Just as Du Zhen began to worry about A Bao and Xiao Sanhua, A Bao suddenly jumped down from the cave entrance, his movements swift and graceful, just like a cat.
Ah Bao hummed a tuneless little tune and showed off to Xia Chuhe: "Look what I got."
A small, fully inflated yellow balloon was clutched tightly in Ah Bao's hand. Its material and shape were exactly the same as the deflated balloon he had ripped from the corpse.
Ah Bao let go, and the balloon slowly floated upwards.
Once the balloon floats high, Ah Bao jumps up and catches it.
The balloons bounced up and down, and Ah Bao was having a great time.
Xia Chuhe chimed in, "That's really good! Where did you come from?"
"Hmph, I'm loved by everyone, and even flowers admire me. It was a gift from a weirdo." Ah Bao was so proud that he wished he could grow a tail and wag it around.
"What kind of weirdo is he?" Xia Chuhe felt surprisingly at ease talking to A Bao, treating him like a treasure.
Ah Bao spoke and gestured: "It's that strange guy who's dressed in thick, tattered clothes and wearing a black helmet."
Ah Bao was referring to the "astronaut" who delivered flowerpots and seeds to the group.
Ah Bao was still showing off her charm: "I was walking around in the field when I saw a plant that looked a bit strange. I went over to take a look and there was that weirdo lying under the leaves sleeping. I thought the weirdo wanted to play hide-and-seek with me, so I played with him for a while. When I saw that it was getting dark, I said I had to go home, and the weirdo gave me a balloon."
"That weirdo is so strange. He walks so slowly. When it's his turn to hide, I have to wait ages before I can even start looking for him," Ah Bao said, pouting. "But when it's my turn to hide, he always finds me in a flash. If it weren't for his slow pace, this game would be completely unplayable."
Ah Bao muttered to himself, "Strange, how did he find me? I am..."
Little Sanhua's cat ears popped out from Ah Bao's collar at just the right moment and twitched twice.
Xia Chuhe had reason to suspect that the adorable one wasn't A Bao, but Xiao Sanhua.
Surprisingly, that strange person has a childlike heart.
The men closed their eyes and pretended to sleep, leaving only one man to keep watch. He listened intently to Ah Bao's words, his contempt undisguised.
Xia Chuhe and Du Zhen exchanged a glance, and the two groups of men separated to rest.
In the four corners, apart from the corner occupied by the corpse, the other three teams each occupied a corner, each operating independently.
After a day of intense tension, everyone except the night watchmen went to sleep. The corpse slept soundly; there was no snoring, not even a sound of breathing.
Wang Yan and Lao Qin, who were on night watch, exchanged a glance.
They were seasoned veterans, their rustling winds during the day masking the unusual activity in the botanical garden. Only the silence of night brought it to mind: how could such lush vegetation be without insects?
The moon was high in the sky, and the crescent moon unknowingly climbed from the horizon to the ceiling. The soft moonlight filled the flowerpot, and rustling sounds came from inside the flowerpot.
Wang Yan mustered up her courage and glanced into the flowerpot. Countless tiny watermelons and peanuts were slowly swelling up.
The person on night watch immediately woke up the others, and the plants overflowed from the flowerpots.
All sorts of strange superpowers were simultaneously directed at the plants, but the plants remained completely unaffected.
A perfectly round watermelon fell to the ground without breaking. It only cracked open when it rolled to the man's feet.
The man tried to kick the watermelon away, but the moment his foot touched the rind, the watermelon exploded, severing half of the man's lower leg in the process.
The man screamed and clutched his leg, howling in agony, as other fruits slowly rolled out of the basin. Ignoring the pain, he carefully dodged them, bracing himself against his injured leg.
The bright red melon pulp splashed onto Xia Chuhe's face, slowly disappearing without a trace, leaving only a few drops of bright red liquid.
Xia Chuhe wiped it; it was sticky, fresh blood.
Ah Bao was the fastest of all. No one saw how she moved; she seemed to leap and fly directly out of the hole in the ceiling.
"Come on up, everything's normal outside," Ah Bao shouted.
People in the basement scrambled to climb up, dodging the plants.
The man with the broken leg was the first one to be carried up by his companions.
However, as soon as he went up, the surrounding plants, like hunting dogs helping their master hunt, instantly came to life and pushed the man down.
The man crashed into a plant and was pierced through by an iron yam.
The other men dared not squeeze towards the opening for a moment.
A small balloon popped out of Ah Bao's arms. A string grew from the balloon and tied around Ah Bao's waist. The balloon slowly inflated, pulling Ah Bao upwards.
"Hold on to me!" Ah Bao prioritized saving the people in her team. Old Qin was pulled up by her and seemed to be covered by the balloon, thus avoiding the plant's attack.
Du Zhen jumped up and grabbed A Bao's foot.
Xia Chuhe's mind raced. He didn't care whether there was dirt on the corpse. He picked up the balloon that Lao Qin had picked out that afternoon and immediately climbed out of the basement.
The balloons, as if recognizing their owner, wrapped themselves around Xia Chuhe's waist.
As soon as Xia Chuhe climbed out, he immediately reached into the cave to retrieve Lu Danggui and Li Qiusheng, with Wang Yan and Zhao Maomao following closely behind.
The four men, ignoring their recently deceased companion, shouted "Wait for us!" and grabbed anyone's leg, refusing to let go.
There were already many people on Xia Chuhe's side, so the balloon rose exceptionally slowly. Now, with three men lifting it up, it even seemed to be about to fall.
Wang Yan and Zhao Maomao kicked and shoved with all their might, but the men only clung to their legs and climbed up, refusing to let go no matter what.
Wang Yan immediately set fire to the person clinging to him, but unfortunately, that person possessed water-based abilities, which completely countered Wang Yan's power. The sparks went out before they could even ignite, emitting smoke.
Zhao Maomao was completely helpless.
Starting with Xia Chuhe, eight people stood in neat rows, close to the ground, suspended above the hole in the ceiling, teetering on the verge of falling.
The basement is filled with plants, and they're about to overflow.
The red balloons are like tiny ants trying to pull an elephant, overburdened and unable to bear the weight.
Fortunately, Lao Qin and Du Zhen consulted with their superiors, reached out and took Wang Yan away, along with the man on his lap.
Two balloons, one high and one low, slowly rose, carrying everyone to a safe area in the air.
Du Zhen's eyes flashed. The best opportunity was now. If he didn't force a confession now, when would he?
Du Zhen dragged the heavy man, twisted his foot, and a sharp knife slid out from the sole of his shoe, its sharp tip aimed directly at the man's throat.
"Tell me, what clues have you hidden?"
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