Chapter 59: Come Along
"Oh no, we won't go with you; I think we can find our way out," declared Bill, not easily swayed by the allure of money like others. Heckler, assessing the situation, also sided with Bill, indicating he had no intention of leaving.
Varion grinned, "I think... it's better for you to follow along, what do you think?"
Bill shrugged, eyeing the gun aimed at them, and reluctantly took the lead, machete in hand. A jest – that gun could likely take down a giant python's head, and he thought he stood a chance?
The jungle at night remained eerily silent, a stark contrast to the usual sounds of the wilderness. Bill couldn't afford to worry about that now; it was either move forward or face the consequences from the people behind him.
"Hey friends, where are you from?"
Bill stopped, gesturing toward the Gauss rifle in S1's hands, "I mean, this thing looks quite impressive."
S1: "..."
Ignoring him, S1 continued leading, but the scrutiny in his eyes grew deeper. These people were no ordinary soldiers. None of the elite teams he'd encountered before exuded such an overwhelming sense of menace.
"Will they kill us?"
Tran glanced at Little Heckler, "Why do you think so?"
"That's how it plays out in movies! Once we're useless, we'll be disposed of by the villain."
Tran pondered, "What you said makes sense, but is there anything we can do about it?"
Bill felt even more despondent. This time, he wasn't sure if he would make it back alive. He raised his hand to cut a branch, but S1 firmly grabbed it, turning his head to look.
"What's wrong?"
S1 put a finger to his lips, "Shh, it's there."
"What?"
S1 glanced at Varion, nodded, raised the muzzle, and fired a shot into the dark jungle
A bright light burst from the gun's muzzle, carving a path wherever the bullet passed. A loud bang followed, along with the dull thud of the bullet penetrating the ground.
"What's happening?"
Approaching the sound, they discovered a giant python split into two pieces, its head smashed, and the ground riddled with potholes. Bill took a sharp breath; the power was akin to anti-equipment firearms.
The bullet struck the python's head, cutting through the center of its body and splitting it in two.
"How did you see that? It's pitch black, not daytime."
"Keep moving if you don't want to be eaten."
Geer and Sam exchanged uneasy glances, feeling a growing fear that their intentions were about to fall apart. Could they truly obtain the blood orchid by following these people? Under the guise of company work?
Such formidable forces wouldn't kill them, especially when they were entirely at the mercy of others. Resistance wasn't an option.
"Damn... that bastard is really here." Heckler excitedly pointed to the bamboo raft by the river, but it wasn't the one they had crafted themselves.
Varion acknowledged s1 with a nod, and the two warriors ventured into the darkness.
"So, the blood orchid is here?" Varion inquired.
Sam nodded in confirmation, "The intelligence indicates so, but we need to pinpoint the exact location."
Curious, Varion probed further, "How far has your research on blood orchids progressed?"
Replying with a sense of conviction, Sam explained, "There is a lack of samples, but it's certain that there's a substance in the blood orchid allowing life to exceed the Hayflick limit."
Satisfied with her response, Varion appreciated the thoughtful approach.
Coughing ostentatiously, Bill interjected, "Sir, since we've brought you here, maybe we'll go on our own. We won't be much help here."
"Yeah, we really don't want to stay in this damn place any longer," added Little Heckler, eager to escape the situation, oblivious to the significance of the blood orchid or their mission.
"Commander, caught a rat."
Emerging from the shadows, S1 dragged a battered young blond man – Jack, the culprit who stole Bill and their raft. Jack's condition was visibly dire, with broken shoulders and feet, exposing white bones. Groaning intermittently, his fate seemed sealed.
"Are you looking for him?" Tran, the co-captain, chimed in, "Definitely. We all 'miss' him."
Without a word, S1 tossed Jack aside, and the man who had stolen their bamboo raft met his grim end. Tran revealed a ruthless side.
Unperturbed by the grisly scene, Varion continued walking. A symphony of Jack's cries and occasional women's screams followed, echoing as if conveying the notion of crime or retribution.
Soon, Varion picked up on the dull thuds of running footsteps approaching from behind. He paused, wearing a wry smile – finding the situation rather interesting.
Bill and Izumi caught up, expressing their eagerness to join the group and seeking potential employment. Varion, noting their sincerity, took a moment to contemplate. The place they were in needed attention, and their request seemed to align with that need.
"Alright, stick close. If you get yourself killed, that's on you."
Relieved, Bill and Izumi agreed, thankful for avoiding the grim fate that had befallen Jack. Varion warned them not to underestimate the challenges they might face, emphasizing that not everyone's world revolved around their survival.
In an unfamiliar and wild setting, Sam, Geer, and Heckler navigated a bamboo raft through a tumultuous river. Suddenly, a colossal anaconda leapt from the water.
Meanwhile, lurking in the shadows, a figure clad in a black battle suit observed the scene, ascending into the air before vanishing.
A quarter of an hour later, the group reached a small valley. Below a cliff, a small pool of water surged, and the moonlight revealed a living creature.
"Is this... a snake ball?" Bill glanced at it with a mixture of curiosity and unease.
"Yes, it's mating season for snakes, and above them is the blood orchid we seek."
Across the valley lay the coveted blood orchid. Its magical properties remained undiscovered if it grew elsewhere. Superficially ordinary, it held a certain mystique.
However, the group's attention shifted from the blood orchid to something under a few boulders.
A meteorite?
.....
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