Chapter 127: Setting Out Again

Facing Chen Cao’s questioning, Flower Buddha took a few steps forward, then tilted his head, the rugged, distinct lines on his face bunching together as he said gravely, "Chen, do you think there is any other choice in all of this?"

Chen Cao was slightly taken aback; he clearly did not understand what Flower Buddha meant.

Flower Buddha continued walking as he spoke, "Like you, I am only seeking survival. Do you think I would force myself into a dead end? Chen, you are far too cautious!" He paused to take a steadying breath, casting his gaze toward the front. "Actually, your concern is completely justified. Just like you, without a helper, it would be impossible to take such risks in the jungle, wouldn't it? Even though this place is overflowing with riches."

Chen Cao relaxed his tense body and asked, "So, you brought companions?"

Flower Buddha answered affirmatively, "Yes, I have companions, and more than one."

Chen Cao did not reply, waiting for Flower Buddha to continue. Knowing yourself and knowing your enemy is the most basic principle of warfare, and he needed to apply that same logic to Flower Buddha. Just as he had thought before, there are no free lunches in this world; Flower Buddha would not have come to save him without a reason.

Flower Buddha understood Chen Cao’s meaning. He breathed out lightly and continued, "Very well, this is a question I knew I would have to answer eventually. It is a necessary condition to increase the trust between us. To be honest, if I didn't say it and you didn't ask, that would mean I had misjudged the wrong person."

Chen Cao kept a vigilant eye on the surroundings while saying, "Mr. Flower Buddha, I think you understand that there is no room for nonsense in my life."

A faint smile touched Flower Buddha’s fair face. He rolled his blue eyes and said, "Naturally. In fact, I am not talking nonsense. Our group of six set out from Husum and followed your party directly into the Jinji Jungle. For several days, we trailed you, only to discover that you had no idea why you had come to the Jinji Jungle or where the gems were located. We were a bit disappointed. Just as we were about to give up, you encountered the trap set by the dwarf bladesmen and got into a skirmish. During your accidental discovery—oh, right, that was when the black man persistently found the gem on the dwarf’s neck—we realized the secret of the gems. For mercenaries like us, that was too easy. We only needed to point our guns at these natives armed with cold weapons to obtain a vast quantity of gems. So, we separated from you and began hunting the natives in the jungle to acquire the gems. However, reality often goes against one's wishes; the natives of this jungle were not as easy to deal with as we imagined. After my companions and I finished a hunting mission and were preparing to return, we realized we were lost. Then, a large number of 'Ghost Dolls'—those disgusting artificial creatures—surrounded us just as they did today. Because our progress had been too smooth, we were caught off guard, and of all my companions, I was the only one who escaped."

When Flower Buddha reached this point, his eyes were filled with sorrow. Chen Cao studied his expression, which did not seem like a lie. He paused and said, "Fine, even if your story holds up, and even if you are familiar with this route you are leading us on, what I want to understand is your next plan."

Hearing this, Flower Buddha’s expression shifted. "A few hundred meters further, there is a river. On a large tree by the bank, there are two rubber rafts that my companions and I had prepared for our evacuation... Now, I suppose they will never reach the boats. There are enough of us here to use them."

Chen Cao narrowed his eyes, staring fixedly at Flower Buddha. "I suspect it’s not as simple as just having rubber rafts, is it?"

Flower Buddha paused, then laughed. "Chen, are you trying to say—"

Chen Cao kept walking, saying, "This is a fair trade. I think you understand my meaning. In fact, you finding me isn't just about simple cooperation, is it? Furthermore, I have paid for every task you have carried out for me. You know that on your own, without support, it would be difficult to get the rubber rafts and your treasure out of here. Besides, it seems I now have the majority of the manpower."

Flower Buddha’s face turned cold, then softened again. "Chen, can I call you a jerk?"

Chen Cao spread his hands, indicating he didn't care. In his heart, he knew that whatever Flower Buddha had loaded onto the rafts, he would have a share. Thus, through this dialogue, the deal was essentially sealed.

Thinking of this, Chen Cao moved to the back to continue guarding the rear of the advancing team. Even now, the sense of alert in his heart had not dissipated. Based on the time and route, he estimated they were not far from the inner river of the jungle. But why did it seem as if the natives had completely vanished? Why weren't they pursuing them? Given their nature, weren't they supposed to be relentless? Why was it like this? Could it be... Chen Cao dared not think further.

