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Chapter 860: Small Town

In the main driver\'s seat, Su Xiao let out a sigh. He had been driving for two days straight and was now navigating a deserted area. This car was Ma Pangzi\'s prized possession, with excellent off-road performance.

Su Xiao picked up the electronic navigation map from the passenger seat. He was very close to his destination.

As a strong wind blew, a gust of yellow sand hit the windshield, making a crackling sound.

After another hour of driving, a cement bridge appeared ahead. The guardrails on both sides of the cement wall had been forcibly removed, and a dilapidated SUV was skewed on the stone bridge. The car windows were covered in fine sand, making it impossible to see inside.

From a distance, the gap on one side of the stone bridge seemed wide enough for a car to pass through, but in reality, it was impassable unless forcefully rammed.

"Hey~"

In front of the dilapidated SUV, a woman covered in dust waved her arms. Her lips were cracked, indicating the vehicle was probably stranded in the deserted area.

Su Xiao slowed down his car, and the woman immediately rushed forward, leaning against the car window beside Su Xiao. She tapped on the glass with a gasping expression, shouting for help or something similar.

Su Xiao turned to look at the woman, thinking her acting skills were impressive. She must have gone without water for at least 10 hours.

Su Xiao rolled down the car window, and the woman breathed a sigh of relief, getting closer.

"My car broke down, help..."

The woman\'s expression gradually stiffened, and she slowly raised her hands while moving backwards.

"How can I help you?"

Su Xiao\'s elbow rested on the window, holding a pistol.

"It\'s... It\'s okay; I\'m just trying to get some food. Sorry for bothering you."

The woman gestured towards the dilapidated SUV, which immediately started and drove away from the stone bridge. As she moved back, the woman clasped her hands together, seemingly apologizing.

Su Xiao started the engine and drove away. As Su Xiao left, the woman pulled a water bottle from her waist and gulped it down.

"I\'m so thirsty, waited a whole day, didn\'t catch any rabbits passing by, and got a \'lion\' instead. Unlucky."

The woman dropped the empty water bottle, bent her leg, twisted her arm, and pulled out a dagger inside her brown boot.

Swoosh~

The woman threw the dagger with practised ease, embedding it into the sand nearby. A grey snake, over a meter long, twisted in agony with the sword piercing its head, nailed to the ground.

"You\'ll be tonight\'s dinner."

The woman touched her dusty cheek, and soon after, the dilapidated SUV returned, blocking the stone bridge in its original manner.

Locals called this stone bridge the "Misfortune Bridge," indicating that crossing it cost one\'s fortunes but would protect against calamities.

In this area, it was no longer considered part of any country. It was a no-man\'s-land between the borders, highly active with organized poaching groups, drug traffickers, and organized bandit groups.

There were no resources here; it was filled with yellow sand. The most valuable things were the wild animals. Hence, no country would go to war over this barren area; besides, it perfectly served the needs of certain influential people.

A no-man\'s-land didn\'t mean it had no rules; on the contrary, the rules here were more lawless. For instance, the gang of bandits Su Xiao encountered would only extort valuables, leaving the victims with food, water, and enough gasoline to reach a human civilization area, but everything else belonged to them.

After another three hours of driving, a checkpoint appeared ahead, with several soldiers in green uniforms holding rifles stationed there.

These soldiers didn\'t belong to any country but to the local forces. There were six soldiers from four different countries.

Su Xiao\'s car was stopped, and two soldiers holding rifles stood in front while the other four soldiers appeared to surround him.

Don\'t think of it as an ambush on Su Xiao; anyone coming here would face the same reception.

Su Xiao lowered the car window, holding a roll of brand-new currency.

One soldier quickly approached and relaxed visibly upon seeing the red currency.

"Gaba Tama****."

Su Xiao couldn\'t understand what the soldier said. It was probably a language from a small South American country.

A soldier standing before the car stepped forward and spoke broken Chinese, "You, okay, carrying firearms, entering the city, fee, 3000 increased."

Su Xiao removed his tea-coloured sunglasses, opened the storage compartment on the passenger side, and took out a bundle of currency, handing over about one-third of it.

After collecting the money, several soldiers affixed a blue sticker on the car\'s windshield. They all knew Su Xiao wasn\'t a good person, but would good people come here?

This place didn\'t exist on any map, and even the news wouldn\'t report it.

The extinction of this small city in the no-man\'s-land was just a matter of time. However, for now, many important figures need its existence. This \'city\' had an expiration date. Once it expired, this place would become a no-man\'s-land again, as if it had never existed.

Su Xiao slowly drove into the small city. It was relatively bustling; it was noon, and rows of barbecue stands were set up along the streets, each with cages stacked beside them. Instead of common domesticated animals, these cages contained wild animals.

Su Xiao parked the car by the roadside, not bothering to lock it or even take out the key.

In a civilized society, Su Xiao\'s actions were unwise. However, here, this was the correct choice.

The security here could have been better. If someone wanted to steal the car, and Su Xiao removed and locked the key, they might smash the glass and forcibly start the vehicle.

Having travelled all the way, Su Xiao had slept rough. His original physical condition was good, but his physical qualities were now suppressed, and he needed to find a hotel to rest.

As the night fell, Su Xiao carried a travel bag downstairs. The car remained intact, and the blue sticker on the windshield played a significant role.

Su Xiao hadn\'t seen this emblem before. It was a rising force within the small city.

The name of the small city was "Small City," or rather, it couldn\'t have a name. The less attention it drew, the better.

Su Xiao had arrived at the approximate coordinates. As expected, more detailed coordinates appeared.

With the electronic navigation map, Su Xiao confirmed the precise location, carried his travel bag, and wore a knife bag, walking toward the specified area.

Several pairs of malicious eyes were fixed on Su Xiao in the dark of the night.

"We\'ve been watching all day. Shall we make a move?"

"No, he\'s very cautious and dangerous. Let\'s target someone else. But lately, Bah Valley\'s influence has been growing."

"What can we do? Bah Valley calls the shots in this small city."

"He\'s just a drug lord. Damn it, there\'s been a weird smell lately. That guy must be mass-producing."

"That\'s for sure. I\'m just curious where Bah Valley\'s men come from. Those people are monsters."

The conversation came from a dark alley.

"Bah Valley?"

A male voice came from behind the group.

"Who the...?"

Bang, bang, bang...

The distinct sound of a gun loading and a suppressor appeared, splattering brains and blood on the walls of the alley.

"Ah... oops!"

A man whose arm was shot through was about to scream, but a foot stepped on his face, silencing him.

PS: (There will be three more updates soon. The author has been writing since 2 pm and is very hungry. The other three updates are already registered and need checking.)