Chapter 148: Already Picked Up

With the help of Wang Zihao, I put on the night-walker's outfit. Once I had the mask on, I actually looked the part.

Without a careful inspection, it was completely impossible to tell the difference between me and the man from just a moment ago.

"Brother Hao, thank you for helping me this time, but you shouldn't come out again. This man is likely their target for tonight. I'll take him with me and see if I can find any clues. That girl seems to be injured as well, so please get her to a hospital quickly. Also, don't show your face personally; send Yin Cheng instead. Since the Golden Cicada Society already knows about him, it doesn't matter. If an outsider like you suddenly gets involved, it's hard not to arouse suspicion."

Wang Zihao looked at my resolute gaze and knew that nothing he said would change my mind.

He could only do as I asked.

Lifting the man onto my shoulder, I tiptoed out the door.

While the entire Majiazhuang Village was bustling with activity during the day, by nighttime, not even a ghost could be seen on the paths outside.

Carrying a grown man like this down the road, I didn't even need to deliberately conceal myself.

Though I had no idea where to go, I decided to trust my luck.

I hauled him over my shoulder and hurried toward the farmhouse courtyard where I had dealt with the seven corpse-howls earlier.

When I reached the entrance and was about to go inside, someone gently patted me on the back!

I froze. My pace hadn't been slow, yet someone dared to pat me on the back under these circumstances!

Turning my head, I saw a fat-headed man with an extremely unsightly expression looking at me bizarrely.

He didn't seem to realize that I wasn't his companion yet. He asked in a scolding tone, "What's wrong with you? Why are you running back here? This place has already been exposed. Didn't I tell you to change locations?!"

I didn't speak, just stood there motionless.

"Alright! Hurry up and come with me. If we're discovered, neither of us will hear the end of it."

"Hand him over to me, and you go look for the next target. Make it quick—time is tight and the task is heavy!"

The fat man reached out to take the man from me.

At that very moment, I suddenly reached out and grabbed his wrist.

"What are you doing...?" Suddenly realizing something was amiss, he tried to yank his hand back, only to find that my grip was as unyielding as a pair of blacksmith's pliers.

I slowly raised my head and looked at him. "Where is the new location?"

"Who are you?!"

After setting down the man I had been carrying, I pulled off my mask and grinned at the fat man. "You don't even recognize me? How did Lin Feng teach you lot?"

The moment he saw my face, he drew in a sharp breath. "You're Jiang Huai!"

He was different from those seven corpse-howls.

Upon realizing my identity, his first reaction was to run, but my grip was too strong—he had nowhere to escape!

Moving as fast as I could, I used my own blood as ink and rapidly drew a minor Orthodox Exorcism Curse on his forehead.

With a single word from me, he would instantly be struck by lightning and charred black.

"I'll give you a choice: take me to your new stronghold."

"If you don't take me, I'll take your life right now."

The fat man shivered; clearly, he wasn't as brave as the first batch of men.

He nodded and agreed to take me.

I didn't bind him, but made him carry the unconscious man and walk in front. The moment I sensed he wanted to pull any tricks, I would end his life on the spot.

Knowing his life was in my hands, he obeyed my every word along the way.

Since I now had a guide, I no longer needed to carry the burden myself. After dropping the still-unconscious man off at the entrance of a hotel and sending a message to Wang Zihao to come pick him up, I continued following the fat man forward.

"Fatty, you've been performing quite well, so keep it up. Tell me, where is the Corpse Pool?"

"I... I don't know..."

"Then where is Lin Feng?"

"I... I don't know either..."

The answers these people gave seemed as though they had been pre-programmed.

I scratched my head. Since he wouldn't talk willingly, there were ways to make him speak. "Keep moving!"

I gave the fat man's rear a kick. After he stumbled forward a few paces, he glanced back at me.

In that single glance, I caught a flash of pure murderous intent in his eyes. But it vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced once more by a cringing, subservient look.

I narrowed my eyes, a thought instantly forming in my mind.

"We're here! Right here!"

The new location the fat man spoke of wasn't some remote farmhouse, but a natural stone cave nestled deep in the back mountains.

Standing not far from the cave entrance, I could see flickering, unsteady firelight dancing within.

"This is it. For now, we've been keeping all our captured targets locked up inside here."

I nodded. "And then?"

"And then we wait for the boss to send someone to pick them up."

I kept hearing mentions of this "boss." Twirling my eyes, I asked, "This boss you speak of—is it Lin Feng?"

"No... it's the client who placed the order. As soon as we secure the goods, they send someone over immediately."

Send someone immediately?

According to what he said, does that mean Yin Cheng's partner has already been taken away?