Chapter 111: A Bloody Scheme

The gunshot rang out in the already silent jungle with the force of an exploding bomb. Chen Cao, who had been focused on collecting water droplets, was so startled he nearly fell from the tree.

Could something have happened to Stanny? The thought flashed instantly through Chen Cao’s mind.

He scrambled down from the tree. Beside him, Jared also stood up, still chewing on medicinal herbs. Though his footing was unsteady, he leaned against a branch to remain upright. He felt that the events of today were far more thrilling than the years he had spent running arms and drug smuggling operations for the Anthony family.

Once Chen Cao confirmed that Jared hadn't fired the shot, he handed over the leaf filled with water and checked Jared’s arm. "How are you? Feeling any better?"

Jared gulped down the water, swallowed the herbs, and took a breath. "Still no real feeling, but my palm feels a bit numb. Boss, what was that gunshot?"

"No time," Chen Cao said. "Regardless, we have to get back and reunite with Stanny and the others. I can't be sure if that was their shot!"

Jared grew tense. His sister was still there, and he wouldn't let those wretched pygmies trample over her. He steadied himself and lifted his pistol with his left hand. "Let’s go, Boss. I’m fine!"

"From now on, follow orders. No more reckless actions. You only have one life, understand?" Chen Cao’s expression softened; at least, in his eyes, Jared, though reckless, still possessed a shred of humanity.

"Don't worry, I’ll follow your lead next time. Or you can just shoot me right now!" Jared waved his pistol. Truth be told, he felt ashamed; his desperate greed for wealth had nearly cost him his life, and Chen Cao had risked his own to save him time and again.

Chen Cao nodded, helped the limping Jared up, and they headed toward the place where the shot had been fired—where he remembered Stanny and the others were stationed.

They hadn't gone far before Chen Cao quickly pressed down on Jared’s shoulder. Jared immediately raised his pistol and dropped into a half-kneeling position—a tactical maneuver Chen Cao had taught him over the past few days to stabilize his aim.

Chen Cao drew his dagger, eyes fixed on the trembling bushes. He raised his pistol, ready to fire at the first sign of trouble. Out here, there were no laws, only survival. Besides, the path to the jewels was always a bloody one.

"Aha! I actually hit it!" A head popped out of the bushes, clutching a wild rabbit.

Seeing the man, Chen Cao’s face turned black. It was Stanny.

"Stanny, what do you think you’re doing!" Chen Cao stood up, his face dark.

Stanny was startled. In his haste, he tried to raise his AK, but he’d forgotten to pull the bolt. When he realized his mistake, he found he was still holding the rabbit. He panicked, shouting for everyone to stay calm, while his AK clattered to the ground.

"Enough, you idiot!" Chen Cao grabbed Stanny, who was spinning in circles. "Do you know how precious ammunition is? Especially in a place as dangerous as this jungle! Even if you don't attract enemies, you’ll attract predators!"

"Boss? It’s you!" Stanny’s face lit up with excitement, but as his eyes darted around, he quickly adopted a look of grievance. "Boss, you’re back! You’ve been gone for nearly ten hours. Our food was stolen, and we have nothing to eat. We can't just starve, can we?"

"Enough!" Chen Cao set him down. He realized it was true; this guy had no experience surviving in the jungle. Without a weapon, he had no way to hunt. Leaving him to guard the two women had been a mistake.

Chen Cao looked at Stanny. "Pick up your weapon. By the way, how long have you been away from them?"

Stanny scrambled to retrieve his weapon and the rabbit, wiping cold sweat from his forehead. "Only an hour or so. They have weapons, so they should be fine. By the way, Boss, did you have any luck?" He glanced at the limping Jared. "Did something happen?"

Chen Cao had already started back. He looked over his shoulder and said, "We’ll talk when we get back. And help Jared; he’s injured and poisoned." He turned and led the way.

Stanny walked over to Jared and helped him up, asking suspiciously, "How is it this bad? Seems like things aren't going well. Did you hold us back?"

Jared, stung by the truth, shoved Stanny’s hand away and rolled his eyes. "You’re the one holding us back, you bastard. I’m fine!" He limped ahead, fuming.

"What’s his problem?" Stanny muttered, but looking at the rabbit, he grinned. "Praise be, we can finally eat!"

Everything turned out to be a false alarm. No one was hurt, and Carissa and the others hadn't been ambushed.

Chen Cao checked Jared again. Whether it was sheer luck or the result of a lifetime of hardship, Jared was not dead yet; the poison in his palm was slowly fading. This eased Chen Cao’s mind. Though they had lost an offensive weapon in the chase, they hadn't lost Jared, whose survival instincts were valuable. With more training, he could eventually become a capable combatant.

Jared was indeed a master of jungle survival. He set up two stones with a flat rock across them and started a small, smokeless fire with dry leaves. Once the rabbit was skinned and placed on the stone, the smell of roasting meat soon filled everyone’s nostrils, and their stomachs rumbled in unison.

They hadn't eaten in hours. Stanny, despite wasting a bullet, was the most smug, feeling he had earned his keep by feeding the group.

Jared spread out the large leaves Carissa had gathered and used his machete to carve the meat. They gathered around, and soon the only sound was the frantic tearing of food. Carissa was more reserved, nibbling slowly while stealing glances at Chen Cao.

Chen Cao didn't seem to notice, focusing entirely on his meal. Soon, not a bone remained of the rabbit. When they were full, everyone fell silent. Brenda, fed by Carissa, drifted into a deep sleep near the stones.

"Dawn is almost here," Chen Cao said, looking at the sky. He scanned the three of them. "Jared and I discovered where the jewels are."

Stanny stretched his neck, his face full of excitement. Carissa waited silently for Chen Cao to continue. Jared remained quiet, stroking his sister’s hair.

"I believe they are with the tribespeople. If we want the jewels, we must kill them. I don't see any other way to make them hand them over peacefully," Chen Cao said, opening his hands toward Jared.

This time, Jared didn't hesitate. He pulled the diamond he had taken from the pygmy from his pocket.

Everyone’s eyes lit up.

"We don't have much ammunition left. They aren't friendly, and the boy was a trap. If we take this path, we have to take risks. Raise your hand if you’re in!" Chen Cao raised his hand. He didn't want this, but he had no choice. He had to save Mei-Mei’s life and avenge her and Old Caesar. That was his responsibility, and the foundation for fulfilling it was money.

Stanny raised his hand without question. Born on the battlefield, he had killed countless men; killing these savages, who were no different from animals to him, was nothing. To him, anyone standing between him and his fortune—and his missing fiancée—had to die.

Jared raised his hand. He was too poor to care. When he learned that violence was the only way to get the jewels, his mind was made up. Holding the diamond, he realized how simple it was: one for twenty thousand, two for forty thousand… if he survived, he could be a rich man.

Carissa looked at the men, then slowly raised her hand. "It seems my opposition wouldn't matter anyway."

"Agreed. What gear do we have left?" Chen Cao asked.

"Three pistols, one AK, sixty rounds of pistol ammo, two hundred rounds of AK ammo. That’s it," Stanny reported.

"I think that should be enough for a hundred jewels, provided we don't hit a massive army," Chen Cao said slowly.

Stanny stood up, brimming with bravado. "I hope these savages are carrying jewels, and I hope there are enough of them for me to kill!"

Chen Cao said nothing, and Jared lowered his head, silently cleaning his pistol. They knew these tribespeople wouldn't be easy to deal with, even with guns.

Carissa looked at Chen Cao, deep in thought, then rested her chin on her hand and stared blankly into the jungle.