The moment night fell, darkness swallowed the forest.
Without needing organization, people naturally split into three groups, Igniting fires at three corners of an open space.
The three fires leaned on each other, burning and flickering quietly but steadily in the dark night, silently consuming the unease of the night and people's hearts.
"Why are we acting with them?"
Bai Ting threw a few branches into the bonfire and looked at Chen Bugu.
Bai Ting was against joining this team.
His years of experience in the business world gave him an intuition, an intuition about reading people.
That doctor named Ding Wenli, like those smiling tigers in the business world, appeared gentle and humble on the surface, but he might also be someone who eats people without spitting out their bones.
At least, Bai Ting was disgusted by Ding Wenli's hypocritical smile.
"According to them, the Goblin squads nearby have almost been cleared out by us, and the Goblin tribe couldn't possibly not have noticed the clues yet."
"Goblins are at least an intelligent race; being prepared and unprepared are completely different situations. Since the goal is the same, and their strength is also quite good, it's fine to cooperate for a while."
"I joined, but I never said I wouldn't leave."
Chen Bugu explained expressionlessly.
"As for the other reason…"
He had just spoken halfway when he suddenly saw Ding Wenli walk over with a smile on his face, so Chen Bugu consciously did not continue speaking.
"Everyone, just before we came here, we had a picnic, so we brought some food with us. Although it's not much, this cured duck is a specialty of our Liao City. Please, everyone, be sure to try it."
Ding Wenli walked closer to the crowd with a smile, squatting exactly between Lin Xiaoxiao and Lin Lin.
He held a sealed, vacuum-packed cured duck in his hand, saying he was offering it to everyone, but actually gently placed it in front of Lin Xiaoxiao.
After speaking, without waiting for anyone to refuse, he stood up again and turned to walk back towards his own fire.
Chen Bugu followed Ding Wenli's retreating figure and saw Xue Ke and the others staring at their side.
Although they were far away, Chen Bugu, whose eye gene lock was completely Deciphered, could see clearly that Xue Ke's eyes were filled with disdain and amusement.
Chen Bugu didn't mind; he politely nodded and then looked at another bonfire.
Three groups of people sat around three separate bonfires; Chen Bugu and his group sat in the southeast, Ding Wenli and Xue Ke and their group sat in the north, and the remaining group sat in the southwest.
Indeed, Ding Wenli's earlier act of giving the cured duck attracted everyone's attention; the people at the bonfire in the southwest were also looking towards their side.
This bonfire was surrounded by the people from Guanzhou that Ding Wenli had mentioned earlier. There were quite a few of them, a full 15 people, but they didn't have any outstanding performances in the previous battles. It seemed most of them were Black Iron One Star.
Among them, there was even a middle school student wearing a school uniform.
In contrast, among Ding Wenli and Xue Ke's five people, there was one Black Iron Four Star, one Black Iron Three Stars, and two Black Iron Two Star, clearly much stronger.
The man with the pointed mouth and monkey cheeks who had mocked Chen Bugu and his group earlier, and was called "Monkey," was precisely one of the Black Iron Two Star.
Heh ~
Chen Bugu sneered.
Well, it turns out the "pigs" are all in his own team.
"Alright, I don't like that doctor anymore either."
"The way he looked at Lin Lin and me made me feel disgusted."
Perhaps due to the similarity of their abilities, or perhaps because Chen Bugu had asked her earlier if she could also wield Cold Steel Flying Daggers, Lin Xiaoxiao's competitive spirit made her feel a slight aversion to Ding Wenli from the start.
Moreover, she could feel that the way that person looked at her and Lin Lin was full of undisguised aggression, as if he were looking at his own possessions.
"Let's separate as soon as we finish off the Goblins. I really don't like them. Oh, by the way, you just said there was a second reason?"
Lin Xiaoxiao glanced at Chen Bugu, finding that he was still staring at the bonfire of the Guanzhou people, seemingly not having heard her question.
"What's wrong? What are you looking at?"
Lin Xiaoxiao waved her hand in front of Chen Bugu, and the blocked firelight shone on Chen Bugu's face. In the alternating light and shadow, Chen Bugu's expression also seemed to become unpredictable.
"Didn't you notice that even though their team has so many people, there isn't a single woman?"
Chen Bugu came back to his senses, looking unwell.
Only then did everyone realize with surprise that it was indeed true.
A team of 20 people, yet not a single woman.
But no one understood what Chen Bugu meant by saying this, so they just took it as a coincidence.
Only Bai Ting and Lin Ye subtly frowned; they felt that Chen Bugu wouldn't say such a thing without reason.
"Tonight, I will take the second shift. Everyone wake up ten minutes early tomorrow morning. I will share the latest news I have received with you all."
After speaking, without waiting for questions, Chen Bugu simply turned on his side and lay down, falling asleep.
The rest of the people looked at each other, but no one understood what Chen Bugu meant.
...
On the other side, "Monkey" poked Ding Wenli with his elbow.
"Captain, look, those two little girls didn't appreciate you at all. Should we teach them a lesson?"
Ding Wenli sneered.
"Monkey, you go ahead, I won't stop you. But don't come back to me if you get beaten; I'd be ashamed."
"Captain, you mean..."
"Use your brain more. There are eight people over there who have survived until now. Do you believe they are all Black Iron One Star?"
"Putting everything else aside, one person has a green-grade crossbow in his hand, but did you notice that he isn't even the leader?"
"The leader should be a Black Iron Three Stars. Among that group, there are probably at least two or three Black Iron Two Star."
Xue Ke tore open a package, took out a salt-baked chicken leg, took a bite, and then said to Ding Wenli indifferently,
"Wenli, it's just Black Iron Three Stars, what's there to be afraid of? I can smash his head with one palm!"
"Xue Ke, Black Iron Three Stars are not common. We were just worried about not having anyone to lead the charge, and now someone has delivered themselves to our doorstep. Don't scare away our distinguished guests."
"And, there are two women…"
Ding Wenli turned his head, gazing at the figures of Lin Xiaoxiao and Lin Lin in the distance, unable to hide the smile on his lips.
"Captain, after you've had your fun this time, can you let me also…"
"Monkey" handed a torn chicken leg to Ding Wenli, saying ingratiatingly.
"Don't worry, Monkey, just for your acting skills today, I'll definitely save some for you to try."
Ding Wenli took two bites of the chicken leg, then directly stuffed the rest into "Monkey's" mouth.
"How is it? Does it taste good?"
The firelight illuminated Ding Wenli's eyes, full of madness, without a trace of humility or kindness.
...
In the early hours of the morning, Chen Bugu woke up. He and Yan Kuan were on the second watch.
Near the other two bonfires, there were also people on watch; everyone tacitly distrusted each other.
Half an hour later, Chen Bugu told Yan Kuan that he needed to go a bit further to urinate and asked Yan Kuan to maintain his vigilance.
Yan Kuan gave Chen Bugu a meaningful look and didn't ask much, just told him to be quick.
Chen Bugu responded and then walked alone towards the forest directly to the south.
One minute later, Chen Bugu stood in the darkness-engulfed forest, holding an apple-sized fireball in his right hand.
In the ink-black night, a person slowly emerged from behind a tree.
The moment the faint firelight illuminated the school uniform, Chen Bugu spoke.
"Tell me about it, about your transaction…"