Chapter 480 - 285: Perilous Situation (Part 2)

Chapter 480: Chapter 285: Perilous Situation (Part 2)

"Even a lion uses its full might to hunt a rabbit. How could I do any less when facing Team Leader Leng, a man renowned for his intellect?"

Lin Loulan said with a light chuckle, "Brother Leng, I know you’re not one for wine. This fine tea I’ve offered you—is it to your liking?"

"Thank you for your hospitality. However, I still have a few questions. Perhaps Brother Lin could clarify a few things for me?"

"And why not?"

Lin Loulan seemed completely unconcerned with Leng Wuque’s stalling tactics, as if convinced it was impossible for him to escape this cage. He simply said:

"Your first question. It’s true that Lei Zhuang was only killed recently, but he joined the Sea Fish Organization years ago, handling some of our gun smuggling operations."

"As for the human trafficking..."

Lin Loulan smiled. "Flipping River Mirage and I had also struck a deal. I sold him a share of Jile Valley’s human trafficking business, which in turn forced Lei Zhuang to become more deeply entangled."

"He did a decent job, I’ll admit, but he was far too indecisive. That’s why I eventually decided to cut ties with him."

"I see. So once Lei Zhuang was involved in human trafficking, it became the critical piece of evidence that led us to believe he was colluding with Flipping River Mirage and Jile Valley. Now, for the second question?"

Leng Wuque nodded and said.

"If we had secretly eliminated Flipping River Mirage ourselves, his subordinates would have grown suspicious. How, then, could we have consolidated his forces so quickly?"

"But if Flipping River Mirage were to die at the hands of your special organization, that’s a different story entirely. Whether for self-preservation or to avenge him, his men would be far more willing to join Sea-Overturning Jiao’s faction," Lin Loulan said with a smile.

"Heh. The moment you followed Profound Bird to Sea Fish Island, the trap was set. I had already arranged everything behind the scenes. All I had to do was wait for you to kill Flipping River Mirage, and then I could take over all his assets."

At this, Sea-Overturning Jiao suddenly chimed in, "Even though it’s only been a short time and I haven’t fully consolidated his forces, the process is going much faster than I anticipated."

"And I have all of you to thank for that."

At this, Sea-Overturning Jiao burst out laughing, looking utterly smug, as if he had the entire situation firmly in his grasp.

"There’s still one question you haven’t answered. What about Vice Minister Su?"

Leng Wuque spoke again, his tone perfectly even, as if he were completely unaffected. He simply continued to voice his questions.

"Heh. That, I must say, was a beautiful accident. I never expected him to be so powerful, let alone that he would cooperate with you, Leng Wuque. Originally, all those arrangements were meant for Li Longxuan."

Lin Loulan said with a smile. No one could tell if he was telling the truth, but Leng Wuque didn’t seem to doubt him. He simply shook his head and said:

"I suspect there’s more to it than that. Why didn’t Ye Fei kill my two team members back then? He left in such a hurry. Was it truly because he lacked the strength to kill them both?"

"More likely, it was a tactic to create a sense of urgency, to make us feel we had to leave Sea Fish Island immediately. In doing so, we’d lose precious time to think, and walk right into your trap."

"Heh. I won’t deny that."

Lin Loulan smiled. "Heh. Well then, Brother Leng, do you have a third question for me?"

"COUGH COUGH... COUGH COUGH COUGH!!!"

The cold rain beat down on Leng Wuque in his wheelchair, and his already frail body was wracked by an even more violent fit of coughing. He looked at the residents of Lei Family Village before him and asked, a note of confusion in his voice:

"Looking at all of you... I shouldn’t even have to ask this, but I must. Why were you willing to revolt? Do you not realize that this is a crime?"

’It’s one thing for a few villagers to commit crimes for personal gain—that’s hardly unusual. But for the majority of an entire village to be complicit criminals... Even Leng Wuque was taken aback by the sheer depravity of it all.’

"Sigh... After Lei Zhuang got in with Flipping River Mirage, it’s true he didn’t forget the village. But Flipping River Mirage shouldn’t have tried to let Lei Zhuang monopolize the entire sea territory. Lei Family Village doesn’t belong to Lei Zhuang alone."