At this moment, Stanny approached and said to Chen Cao in a stuttering voice, "Boss, where are we headed? We haven't managed to get a single gem!" His eyes were full of disappointment. Indeed, everything since arriving had gone wrong. It would have been one thing not to know about the wealth here, but now that they knew, being unable to obtain it was as agonizing as being clawed at by a hundred hands.

Chen Cao remembered that Stanny had come here to get money to ransom his fiancée. He pulled a cloth bag from his bosom—the gems he had split with Flower Buddha from Wuji’s share. He weighed it; there were about thirty gems. Since he had given fifteen to Flower Buddha to rescue Carissa, he estimated about a dozen remained. He figured Flower Buddha wouldn't ask for any more after their recent deal.

Looking at Stanny, Chen Cao did not hesitate. He took out five glistening orange gems from the bag, handed them to Stanny, and said, "Jared and his sister's fate is currently unknown. Take these five for now; I guarantee you will get to Mainz to redeem your fiancée."

"Really?" Stanny took the gems with extreme caution, his hands trembling slightly.

Chen Cao nodded with a smile and turned his head toward Flower Buddha, who was walking in front with a dark expression. Whether intentional or not, Flower Buddha turned back and muttered, "Wasting the fruits of our labor on the weak!" With that, he marched on in silence.

Soon, they caught the fishy scent of the river, followed by the sound of rushing water. This scent, mixed with the smell of wet leaves, was quite invigorating. Once they arrived, everyone understood that his goal was to leave. Stanny, needless to say, was floating on air, thinking that with Chen Cao’s promise, he could soon go to Mainz, redeem his fiancée, and live the life of a rich man.

Wuji, who was supporting Carissa, had been counseled by his teacher Lu Tianming and was a sensible child. He understood that one cannot throw an egg against a stone. If such powerful men as Flower Buddha and Chen Cao could not handle the hordes of native soldiers, his own chances of getting revenge on Sangla were slim to none. Chen Cao had promised to help him find Sangla to avenge his mother, so for now, he buried the seeds of hatred deep in his heart and accepted the advice of Chen Cao and Lu Tianming.

Lu Tianming was so excited to be able to return to civilized society with his wife that even Carissa, despite her pale face, wore a smile as she looked at the river, which was not particularly wide.

As for Chen Cao, when Flower Buddha directed Stanny to drag the two rubber rafts from the woods and pulled two small, black, palm-sized metal boxes from his large backpack, handing one to him with a gloomy face, Chen Cao weighed it and smiled with satisfaction. He understood that these were filled with gems stained by the lives of the natives—probably a hundred of them. Though heavy to carry, all his problems seemed to be solved.

It could only be described as a win-win situation. Yet, despite this, his heart tightened for no reason. What was going on?

The rubber rafts were launched. Stanny even began to sing a hymn—the anthem of victory for Odelu.

Wuji, Carissa, Chen Cao, and Flower Buddha took one raft, while Lu Tianming, Stanny, and Lucia took the other. Chen Cao had originally insisted on being with Lu Tianming and Stanny, but Flower Buddha had insisted on being with him. Chen Cao understood this; it wasn't that Flower Buddha trusted him, but that he wanted an extra layer of protection for his own life. However, due to Chen Cao’s persistence, they tied the two rafts together with a two-meter-long rope made of vine branches. Flower Buddha knew Chen Cao’s character and didn't protest, merely tightening the grip on the dagger tucked into his boot.

Although the rafts sat low in the water due to the weight, a gentle push of the oars moved them away from the bank and toward the center of the river. Wuji handled the oars; having fished and hunted in the jungle since childhood, he was an expert. As they boarded, Flower Buddha pulled an A4 sniper rifle from his backpack and handed it to Chen Cao. "Here is your weapon. Take good care of it; this is a life-saver!" He then handed over three fully loaded magazines before clicking one into his own submachine gun.

Like receiving a long-lost favorite toy, Chen Cao took the sniper rifle and quickly checked the mechanism. Touching the lubricated weapon, a sense of security welled up from deep within; after all, he had been without a weapon for far too long.

Flower Buddha loaded his own magazine and called out to Stanny and Lu Tianming, who were drifting ahead and pulling their raft, "Hurry up, or I’ll blow your butts off with this gun!" He then turned to Wuji and said, "Native boy, same goes for you!"

Wuji’s young face flushed red as he rowed desperately, knowing that if he didn't put in the effort, Flower Buddha would surely follow through.

Standing in the middle of the raft, Chen Cao conscientiously scanned the surroundings through the scope. Yet, that feeling of unease surged into his heart once again.