The next morning, the returning party of fourteen set off, including the three bodyguards hired by Qiu Sihai. Unexpectedly, Qiu Sihai and the other two bodyguards ultimately remained behind, a testament to Hua Qingqing’s allure, strong enough to make a man risk his life.

Not a single core member of the Three Kingdoms survey team considered withdrawing; even Meiliya, whose room had been breached, refused to leave. Everyone understood clearly that this expedition was merely a pretext. In truth, they were all chasing the Blood Flower. If they could obtain even a sliver of that miraculous substance, it might save their lives in the future. Furthermore, this discovery was bound to shake the world, potentially securing them fame and celebrity status.

The main group abandoned a large portion of their equipment, as the reduced manpower made it impossible to carry everything. Zhu Da and Cai Bao'er, however, had a field day, rummaging through the discarded luggage and only stopping when their large backpacks were completely stuffed.

Xia Huren also salvaged a few items of value. I saw him find a parachute and a combat knife—I had no idea who had brought them—which Xia Huren quickly organized and strapped onto his back.

With fewer people and less gear, the marching speed immediately increased. By evening, we finally located a fordable stretch of the river, about a kilometer wide, with a very gentle current. The guides, Kixin and Winston, ventured in first to test the depth; the deepest point barely reached the chest, suggesting the crossing should not be a major issue.

After a brief discussion, the group decided to cross before sunset and set up camp on the far bank. Following half an hour of preparation, the main contingent entered the water, led by Kixin and Jack.

Hua Qingqing, Meiliya, Jenny Maffei, and Miyoko tied themselves together with a rope. Zhu Da and Cai Bao’er took the lead, while Qiu Sihai, Xia Huren, and the remaining two bodyguards brought up the rear. Everyone stepped into the murky, bottomless river water with the rest of the team.

The section of the riverbed we chose was relatively shallow; there were few spots that went above the chest. As we neared the center, Zhu Da suddenly shouted, "Damn it, something’s biting me!"

Cai Bao'er laughed, "You’re practically covered in meat; why wouldn't they bite you?"

Zhu Da retorted, "That’s unfair! You’re just as meaty as I am; why aren't they biting you?"

Even as he spoke, Cai Bao’er let out a yelp. He blindly snatched something from the water and held it up for inspection. "Holy crap! What kind of fish is this!"

Everyone’s attention immediately snapped toward Cai Bao’er. I looked back and saw him holding a fish, not large in size, but possessing two rows of razor-sharp teeth. Lifted clear of the water, the fish’s mouth continued to snap open and shut rapidly, making a grating sound like a dog furiously gnawing on a bone.

Qiu Sihai started shivering violently. He stammered, "Th-th-this, could this be a piranha? I think I saw something like this in a documentary."

Looking at those teeth, even if it wasn't a true piranha, it was certainly no friendly creature. It was fortunate that only Mida and Cai Bao’er—two men whose hides were tougher than the average person’s—had been bitten. Had it been one of the four women behind us, a chunk of flesh would likely have been ripped off immediately.

I spun around, grabbed Hua Qingqing with both hands, lifted her clear of the water, and settled her securely on my neck. Peach automatically jumped onto Hua Qingqing’s back. Hua Qingqing shrieked in fright, but I told her, "Hold tight and stay still. If anything goes missing from your body, my wife won't like you anymore."

Hua Qingqing had also seen the strange fish. Although it differed slightly from the textbook piranha, it appeared to belong to the same family. Sitting on my shoulders, Hua Qingqing only needed to swing her legs out to keep her body clear of the water—much safer this way.

Qiu Sihai desperately wanted to step forward to protect Hua Qingqing, but he was already struggling immensely just to move in the water. Moreover, his body was trembling ever since he saw that fish. Thus, despite his intense jealousy watching Hua Qingqing perched on my shoulders, he lacked the capacity to protect anyone else at that moment.

Meiliya and Jenny Maffei addressed Hua Qingqing in English: "Miss Hua, you are truly blessed. This man has been protective of you since yesterday; we envy you. Judging by how close you are, he must be your boyfriend."

Hua Qingqing, holding onto my head, replied with a touch of pride to the two women behind her, "He is my good friend’s boyfriend, but right now, he has to listen to me, because his girlfriend lent him to me."

Meiliya exclaimed in surprise, "Oh, so in your Great Dragon Country, sexuality is that open? Friends even trade boyfriends!"

Qiu Sihai, naturally understanding English, was so choked with rage he couldn't speak. Hua Qingqing felt very awkward about what Meiliya had said. She quickly corrected, "Miss Meiliya, you misunderstood. I only borrowed him from his girlfriend for protection; it has nothing to do with sex."

Meiliya giggled, "That’s nothing in my M-country. My boyfriend has slept with Zhennie before. Sex is free, as long as he loves me in his heart."

Miyoko, who had been silently walking at the rear, suddenly screamed. Immediately, a plume of crimson water erupted on the river’s surface. Xia Huren, walking just behind her, suddenly snatched Miyoko up above his head. Everyone followed the sound of her cries and saw that seven or eight of the strange fish we had just seen were clamped tightly onto her thigh!

My pistol was wrapped in oilcloth inside the breast pocket of my assault jacket. I tore the wrapping off and yelled toward Xia Huren, "Tiger, hold her steady—let me!"

Crack-crack-crack—the entire magazine was emptied. Only the half-open, motionless mouths of the strange fish remained stuck to Miyoko’s body. Kixin and Winston screamed warnings to the group: "Hurry up! Speed up! If these fish go into a frenzy, they will actively attack humans!"

The water was hopelessly murky, and no one knew what creatures were circling their legs beneath the surface. Everyone pushed forward with all their might, terrified of falling behind and being gnawed down to a skeleton by the piranhas in an instant.

After only a few more steps, a Japanese team member near the front suddenly shrieked and then vanished into the water, leaving behind a blooming splash of blood. No one paid any attention to the sight; every person wished they could sprout wings and fly out of the river.

Zhu Da and Cai Bao’er turned around, each lifting Meiliya and Jenny Maffei respectively. The two men grinned, "You two are tender and fragrant; those fish will surely target you next. Let your fat big brothers save you one more time."

Although the two women were lifted mid-air, held by their chests, they showed no sign of annoyance; instead, they were overjoyed, clinging to the plump men's heads and babbling nonsense. "Kiss me, Darling! Sweetie loves you to death! As long as you save our lives, we promise to be your sweet darlings."

Suddenly, another agonizing cry sounded from the rear. One of Qiu Sihai's bodyguards had been struck. Qiu Sihai was paralyzed by fear, staring at the patch of blood bubbling on the surface. Xia Huren yanked him, saying, "If you don’t want to die here, move!"