"Besides, he was growing more and more arrogant."

A white-haired elder among the villagers suddenly spoke up. It was Master Lei Wu, the wealthiest man in Lei Family Village before Lei Zhuang’s time.

’As for why they never called the police... although no one said it aloud, Leng Wuque understood. To put it bluntly, this was essentially a gang war. Both sides were operating on the fringes of the law, so reporting to the authorities was out of the question—it would only harm their own interests.’

’Come to think of it, aside from the fact that "Lei Zhuang" had been Profound Bird Ye Fei in disguise, all the information Leng Wuque had gathered was genuine. That was why he never doubted his own conclusions. It was only after leaving Sea Fish Island that he began to feel something was off.’

’Any minor inconsistencies had been completely masked by the rushed timeline. His opponents had simply never given him a chance to think, so they were utterly concealed.’

’The most terrifying part was...’

’The entire Lei Family Village, from the very beginning, had been accomplices in Lin Loulan’s scheme to use him as a weapon.’

"Time for idle chatter always flies by. Now that your questions have been answered, Brother Leng... the road to the underworld is a cold one. Do take care on your journey," Lin Loulan said with a smile.

"Much appreciated!"

Leng Wuque replied in kind. However, Zhang Wen and Zhao Wu at his side were nowhere near as calm. Beads of sweat dotted their foreheads, yet they remained protectively by Leng Wuque’s side and said:

"Go! We’ll cover your escape!"

Just then, the shadow of a sword strike suddenly slashed toward Lin Loulan. But Profound Bird Ye Fei, who stood beside him, reacted with astonishing speed. With a sudden draw, his own sword was unsheathed, and in a flash, it shattered the incoming attack. In that same moment, Li Ye’s figure appeared before Leng Wuque.

"Caged Bird?!"

Zhang Wen and Zhao Wu cried out in unison. Li Ye was, without a doubt, from Jile Valley. And while they had caused quite a stir back at the Cyan Cloud Sect, very few people actually knew the details. As a result, their impression of Li Ye was still based on his old reputation.

But he had just attacked Ye Fei, leaving them unsure of where Caged Bird’s loyalties lay. That is, until Leng Wuque waved a dismissive hand and said:

"Relax. He’s on our side."

Li Ye paid them no mind. He simply tightened his grip on his sword, his gaze fixed on Profound Bird Ye Fei. Cupping one fist in his other hand, he spoke:

"Profound Bird, we’ve met a few times in Jile Valley. We are both Tier-8. A fight between us would be difficult to conclude. I have promised Leng Wuque that I will get him out of here alive, so how about you do me a small favor?"

"Caged Bird!"

"The Team Leader said you came to help us, so don’t plead with these people! They’re all depraved criminals! Why are you showing them the courtesy of asking?!"

"I know you’re powerful—stronger than the two of us combined. So you should be the one to escort the Team Leader away. If anything happens to him, the Modu special organization will not let you off the hook!"

Zhao Wu said with a straight face.

Zhang Wen remained silent, but his tightly pressed lips revealed his agreement. He too was resigned to die here. Although Li Ye was a Tier-8, the enemy had a Tier-8 of their own, and they were outnumbered several times over. A direct confrontation was hopeless.

In this situation, their only chance was to flee.

"We... are leaving."

Leng Wuque said after a pause.

"Understood."

Li Ye took a step back to guard Leng Wuque, his eyes fixed on the path leading out of Lei Family Village. There was no doubt that if they could just reach it, he could tear open the void and they could escape directly.

"Heh. Lei Family Village is surrounded, inside and out. I’m afraid my careful preparations won’t make it so easy for you to escape," Lin Loulan said with a smile.

"Hmph. Then we’ll just have to fight to the death," Zhao Wu sneered.

"We’ll protect the Team Leader with our lives!"

Zhang Wen roared. The two of them charged the nearest enemies almost simultaneously, and the battle erupted in an instant. Li Ye, however, neither attacked nor retreated. He simply kept his eyes fixed on Profound Bird Ye Fei, knowing full well that he could only get Leng Wuque away safely by defeating his opposite number.