章 313: Chapter 313: There's Always Someone Trying to Take Advantage
One-Eyed Man thought to himself, the fact that the tiger and eagle had sought them out for collaboration meant they were chosen among many, perhaps seen as more reliable. It also hinted at the danger of the place they spoke of. If it wasn't dangerous, why would they share such a lucrative location?
Tiger Boss was waiting for a response.
Just then, Lin Fan arrived with Little Bao. "Hello," he greeted them with a gentle smile.
Tiger Boss wasn't your average tiger. He was intelligent and feared Lin Fan the most. Lin Fan exuded a dangerous aura, someone not to be trifled with. The tiger sought collaboration with humans precisely because of Lin Fan's strength. Anyone else wanting to partner with him would need to demonstrate similar power.
"Hello," Tiger Boss replied. As the mountain's overlord, he was used to unchecked dominance. Even malevolent beings had to tread carefully in his territory. He didn't provoke them, and that was their good fortune. Anyone who dared to would be swallowed whole.
But now, facing Lin Fan's greeting, Tiger Boss was surprisingly polite. He smiled, revealing sharp teeth, and spoke with utmost cordiality.
Little Bao hid fearfully behind Lin Fan, but his eyes sparkled with curiosity and anticipation.
Lin Fan patted Little Bao's head, reassuring him with a glance. Then, he addressed Tiger Boss, "This is Little Bao, my good friend. He's very curious about you and wants to ride on your back. Could you fulfill his small request?"
Honestly, Tiger Boss was stunned. He even wondered if he'd misheard. This tiny child wanted to ride on his back? He was Tiger Boss, the undisputed ruler of Changbai Mountain, a being that inspired awe in all.
Now, he was being asked to be a mount. Even though Lin Fan's demeanor was friendly and gentle, Tiger Boss felt a surge of anger.
"We're in the middle of a negotiation," Tiger Boss stated bluntly. The current matter was important; minor things could wait. He simply didn't want this weakling riding on him. He was deeply resistant to the idea.
One-Eyed Man considered reminding Lin Fan to postpone the request, but decided against it. It wasn't his concern, and the tiger had stated that only he knew the location. Delaying wouldn't change the outcome. He crossed his arms, remaining uninvolved. Even when Tiger Boss glared at him, he ignored it. Don't look at me. It's no use. If he wants the kid to ride you, it's happening. Even if you're unhappy, what can you do about it?
"The negotiation can wait, can't it?" Lin Fan wasn't interested in the deal. He only wanted to fulfill Little Bao's dream. Little Bao was truly fortunate to have a friend like Lin Fan.
Tiger Boss locked eyes with Lin Fan, attempting to intimidate him into backing down. But when their gazes met, Tiger Boss flinched. What kind of look was that? It was chilling.
One-Eyed Man noticed Tiger Boss's subtle avoidance and smiled. Eye contact? Even I can barely hold his gaze. A madman's stare was terrifying.
Tiger Boss let out low, heavy breaths. Though not a full-throated roar, it carried an undeniable force. The giant eagle remained motionless. He found this human terrifying and wanted no part of the situation. Even though Tiger Boss was his friend, the human wasn't asking to ride him, so why bother interfering? Just watch.
A normal person would have understood Tiger Boss's reluctance, but Lin Fan seemed oblivious, staring intently.
Tiger Boss felt his fur prickle.
"Fine," he finally conceded, lowering his proud head. Lin Fan lifted Little Bao onto the tiger's back. Little Bao gasped, then beamed.
"Wow! This is amazing!"
Old Zhang watched eagerly. "Me too! Me too!"
Lin Fan extended his hand, pulling Old Zhang up onto Tiger Boss's back. The tiger grumbled internally. Damn it, this is too much. It was supposed to be just the kid. Why is there an old man too?
"Run!" Lin Fan patted Tiger Boss's back.
Tiger Boss was confused. Run where? Wasn't it just a quick ride?
"Run!" Lin Fan urged, eager to see the tiger bounding through the forest. Little Bao clapped excitedly, also wanting the tiger to run. He had never experienced anything like this before.
The bodyguards' palms were sweaty with nervousness. They had seen plenty of large malevolent creatures, but never a massive tiger. The mountain overlord was terrifying, its aura overwhelmingly powerful. They were just ordinary bodyguards, unlike One-Eyed Man, who could remain calm in the face of such a beast.
But their young master seemed unfazed, as if riding a gentle horse. His composure was unsettling.
Tiger Boss roared, his cry filled with the sorrow of a king reduced to a mount. He was deeply resentful, yet dared not voice his displeasure.
He started to run.
As the ruler of Changbai Mountain, Tiger Boss knew the terrain intimately. He moved with agility and speed, the surrounding trees blurring into a continuous stream.
Little Bao clung tightly to Lin Fan's arm, wanting to scream, but the wind rushing into his mouth only allowed for gurgling sounds.
"Wah wah wah..."
The animals of Changbai Mountain, sensing Tiger Boss's aura, scattered in fear. What's he doing, running around like a madman?
The negotiation scene was incomplete without Tiger Boss.
One-Eyed Man asked the giant eagle, "You've lived in Changbai Mountain for a long time, haven't you?" He wanted to glean some useful information. Since the establishment of monitoring agencies, any unusual occurrences were quickly detected. Yet, these enormous beasts had remained hidden for so long. Their concealment was remarkable.
