Chapter 488: I'd Like to See Who Dares
At that moment, Xiao Ye was right above the secret passage.
He had a device that could detect if the area below was hollow.
He followed the path of the secret passage and soon arrived at a village—or, to be more precise, a small settlement.
To avoid tipping them off, Xiao Ye remained hidden.
It was deep in the night, and the village was silent.
There weren't many households, and with its back to the mountain range, the place looked exceptionally poor.
Xiao Ye took out his ancient coins and performed another divination.
Just as he suspected, the person he was looking for was here.
The village roads crisscrossed, lined with houses on both sides.
Xiao Ye walked straight past them, heading for the area closer to the mountains in the back.
'Judging by the mastermind's previous lairs, he prefers dark, cool, and extremely well-hidden places.'
'So it's unlikely he'd choose any of these houses out in the open.'
'It must be somewhere close to the mountains, but not too far from the village.'
'Probably in a cave.'
'And since this was the first place he chose to flee to, it must be extremely secluded, somewhere few people ever go.'
So, Xiao Ye abandoned the main path and scanned the surrounding overgrown areas.
One path showed clear signs of passage, but so did another.
He could deduce the number of people from the tracks.
'The path with more tracks is probably a diversion.'
'Someone so cautious would never bring that many people to his safe house.'
So, Xiao Ye headed toward the path with fewer tracks.
He followed the tracks until he soon came upon a cliff face.
The moment Xiao Ye drew near, his device beeped.
'Good. It's beneath my feet.'
He gave a cold smile and began searching for the entrance.
「Inside the cave.」
The guard on duty vaguely heard a sound from overhead, but it vanished just as quickly.
He dismissed it as a wild animal and thought no more of it.
Xiao Ye easily found the entrance. It was located behind the rock wall, extremely concealed, though there were a few small peepholes for observation.
He tossed several smoke grenades in through the holes.
They were filled with a hypnotic agent, enough to make anyone who breathed it in sleep for a full day.
A moment later, once the smoke inside began to dissipate, Xiao Ye took an Antitoxic Pill and headed deeper into the cave.
Just as he'd expected, people were lying scattered about inside.
As he reached the very back, he heard the sound of hurried footsteps.
Xiao Ye gave chase and saw a man completely shrouded in a black robe.
'Judging by his build and gait, he must be an older man.'
Xiao Ye threw a stone, striking him squarely in the knee.
"AGH!" The black-robed man fell to his knees, crying out in pain.
Xiao Ye strode up to him and threw back the robe.
It was, indeed, an old man—and a skeletal one at that. His skin, like tree bark, was covered in wrinkles and hung loosely from his frame, a terrifying sight.
In the dim light of the cave, he looked like a malevolent spirit.
"Don't... Don't touch the Master!"
A weak voice called out.
'So there's one still conscious.'
Xiao Ye ignored the voice. "Master? What an arrogant title. A despicable piece of trash like you dares to call himself 'Master'?"
He couldn't even be bothered to use his hands, simply pinning the man to the ground with his foot. "You want the secret key I'm carrying?"
The Master knew Xiao Ye wouldn't let him go. He sneered. "That's right. And don't think I'm the only one. Many people want it!"
"Even if you kill me today, you won't make it to the border!"
Xiao Ye kicked the man unconscious, then lifted up the person who had spoken earlier. "You'll answer whatever I ask. Otherwise, I'll make you wish you were dead!"
「One hour later.」
Xiao Ye left the cave.
「The next second.」
A deafening RUMBLE echoed.
Under the force of the explosion, the entire cave collapsed into rubble, completely burying the bodies within.
After dealing with the remaining lackeys one by one, Xiao Ye returned to his car for a brief rest before setting off again the next day.
This time, with no more obstacles in his way, Xiao Ye's journey was smooth sailing.
In just two or three days, he crossed through several cities and arrived at the border town of City C.
City C was even more desolate than some of the small counties in Dragon Country. Buildings were sparse, and the streets were covered in dust.
The car he was driving was, without a doubt, the finest in the city, drawing constant stares from people on the street.
The moment he stopped to buy a bottle of water, a crowd of small children gathered around him.
"Wow, look at that car! When will we ever get to drive one like that?"
"In your dreams! We'll never have a chance in this lifetime!"
Xiao Ye walked over, smiled, and ruffled the two boys' hair. "You'll have your chance. Study hard, and one day you'll be able to afford one."
Their eyes lit up. "Does studying really help? Everyone says even if we study, we'll just end up working for someone else."
"There are many kinds of jobs. With knowledge, you can get a better one."
After consoling the two children, Xiao Ye drove off under the envious stares of the crowd.
This time, he didn't stop until he reached the entrance of the border post.
The moment he arrived, he was stopped at gunpoint. "Halt! Who are you!"
"I'm here to deliver something. Tell your superior I'm from Dragon Country, and they'll know what this is about."
The two guards exchanged a look and went to report.
They might have hesitated if he were a local, but a foreigner was a different matter. He might really be here on important business.
Before long, several people came out to greet him with fiery enthusiasm.
"Mr. Xiao! We've been waiting for what feels like an eternity. At last, you're here!"
"Come now, give me the secret key."
Xiao Ye looked at the man before him. He had the face of a treacherous official. 'This type is two-faced,' he thought. 'Definitely a mole!'
'And judging by his features now, that treachery is already showing. That means he's in the middle of his betrayal.'
'In that case, I don't need to be polite!'
Xiao Ye raised his leg and kicked the man to the ground!
"Hey, what are you doing!"
"Major General!"
"How dare you harm our Major General! Men, seize him!"
"I'd like to see who dares!" Xiao Ye sneered. "Don't forget, I have the secret key."
"If you dare touch me, not only will the secret key be gone, but you can also forget about maintaining friendly relations with Dragon Country!"
"Now go get your real superior. I want to see the highest-ranking official in this area!"
The surrounding soldiers aimed their guns at Xiao Ye, their faces contorted with rage.
"You only dare to say that because you have Dragon Country backing you up!"
"I always thought your Dragon Country was a land of etiquette, but you're nothing special!"
"To resort to violence the moment you arrive... utterly barbaric!"
Xiao Ye kicked the speaker to the ground. "Cut the crap and go get your boss!"
He simply pulled out his pistol and pressed it to the man's forehead. "I'll say it again: go get your supreme commander!"
The surrounding soldiers watched Xiao Ye nervously, afraid he would actually pull the trigger.
The man with the gun to his head finally reacted. "What are you morons gawking at? Go get someone!"