Two days later.
Yellow sand was swirling, grains of sand falling onto the road, as an off-road jeep sped past, kicking up a large cloud of dust, the tires crunching over the sand with a "kaka" sound.
In the driver’s seat, Su Xiao yawned. He had been driving for two days, now traveling on a deserted road. This car was Ma Fatty’s precious baby, with excellent off-road capabilities.
Su Xiao picked up the electronic navigation map from the passenger seat, getting very close to his destination.
A strong wind blew, a gust of yellow sand hitting the windshield with a crackling sound.
After another hour of driving, a concrete bridge appeared ahead, with the railings on both sides forcibly removed. A dilapidated SUV was parked diagonally on the Stone Bridge, its windows covered with fine sand, making it impossible to see inside.
From afar, the gap on one side of the Stone Bridge looked wide enough for a vehicle to pass through, but in reality, it was absolutely impassable unless one crashed through.
"Hey~"
In front of the dilapidated SUV, a woman with a face full of dust waved her arms. Her lips were chapped, like she was stranded in the wilderness after her car broke down.
Su Xiao slowed the car, and the woman imdiately ran forward, pressed against his car window, knocking anxiously while shouting for help.
Su Xiao glanced sideways at the woman, thinking to himself that her acting was excellent, at least ten hours without water.
Su Xiao opened the car window, and the woman breathed a sigh of relief, leaning in.
"My car broke down, could you..."
The woman’s expression gradually froze, her hands slowly raised, and she stepped back.
"How can I help you?"
Su Xiao rested his elbow on the car window, holding a gun in his hand.
"No, it’s nothing, just trying to earn a living, sorry for the trouble."
The woman gestured to the dilapidated SUV, which imdiately started and drove off the Stone Bridge. The woman clasped her hands in apology as she retreated.
Su Xiao started the engine and drove away. As soon as he left, the woman pulled out a bottle of water from her waist and drank it in big gulps.
"Thirsty to death, waited a whole day, no rabbits ca by, only a ’lion’, unlucky."
The woman threw down the empty water bottle, suddenly crouched, and drew a dagger from her brown leather boots.
Whoosh~
The dagger skillfully flew out of her hand, pinning a twisting gray snake over a ter long on the ground, piercing its head.
"You’ll be tonight’s dinner."
The woman wiped her dusty cheek. Soon, the dilapidated SUV returned, once again blocking the Stone Bridge in its original way.
Locals called this Stone Bridge "Broken Wealth Bridge," aning that to pass through, one must pay to avoid disaster.
In this region, it wasn’t really dostic territory. This desolate borderland was nearly a land of no law, active with poaching groups, drug lords, and organized bandit gangs.
There were no resources here, just yellow sand all around. The most valuable things were the wild animals, so no country would cause a large commotion for this poor border area, and besides, it happened to et the needs of so influential figures.
The land of no law does not an no rules; on the contrary, the special rules here are stricter. The bandits Su Xiao encountered only extorted money and would leave victims with so food, water, and enough fuel to reach human civilization. Everything else belongs to them.
After another three hours of driving, a checkpoint appeared ahead, guarded by soldiers in green uniforms holding rifles.
These soldiers didn’t belong to any country but were part of local forces. There were six soldiers in total, from four different countries.
Su Xiao’s car was stopped, with two rifle-wielding soldiers blocking the way, and the other four vaguely forming an encirclent.
Don’t think this was an ambush for Su Xiao; they do this to anyone who cos here.
Su Xiao rolled down the window, holding a roll of brand-new currency.
A soldier walked briskly forward, and upon seeing the red currency, he visibly relaxed a bit.
"Gaba tema, *****."
The soldier said sothing that Su Xiao couldn’t understand, likely the language of a small country in South Arica.
A soldier standing in front of the car ca forward, speaking broken Chinese: "You, good, carrying firearms, entering city, fee increased by 3000."
Su Xiao took off his tinted sunglasses, opened the glove box of the passenger seat, took out a wad of cash, and separated about a third.
After taking the money, the soldiers placed a blue sticker on the front windshield and let him pass. In fact, they all knew Su Xiao wasn’t a good person. Would a good person co here?
On the map, this place simply doesn’t exist, not even in the news.
The extinction of this small town in the wasteland was a matter of ti. For now, many influential people needed its existence. This kind of ’city’ has a ’shelf life’. Once it expires, it will return to an undeveloped area, as if it never existed.
Su Xiao drove slowly into the small town, which was quite bustling. At noon, rows of barbecue grills were set up along the street. Next to each grill were cages filled not with common poultry but with wild animals.
Su Xiao parked the car by the roadside, not bothering to lock it or even remove the key.
If this were a civilized society, Su Xiao’s actions would be unwise. However, here, it was the smartest choice.
Not because this place had good law and order, but if soone wanted to steal the car, locking it would make them smash the window and hot-wire it.
During his journey, Su Xiao had lived rough, his original physical condition was still okay. But his physique was now suppressed, and he needed to find a motel to rest.
As night fell, Su Xiao ca downstairs with a travel bag, the car parked intact in front of the motel. The car wasn’t stolen, the blue sticker on the windshield worked wonders.
Su Xiao hadn’t seen this sticker before; it must belong to an erging force within the small town.
The town was the city’s na. To be precise, it couldn’t have a na; the less noticeable, the better.
Su Xiao had arrived at the designated approximate coordinates, and as expected, more detailed coordinates appeared.
With an electronic navigation map in hand, Su Xiao confird the precise location, holding the travel bag and carrying a sword bag on his shoulder, walking to the designated spot.
In the darkness, several pairs of malicious eyes were staring at Su Xiao.
"Been watching all day, should we act?"
"No, he’s very cautious and dangerous, let’s find another target. But Bagu’s forces are becoming more ddleso lately."
"What can we do? Bagu rules this small town now."
"Just a drug lord, dammit, there’s always that strange sll lately. That guy must be manufacturing in bulk."
"No doubt about it, I’m just curious where Bagu’s n co from. They are simply monsters."
The sound of conversation echoed from a dark alley.
"Bagu?"
A man’s voice ca from behind them.
"Who’s there..."
Puh puh puh puh puh...
The unique sound of a handgun with a muzzle suppressor echoed, brains and blood splattering on the alley walls.
"Ah... wu!"
A man’s arm was pierced by a bullet, about to shout, but a foot pressed against his face, silencing him.
PS: (There are still three more Chapters tonight. Wasted mosquito started writing at 2 PM and has been writing until now, starving. Need to grab a bite first. The remaining three Chapters are done, just need to be reviewed.)
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