Chapter 13: What Does the J in Mountain Chicken Mean?

Closing the Briefcase, Li Yu felt countless prying eyes crawling over his body like ants.

"I feel like there are ants crawling all over me," he muttered, making it even harder to figure out who had been secretly watching him from the very beginning.

"What are you doing!" A mechanized voice, tinged with anger, snapped Li Yu out of his wandering thoughts.

Claptrap was pulling at its mechanical kinetic right arm, while an inspecting soldier tugged at the exact same limb, locking the two in a tense stalemate.

"Routine inspection!" the soldier barked. He was left completely speechless; after being stationed here for so long, this was his first time encountering a robot among the Scavengers.

"Claptrap, stop making a fuss!" Li Yu called out. Claptrap let out an aggrieved, "Oh," and allowed the soldier to fiddle with its beloved arm.

The soldier was somewhat surprised. Was this thing the guy's pet? To think there was actually a Wealthy Tycoon among the Scavengers, someone willing to drop fifty thousand Star Coins just to bring this broken robot along.

However, when his gaze swept over a faint, hidden pattern on the mechanical kinetic arm, his expression shifted drastically. He shot a quick glance at Li Yu before hurrying back to Major Qika, whispering a few words into the officer's ear.

Major Qika's falcon-like eyes were several times sharper than the Hunter's, piercing toward them like a vicious thorn.

Sensing that something was wrong, the surrounding Scavengers quickly backed away. The Hunter pulled down the brim of his hat and casually took a few steps back, muttering under his breath, "Five meters... five meters..."

Mo Duo hesitated for a brief moment but chose not to retreat, instead remaining firmly by Li Yu's side.

Major Qika strode over with a large group of soldiers following closely behind, tightly flanking him. Li Yu narrowed his eyes and began calculating the distance.

The officer completely ignored Li Yu. Instead, he crouched down beside Claptrap and meticulously examined its mechanical kinetic right arm.

"Master..." Claptrap's voice trembled with fear. In reality, this bucket of bolts was a piece of Artificial Mental Retardation; it did not possess genuine emotions like fear. It was merely simulating the reaction.

"Quiet," Li Yu ordered softly. Claptrap instantly shut its mouth.

Major Qika scrutinized the limb for a moment before a sharp glint flashed in his eyes. "It really is Vulture's arm. How did it end up attached to this robot?"

He stood up and stared intently at Li Yu from close range. Li Yu met his gaze with dead-fish eyes, completely unruffled. "I found it."

"What seems to be the problem here? Let's not start a conflict..." Third Fatty arrived fashionably late, asking the question with feigned concern.

Major Qika kept his eyes locked on Li Yu. Beside them, cold sweat poured down Mo Duo's forehead. She lowered her head, the green light in her eyes flickering erratically.

He could sense the vague, churning killing intent radiating from Li Yu.

"Major Qika, could I have a quick word in private?" Third Fatty offered a placating smile.

Major Qika shot Third Fatty a sideways glance before following him into the distance, his expression unreadable.

"Major, you should just let this matter go. This is the Pawn who delivered that sniper rifle," Third Fatty said cryptically.

"Hm?" Major Qika frowned in confusion. "What sniper rifle?"

"Come now, we're old acquaintances. You don't need to play dumb with me," Third Fatty chuckled. However, seeing Major Qika's face go completely pale, his smile quickly faded.

"You really don't know?"

How could that be? Major Qika was the highest-ranking commanding officer in this sector.

Major Qika finally recovered his wits and stated coldly, "I don't know anything about it, nor do I want to know. As long as it isn't a weapon of mass destruction, I have no reason to stop it."

He had absolutely no desire to get dragged into this mess. He wasn't particularly close to Vulture anyway; they had only met a handful of times.

The two men walked back as if nothing had happened. Li Yu's gaze drifted back and forth between Third Fatty and Major Qika.

Once the inspection concluded, they were cleared to pass through the checkpoint.

'If even Major Qika was kept in the dark, that person's energy and influence are far greater than I imagined...' Third Fatty thought, casting a covert glance at the indifferent Li Yu.

