Chapter 311: Ambush (1/3)

"Mr. Qin, although it's not as dangerous here at night as the grasslands, there are leopards and wild dogs roaming inside the reserve."

When Pim heard Qin Yun planned to spend the night here, he was startled and hurriedly 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 find my own way back to the hotel."

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 pressed the accelerator, driving off without a moment's pause.

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

Spending a night here was nothing!

Watching Pim drive away, Qin Yun returned to the woods 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 sharp.

"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 center of the road. The gazelle let out a mournful "Wu-wu-wu," its fear palpable under the night sky.

Qin Yun hid beside the woods, waiting silently.

Whenever an animal approached, he immediately drove it off—even several wild dogs that tried to feast on the gazelle were beaten senseless by Qin Yun.

His plan was simple: use this black-gazelle to force the returning car to stop. Once the car halted, his room for maneuvering would expand.

But he waited through most of the night until two a. m., when the sound of an engine finally came from afar.

"Damn, finally back."

Qin Yun snapped to attention, readying himself.

But no matter how much he calculated, he hadn't anticipated that the driver, at this hour, hadn't seen the injured black-gazelle.

"Boom—Crack!"

"Wu-wu—!"

The black-gazelle was run over outright; its bones shattered instantly, emitting a piercing scream.

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

Watching this, Qin Yun was speechless.

Fuck, how the hell can you drive with eyes like that?

He cursed under his breath and sprinted from the roadside after the car. Two men got out, cursing in Swahili—Qin Yun didn't understand them.

One of them checked the black-gazelle's condition, muttered a few words, then tossed the carcass aside. Both men 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.

At this moment, beneath the car, Qin Yun had firmly attached himself.

The three-kilometer distance passed quickly—in just minutes, the car arrived at one side of Gypsum Mountain. Qin Yun then saw the ground ahead slowly rise, revealing an opening for vehicles to enter.

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 pebbles; the tires crushed over them, producing a distinct creaking sound.

The car continued deeper, passing through a low tunnel 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 swept over the vehicle's body and saw it stop shortly after.

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

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

Looking up, he saw various tools scattered haphazardly to one side.

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

Still, he didn't care how many kidnappers there were; he was worried about the hostages' safety. As long as the hostages were secure, he would 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, carefully observing—and found no surveillance cameras at all, which made his task easier.

"One… two… three… four…" Besides the tunnel entrance the car had used, there were four other openings, each reinforced with steel beams propped above them.

Without hesitation, Qin Yun chose one entrance at random and crept in cautiously.

The mine tunnel was a labyrinth, intricately interconnected. Each large cavern had once been a gypsum mining zone; the passages and entrances formed a maze-like network, like an ant colony, each chamber serving a specific purpose.

Qin Yun advanced slowly, following the cool air current. Less than twenty meters ahead, a small cavern, crudely blocked by wire mesh, came into view.

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

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

Each was bound at hands and feet, 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 not been taken.

He then continued weaving through the complex maze of tunnels.

Most of the kidnappers were resting; no one was on guard, and no one watched the cavern entrances. He mentally noted 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 supposed to take money, not kill?"

Farah's voice was cold, harsh, and 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 their ransoms?"

"But those in Zone 3 already paid!" Karim was baffled. "If we kill them, they'll never pay."

"Then what do you suggest?"

Karim thought for a moment and said, "Then cut off two fingers."

"That works, but once all the ransom is paid, we kill them all and leave Garissa."

"No, you're insane." Karim pinched the bridge of his nose. "If we kill them, where do we go? Do you think the authorities won't go mad? They'll launch a full-scale search—we won't escape."

"Don't worry. If all else fails, we just take a boat to Somalia."

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

Farah shook his head firmly: "No, it was just a coincidence."

"Really?"

"Really!"

"Then who gave you the weapons at the Palm Bay Hotel? You don't seriously think they're just arms dealers, do you?"

"Hey, you guessed right."

"…………"

Seeing Farah stubbornly refuse to admit anything, Karim sighed helplessly and turned to leave; his voice drifted behind him: "The boys followed you not to watch you lead us all into a firepit."

"Never!"

Looking at the man standing alone in the alley, Qin Yun's hands twitched with urge—but he finally held back, deciding to first confirm the hostages' condition.