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墨書 Inktalez
Thank you for your support over the past three weeks, even though I haven't made it to the recommendation list.
Thanks to 100 Ice for the reward.
The stalactites on Riverbank Cliff, though varied in shape and densely packed, offered us some footholds and climbing opportunities. However, there was no space for us to easily turn around. Even in this relatively spacious area where we rested, only Vietnamese could stand comfortably; I was barely managing to sit on a rock with half my backside hanging off.
In such an environment, jumping up felt no different from committing suicide by jumping into the river. But what worried me more was A San. I approached, and Vietnamese leaned against a slightly recessed waterfall-like stalactite, allowing him to hide in the darkness while standing firmly beneath him. I jumped, but instead of leaping toward the Underground River, I lunged at Vietnamese.
I couldn't imagine how I managed it—springing up from an awkward sitting position as if there were springs under me. I hadn't expected my core strength to be so impressive. Clearly, Vietnamese hadn’t anticipated it either.
My movement came without warning; I closed the distance between A San and me almost instantly and crashed into him.
Vietnamese instinctively bent one knee and pushed his hands outward, his movements resembling those of a Muay Thai fighter. I thought his next move would be to knee me or front kick me into the Underground River.
But in the next moment, Vietnamese wilted. Not only did he let his bent knee drop, but his head also hung low. My slight push had already struck his chest before he could react; I didn’t hold back, and the steel barrel of my weapon pressed into his sternum.
Ever since he introduced himself as a contender in the Underground Fighting Championship, I had considered myself no match for him. The Southeast Asian Underground Fighting Competition had many participants, most of whom were Muay Thai fighters; some places simply referred to it as Muay Thai fighting. The competition format resembled no-holds-barred combat, with some matches lacking referees altogether. The outcome was determined solely by who remained standing at the end.
I didn’t believe my physical fitness was inferior to his, but my practical experience was certainly lacking by several streets. For now, I couldn’t let him gauge my strength; it was better for him to remain misled. Therefore, I had to use a more effective and direct method to make him yield. Additionally, I could no longer control my emotions upon hearing about Hexagonal Iron.
A gurgling sound escaped my throat as our faces nearly touched—at least our noses were brushing against each other.
I opened my mouth. The warm breath from my mouth directly hit A San's face: "That piece of iron. Tell me everything about it."
My voice was deep and cold, my speech slow, punctuated by the constant gurgling sounds from my throat. I couldn't tell if it was extreme fear or excitement that caused this, or perhaps a mix of both. But my emotions were heightened. It was the first time in many years that I had heard information related to the Desert Archaeology incident, and it was coming from beyond Lop Nur, even thousands of miles away.
My expression must have been fierce and terrifying, as the Vietnamese man trembled with desperation and pleading in his eyes, his legs shaking uncontrollably. He made it clear that I needed to rein in my tense emotions; otherwise, he might make a reckless choice, like pushing me into the Underground River.
I took a moment to calm myself, allowing my voice to stabilize, at least enough to stop the beast-like sounds from my throat. "The information about this iron could very well be the key to our survival. Tell me everything you know. And remember, you are mine."
That last statement seemed to ease A San's tension slightly; it showed on his face as he forced a rather ugly smile.
"I don't know much," A San said, perhaps due to nerves, his voice sharp as he swallowed hard. "Before leaving Laos, I overheard Tai Ge—Wu Qitai talking about Ah Xiang. I couldn't hear clearly through the door. All I know is that our goal is a piece of Hexagonal Iron with some kind of pattern on it; beyond that, I have no idea."
My own tension matched A San's, compounded by fear and excitement swirling within me, causing my hand holding the micro flashlight to tremble slightly. My other hand gripped A San's collar tightly; otherwise, in such a narrow space, I wouldn't be able to maintain my balance.
I tilted my head back slightly. The distance between our eyes was just about the height of our noses—Asian noses aren't particularly high—and at such close range, it was enough pressure on him, though my eyes were starting to tire. It was difficult to focus at such proximity; after a while, we would both end up cross-eyed, which wouldn't help intimidate him.
However, my movement startled A San. We were completely dependent on his strength to stand on the Stalactite wall; my body was almost suspended above the river surface, with weak footing below. The force keeping me from falling into the water primarily came from my left hand gripping the Vietnamese man's collar. As I tilted my head back slightly, our center of gravity shifted outward.
A San suddenly reached out with both hands and desperately clutched at my clothing. Although I hadn't intended to test anything with this action, I was satisfied with its effect. At least it proved that the Vietnamese man was more afraid of dying than I was. Knowing what he feared made things easier; the worst situation would be not knowing an opponent's weakness.
I released A San's collar and used one end of the Glow Stick to draw a hexagon shape on the stone beside his head. "Is this what your Hexagonal Iron looks like? Is it this big?"
A San cautiously tilted his head to take a look. "I've never seen that thing; how would I know? I'm afraid Ah Xiang doesn't know either. Tai Ge only mentioned that the piece of iron is about palm-sized but didn't give any specific dimensions."
The spot where A San stood required him to lean against the rock wall for stability; my position was indeed precarious and uncomfortable. My emotions remained heightened but were no longer as impulsive as before; I knew we couldn't maintain this position for long. Moreover, I felt that I had acted too rashly, which might lead him to make certain assumptions.
I shifted my focus back to the stone and handed the Glow Stick to A San. "Extend the Glow Stick. Let Jack and the Lao People see our position."
Although I couldn't hide in the darkness to appear weaker, I also didn't want to expose myself completely in front of him; my expression would surely betray some of my thoughts. Giving the Glow Stick to him would put me further from the light source.
"What else do you know? Have you heard anything about Wu Qitai and Ah Xiang? Especially regarding the Hexagonal Iron."
"That's all I know about that iron. I never thought it was so important. I was thinking if we couldn't find it, I could just make a fake one to fool the Europeans."
"That's all you know! Everything about this operation, like the Europeans." My voice had regained its steadiness; I couldn't allow myself to remain tense, at least not in my tone.
Currently, the Glow Stick was in the hands of the Vietnamese. No matter how he hid, he couldn't conceal himself in the darkness. I needed to gauge his expression to discern the truth behind his words. This information could either save me or cost me my life; I had to take it seriously.
I stared at A San, waiting for his response. (To Be Continued...)
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