from Dachen.

“How much do you need? The government’s cracking down hard lately, so my supplies are limited. You know, these things are in high demand!” Jared said, eyes on the road.

“Not much—just parts. You know, smaller risk that way,” Chen Cao replied calmly, gripping the handle beside him as the scenery slipped past.

“Parts, huh?” Jared glanced sideways at the Asian man, eyes flickering with unreadable thoughts, but as an experienced trader, he quickly regained composure. “I can do that, but I can’t agree to your second condition. I can provide a guide, but you pay me and him separately. You have to know, that place is hell on earth. Without a good guide and special forces, your chance of coming out alive is basically zero!”

The Flame King 102_ The complete Flame King is now fully updated!