After knocking out the last bandit, Ye Mo turned to the driver Xiao Yu and said, "Come help me drag these scoundrels along."
"I'll help!" Xiao Lei eagerly rushed forward, her cheeks still flushed with excitement. She seemed as if she had just stepped into a fairy tale where a white knight suddenly appears to rescue her—everything had changed too quickly, like a dream.
Zhuo Aiguo had already calmed down and secretly felt relieved about his wise decision. He was determined to maintain a good relationship with Ye Mo. He even suspected that Ye Mo might be one of those disciples carrying on the legacy of ancient martial arts. Although there were some mysterious martial arts families in Yanjing, they usually kept to themselves, avoided the secular world, and rarely appeared publicly, not even as athletes. However, some elite family members were selected to join special government units serving the nation, with access denied even to the highest leaders.
Ye Mo glanced at the excited Xiao Lei and shook his head silently. This woman's mood sure changed fast. Ignoring her, he directly dragged two unconscious bandits into the nearby woods.
Driver Xiao Yu followed, dragging two more. Ye Mo tossed the two into the woods and grabbed two more. Xiao Lei, feeling ignored, tried hard but couldn't drag the last one, and finally Xiao Yu had to help.
Once all seven were gathered, Ye Mo said to Xiao Yu, "You guys get in the car and wait for me. I'll be right there."
After Xiao Yu left, Ye Mo kicked one awake. Most of these bandits were Vietnamese and specialized in road robberies. Ye Mo was ruthless and questioned them one by one about their hideout. It was indeed near Liushe town, in a private manor. The gang originally had thirteen members but now only seven remained, just as Xiao Yu had said.
Ye Mo had planned to wipe out their base in Liushe to leave no loose ends, but since only a few were left, he decided against it.
He threw their bodies into a mountain ravine and only took some Vietnamese currency from them, refusing all of it. Ye Mo found it puzzling that these thieves, who lived by robbing, were so poor and didn't carry anything valuable.
When he returned to the mountain road, Xiao Yu and Zhuo Aiguo had cleared the roadblocks, and the three were already seated in the car waiting. Surprisingly, no one asked where Ye Mo had disposed of the bandits.
"I can't take this money. You chased away the scum; keep it for yourself," Xiao Lei said, holding out the 50,000 yuan Zhuo Aiguo had given her, offering it to Ye Mo.
Ye Mo pushed it aside. "No need. Keep it. I was hired by Boss Zhuo; he'll pay me. Besides, your companion abandoned you. Consider it his compensation."
"Hmph, I don't know him — that bastard!" Xiao Lei started to say more, but Ye Mo signaled Xiao Yu to drive.
"Mr. Ye, we really owe you this time. Without you, it would have been a disaster," Zhuo Aiguo said earnestly.
He knew well that if not for Xiao Lei's presence, the loss would be limited to some money. But since a woman was involved, Zhuo's character would never allow her to be taken away. The consequences could be imagined.
Ye Mo waved off the thanks. "Boss Zhuo, no need. It was part of our agreement. Otherwise, you wouldn't have hired me."
Zhuo Aiguo smiled, feeling great. "If you don't mind, call me Brother Zhuo. I'll call you Brother Ye."
"That's fine," Ye Mo agreed. He thought Zhuo was someone worth befriending.
Xiao Lei asked Ye Mo's name but felt it was familiar — she just couldn't recall where she had heard it.
"Reporter Xiao, Liushe is a border town with extremely chaotic management, located at the junction of three countries. How did you end up here?" Zhuo Aiguo asked.
Xiao Lei sighed, "I heard many tourists who came to Guilin went missing around the nearby scenic spots, so I came to investigate. Only after arriving did I find out most missing people disappeared in Liushe. If it weren't for meeting you, I don't know what would have happened. Thank you."
Ye Mo chuckled silently. This female reporter was too naive—accustomed to the big city, she thought her press card would make the bandits surrender easily. He found it ridiculous.
Zhuo Aiguo also felt speechless. He knew Xiao Lei was a rising famous reporter over the last two years but wasn't close enough to advise her.
Xiao Lei noticed the looks exchanged between the men and realized what they were thinking but didn't argue. After this experience, she understood how naive she had been. When she first came to Guilin, Wang Qianjun insisted on accompanying her and even bought a BMW to send her to Liushe.
Wang's handsome appearance was charming, and Xiao Lei had a good impression of him—soon she'd probably agree to be his girlfriend. But when danger struck, Xiao Lei realized that good looks had nothing to do with reliability.
Ye Mo didn't speak further. He carefully surveyed the surroundings and liked it here — barren mountains and sparse population, perfect for his cultivation. If the Song family came after him, he would have an escape route. Ye Mo didn't think he was invincible; many were stronger than him, and firearms were beyond his current level to counter.
Zhuo Aiguo and Xiao Lei chatted warmly, but Xiao Lei glanced at Ye Mo often. Seeing him calmly resting with eyes closed, she gave up trying to talk to him.
Soon, the car entered a place that was neither a proper village nor a town.
"This is Liushe. We have some business to handle, probably won't leave until tomorrow. Reporter Xiao, will you stay with us or go alone?" Zhuo Aiguo asked.
Before she could answer, two groups of people started fighting up ahead, swinging clubs and knives wildly.
Within minutes, several people were bleeding and collapsing. A local security team arrived but didn't pursue the fight; the crowd dispersed, and the wounded were carried away.
Xiao Lei was horrified. She hadn't expected such open violence and finally grasped the full extent of her naivety.
"Liushe is basically in a state of lawlessness. Originally a wilderness, since the late 1970s, due to war, many displaced people gathered here from neighboring countries, forming a place neither town nor village. The security teams you see are all temporary groups, so it's more chaotic here than anywhere else," Zhuo Aiguo explained seeing their shock.
"I'd better stick with Uncle Zhuo," Xiao Lei said firmly, no longer wanting to be a lone heroic reporter.