Chapter 2185 - 1185: Crossing the River (3)

"Specialist, the time is near, please prepare quickly." The person outside the door spoke quietly, just enough for Yang Xiao to hear clearly.

"Understood." Yang Xiao sat up, donned his outer garment, and opened the door.

Due to the secret mission, there were very few escorts arranged for this nighttime operation. Including Yang Xiao, there were only six people.

One of them was a liaison sent ahead by the Esoteric Sect.

The remaining four were all top-level agents. Two Netherworld Envoys sent by the General Bureau were present, both highly alert, guarding Yang Xiao front and back, clearly not wanting any errors at the last critical moment.

Following a dimly lit path, the group reached the riverbank.

However, to Yang Xiao’s surprise, there were already quite a few people waiting at the riverbank, gathered in small groups, some sitting under trees, others squatting by the river.

Each group was distinctly separate, obviously not from the same side. Upon seeing Yang Xiao’s team approach, many stood up and cast wary glances.

"Most of these people are ordinary folks, but mixed among them are apostles, though only low-level ones. The strongest is merely Fierce Grade," whispered an old man in a black robe with a golden compass in hand.

This man, along with a stern middle-aged man with an old sword box tied to his back, were the strongest in Yang Xiao’s escort team—both genuine Netherworld Envoys.

"Don’t be nervous. Contracting a separate boat draws too much attention. We’ll disguise ourselves as ordinary stowaways to cross the river by boat. We have people on board to receive us; no problem," the Esoteric Sect’s liaison quietly assured the team.

"Heh, that’s ideal, though some of these folks have thoughts they shouldn’t have," the old man in black sneered coldly.

"Hmm, they must be after the goods we’ve brought, but it doesn’t matter. It’s not worth exposing our objective to dispose of them," scoffed the middle-aged man carrying the sword box, not considering the low-level apostles at all. Their sole task tonight was to safely escort Yang Xiao onto the ship.

As for matters after boarding, they weren’t responsible for that—it was up to the Esoteric Sect to handle. They trusted the Esoteric Sect would fulfill their promise.

"Splash—"

"Splashing—"

Soon, sounds of water echoed as they neared. Through the dim night, squinting, Yang Xiao saw the white waves churning in the river, alongside which a dark silhouette of a boat glided.

"It’s here, the boat is here!!"

Someone shouted, and suddenly, the stowaways waiting on the shore gathered around, with bundles and bags, as if they were collectively fleeing.

But Yang Xiao knew most of these people had unsavory backgrounds. Many had committed crimes domestically and fled to hide in Myanmar and Thailand, or else they wouldn’t be spending so much money to sneak across the river at night. Why not just go through customs during the day?

The boat pilot was evidently experienced, needing no lanterns, relying entirely on his instincts to dock the boat at the riverbank.

The boat hadn’t even steadied when someone grabbed the thick hemp rope at the prow, scrambling aboard. The captain, holding a flashlight covered in black cloth, rushed out and kicked at those climbing aboard, shouting in broken language, "Get off! One by one! I’ll let down the gangplank, no cutting in line!"

"Those with tickets can come aboard. If anyone tries to board without paying, don’t blame me for not warning you; getting on the boat is easy, but getting off is a different story!"

Upon saying this, the captain’s expression darkened, and a wave of spiritual power suddenly emanated from him.

This man was a Fierce Grade Apostle, considered decent within the Fierce Grade, though his aura was highly unstable.

Yang Xiao immediately saw that the man was suffering severe backlash from a Magic Artifact; he carried a unique scent of the dead.

It was the smell of a black herb from Myanmar and Thailand, grown from corpses, which held the effect of delaying backlash.