Chapter 244: The Second-in-Command Appears, It Turns Out It Was All a Misunderstanding

While the woman was speaking, the old man didn't stay idle; he quietly pried apart some branches beneath the tent, revealing a gap just wide enough for the girl to slip out with the baby.

The girl said, "That's not right… If there are this many assassins in pursuit, they can't avoid alerting the Black Water Stronghold. Don't rush; wait a bit longer, I'll observe."

Speaking, she carefully peered out through the gap.

At the same time, a water bandit reported to the Lame Strategist, saying that apart from that man and woman, no other traces were seen, and the Second-in-Command was nowhere in sight.

Moreover, that couple's skills were exceptional; if not for the sheer number of brothers, they might have already escaped.

The Lame Strategist, hearing this, immediately began analyzing.

"It seems the Second-in-Command has been hidden by that couple, and there are no other traces. We must keep the two alive to extract the Second-in-Command's whereabouts."

"Even if they're extremely skilled, they can't withstand our numbers."

"If seven hundred brothers can't take down those two, the Black Water Stronghold might as well disband early!"

"Order it: at any cost, those two must be dealt with! Of course, be sure to leave them a chance to live; it's fine if they're injured or maimed!"

At this point, the Lame Strategist could no longer heed the Chief's earlier claim that they would capture the woman as the stronghold's lady.

By contrast, the Second-in-Command was more important.

Receiving the strategist's orders, the crowd launched a frenzied assault, hundreds surging onto the mudflat one after another, while the Lame Strategist rowed a small boat to the shore.

Xiao Qidi and Ning Jingli carried no weapons; fighting so many with bare hands grew increasingly pressureful. After jointly repelling a wave of water bandits, they stood back‑to‑back and quickly exchanged words.

"Jingli, these guys give us no chance to communicate. If we keep fighting, the tent will be exposed and the people inside will be in danger."

"Hmm… there's no other way. You draw their attention; I'll escort those few into the Delta!"

"Alright!"

Inside the Delta there were not only ten Special Operations Team members, but also several pistols, rifles, and some Bullets, intended to guard against attacks by large beasts.

Although insufficient to annihilate several hundred water bandits in one blow, it was enough to take out a portion.

Killing the water bandits wasn't the primary goal; intimidation and retreat were the focus.

It was believed that after witnessing weapons and lethal power beyond their comprehension, the water bandits would surely rout.

Thus, the Delta's gathering base would remain intact, and the lives of the girl and others would be saved.

It would also buy enough time for Ning Jingli to return to the modern world, bring more firearms to the Special Operations Team, and then launch a direct assault on the Heishui Zhai Old Stronghold to eradicate all water bandits.

Xiao Qidi took a deep breath and, facing the water bandits' onslaught, lunged forward, his fists and kicks flailing like thunder sweeping the field.

The water bandits had to focus their attention mainly on him.

Just as Ning Jingli was about to retreat to the side of the branch‑tent, a strange sound suddenly rang out in the night.

The sound resembled a Horn, but deeper, with a rapid rhythm and strong penetration.

Immediately after, waves churned around the mudflat.

Massive black silhouettes, each about four or five meters long, rose from the deep swamp water and surged onto the shore in an instant.

At the same time, the numerous water bandits instinctively gave way to those shadows.

Ning Jingli and Xiao Qidi stared, and their scalp tingled.

Those huge, swift black silhouettes turned out to be all crocodiles!

In the blink of an eye, dozens of crocodiles rushed onto the mudflat, with even more streaming in from behind.

Ning Jingli knew that such marshes near great rivers harbor crocodiles, but it was already winter; normally, reptiles like crocodiles should have hibernated by now.

She hadn't expected a sudden mass emergence now; that was dangerous!

Crocodiles are the marsh's overlords—fierce, extremely combat‑effective, and naturally equipped with high defense; their thick hides even resist ordinary pistols.

On the small boat at the mudflat's edge, the Lame Strategist held a large conch to his lips, a cold smile appearing in his eyes.

Indeed, those crocodiles were summoned by his secret technique.

He wasn't just good at taming monkeys.

Having just observed the situation firsthand, his assessment of Xiao Qidi and Ning Jingli's combat prowess was renewed; fearing that even hundreds of brothers might not suffice, he decisively deployed the crocodiles for safety.

As the Lame Strategist kept blowing the conch, the crocodile horde acted on command, not launching indiscriminate attacks on the water bandits but heading straight for Xiao Qidi and Ning Jingli.

