Chapter 77: Arranging Manpower, Meeting the ’Fool’ Ox

Chapter 77: Chapter 77: Arranging Manpower, Meeting the ’Fool’ Ox

Rian Sinclair tapped her fingertips lightly against the bamboo table. She suspected they had been under observation ever since she first hired Old Man Landon to guide them to Stonecreek Village, which would explain the unprecedented number of people at the bed and breakfast. Those staying at the inn were most likely from the village itself. Initially, they hadn’t shown any malice—perhaps they simply wanted to make a deal with a wealthy person?

But what kind of deal could there be?

That meant they had merely been testing her, the big boss, the other night. The late-night knock on her door was probably an attempt to lure her out by mimicking Fiona’s voice. Rian carefully recalled the morning after the heavy rain. Everyone had been eating breakfast, but the people around them had looked noticeably exhausted. They probably hadn’t slept well that night, leaving them with no energy to pay attention to Rian and her group.

Rian frowned in deep thought.

Fiona Sinclair chimed in, "Then, as you said, Miss, could human trafficking be taking place in Stonecreek Village?"

Rian didn’t nod right away. If the woman they had seen earlier had been abducted or trafficked here, her survival instinct should have driven her to call out to them for help. Yet, she hadn’t.

Still, it didn’t rule out the possibility that she had lost all hope of being rescued. Had she been beaten into submission? Was she too terrified? Or had she already half-assimilated into the village life?

Rian massaged her throbbing temples.

Aiden Sinclair’s thick, honest voice broke the silence. "Miss, are we still going?"

Rian opened her eyes and looked at him. "We’re going!"

She desperately wanted to know exactly what was happening in that village. Was the tip they received intentional or a coincidence? Were the people at the inn placed there on purpose, or was it just by chance?

"But it won’t be safe with just the three of us. I’ll call for some backup later, just to be secure." Rian finished her tea and waved her hand dismissively. Taking the cue, the two subordinates left the room.

[You know there are tigers in the mountain, yet you insist on marching right in.]

"So the village really is dangerous, then," Rian said, her tone light and cheerful. She hadn’t guessed wrong.

[It is dangerous.]

"I’ll buy nine bodyguards first. Just arrange for them to appear nearby. I need to be able to see them in a short amount of time under reasonable circumstances."

[DING! Spent 1.26 billion! The bodyguards will arrive in one hour. Please be ready to receive them! Their identities have already been entered into the Blue Star database!]

Hearing this, Rian didn’t feel a single pinch of regret over the money. She immediately turned her attention to sending a message to Wyatt Shepherd.

What should one do when encountering bad people and bad deeds? Call the police, of course. Even though she didn’t have solid evidence, there were enough suspicious elements that Wyatt would definitely take action.

Sure enough, a smile touched the corners of her lips as she read the reply on her screen.

[I will get there as soon as possible. Please prioritize your own safety, Miss Sinclair.]

[He can dispatch officers without concrete evidence? Isn’t he afraid it will turn out to be a joke?]

Rian leaned lazily against the bamboo chair, toying with the pendant on her palm-leaf fan. "You don’t understand. No concrete evidence? What if it’s true? It seems you don’t know much about Veridia’s military and police."

The system fell into silence, offering no response.

Rian paid the system no mind. She just wondered what on earth was going on in Stonecreek Village. If she had to make a bold guess, she would bet on it being...

Drug trafficking.

Later that evening.

Summer nights fell rather slowly, but every household still ate dinner right on time. Old Man Landon came over to bring them to dinner, sharing amusing anecdotes about the village along the way. Fiona smiled and played along. Encouraged by her responses, Old Man Landon grew increasingly enthusiastic; by the time they reached his doorstep, he was practically ready to throw an arm around Fiona’s shoulders and call her his sworn sister.

Auntie Landon smilingly pulled her husband back and ushered the guests to the dining table.

Someone was already seated. Rian met the gaze of a middle-aged man before smoothly looking away, taking her seat as Old Man Landon gestured. A child was also sitting in one of the chairs, likely Landon’s son.

As the host, Old Man Landon smiled and urged everyone to eat. "Boss, this is Ox. He just ran over from the village."

Ox was intellectually disabled. He simply focused on eating, giggling foolishly to himself. For a while, the only sounds at the table were Ox’s silly laughter and Old Man Landon’s chatter.

Rian took small bites of her dinner. She wasn’t accustomed to talking while eating, but seeing the old man in such high spirits, she politely replied a few times. Auntie Landon busied herself with refilling empty cups and pouring drinks for the guests.

After the meal.

Ox had originally wanted to leave, but Old Man Landon pulled him down onto the living room sofa to chat. Naturally, Rian and her group stayed as well.

Resting his hand on Ox’s shoulder, Old Man Landon’s voice grew louder from the alcohol. "Ox, my boy, I’m only seven or eight years older than you. I practically watched you grow up. We saw each other all through the first half of our lives, but it’s been mighty hard to catch a glimpse of you in the second half! You didn’t even invite your big bro for a wedding drink when you got yourself a wife."

Ox didn’t answer. He just squeezed the ragdoll in his hands, giggling incessantly. Looking at him, it was obvious his mind wasn’t right.

Old Man Landon kept rambling, but seeing that Ox was entirely absorbed in playing with his ragdoll, the alcohol went to his head and he grew a bit frustrated. However, Ox merely tilted his head and offered him a dopey grin.

This made Old Man Landon laugh despite himself. He shook his head. "I forgot about our Ox’s condition. Why am I saying all this to you? You don’t understand a word."

Rian sat for a little while longer before preparing to leave with Fiona and Aiden. Just as she was about to speak, Ox suddenly jumped to his feet, pointing outside. "Faye, f-flying Faye!"

With that, Ox dashed outside. Old Man Landon couldn’t stop him in time, so he just let him go. Rian raised an eyebrow at the older man. "Aren’t you going to escort him back?"

Old Man Landon waved his hand dismissively. "Ox might be slow, but he remembers where his house is. Even when he was little, no matter where he ran off to, he could always find his way back on his own."

Hearing this, Rian glanced in the direction Ox had disappeared, noting that he possessed a good memory. She then bid her hosts farewell and led her people away.

Old Man Landon and Auntie Landon walked them to their car. Only after the vehicle had driven off into the distance did they stumble back to their house.

When they arrived at the bed and breakfast, the sky was merely dusky; it hadn’t turned completely dark yet. As the innkeeper smiled and tallied the accounts, Rian shot a glance at Fiona.

Fiona leaned in closer and whispered, "Everything is arranged."

Rian nodded and headed upstairs. "Set up a mobile conference call for later."

A short while later.

Looking at the screen, Rian saw the nine bodyguards who had arrived ahead of schedule. Fiona had already arranged their accommodations, scattering them across several nearby inns.

The bodyguards were codenamed after the ten Heavenly Stems—from the first to the tenth.

Fiona always thoroughly swept the room for privacy alongside Aiden, ensuring they could speak freely without any reservations.

"When the time comes, assign three of them to stay by my side. The rest will remain hidden," Rian instructed. "The people of Stonecreek Village have likely noticed the new arrivals checking in today, so we won’t bother hiding the fact that those three are my people. However, the ones staying at the other inns need to maintain their covers. When we head into the village, they must stay concealed so they aren’t discovered."

A chorus of "Understood" echoed from the phone before she ended the call. "Fiona, pick one of them to come over and shadow us."

Fiona immediately moved to carry out the order. Aiden stood respectfully to the side, thinking about their trek up the mountain tomorrow. As her bodyguard, he was finally going to be of some use.