Chapter 132: The Tortuous and Secluded Realm

The Child-Abuse Fiend gazed at the indigenous chieftain, who was fawning over him with the submissive expression of a pug, and turned away. "Rest assured, I will fulfill what I promised you. However, Number One has more important tasks for you now. If you handle them well, I can arrange for a helicopter to take you to Ecuador Town to enjoy the company of tropical ladies!"

"Really? Oh, thank you, Mr. Warrior! Will I really get to see Mr. Anthony again? That would be wonderful; I have missed him so much, but..." The chieftain twisted his fingers, his eyes flickering with a mix of excitement and hesitation.

"Speak if you have something to say!" the Child-Abuse Fiend said, clearly losing patience.

"Well, um, would it be possible for me to bring along a few... a few slaves?" The chieftain clasped his hands, kneading his fingers incessantly, glancing sideways at the Child-Abuse Fiend with the nervous apprehension of a child.

The Child-Abuse Fiend paused for a moment, then, upon grasping the chieftain's meaning, burst into laughter. "Don't worry about that; bring ten if you like. Get inside quickly; Number One has even better things to discuss with you!"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you so much!" The indigenous chieftain glared at the two witch doctors beside him and muttered a stream of commands. The two shriveled old men’s eyes immediately lit up with excitement. As the chieftain waved them on, they followed him into the altar, though their eyes couldn't help but drift toward the breeding farm nearby.

The Child-Abuse Fiend folded his arms across his chest, a sneer appearing on his face as he watched these people, who were more corrupt and degenerate than those in any ancient feudal society.

"It seems things are progressing quite smoothly. Number One has completely brought the Mosu tribe under control with minimal cost." A cold, female voice emerged from the corner of the altar. The Child-Abuse Fiend, intimately familiar with this voice, smiled slightly. "Queen Six-Wings, it seems you have recovered well."

Queen Six-Wings touched the dragon-like tattoo on her head, her phoenix eyes narrowing slightly. "Naturally. How could I miss such an important operation?"

The Child-Abuse Fiend clapped his hands and laughed. "Indeed. The coming struggle will be even more intense. Many mercenary organizations are already drooling over the gems hanging around the necks of the Mosu tribesmen—and, of course, the owner of the gems. As for your physical condition...!"

"I can certainly handle it!" Without waiting for the Child-Abuse Fiend to finish, Queen Six-Wings instinctively covered her wound and interrupted, "Taking down that brat won't be a problem!" It seemed the memory of being toyed with and severely wounded by that young man from Dachen not long ago was a psychological trauma even more painful than her physical wounds.

The Child-Abuse Fiend stroked the bristles on his face, revealing his yellowed, blood-stained teeth as he grinned. "I’m afraid I have to disappoint you. That fellow has fallen into the whirlpool at the waterfall; it seems highly unlikely he survived."

"Then dig up his corpse, cut out his organs, and put them in formalin saline so I can satiate my hatred!" she said viciously.

The Child-Abuse Fiend replied, "Is that so? I’ll be happy to assist you when the time comes."

"No need, I’ll handle it alone when the time comes. By the way, the Evil Monarch has arrived at the Mosu tribe and is attempting to control their leadership. I wonder how that is going?" Queen Six-Wings calmed herself, her expression returning to its usual coldness.

"Hehe, he will naturally contact us when the time is right!" The Child-Abuse Fiend kept his nauseating smile. He lowered his voice and said suddenly, "Don't you forget our agreement!"

Queen Six-Wings’ eyes flashed. "Of course. The promises the Old Ghost makes to us are always fulfilled. When the plan succeeds, it will be our time to ascend!"

Under the violent impacts and the rushing water, Chen Cao gripped the handrail of the raft, fighting to stay conscious and not lose his only means of buoyancy. His eyes remained shut, leaving the raft to drift along with the turbulent current.

After who knows how long, the speed of the current gradually steadied. Chen Cao and Hua Fo surfaced simultaneously, gasping for fresh air. Holding onto the raft, he saw Hua Fo climb up first. Ignoring his soaked clothes, Hua Fo sat on the raft, staring fixedly ahead.

"Glug, glug!" Stanny and the others surfaced after struggling in the water for a few moments. They climbed onto the raft, breathing heavily. For ordinary people like them, this rafting trip had been terrifying.

"Save me!" Lu Tianming cried out tremulously, desperately pulling the raft while dragging Lucia, who was slumped on the surface of the water.

