The enemies, like Li Qianfan and the other, were blinded. After a long period of absolute stillness, they finally crept towards the stream, preparing to use the water's reflection to search for their missing targets.
Judging by his build, the man was likely male. Every step he took was exceptionally careful and cautious. He had no idea that the most fatal danger lay directly beneath his feet. He continued to stare ahead, gun held high, his steps slow and silent. The closer he got to the stream, the slower his footfalls became. His right foot landed, his left foot lifted.
Now! Du Junlin suddenly reached out, grabbed his ankle, and yanked him sideways. In the same instant, Li Qianfan shot up from the ground like a frog's tongue catching a fly, his left hand seizing the gun and twisting it, while his right hand covered the man's mouth.
The man was stunned! He wanted to shoot. He wanted to cry out. He wanted—
He wanted to eat shit! Under the joint assault of Li Qianfan and Du Junlin, if he could have made another sound, they might as well have died. As Li Qianfan landed, he kneed the enemy’s neck. Du Junlin snatched the gun and, with professional precision, removed the Bluetooth earpiece from his ear. The earpieces they brought were only capable of static due to the magnetic interference of the Suicide Forest. However, the enemy’s Bluetooth earpiece was designed for the local magnetic field. Although the signal was also disrupted, they could clearly hear what was being said: "Maintain cover. The enemy has suddenly disappeared from the wired surveillance screen. They likely applied mud to their bodies."
So that was it! Du Junlin pursed his lips and put the earpiece in his own ear. He resolved, "I'll just listen, I won't speak." Li Qianfan, who was pinning the enemy down with his knee, quickly signaled to him. "Can the enemy hear us talking?" No. Du Junlin hadn't pressed the call button on the Bluetooth device.
That’s good! Li Qianfan was relieved and whispered to the subdued enemy, "Do you want to live? If you want to live, pat the ground with your hand."
Of course! Who wouldn't want to live? The man quickly raised his hand and patted the ground. Li Qianfan began to ask, "Are you from the dark web?" The man patted the ground, indicating yes. Li Qianfan asked again, "Where is your base?" He thought the man would rather die than reveal the location of his base. Back at the nursery below Yellow Millet Mountain and in the Imperial Apartment, didn't Long Chuan Niao and Sakai Momoe refuse to give up useful intelligence even under duress?
However, to Li Qianfan's surprise, the man whose neck was pinned down said with great difficulty, "Up, upstream."
Upstream? As Li Qianfan subconsciously turned to look at the stream behind them, Du Junlin suddenly pressed the gun to the man's head and pulled the trigger. *Pfft.* The soft gun report traveled far in the jungle. But before the enemy could pinpoint the direction of the muffled shot, the jungle quickly fell silent again.
Li Qianfan, splattered with blood, was speechless. "Du Yaoyao is too cruel! How can she kill prisoners? Finally, she finds someone afraid of death who shows willingness to cooperate." Li Qianfan asked with dissatisfaction in a low voice, "Did you kill him because you judged he was lying and giving us false information?"
"He wasn't lying." Du Junlin shook her head. "He was telling the truth. If we go upstream, we can indeed find the dark web's branch in Toyo." Li Qianfan asked again, "Then why did you kill him?" Du Junlin retorted, "Why are we here tonight in this godforsaken place?" Li Qianfan casually replied, "To kill people." Du Junlin calmly asked again, "And what am I doing now?"
Li Qianfan— He suddenly realized that the wooden girl was quite sharp-tongued! "He dared to tell the truth because he was certain that if we truly went upstream, it would be a one-way trip." Du Junlin quickly analyzed, "This also proves that the dark web's branch in Toyo has brought in top experts. They are waiting for us to walk right into their trap."
Makes sense. Li Qianfan nodded subconsciously. He had to admit that compared to the battle-hardened Du Junlin, he was just a rookie. Du Junlin, who had experienced dozens of battles, was clearer-headed and more agile in this environment than ever before. One could even say Du Junlin was born for the battlefield!