'Of course, there is an incredibly slim possibility... that this backer doesn't exist at all. But that magnetic kinetic weapon...'

His expression turned Moody and unpredictable. Scowling, he ruthlessly pressed a button hidden inside his pocket.

"Ah..." the woman next to him couldn't help but let out a soft moan, nearly collapsing to the ground. She kept her head bowed, hiding her flushed expression from the rest of the group.

A dilapidated Cargo Van was parked just outside the checkpoint. The surrounding area was a desolate stretch of the Gobi Desert, with almost no buildings in sight.

Blistering heatwaves radiated from the ground, scorching the air and leaving everyone instinctively licking their cracked lips and swallowing through parched, aching throats.

The van's windows were sealed shut with black wooden boards, completely obscuring the view outside. The group piled into the vehicle, finding their respective seats, and waited in silence to reach their Destination.

A few Scavengers subtly positioned themselves to surround Li Yu. A scrawny, short man aggressively shoved Mo Duo aside, kicked Claptrap out of the way, and plopped down directly next to Li Yu. The man sported a buzz cut and several empty piercings in his ears.

"Li Yu, right?"

Li Yu spared him a brief glance but said nothing.

The man didn't seem to mind the cold shoulder. "My name is Mountain Chicken," he continued. "You can call me Brother Chicken."

Li Yu raised an eyebrow slightly. "What exactly does the 'Chicken' in your name stand for?"

Mountain Chicken looked a bit confused. "It stands for 'Cock,' like the anatomy..."

"And here I thought it just meant a farmyard rooster..."

Mountain Chicken: "..."

One of the nearby Scavengers couldn't sit still and snapped, "The fuck is wrong with you? Is that how you talk to Brother Chicken? You're acting real arrogant just because you have a gun. Let's see you try to set up and fire that thing in here!"

"Scram!" Mountain Chicken barked before Li Yu could even respond.

The man's face flushed with embarrassment. He sat back down, muttering indignantly under his breath.

"He's a new Little Brother I just took in. I haven't disciplined him properly yet, sorry you had to see that," Mountain Chicken apologized, though his tone was completely devoid of sincerity.

"I heard you killed Dog King. I admire that. My brother is a major boss in the Underground Black Market. He goes by the name Mad Snake—a very prominent figure. Come work for me, and I guarantee you a bright future."

He was openly trying to recruit Li Yu. After all, Li Yu was a New Face, not a Veteran Scavenger. He had only been here for half a year, arriving via Smuggling on the last run, which suggested he might actually have some decent backing.

"Oh?" Li Yu cast a side glance at him before shifting his gaze to Third Fatty near the front of the van. The merchant was sitting with his woman, their backs facing the rest of the passengers.

However, thanks to a perfectly angled rearview mirror, everyone in the back could clearly see exactly what he was doing. It was a live broadcast, exposing him as a shameless old Minotaur with a severe exhibitionist streak.

"Mr. Third, have you ever heard of a man named Mad Snake?" Li Yu called out loudly.

"Mad... Snake?" Third Fatty replied, his words slurred and distracted. "I believe that's one of Taotie's subordinates. I had no idea I was transporting such a big shot today..."

"Not at all, not at all. While traveling under your banner, Mr. Third, I wouldn't dare act arrogantly," Mountain Chicken replied with sudden, deep respect. He clearly didn't have the guts to act tough in front of Third Fatty.

But a second later, he turned back to Li Yu with a smug grin. "See? A figure even Mr. Third recognizes. He's definitely a major boss, wouldn't you say?"

Kissing up to two people with a single sentence... he might as well just change his name to Brother Dog.

"Sure, I suppose he is," Li Yu replied, offering a thoroughly half-hearted brush-off.

Mountain Chicken, however, entirely missed Li Yu's dismissive tone. Instead, he grew even more enthusiastic, his eyes flashing as he cast a subtle, calculating glance at the brown Briefcase resting at Li Yu's feet.

"So, what do you say? Interested in joining my crew?"