Chapter 34: Trouble

Terrified out of his wits, the bald man quickly confessed everything he knew.

The Buddha Hand Gang’s headquarters is in Benny City. Beyond that, they have about a dozen outposts across the south, each managed by one or two people in charge. The gang is currently run by the second-in-command, a woman they all call "Mother He." It is said that she was once a madam at a brothel. Mother He is a devout Buddhist, yet her methods are incredibly ruthless; those who offend her rarely live more than a week.

Mother He resides in Benny City, where she owns the largest nightclub. She is always accompanied by a team of a dozen bodyguards—all foreign mercenaries with formidable combat skills. This is the primary reason why a woman like "Mother He" can maintain control over the entire Buddha Hand Gang.

As for how they learned that Zhong Yuan and his men were in Ganyi City, the bald man did not know. He had been ordered to lead the men there by an ethnic Chinese man known as "Master Huang," who is currently in Man City. Master Huang is not part of the Buddha Hand Gang; he belongs to the Snakehead Gang from the central region. The bald man had no idea who Master Huang worked for. Given his low status, the man did not know much, and within a short time, he had spilled everything he knew.

Once Zhong Da was certain the man had emptied his guts, he turned to Xiao Hua and said, "Take the video you just recorded to Brother Yuan."

Xiao Hua didn’t think twice and took the phone to find Zhong Yuan, who was resting not far away. The moment he walked off, Zhong Da crouched down beside the bald man. Seeing him crouch, the bald man sensed something was wrong and tried to shout, but Zhong Da clamped a hand over his mouth. A butterfly knife slashed across the man’s throat, and blood sprayed out instantly.

Zhong Da couldn't dodge in time, and his face was splattered with blood. He frowned in irritation and wiped his face, but that only smeared it further. Turning around, he locked eyes with Zhong Yuan, who was looking his way.

Zhong Da scratched his head and said, "I couldn't dodge in time!"

In the distance, Zhong Yuan watched him, at a loss for words. He sighed helplessly and said, "Go find some water and wash up. There should be some around here."

Zhong Da nodded. After he left, Zhong Yuan called Xiao Hua over. Together, they dragged the body deeper into the forest, found a hollow, deposited the corpse, and shoveled some dirt over it for a rough burial. The rainy season would be arriving soon. Once the heavy rains began, no one would venture into this already desolate forest, and by the time the season ended, the body would likely be completely decomposed.

***

After disposing of the body and returning to the original spot, Zhong Da had finished washing up and returned as well. Zhong Yuan checked the time; it was not yet 6:30. Just then, the sound of sirens seemed to drift from the distance.

Zhong Yuan frowned. Had the police intervened? If so, he hoped the car he had ditched at the border would prove useful. After a moment of thought, he signaled Zhong Da and Xiao Hua to start heading back. If those sirens were indeed meant for them, the police wouldn't expect them to double back, which would allow them to take advantage of the time gap to escape. With the bald man dead, they were no longer burdened; even if the police were involved, evading a search shouldn't be difficult.

The forest was dense, filled with vines and shrubs, making passage difficult—but it would be just as difficult for anyone pursuing them. Furthermore, the limited visibility and light in the woods made it easier to dodge bullets and find opportunities for counterattacks.

The three of them traveled for the better part of the day, taking the opportunity to cross the highway and shifting their heading toward the south. By dusk, they had left the Kanchanaburi Province and entered the Xuan City area of Ratchaburi Province. They walked a bit further, and as night fell, they stood on a hillside overlooking a valley below, where a patch of lights glowed.

"Brother Yuan, what is that place?" Xiao Hua asked from the side.

Zhong Yuan frowned. From their vantage point, the situation in the valley was clear. A large perimeter wall enclosed the entire valley, with an exit to the south. Despite the vastness of the valley, there were only two large buildings and one smaller one. The smaller building was near the exit—a two-story structure that looked inconspicuous in the night. The two larger buildings were six stories high, each with about a dozen rooms per floor. It looked like a hotel. But why would a hotel have barbed wire on its perimeter walls?

***

Moreover, people were walking around the two large buildings. They looked like they were out for a stroll, but their movement patterns revealed they were on patrol. Although Zhong Yuan couldn't see from this distance if they carried guns, the way several of them moved suggested they were holding something. As for what that "something" was, the answer was obvious.

Consequently, what kind of place this was also became self-evident.

However, Zhong Yuan had no intention of telling Xiao Hua the answer. Regardless of whether his guess was right, or who was being hidden inside, the three of them were already mired in trouble; there was no need to provoke more enemies. But since it was now essentially dark, especially in the woods, it was no longer suitable to continue traveling.

Zhong Yuan thought for a moment, then turned to warn Zhong Da and Xiao Hua: "No matter what you see later, don't be impulsive. Do you understand?"

Even if Zhong Da and Xiao Hua hadn't realized it before, hearing Zhong Yuan’s words made them guess something, or at least sense that the valley below was likely not a good place. Both nodded without asking further questions.

Because they were close to the valley, Zhong Yuan didn't dare start a fire. The three of them chose a flat spot, leaned against a tree, and prepared to make do for the night.

At first, the valley was quiet. Then, just as the horizon began to turn pale, activity started below, and someone even fired a shot. The sound of an old-fashioned rifle lacked the punch of a handgun; it was crisp, like something snapping in two.

When Xiao Hua was startled awake, he found that Zhong Da and Zhong Yuan were already up, standing behind a tree and looking down. Xiao Hua hurriedly rose and joined them. In the gray light, the valley below was much brighter than it had been at dusk. Bright floodlights illuminated nearly the entire valley.

In the clearing between the two buildings, a crowd had gathered. Several people with rifles guarded the perimeter, while others stood before the crowd, appearing to take a headcount. There were at least twenty or thirty people huddled together in the center.