Chapter 309: Scarlett Mellon

“Miss Scarlett, why are you in my room at this hour of the night?”

The black-clad figure was none other than Scarlett Mellon, Emily’s friend from just hours earlier—the wealthy young lady.

Scarlett stared wide-eyed, clearly terrified.

Qin Yun released his grip and fixed his gaze on her, expression stern.

Scarlett stepped back, eyes filled with lingering fear, and asked Qin Yun: “You… when did you wake up?”

Qin Yun flicked out a single finger.

*Snap!* Scarlett cried out in pain, tears immediately welling in her eyes.

“Now it’s my turn to ask,” Qin Yun stood up, pointing at the slithering snakes on the floor. “Why did you break into a stranger’s room in the middle of the night? What are you trying to accomplish with these?”

“You hurt me!” Scarlett pouted, rubbing her forehead as she stood. “You wouldn’t give me a spot, so I just came to scare you.”

“For this?” Qin Yun gave her a look that said he thought she was an idiot. “Don’t blame me if I turn you over to the police. You’re American—you know what happens when someone breaks into a private residence at night, right?”

“No!” Scarlett hurriedly said. “I really just came to scare you—no other intention!”

“I don’t believe you.”

“I swear.”

Scarlett was on the verge of tears: “I really meant nothing else!”

Qin Yun was speechless. At dinner, she’d seemed so refined, quiet, and cultured. How could she now behave like this—slipping snakes into a man’s room in the dead of night? Didn’t she realize someone could shoot her dead?

Look where she was.

Utterly irrational. Almost brain-dead.

He’d sensed her coming down the stairs, let alone her opening the door and releasing the snakes—absurd actions all.

“Take all the snakes and leave my room immediately, Scarlett Mellon,” Qin Yun said coldly, his expression shutting her out completely.

Scarlett pouted, her gaze sliding past his abs, and suddenly his coldness didn’t seem so bad anymore.

She even imagined some forbidden things, making her body grow warm.

“Oh, right away!”

All the snakes she brought were non-venomous—no wonder she claimed she only meant to scare him. But even venomous snakes wouldn’t frighten him.

He stared coldly as she carefully packed each snake into a bag.

“Leave. And don’t come looking for me tomorrow.”

Scarlett immediately said: “Qin, don’t be like this. Emily will blame me if you don’t come.”

“Go yourselves. Now, get out!”

“Qin…”

Qin Yun gripped her shoulder and shoved her toward the door.

“Don’t push me! Don’t push me! I’ll pay you—how about a million dollars? Just pretend today never happened.”

Qin Yun sucked in a sharp breath. Holy shit, how rich is this girl’s family? Is she Old Ma’s daughter? No—that’s impossible. Old Ma’s daughter was a son, and she wasn’t this beautiful. I remember she was broke.

For a moment, he was tempted.

But in an instant, he dismissed the thought, shoved her out the door, and slammed it shut with a *bang*.

Scarlett was furious—gnashing her teeth, flailing her arms.

Then…

The door suddenly *whooshed* open again. Scarlett froze, forcing a nervous smile.

“Uh… I wasn’t cursing you.”

Qin Yun glared at her, then flung a snake straight at her face.

*Bang!*

The door shut again.

Scarlett pulled the snake off her head and shoved it into her pocket, muttering bitterly: “Hmph. Who cares? I don’t want it. No, I don’t want it. Even if you begged me, I wouldn’t go. Hmph.”

Qin Yun sighed helplessly, a thousand wild horses galloping through his mind.

He’d seen plenty in his life—every kind of person—but he’d never met someone as clueless as Scarlett Mellon.

What the hell was she even doing in Garissa? Looking for death?

If it were anyone else, they’d probably have been shot in the head. Even if they weren’t killed outright, who’d let someone who broke in like this walk away?

Just… speechless.

…

The next morning, after breakfast, the hotel’s car was waiting by the roadside.