This sudden development caught Ning Jingli and Xiao Qidi completely off guard.

When they came to their senses, the waterway toward the Delta was already teeming with crocodiles.

Given that they had once slain a Giant Snake on the brink of Transform into Jiao beneath Zhuiyingjian, they couldn't stay calm now; a single crocodile couldn't compare to that Giant Snake, but with so many crocodiles together, even that Giant Snake would be overwhelmed.

Ning Jingli and Xiao Qidi could still manage to escape and protect themselves.

But the girl and the others… as well as the Special Operations Team members inside the Delta, were in danger.

Ning Jingli's expression hardened as she constantly contemplated a plan.

Xiao Qidi swiftly retreated to her side, without hesitation pulling her hand, "Jingli, let's go!"

For Xiao Qidi, no one was more important than her.

"Qidi…" Ning Jingli gritted her teeth, "I'll stay to hold them off; you go meet the Special Operations Team and leave this place."

"No!" Xiao Qidi said firmly, grabbing Ning Jingli as he prepared to use his lightness skill to leave the area.

At that moment, a crisp, resonant voice rang out: "All of you, stop!"

Ning Jingli and Xiao Qidi turned their heads and saw the girl emerging from beneath the branch‑tent.

In their stunned gaze, the girl sprinted toward the water bandits, ignoring the onrushing crocodiles with gaping jaws, shouting as she ran, "Did you hear? Stop!"

The water bandits were even more bewildered than Ning Jingli and Xiao Qidi, unable to react for a moment.

Meanwhile, the Lame Strategist on the shore hurriedly blew the conch again, this time producing a sound clearly different from before.

The moment the sound rang, the crocodiles simultaneously froze in place, their open mouths slowly closing, remaining motionless.

The Lame Strategist, still shaken, limped forward at top speed toward the girl, then knelt down, "Second-in-Command! You scared me to death!"

"Second-in-Command?!" Ning Jingli and Xiao Qidi were dumbfounded.

"Presenting the Second-in-Command!" all the water bandits also knelt.

The girl wiped the cold sweat from her forehead, exhaled, and said, "You scared the hell out of me! I thought a large group of assassins had come after me, and I was wondering why the Black Water stronghold's brothers showed no reaction; just now the conch shell sounded, and I realized it was you! Hurry up and get up!"

The lame man hurriedly stood up, glanced behind the girl, and asked, "Second chief, were you kidnapped by those two? I'm leading the brothers here to rescue you!"

"No no no!" the girl exclaimed hastily, "They saved me, so don't act rashly!"

The lame man was stunned again, realizing a misunderstanding had likely occurred during this time, his expression became unusually complex, and he lowered his head, saying, "Yes... second chief."

Ning Jinli and Xiao Qidi's mood was also very complicated at this moment.

Who would have thought that the person casually rescued would actually be the leader of this gang of water bandits?

Moreover, those three were a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girl, a pregnant woman, and a seventy- or eighty-year-old old man, making it even harder to link them to water bandits.

"So... did we rescue a few... bandits?" Ning Jinli frowned and muttered, then immediately puzzled, "Wait, no, no, the girl is definitely a bandit, but what about that woman who gave birth? Is she really the general's wife, or... an impostor?"

The girl turned and walked to Ning Jinli and Xiao Qidi, made a bow, and said, "Sorry for frightening you both."

Xiao Qidi's eyes were dark and full of vigilance, "Who exactly are you?"

The girl smiled faintly, "As you see, I am the second chief of the Black Water stronghold."

A flash of killing intent flickered in Xiao Qidi's eyes.

Ning Jinli quietly took his hand and asked the girl, "Since you are the water bandit leader, why are you with a pregnant woman and an old man? And why were you being hunted?"

The girl noticed the change in their attitudes and smiled, saying, "You seem to resist my identity, but it's fine—who made us bandits? However, I want to tell you two first that we are absolutely not the kind of ruthless, evil bandits who plunder the common folk as you imagine. As for why I am with them and have been hunted, it's a long story; if you don't mind, follow me to the Black Water stronghold, I'll treat you well and explain the details."

"We mind," Xiao Qidi said in a grim tone, "No need for hospitality; just tell us what's really going on, and we'll judge for ourselves."

The girl said, "All right then, I'll stay here and explain things clearly to you."

