Chapter 153

The struggle between Xiao Hua and Boss Jiao in the tulou was just like a big drama. Xiao Hua’s arrangement went from being a habit of defense in the beginning to a final confrontation between the fourth and fifth floors. It would have made for a wonderfully written movie. During that time, there were a large number of skilled players on both sides who swapped camps to found out more about each other. Xiao Hua negotiated with Boss Jiao at least four times, but there was a huge reversal every time because of the thunder that appeared near the tulou. No matter how Xiao Hua took the lead, it would be overturned that very same day.

People on both sides kept dying until finally, Boss Jiao’s people suddenly broke into the calling spring. There was a thunderstorm that night, and it almost seemed as if everyone had gone crazy.

Liu Sang had brought this team out before then to look for the second entrance. After Xiao Hua and the others had explored the calling spring, Xiao Hua determined that there had to be a second entrance. As a result, Liu Sang’s team had been looking for the second entrance in the mountains while Boss Jiao’s team entered the mountains to look for them. Based on this situation, the best course of action would be to call the police. But both sides had obviously committed serious crimes, so this matter could only be solved through practical methods.

Xiao Hua was able to sneak into their group, but Kan Jian didn’t know the specifics. He only knew that someone suddenly sent them a message one day. There were two more people from Xiao Hua’s team mixed into Boss Jiao’s team. With the exception of Xiao Hua himself, no one knew who the other two were.

I asked them what the rescue situation was like. It was unclear whether Little Brother and Black Glasses were alive or dead, but the good news was that Liu Sang said he was seventy percent sure that there was a cavity they had made it to. Although I didn’t discount the fact that he might not be facing reality, it finally gave me a little confidence.

When I told them that Fatty and the others had entered the calling spring, Kan Jian and Liu Sang remained silent. The calling spring was very complicated and they had set up a lot of mechanisms when they evacuated. Fatty would be fine as long as he remained alert, but if he was even a little careless, then the inside of the calling spring would be very dangerous. Moreover, the local people had a legend that there was a “Yang Gong (flood dragon)” in the calling spring (1). Many strange things happened to them when they were exploring, and when they were digging, everyone suddenly started shouting like they had been possessed.

But I believed in Fatty. He was a well-traveled person who should be able to deal with this properly.

Bai Haotian had to be in Sasha’s hands right now. Liu Sang said that he knew him. This man was actually called Jiang Zi Suan. He did things in a strange way, but he wasn’t crazy. If he wanted to kill Bai Haotian, then he would have left her body behind. The fact that he had taken her away meant that he wanted me to save her. Maybe he thought she was a good bargaining chip to lure me out.

Now that the various forces were intertwined, they just didn’t know what to do. But now that I was here, Kan Jian asked me what my plan was.

Xiao Hua didn’t disclose everything to the people below him. I looked at the people in this team and realized that they were all good grave robbers. They weren’t good at fighting, but it was still clear to see that Xiao Hua attached great importance to this second entrance. It was probably more important than exploring the calling spring. That, coupled with the rescue difficulties Uncle Two had mentioned, made me think that the calling spring was a dead end and Xiao Hua couldn’t find a way.

Since we didn’t have any cards in our hands, our options right now were very limited. If Poker-Face and Black Glasses were here, I would definitely storm in. It didn’t matter if it was the Wang or Zhang family, they would all be dead to me. But now we were mere rabble, so we would definitely have an accident when we met those four Wang family members I saw before.

We needed to get some cards in our hands now. These cards could be people, time, or even familiarity with the terrain. “We have to find the second entrance,” I said to them. “Just think, Master Hua left the big troops in the calling spring and sent the elites out. He must have set it up this way so that once the second entrance was found, it would be possible to drain the water earlier. Once the water was down, it would be more convenient for the big troops to go in and continue the rescue efforts through the calling spring’s opening. Once we find the second entrance and withdraw the water, a large number of Boss Jiao’s team would enter the calling spring. At this time, the rest of us would take the tulou back, seal the entrance, and force them into our trap.”

Everyone listened to me intently, but it didn’t seem like they completely understood what I had said. Kan Jian said to them, “Ok! Let’s follow Little Master Three!”

Liu Sang suddenly spoke up, “The big troops didn’t stay there because of Master Hua’s plan. They died there. It just so happened to be our team’s turn to find the second entrance. If it hadn’t been our turn, we’d be dead now. Master Hua isn’t even sure of his own theory, so don’t order us around so blindly. My plan is to catch the king first.” He looked at me, “I want to hand you over to them and then I’m going to find a chance to catch Boss Jiao.”

“Why are you so sure?” I asked.

Liu Sang tilted his head as if he were listening to something outside, “It’s going to thunderstorm soon. When this group of people listens to thunder, they all become like blocks of wood. I can’t predict the future, but I can take action when it starts to thunder.”

<Chapter 152><Table of Contents><Chapter 154>

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TN Notes:

(1) A flood dragon is also called a “jiao” or “Jiaolong”. It’s a legendary dragon with the ability to control rain and floods. More info here.