At the hotel entrance stood two others: Emily and Scarlett.

From Scarlett’s demeanor, it was clear she hadn’t told Emily anything—she acted as if nothing had happened.

Qin Yun sneered: “Emily, if you’re going, come with me. This noble Miss Scarlett can go on her own.”

Emily blinked in surprise: “What’s going on? Why are you talking like this?”

She glanced between Scarlett and Qin Yun, trying to read something from their expressions.

Seeing Qin Yun refused to give her any face, Scarlett lifted her chin: “Hmph, Emily, let’s go. We’ll drive ourselves.”

She turned and walked off.

Emily gave Qin Yun an apologetic smile, then hurried after her.

“Scarlett, wait!”

Qin Yun shook his head, ignored them, and got into the hotel’s MPV.

The driver was Pim, a quiet young man who spoke only when Qin Yun asked.

The car left the hotel and headed south.

Soon, the smooth asphalt gave way to gravel and dirt. The vehicle jolted violently, dust swirling outside. Buildings grew sparse; acacia trees appeared sporadically on both sides, and the horizon opened up.

“Beyond here is the reserve boundary. Locals never come this way.”

Pim spoke up—rarely.

Qin Yun nodded: “Is there a balambalagypsum inside the reserve?”

Pim blinked, then glanced at Qin Yun through the rearview mirror, puzzled: “Mr. Qin knows about balambalagypsum? It’s an abandoned gypsum mine. It shut down when I was ten—over ten years ago.”

“It’s completely desolate now. No one goes there. Even animals can’t find food or water.”

The car soon entered the wasteland. All around were only trees and yellow earth. Occasionally, a reticulated giraffe passed by, or traces of antelope and hares appeared.

Qin Yun checked his phone’s GPS. The direction to balambalagypsum was off—he’d need to walk at least five kilometers from here. He wasn’t in a hurry. When the car reached the giraffe gathering area, he jumped out and handed Pim three twenty-dollar bills.

“Pick me up at four this afternoon. You can go back now.”

Pim said: “Mr. Qin, I can wait here for you.”

“No. Go back. I’ll just wander around.”

Pim tried to persuade him again, but seeing Qin Yun was firm, he reluctantly turned around and drove off.

Watching the car disappear, Qin Yun adjusted his bearings and walked toward balambalagypsum.

He’d crossed the Serengeti—this was nothing.

Pim drove a couple kilometers before a Chevrolet pulled him over.

Seeing the hundred-dollar bill Scarlett handed him, Pim turned without hesitation and led the car back to where Qin Yun had gotten out.

“Miss, that way.”

The driver, wearing sunglasses, studied the ground and pointed in one direction.

Scarlett nodded: “Wait here for us.” She turned to Emily: “Let’s go.”

Emily was exasperated: “What did you do to Qin? In my experience, he’s always easygoing.”

“Hmph. I didn’t offend him—he offended me.”

“Then why are we following him?”

“I’m not following him. I just want to go see that place—is that forbidden?”

Watching Scarlett stubbornly deny it, Emily sighed and said nothing more.

Seeing Scarlett had already run ahead, Emily held out her hand to the driver. Without a word, he pulled a violin case from the car.

Emily: “…”

“Bro, why do I need a rifle?”

The driver unholstered a pistol. Emily snatched it and sprinted after them.

Once they were far away, the driver pulled out his phone and dialed.

“Farah, where are you?”

The voice on the other end sounded familiar, then instantly recognized him: “You’re in Kenya?”

I’m escorting the young lady. I came to deliver something to you.

Did the young lady come too? The eldest? The second?

“The third. Miss Scarlett.”

“Oh shit, don’t say I’m in Kenya—I’m on a classified mission right now.”

“Of course I don’t know what mission you’re on. I was ordered to deliver weapons. Tonight, ten o’clock, back gate of the Palm Oasis Resort.”

“Alright. Don’t be late.”