Reborn, I Became a Male God - Chapter 40
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The Heduo District is located in the southeastern part of the mainland, between the western and southern administrative regions of the Republic, at the border area shared with the five countries of Huguer, Buni’an, Bawa, and Sanan. Due to geographical limitations, the towering mountains have hindered development, resulting in long-term isolation and poor transportation.
The total area of the Heduo District is approximately 350,000 square kilometers. The mountain ranges rise and fall, with an average elevation above 1,700 meters. Prolonged sunlight and a humid climate are common traits of the southeastern region, making it highly suitable for the growth and reproduction of flora and fauna. The name “Heduo District” comes from the Jiuduo River that flows through it, which makes nine major bends, almost encircling the entire area.
The Jiuduo River originates from the melting snow peaks of the Suitai Mountains in the western administrative region of the Republic. It passes through the territory of the Republic, dividing the two southwestern administrative regions, flowing from the northwest straight to the southeast, and eventually merging into the Bilisi Sea. The river spans over 4,800 kilometers, cutting through countless steep mountains along the way. Its branches wind through the valleys like the veins of a human body, nourishing the lush forests of the Heduo District.
With a dense network of waterways and excessively lush, sky-obscuring vegetation along the banks, even local residents rarely dare claim to have fully mapped out all the paths. Adding to that are the various dangerous creatures lurking in the river, which have earned these waterways the nickname—The Maze of Death.
The bright moon hung high, casting a cold silver glow across the water. The night wind swept over the lake’s surface, stirring layers of ripples. The shimmering waves looked like a scattering of the Milky Way.
A fishing boat was sailing on the Jiuduo River.
Under the dim yellow light, the crew was crowded inside the cabin. A group of burly, rough men made the cramped cabin feel even more confined. Each of them stretched out their legs wherever they could, making it seem like there was no place left to step.
“In a few dozen kilometers, we’ll be at the fifth major bend of the Jiuduo River. The waterways here are complicated, and the people are a mixed bunch. Stay alert!” one of them said, his voice strong and full.
The men who had been slouched all over suddenly sprang upright, as if they’d been given a new core. In an instant, they sat up in unison, their expressions serious and their gazes fixed ahead.
But there was one exception. Compared to the tall, strong group, he looked even thinner and weaker. With his lazy demeanor, his small frame gave the impression that he couldn’t withstand wind or rain. While everyone else sat like statues, he remained leaning against the cabin wall. A black German shepherd lay quietly next to him, panting lightly, only its eyes shifting.
He lazily stroked the shepherd from head to tail and then started over again.
His head was bowed, and it was unclear what he was thinking. The messy hair on his forehead covered his eyes.
Someone sitting in the corner snorted coldly when he saw this. “Like you don’t have any bones! You’ve even spoiled Da Bao!”
Da Bao was the black German shepherd. Hearing its name, it raised its head and looked around. Receiving no command, it lay back down.
“Er Tiao, what are you doing?!” barked the man standing in the middle. Then he turned to the one leaning against the cabin wall. “Er Tiao’s a bit blunt, don’t take it to heart.”
The one called Er Tiao snorted and turned his head to look outside the boat.
The other party—Jing Ling—shook his head. “It’s fine. I know you guys…” He hadn’t finished his sentence when suddenly there was a flapping sound. A bird flew in from the darkness and into the cabin. After circling overhead briefly, it flew directly to him and landed on his shoulder.
“Chirp chirp, chirp chirp chirp, chirp…”
Jing Ling reached out and tapped the little bird’s head. Then he pulled out a small handful of grain from his pocket, held it out in his palm, and brought it to the bird. “I understand. Thank you. Eat up.”
Everyone looked at him like he was a lunatic.
The little bird affectionately nuzzled his hand, then began pecking at the grains.
“There’s a boat ahead, but I can’t see how far. The people on board are armed,” Jing Ling said to the man standing in the middle—Fei Hu, the team leader for this mission.
Fei Hu looked at him, then at the bird on his shoulder, frowning slightly. After a moment of thought, his eyes swept quickly over the rest of the crew in the cabin. “Everyone to your positions. Stay alert!”
The others looked displeased but didn’t say anything. They left the cabin in an orderly fashion, heading to their designated spots as planned.
“Jiang Yang—you be careful,” Fei Hu reminded before he also left.
Jiang Yang was the alias Jing Ling was using. For safety reasons, and to prevent a repeat of the tragedy from twenty years ago, no one in the team, including Fei Hu, knew his real name. They only knew he was connected to the Li family. No one had seen his true appearance. He had already put on a human-skin mask before departure.
The day he left, the three old men saw him off personally. Even then, they couldn’t resist mocking him, complaining that his looks were too conspicuous and troublesome. An ordinary person could go into the field openly, but he had to be disguised.
He was assigned to this mission as a police dog handler. For this reason, he was given Da Bao to work with. But because of his innate affinity with animals, what should’ve been a proper police dog spent the whole day at his side, often acting spoiled. Just like Er Tiao said earlier—Da Bao had been led astray by him.
But that was only when there was nothing to do. When it came time for Da Bao to work, he was just as dutiful as ever.
After everyone else left the cabin, the space that had seemed so cramped suddenly felt spacious. Once the bird finished eating the grain and flew off, Jing Ling stood up. He extended his arm, and something slid out from his sleeve—a dagger that gleamed with a cold, dangerous light.
“Even if I’m not a combatant, at least give me a gun for self-defense,” he muttered while toying with the dagger in his hand. The synthetic metal blade danced in his fingers, blooming like a silver flower.
Focusing his senses, he listened carefully. Beyond the sound of the flowing water, the wind carried a mess of noises from afar. There were sounds of a boat, wild laughter, and faint cries mixed in.
Jing Ling frowned slightly and quickly left the cabin to find Fei Hu.
“Something’s wrong. That boat definitely has a problem. There are people being held captive on it.”
Fei Hu stared at him and said in a low voice, “You’re sure?”
Jing Ling nodded. “Eighty to ninety percent.”
Up to this point, no one else had even seen the so-called fishing boat. Yet this man claimed to have heard cries. It was hard to believe. But Fei Hu knew some of the inside story. This man had ties to the former Li family, and Fei Hu had heard more than once from his former commander about what the Li family was capable of. As unbelievable as it sounded, he knew his old commander was not the kind to fabricate stories just to brag.
“I’ll trust you this once,” Fei Hu said, then gathered everyone and made a new plan on the spot.
Night on the Jiuduo River. Trees crowded the steep cliffs on both sides of the valleys. Nocturnal creatures called out one after another, with some cries sounding particularly eerie. The moon gradually disappeared into the clouds, leaving only a hazy halo in the sky. In the darkness, a fishing boat that appeared utterly ordinary was heading toward the fifth bend of the Jiuduo River.
The curtain of chaos was about to rise.
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