Chapter 311

“Mr. Qin, although it’s not as dangerous here at night as the grasslands, there are leopards and wild dogs roaming within the protected area.”

When Pim heard Qin Yun planned to spend the night here, he was startled and immediately tried to dissuade him.

Qin Yun handed him a U.S. dollar: “Don’t worry—if anything happens, it’s not your problem. Go back. I’ll figure out how to return to the hotel myself.”

Pim took the dollar and shoved it into his pocket without hesitation: “Then Mr. Qin, stay safe. I’m leaving now.”

“Mm, I’ve got it under control.”

Pim nodded, turned the car around, and immediately stepped on the gas and drove off.

Whether Qin Yun would encounter trouble that night in the reserve was none of his concern. Still, the reserve was relatively safe; carnivores were sparsely distributed and rarely attacked humans.

Spending one night here wasn’t a big deal!

Watching Pim drive away, Qin Yun returned to the forest outside Gypsum Mountain and followed the direction the car had taken.

The tire tracks were still very clear; Qin Yun chased them for about three kilometers, and the ruts remained unmistakably distinct.

“Close enough. Right here.”

Qin Yun muttered, glanced at the road, then turned and walked away.

Half an hour later, a black-gazelle with both hind legs dislocated appeared in the middle of the road. The gazelle let out a low, mournful “oo-oo-oo,” its fear palpable under the night sky.

Qin Yun hid beside the forest, waiting silently.

Whenever an animal approached, he immediately drove it off—even a few wild dogs trying to feast were beaten senseless by Qin Yun.

His plan was simple: use this black-gazelle to force the returning vehicle to stop. Once it stopped, he’d have room to act.

But he waited for half the night—until two a.m.—before hearing the distant rumble of an engine.

“Damn, finally back.”

Qin Yun snapped to attention, readying himself.

But no matter how much he calculated, he hadn’t anticipated that the driver wouldn’t see the injured black-gazelle in the dark.

“Crash—crunch!”

“Oo-oo—!”

The gazelle was run over outright; its bones shattered instantly, and it screamed in agony.

Then came a screeching brake—the car skidded dozens of meters before stopping.

Seeing this, Qin Yun was speechless.

What the hell? How the hell can you drive with eyes like that?

He cursed under his breath and sprinted along the roadside. Two men got out of the car, swearing in Swahili—Qin Yun didn’t understand.

One checked the gazelle’s condition, muttered a few words, then tossed the animal aside. Both returned to the car, which then drove on.

Karim pressed the accelerator and suddenly noticed a dark shadow flash past his rearview mirror—but he assumed it was just some wild animal and paid it no mind.

Meanwhile, beneath the car, Qin Yun had firmly attached himself.

The three-kilometer stretch passed quickly; within minutes, the car arrived at one side of Gypsum Mountain. Qin Yun then noticed the ground ahead slowly rising, revealing an entrance for vehicles.

As the car descended gradually, the temperature dropped sharply.

The tunnel entrance was narrow, its sides exposed pure white gypsum rock, streaked with reddish-brown sandstone layers.

The floor was paved with gravel; the tires crunched loudly as they rolled over.

The car continued deeper, passing through low tunnels before the view suddenly opened up—a vast, domed cavern appeared ahead. Lights embedded in the rock walls illuminated the interior brightly.

Hanging upside down beneath the car, Qin Yun’s gaze passed over its body and saw the vehicle come to a halt.

Two figures stepped out, then another four or five emerged, chatting casually as they began unloading cargo from the car.

The cavern was spacious, with several entrances along the rock walls—likely corresponding to modified chambers. This place resembled more of a parking and storage area.

Looking up, he saw various tools scattered haphazardly nearby.

Qin Yun remained motionless, still hanging beneath the car, waiting. So far, five people had appeared—but clearly, there were more.

Still, he didn’t care how many kidnappers there were; he was worried only about the hostages’ safety. As long as they were secure, he’d strike immediately.

The items unloaded from the car were piled to one side. Qin Yun glanced sideways—they were tightly sealed wooden crates. As expected, they were weapons, just like in the movies.

Then the leader barked a few orders, and everyone dispersed. The cavern quickly fell silent.

Qin Yun didn’t act rashly. He waited another dozen minutes before quietly dropping to the ground and inching out. He changed angles, observing carefully—and found no surveillance cameras. That made things easier.

“One… two… three… four…” Besides the tunnel exit where the car had entered, there were four other openings, each reinforced with steel beams overhead.

Without hesitation, Qin Yun chose one entrance and crept inside cautiously.

The mine tunnel system was labyrinthine, with every large chamber once serving as a gypsum mining zone, and the passageways and entrances carved like a maze of secret tunnels—like an ant colony, each chamber serving a specific purpose.

Qin Yun followed the cool air current, advancing less than twenty meters before spotting a small chamber partially blocked by a crude wire fence.

Inside, the light was dim; only a faint yellow bulb glowed on the rock wall.

Qin Yun hid to one side and peered in—his eyes flickered with interest. Two or three figures were curled up in a corner, fast asleep.

Each was bound at wrists and ankles, pale-faced, their expressions still terrified even in sleep.

Qin Yun paused to observe.

According to Ambassador Guo, thirteen hostages had been taken—except for one local guide, all were Chinese. When the kidnapping occurred, only the driver had been left unbound.

He continued weaving through the complex tunnels.

Most of the kidnappers were resting; no one was on guard. No one watched any of the chamber entrances. He memorized each hostage’s location—just as he prepared to move forward, footsteps approached from ahead. He instantly ducked into hiding.

“Tomorrow, deal with the two in Zone 3. Record the whole thing and send it out.”

Hearing Farah say this, Karim was startled.

“Boss, weren’t we only supposed to demand ransom, not kill?”

Farah’s voice was cold, harsh, devoid of warmth: “There’s a Chinese saying: kill a chicken to scare the monkeys. If we don’t show them some teeth, when will the others pay up?”

“But those in Zone 3 already paid the ransom!” Karim was baffled. “If we kill them, they’ll never pay.”

“Then what do you suggest?”

Karim thought for a moment: “Cut off two fingers.”

“Fine. But once all ransoms are paid, we kill them all and leave Garissa.”

“What? You’re insane.” Karim pinched his brow. “If we kill them, where do we go? Do you think the authorities won’t go berserk? They’ll launch a full-scale search—we won’t escape.”

“No need to worry. We can just take a boat to Somalia.”

“Tell me honestly, Farah.” Karim frowned. “Did someone behind the scenes order you to kidnap these Chinese?”

Farah shook his head firmly: “No. It was just coincidence.”

“Really?”

“Really!”

“Then who gave you the weapons at the Palm Bay Hotel? Don’t tell me they’re just arms dealers.”

“Hey, you guessed right.”

“…………”

Seeing Farah stubbornly deny it, Karim sighed helplessly and turned away, his voice drifting behind him: “The men following you didn’t sign up to watch you lead us all into a firepit.”

“I won’t!”

Watching the lone man standing in the tunnel, Qin Yun’s fingers twitched—but he held back. First, he needed to confirm the hostages’ condition.