Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Li Du knew that the road mentioned by the kidnapper was the road to Riverdale. It sprawled from Phoenix into the surrounding great desert. The road from Phoenix to Riverdale ran through the village. It was a small, almost deserted village settlement, with not many villagers left.
When Li Du turned off the phone, Brother Wolf immediately spread out a map and drew a circle with a red pen. Prami village was in the center.
“We need more information about this village. Look it up, Lu Guan,” he said, looking at the map.
At this time, the phone rang again, and it was a new strange number.
Li Du took the call, and the same rude voice said, “Hey, bitch, listen up! If you want this fag to live, don’t call the cops! I know where you are, I’ve got a man on you, and if I see any of you making contact with the police, I swear to god he’s dead!”
Having said that, he hung up.
Brother Wolf entered the phone number into a search engine and said, “It seems to be one of those temporary numbers. I can’t find anything on the owner.”
Worried, Big Quinn asked, “Should I call the police? Are they spying on us?”
Li Du did want to call the police. The American police were quite handy with this kind of thing. However, judging from the phone calls of earlier, he thought it would be risky to contact the police. If they were indeed watched, it could mean an instant death sentence for Hans.
It was all unclear. What had happened to Hans, why he was kidnapped, who kidnapped him and why… all of this was a mystery.
After thinking about it, Li Du said, “We won’t call the police. Big Ivan, you check the helicopter. Brother Wolf, you accompany me. Black Bull, lead the team. Let’s go and take a look.”
Godzilla said, “I’m coming too.”
Li Du shook his head. “We’re not going to fight, so I’m not taking many people. You and Big Quinns stay here. It should be enough. This is the United States, you know. Maybe there was a crime, but we can’t take the law into our own hands.”
“No guns?” Asked Madman.
Li Du said, “Don’t bring a gun. It’s better to use a crossbow at night.”
Prami was a long way from Phoenix, and when Sophie got the money, Li Du decided to go right away. He wanted to take only Brother Wolf and the others, but Sophie insisted on going too, stating that if there were any injuries, it would be crucial to have a doctor on hand.
Li Du thought all this might have happened because he offended someone. The other side found just the right timing. They could be spying on him. It was no coincidence that the call came just as he returned to Phoenix.
If the call had come a day earlier, Li Du would not be able to go, and if it were a day later, Li Du and his men would be more refreshed and could fight better.
The timing was so accurate that it was indeed possible that someone was spying on them, which was why Li Du did not call the police.
Once Li Du was on his way, the other side called again. “Listen, come here by yourself. Stop the car on the road and leave it there, you understand?!”
After saying that, he directly hung up again.
Li Du looked at Brother Wolf and Driver. Driver said, “I’ll park the car on the roadside. If you encounter any problems, I can chase any car.”
“Be careful when you do. And, Sophie, be careful,” Li Du reminded.
Driver laughed. “Don’t worry, boss. You know I fly as fast as the wind and nobody ever get hurt when I’m driving!”
Riverdale was located between Arizona, California, and Nevada, and Hans told him during his last visit that it was a rough place to live. It was a relatively rustic place with a harsh climate.
It was the height of summer, and the temperature in the desert was extremely high. The car was galloping on the road. While the sun was setting, Li Du looked into the hazy distance, feeling that his field of vision was somewhat blurry, as if space was distorted by the hot air.
It made him miss Siberia and the Arctic, where it was much cooler even in midsummer.
The car moved across the desert terrain with a river valley at the end of its destination. The river around Riverdale started there and would eventually merge with Salt River.
Salt River was Phoenix’s mother river, but due to dam construction, sections of it has been dry for years, and that didn’t help the main body of the river.
“Prami may not be the end of the deal,” Brother Wolf warned. “He may ask you to move on. It’s a complicated environment with deserts, swamps, forests, and administrative divisions, so we have to be prepared. The other side is adept!”
Li Du smiled and said, “Hearing you say so, I regret a little that I did not call the police. Is it too late to do that now?”
Brother Wolf said, “We have sports cars and a helicopter. We don’t need to call the police. If we can’t settle this, the police would not be able to help either.”
“Besides, boss, your safety and Big Fox’s life come first. We can give them the money. If they come to collect the money, they cannot run away from us.”
The deserted village of Prami came into view. The small village was quiet at night. There were no pedestrians, no cars, and no lights.
Looking at the dark village, Li Du felt somewhat uneasy. After all, it was the first time he had experienced such an ordeal.
Brother Wolf put a mini-microphone on his collar and another on the sole of his shoe. He reassuringly patted Li Du on the shoulder and said, “Boss, don’t worry, it’s all right.”
Li Du nodded. He had released the two little bugs when he came down from the car to check out the situation of the village.
The darkness was not an obstacle for the little bugs. Therefore, Li Du was able to observe everything clearly as if it was daylight.
One of the little bugs flew into a small building at the entrance to the village, and Li Du saw someone there, a young man hiding in the abandoned garden.
He was a black man, with a mask on his face. The little bug saw his face through the mask, but Li Du did not recognize him.
Once he saw the man, he was on his guard. He pulled back the space-time bug and was ready to act as the situation called.
When he reached the entrance of the village, the young man who was hiding in the garden jumped out and said, “Have you brought the money?”
Pretending to be startled, Li Du took two steps back, then patted the box and said, “It is here. Shall I give it to you?”
The young man stared at him and said, “Don’t try any tricks, or you will be sorry for it!”
Li Du said, “I don’t play any tricks. I did what you told me to do.”
The young man said, “Very well, take off your clothes and walk ahead with the money.”
Li Du was shocked. “Is this necessary?”
“Who knows if you have anything hidden under your clothes?” The young man said impatiently. “Hurry up, take them off and go inside!”
Li Du had no other choice but to carry out the order. His heart was burning in anger. He had not been this embarrassed his whole life.
He took off his clothes. The young man put them into a bag and then walked away with it. Before leaving, he said, “Just go forward!”