"So, you must retreat." Du Junlin decided immediately. "After all, the central idea of the White Belly Bird is to eliminate people from families like Rhode's, thereby resolving the crisis in the Black Water Forest, not to engage in a life-or-death struggle on their turf when the dark web is prepared." Li Qianfan nodded slowly. Although he didn't want to give up halfway, he would never act rashly and forget his most important mission.
"Then let's go." Li Qianfan no longer hesitated, picking up the clothes from the ground. Since his jacket had been lost in the stream, he simply took off the outer garment from the corpse. Both he and Du Junlin were covered in mud. But they couldn't leave their clothes behind. Otherwise, after leaving the Suicide Forest, would they be driving naked through the streets?
Du Junlin, however, said, "I made it clear just now. You retreat. I'll stay. I'm not willing to return empty-handed after coming to such a treasure trove."
What do you mean? You want me to leave you and escape alone? Li Qianfan immediately frowned. "We leave together, or we stay together." Du Junlin said impatiently, "Don't argue with me. I told you, I can navigate this jungle with ease. I guarantee you that I will get out alive."
There are no absolutes in this world! Especially for someone like Du Junlin, who was mentally unstable (feeling abandoned by the world and wanting to die), the probability of surviving after delivering herself as a package was practically zero. Li Qianfan, however, did not try to persuade her any further. He just nodded, "Alright, then go fight alone. I'll retreat first." He said, picking up the clothes and looking around before heading to the left.
Du Junlin asked, "Why are you going that way?" Li Qianfan replied, "Of course, I'm trying to get out of the forest and back to the hotel." Du Junlin pointed behind her. "You should go that way. If you go straight, you'll reach the entrance where we came from." Li Qianfan immediately retorted, "Nonsense. We clearly came from the left." Du Junlin was somewhat annoyed. "I know this complex jungle environment like the back of my hand. Am I worse than you?" Li Qianfan knew she would never get lost in the jungle. But he just didn't listen to her, hugging the clothes and quickly heading in the wrong direction.
Du Junlin stood stunned for a moment, then looked back in the direction of upstream, stomped her foot lightly, discarded the Bluetooth device, and quickly followed with the clothes. She figured it out. Li Qianfan was deliberately heading in the wrong direction, wanting her, the "King of the Jungle," to escort him out. She had the intention of not intervening. But what if he got lost and was ambushed by the enemy? After all, he was still young—
Soon. Du Junlin caught up with Li Qianfan, thrust the clothes she was carrying into his arms, and whispered, "Stay close to me, don't get lost." She moved ahead, prepared for any danger. Li Qianfan, clutching the clothes, covered their rear, in case any enemies appeared from behind. Relying on her instinct for the jungle terrain, Du Junlin easily avoided trees and rocks, moving quickly in the correct direction.
As they walked, she suddenly stopped. Li Qianfan quickly asked in a low voice, "What is it? Is there a situation?" Du Junlin didn't speak, but took a piece of clothing from his embrace and tied it around her waist. It was very dark in the forest. Du Junlin didn't have eyes in the back of her head. Yet, she felt that Li Qianfan's gaze was constantly fixed on her swaying hips. This damn feeling! It made her heart unable to settle.
Seeing her like this, Li Qianfan felt insulted. Let alone that he currently had no intention of admiring her. Even if he did, he couldn't see clearly. Besides, he had already applied medicine for her at the hotel. If he wanted to look, couldn't he have done it then!?
"Du Yaoyao—" Feeling insulted, Li Qianfan was about to say something in a low voice when he heard the sound of a woman's giggling from several tens of meters ahead and to the left. Du Junlin quickly retreated and shielded Li Qianfan behind her. In the darkness— a voice, as soft and graceful as flowing water, came, "A friend comes from afar, is it not a pleasure? Why the hurry to leave?"