Chapter 122: The Oriole Lurks Behind

“Hmph! If anyone’s to blame, it’s because you know too much!” The scar-faced man waved his large hand. “Attack! Leave no one alive!”

Before his words had fully fallen, the black-clad men around them pounced like ferocious tigers descending from the mountains, charging at Qin Feng and his two companions.

“Damn it, we’re going all out!” Zhang Hu roared, drawing the dagger he always carried, rushing headlong at the foremost black-clad assailant.

“Seeking death!” The scar-faced man sneered cruelly. In a flash, he appeared behind Zhang Hu like a ghost, a razor-sharp dagger thrusting straight toward Zhang Hu’s back.

In that instant, just as the dagger was about to pierce Zhang Hu’s back, a fierce gust of wind struck the scar-faced man from behind. He was violently thrown off balance, flying backward like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily onto the ground, coughing up blood.

“Brother Feng, you’re amazing!” Zhang Hu, still shaken, broke out in a cold sweat. He knew that if not for Qin Feng’s timely rescue, he would have already met the grim reaper.

Qin Feng ignored Zhang Hu’s praise and shifted his sharp gaze to the remaining black-clad men, his eyes cutting like a blade. “Let’s settle this together.”

“Damn, this guy’s got some trick up his sleeve! Brothers, draw your weapons!” The black-clad men drew out their foot-long machetes from their waists and swung them toward Qin Feng.

Blade flashes and sword shadows clashed amid deafening battle cries.

Surrounded, Qin Feng moved with ease and precision. His agile figure struck ruthlessly, each move targeting vital points. Soon, several black-clad men lay sprawled in pools of blood.

“Pathetic! A bunch of useless trash!” The scar-faced man, watching his men fall one by one, roared in frustration. Struggling to his feet, he lunged at Qin Feng again.

The scar-faced man attacked viciously, clearly intent on killing. Qin Feng dared not underestimate him. Dodging the strikes, he searched for an opening to counterattack.

“Tianchen, take Zhang Hu and leave. I’ll cover our rear!” Qin Feng shouted to Yang Tianchen nearby, all the while parrying the scar-faced man’s blows.

“No way! If we’re leaving, we leave together!” Yang Tianchen, usually carefree, was loyal at critical moments. Clenching his short knife, he was about to charge to help.

“Don’t come over! You’ll only get in the way!” Qin Feng yelled, “Take Zhang Hu and run! I can handle this alone!”

“But...”

“No ‘buts’! If you don’t leave now, it’ll be too late!”

Seeing Qin Feng’s determination, Yang Tianchen knew staying would only slow them down. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed the dazed Zhang Hu and fled.

“This is his mountain valley! I don’t believe you can escape!” The scar-faced man watched them flee without even giving chase.

Turning back, he fixed his gaze coldly on Qin Feng.

“Same question—where is the Stone Buddha? Hand it over, and I promise I won’t kill you.”

Qin Feng looked at the scar-faced man with disdain, a sneer tugging at his lips.

“You? You want me to hand over the Stone Buddha? Look yourself in the mirror first and see what kind of scum you are!”

“Don’t get cocky, kid!” The scar-faced man was enraged by Qin Feng’s words, spitting venomously.

“Today, I’ll teach you a bloody lesson you won’t forget!”

Without another word, he swung his dagger and lunged at Qin Feng again.

Prepared, Qin Feng sidestepped just in time, and with lightning speed, grabbed the scar-faced man’s wrist, twisting it hard.

“Ah!”

A scream like a slaughtered pig echoed through the valley. The scar-faced man’s dagger clattered to the ground as he clutched his broken wrist, writhing in pain.

“That’s all you’ve got? And you dare come out here pretending to be tough?”

Qin Feng looked down on him, eyes full of contempt.

“Don’t get smug, kid!” The scar-faced man gritted his teeth through the pain, pulling out a black handgun from his waist and aiming it at Qin Feng. “Come any closer, and I’ll blow your brains out!”

Qin Feng frowned, surprised that the scar-faced man had a gun.

“What’s the matter? Scared now?”

Seeing Qin Feng hesitate, the scar-faced man smirked triumphantly. “If you’re scared, kneel and hand over the Stone Buddha. Maybe I’ll be in a good mood and spare your miserable life!”

Qin Feng said nothing, his cold gaze flashing a deadly glint.

“Damn it, you refuse a friendly drink and ask for a slap instead!” The scar-faced man cursed and pulled the trigger.

“Bang!”

The sharp crack of the gunshot pierced the quiet valley.

Yet the expected scene of Qin Feng being hit and collapsing never came. Instead, his figure flickered, dodging the bullet with incredible speed.

“How is this possible?!” The scar-faced man’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“With your pitiful skills, you still want to kill me? What a ridiculous fantasy!”

Before Qin Feng finished speaking, he appeared before the scar-faced man like a phantom, gripping his neck and hoisting him high.

“Cough... who... who exactly are you?” The scar-faced man gasped for air, his face turning red.

“You’re not worthy to know,” Qin Feng said coldly. “Tell me, who is the mastermind behind you?”

“Cough... cough...” The scar-faced man struggled to speak, “I... I’m just... a pawn...”

“A pawn?” Qin Feng’s brow furrowed. “Whose pawn?”

The scar-faced man opened his mouth as if to say more, but suddenly his eyes widened in terror.

“Pfft!”

A mouthful of blood sprayed out, and his body went limp, life extinguished.

“Damn it, he poisoned himself?!” Qin Feng dropped the corpse to the ground, his expression darkening ominously.

He hadn’t expected the scar-faced man to be so resolute, choosing death over revealing the mastermind’s identity.

“Looks like this matter is far more complicated than I imagined...” Qin Feng muttered, his eyes flickering with dangerous light.

He had a premonition that a vast conspiracy lay hidden behind this.

His gaze fell on the corpse as he crouched down to search it thoroughly.

Soon, he found a mobile phone. Unlocking it—there was no password—he sifted through the messages. Most were trivial, but one caught his attention: a simple text reading, “The goods have arrived, come quickly for the exchange.”

“The goods have arrived? Could it be...” Qin Feng’s brow tightened as a bold guess flashed through his mind.

He sprang to his feet and stared toward the direction where Yang Tianchen and Zhang Hu had fled, anxiety flickering in his eyes.