Chapter 309

"Young Lady 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 daughter of a wealthy family.

Scarlett stared wide-eyed, clearly terrified.

Qin Yun released his grip and stared straight at him, his expression serious.

Scarlett stepped back, her 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 up from the agony.

"Now it's my turn to ask," Qin Yun stood up, pointing at the snake slithering on the floor. "What are you doing breaking into a stranger's room in the middle of the night—and leaving these here?"

"You hurt me!" Scarlett pouted, rubbing her forehead as she stood up. "You didn't give me a spot, so I just came to scare you."

"For this?" Qin Yun gave her a look as if she were mocking him. "Then 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—nothing else!"

"I don't believe you."

"I'm telling the truth."

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

Qin Yun was speechless. At dinner tonight, she'd seemed so refined, quiet, and cultured. How could she now behave like this—slipping into a man's room at midnight with snakes? Didn't she fear being shot dead?

Didn't she even look around and see where she was?

Utterly unreasonable. Almost brain-dead.

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

"Take all the snakes and leave my room immediately, Scarlett Mellon," Qin Yun said coldly, his face set in an icy, dismissive expression.

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 Scarlett brought were non-venomous—no wonder he said 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.

"Get out. And tomorrow, don't come looking for me again."

Scarlett immediately said: "Qin, don't be like this. Emily will blame me if you don't come."

"Go by 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 hundred thousand U. S. 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 anyway, she wasn't this beautiful. I remember she was broke too.

For a moment, he felt tempted.

But in an instant, he shook off 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 in place, forcing a guilty smile.

"Uh… I wasn't cursing you."

Qin Yun glared at her, then flicked his wrist—flinging a snake straight onto her face.

*Bang! *

The door shut again.

Scarlett pulled the snake off her head and shoved it angrily into her pocket: "Hmph. Who even wants it? I don't want it. That's right—I don't want it. Even if you begged me, I wouldn't go. Hmph."

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

He'd seen plenty in his life—every kind of person—but he'd never met anyone as brainless as Scarlett.

What the hell was she even doing in Garissa? Looking to die?

If anyone else had done this, they'd probably have been shot in the head. Even if they weren't killed outright, who in their right mind would let someone who barged in like that walk away?

All he could say… was speechless.

…

The next morning, after breakfast, the hotel's car was already 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 a thing—she acted as if nothing had happened.

Qin Yun sneered: "Emily, if you're going, come with me. This noble Young Lady 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 refuse 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 didn't speak unless Qin Yun asked him something.

The car left the hotel and headed south.

Not long after starting, the smooth asphalt road turned into a gravel and dirt path, the car began to jolt, dust flew everywhere outside. The buildings around grew sparser, and sparse acacia trees appeared on both sides, the view opening up.

"Just beyond here is the boundary of the protected area; locals never come here on ordinary days."

Pym spoke up, unusually voluntary.

Qin Yun nodded: "Is there a balambalagypsum inside this protected area?"

Pym froze for a moment, glancing at Qin Yun strangely through the rearview mirror: "Mr. Qin actually knows about balambalagypsum? It's an abandoned gypsum mine—I've known it's been abandoned since I was ten, over ten years ago."

"That place is completely desolate, mostly in ruins, no one goes there—not even animals can find a scrap of food or water."

The car soon entered the wasteland; as far as the eye could see, only trees and yellow earth remained, occasionally a pair of reticulated giraffes walked by, with traces of antelopes and wild rabbits.

Qin Yun checked his phone's location—the direction to balambalagypsum was off; it was at least five kilometers from here. He wasn't in a hurry. When the car reached the giraffe gathering zone, he jumped out and handed Pym three twenty-dollar tips.

"Pick me up here at four in the afternoon. You can go back now."

Pym said: "Mr. Qin, I can wait here for you."

"No need. Go back. I'll just wander around."

Pym tried to persuade him again, but seeing Qin Yun was firm, he reluctantly turned around and left.

Watching the car's receding silhouette, Qin Yun adjusted his bearing and walked toward the location of balambalagypsum.

He had already traversed the Serengeti; this place meant nothing.

Pym drove a couple kilometers before being stopped by a Chevrolet.

Seeing Scarlett hand him a hundred-dollar bill, Pym turned around without hesitation and led the way, guiding the car to where Qin Yun had gotten out.

"Young Lady, that direction."

The driver, wearing sunglasses, examined the ground and pointed to one direction.

Scarlett nodded: "Wait here for us." Then she turned to Emily: "Let's follow."

Emily was speechless: "I say, what did you do to Qin? In my impression, Qin is a very easygoing person."

"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—can't I?"

Watching Scarlett's stubbornness, Emily sighed and said no more.

Seeing Scarlett had already run off, Emily turned to the driver and extended her hand. The driver said nothing, took a violin case out of the car.

Emily: "..."

"Brother, why do I need a submachine gun?"

The driver took a pistol from his waistband; Emily snatched it and chased after them.

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

"Farah, where are you?"

"Oku?" The voice on the other end sounded familiar, then instantly recognized him: "You've come to Kenya."

"I'm accompanying the Young Lady, and I happened to bring you something."

"The Young Lady came too? The eldest or second daughter?"

"The third daughter—Young Lady Scarlett."

"Oh my god, don't say I'm in Kenya—I'm currently on a classified mission."

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

"Alright, don't miss it."