"Yes, a very long time," the eagle replied, folding its wings. Collaborating with humans wasn't ideal, but he and Tiger Boss couldn't achieve their goal alone. Their strength wasn't sufficient. The arrival of the Starry Sky experts had made them feel threatened, fearing their treasure would be stolen. Otherwise, they wouldn't have stayed hidden for so long.
One-Eyed Man continued, "I've always wondered, you're not malevolent beings, but I understand Changbai Mountain was occupied by them before the Starry Sky experts arrived. Did you have an agreement with them?"
The eagle glanced at One-Eyed Man, sensing an interrogation. He didn't respond, fixing his gaze on the ground. One-Eyed Man wanted to ask more, but seeing the eagle's disinterest, he didn't press further.
He pondered the 'dragon vein' they had mentioned. China had many dragon veins, but humans knew little about them. The most common belief was that the rise and fall of nations every few centuries was connected to these veins – a matter of destiny and fortune. It was all rather mysterious. Whether it was true or not remained unknown.
Tiger Boss returned, slowing to a stop. He felt utterly disrespected. He glared at his companion, the eagle. It's so unfair. Why do they only ride me and not you? The thought rankled him.
"Are you happy?" Lin Fan asked, stroking Little Bao's head. Seeing Little Bao's joyful smile brought him happiness.
Little Bao nodded. "Happy." This was the happiest moment of his life. Riding such a big tiger! He could brag about this later, and everyone would be envious. He giggled at the thought.
Little Bao saw the giant eagle and briefly considered riding it, soaring through the sky. But it seemed too dangerous, with no safety measures. Falling would be disastrous. Despite his desire, he didn't ask. He didn't want to put Lin Fan at risk.
One-Eyed Man resumed his conversation with Tiger Boss. He was intrigued. No one could monopolize everything. This precious treasure in Changbai Mountain... everyone wanted it, but without help, it was unattainable.
Tiger Boss and the eagle exchanged glances.
"We can only cooperate with them."
"Are they reliable? We're not as strong as that guy. If they betray us, we'll be in serious trouble."
"I trust them." Tiger Boss was a bold tiger. If he didn't trust them, he wouldn't cooperate. At least they were more reliable than others.
As they set off towards the dragon vein, their large size attracted attention. Among the observers were experts from various countries and Starry Sky experts. They didn't interfere, but followed at a distance. Finding treasures in Changbai Mountain required not just luck, but also intelligence. Anyone with a bit of sense could see that this group had found something.
One-Eyed Man noticed they were being followed. This was the last thing he wanted.
"Why are you following us?" he shouted, hoping to deter them. But he underestimated their resolve. Once they sensed a potential gain, they wouldn't retreat easily.
Those following ignored him, continuing their pursuit. They weren't afraid of One-Eyed Man, but of Lin Fan. So far, Lin Fan hadn't spoken, so they had nothing to fear.
Tiger Boss and the eagle exchanged annoyed glances. Changbai Mountain is so vast. Why follow us? Are they crazy?
"We can't continue."
"Agreed. Leading them to the dragon vein would be asking for trouble."
"Let's wait and see what they do."
Lin Fan and Little Bao chatted as they walked. Stopping, Lin Fan asked curiously, "Why have we stopped?"
The two beasts exchanged glances. They felt Lin Fan was a bit... different. Not in a bad way, but his mind seemed to work differently from normal humans. It was hard to explain, but they could sense it.
Tiger Boss wanted to ask, Are you an idiot? Can't you see the ants following us? Openly leading them to the dragon vein would be foolish.
One-Eyed Man approached Lin Fan. "We have company. The place we're going is important. We can't take them with us."
"Oh," Lin Fan replied with a vague nod. He was inherently indifferent to valuable things. What others considered precious was simply... ordinary to him.
Wu Sheng emerged from the distance. "Brother Lin, what a coincidence to meet you here."
Lin Fan looked at Wu Sheng with a puzzled expression. Who is he...? He thought for a moment before remembering their previous encounter. The aftereffects of that dream were still lingering, causing him to forget those he wasn't close to. Fortunately, he had spent some time with Wu Sheng, leaving a stronger impression than Yao Ji. If Yao Ji knew this, she'd be furious. You forget me, a beautiful woman, but remember a smelly man? I question your preferences.
"Yes, it is," Lin Fan replied with a lukewarm smile.
He and Old Zhang were similar in their friendliness towards acquaintances. Old Zhang, being slightly more familiar with Wu Sheng, was a bit more enthusiastic.
Little Bao eyed Wu Sheng with suspicion. He noticed many people trying to get close to Lin Fan lately. He suspected they all had ulterior motives. As Lin Fan's good friend, he had to protect him from deception, showing him the dangers of the human heart.
Wu Sheng smiled. "Where are you headed?"
Lin Fan replied, "I don't know. I'm with them. You can ask them."
Wu Sheng looked at One-Eyed Man, who naturally wouldn't tell him. He simply said they were just looking around, not heading anywhere specific. It was an obvious lie.
"Everyone, why don't we travel together? I've been alone in this place for days, and it's quite boring," Wu Sheng suggested.
One-Eyed Man replied, "That doesn't seem appropriate." He had a previous transaction with Wu Sheng, and their interaction had been safe so far. But he couldn't agree to this request. If he brought Wu Sheng along, how would they divide the spoils? He couldn't share it with him.
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