Lu Tianming’s devotion to his wife moved Stanny. He reached out, grabbed Lu Tianming’s thin arm, and hauled him onto the raft, followed by Karissa and Uji. It had been another harrowing journey. Once everyone was on the raft, relative silence returned, broken only by the sound of Karissa performing CPR on Lucia. With no medical supplies available, this was the most effective and only way to treat a drowning victim.

Chen Cao took a headcount and checked their weapons, finding that the gem box by his side was still there. He looked at Hua Fo, who was sitting motionless on the raft, staring blankly ahead. The raft drifted aimlessly. Water cascaded down the surrounding cliffs, and the air was filled with mist, creating a fairyland-like atmosphere. They were in a river between mountains, less than ten meters wide. The eerie silence made him, despite all the horrors he had seen, feel deeply uneasy.

"Lucia, Lucia, are you awake? Oh, thank God! Karissa, I don't know how to thank you!" Lu Tianming, on the forward raft, saw his wife sit upright, coughing and laughing foolishly. He was overwhelmed with a mix of despair and joy, pulling his wife into his arms. Whatever the case, as long as she was alive, there was hope. She had suffered brutal violence at the hands of the natives; being alive was already a miracle. What more could he ask for?

Uji moved to the back of the raft, quietly working the oar to maintain their direction. Chen Cao, standing on the raft, called out to Hua Fo, who was still staring into the mist, "I want to know why. How did you know this place existed?"

Hua Fo was uncharacteristically calm, as if speaking to himself. "I never thought I’d actually make it to this place. This is wonderful!"

Chen Cao frowned, a sudden feeling of being deceived washing over him. He raised his voice and shifted his grip on his weapon. "Hua Fo, are you listening to me? You’ve been lying to me all along, haven't you?"

His voice was deep and powerful. Though he only raised the volume slightly, it echoed through the quiet valley. Hearing the question, Lu Tianming, who had been rejoicing, fell silent. In his eyes, Chen Cao was both his savior and the master of his fate—and so was Hua Fo.

Hua Fo turned his head slowly, ignoring Chen Cao’s defensive posture. He said coolly, "Don't you want more gems? This isn't a trap; it is our destiny. The native stronghold, the raft, the river, the native pursuit—this is the path we were meant to take. Isn't it all obvious enough? Chen, we are fated to obtain those treasures!"

Chen Cao paused, and when he saw the burning, greedy light in Hua Fo's eyes as he mentioned the treasure, he asked suspiciously, "What treasure?"

Hua Fo’s eyes glowed as he said deeply, "A treasure hidden in the depths of evil!" His voice was not loud, but it was clear enough for everyone on both rafts to hear. To commoners like Stanny, the word "treasure" seemed even more intoxicating than gems. For a moment, everyone’s breathing grew ragged.

Chen Cao relaxed his muscles, but Hua Fo had already turned back, staring ahead in anticipation. He inadvertently noticed that Hua Fo’s gem box and backpack were gone—likely lost in the rapids—but the treasure-obsessed Hua Fo didn't seem to care at all.

The rafts drifted slowly along the river for a long time.

After the long journey and the intense battles, Chen Cao had long since forgotten the last time he had eaten. Now that things had quieted down, the cliffs on both sides of the valley were smooth, making them impossible to climb and ensuring no enemies could hide there. He leaned against the butt of his gun, drifting toward sleep.

The raft continued to drift until Hua Fo stood up, drawing the attention of the others, who were drowsy from hunger and cold. "We’re here, we’re here!" The usually calm Hua Fo was now kneading his hands, as nervous as a novice, muttering to himself in excitement.

The others stood up as well. Looking ahead, they seemed to have reached the end of the valley. In the distance, through the layers of mist, they saw a massive object, easily a dozen meters tall. At first, they couldn't make out what it was, but as the raft drifted closer, Chen Cao finally realized: it was a large warship covered in rust and moss.

"Quick, follow me! We’re here!" Hua Fo waved his hand, tightened his gear, and before the raft had even come to a complete stop, he grabbed a chain hanging from the warship and leapt onto it. With agile movements, he swung himself up onto the deck.

Only then did Chen Cao see that the ship had been anchored there for a long time, held in place by numerous heavy chains and iron anchors.

"Everyone, be careful. We’re going up. We need to find shelter, and who knows? There might be food on board!" Chen Cao said, shaking the chain before climbing up onto the warship.

At the mention of food, the starving group felt a surge of adrenaline. Uji, however, looked at the massive vessel and trembled uncontrollably. He began to mutter something in his native tongue, clutching his chest as he stared in dread at the ship.