She waved at the lame man, "Take the brothers back. Tell my older brother I'm fine. Tell him not to worry."

The lame man's expression was uncertain, his gaze at Ning Jinli and Xiao Qidi also very wary, "Second chief, these two are certainly not good people; I fear they may be harmful to you..."

"Hmph!" Xiao Qidi let out a cold snort.

The girl said helplessly, "If they were harmful to me, I would already be in trouble—they rescued me! Stop suspecting and imagining things; hurry up and take the injured brothers to get treatment!"

The lame man had no choice but to agree, calling for everyone to retreat.

"Hold on," Ning Jinli said, "Others can leave, but you must stay. I want to ask, these days you've sent people to lurk suspiciously around here—what's your intention?"

The lame man blurted out in surprise, "You... actually noticed?!"

Ning Jinli narrowed her eyes, her sharp gaze leaving the lame man at a loss.

The girl's eyes showed curiosity, "It seems while I was away, you two also had some situation? Fine, you stay and explain things clearly to them."

The lame man gritted his teeth silently, "Yes... second chief."

Afterwards, aside from the lame advisor, the remaining several hundred water bandits all left.

The crocodile group was also completely dispersed by the lame man.

On the narrow beach, calm was finally restored, and on the horizon a faint fish-belly white appeared.

Xiao Qidi rebuilt a fire pit, the girl caught several fish and a few turtles, skewered them on sticks, and placed them beside the fire to roast.

During this time, Ning Jinli fed the woman who had just given birth some glucose nutrient solution; the woman held her baby and fell into a deep sleep, while the old man stayed beside her, unwilling to close his eyes even for a moment.

The girl silently observed, discovering that whether it was the cloth Ning Jinli gave the woman for delivery and warmth, or the tools used during this period, everything was quite special.

But she did not inquire about it now.

She said to the lame advisor in a commanding tone, "Tell the truth—why did you send people to lurk nearby?"

Xiao Qidi, Ning Jinli, and the girl were sitting cross-legged by the fire, while the lame advisor stood honestly beside the girl,

He dared not conceal anything from the second chief, and answered embarrassedly, "Yes... wanted to seize the treasure, and... to get a concubine for the chief."

Xiao Qidi's gaze instantly turned gloomy, killing intent radiating outward.

Regardless of what treasure they wanted to seize, arranging a concubine was clearly aimed at Ning Jinli.

The lame man instantly felt a chill run through his body, his heart as if gripped by an invisible force.

Ning Jinli linked arms with Xiao Qidi, gave a faint smile, and said to the lame man, "Your chief had better not harbor this thought, or he might not see today's sunrise."

The lame man's face showed resentment, he was about to scold her for daring to threaten their chief, but the girl glared at him and drove him back.

Ning Jinli asked, "What exactly is the treasure you spoke of?"

Anyway, the matter had been laid bare, so the lame man had nothing left to hide; he thoroughly explained how he discovered the two intruding into Black Water Bay, then learned through his trained monkey troop that they carried some kind of treasure that could emit dazzling light in the dark, and thus he wanted to obtain it and even dispatched the monkey troop to try to seize it.

After hearing the whole account, Ning Jinli and Xiao Qidi were speechless for a long while.

"A treasure that emits dazzling light in the dark?" the girl said, greatly interested, "Is it a Night Bright Pearl?"

The lame man said, "Based on the monkey troop's description, it should be far rarer than a Night Bright Pearl; a Night Bright Pearl cannot emit such bright light, the monkey troop told me it's like seeing the sun—very glaring."

The girl widened her eyes, looking at Ning Jinli and Xiao Qidi, "May I broaden my horizons? I guarantee I won't take yours; whoever dares to covet it, I will certainly not let them off— not even my older brother."

"So it was the monkeys snatching our flashlight back then," Ning Jinli said, half-laughing, half-crying, "I thought it was just their nature, pure curiosity and playfulness..."

Xiao Qidi was also speechless, pulling from his pocket a palm-sized outdoor exploration flashlight, "The treasure you imagined is exactly this."

The lame man examined it carefully, scratched his head, and said, "This black rod-like object isn't emitting light; is it truly the treasure the monkeys told me about?"

Xiao Qidi pushed the switch with his thumb.

Click.

A beam of strong light shone forth, stabbing the lame man so he hastily raised both hands to shield his eyes.

"Wow! It's lit!" the girl exclaimed, "What on earth is this?!"