Tiger, I rejected the iron rice bowl.

After taking the last drag of his cigarette, the boss threw the butt into the fire with a loud sizzle.

He glanced at the crowd and asked in a deep voice, "Now, do you still blame me for taking you away?"

Seeing that everyone remained silent, he continued, his words earnest: "For those of us in this line of work, the most important thing has never been money, it's our own lives!"

"Even if you make money, you have to be alive to spend it; otherwise, no matter how much money you have, it's just a pile of worthless paper!"

"How have I managed to live on the edge for so many years, still alive and kicking?"

"It's not that I'm lucky, it's because I value my life, know when to advance and when to retreat, and never hesitate to withdraw when it's time to do so!"

His gaze swept over everyone, tinged with a hint of melancholy. "Look at this industry now," he said, "besides me, how many elderly people are left?"

"They'll either lose their lives in the mountains or get arrested and thrown in jail, never to be released!"

"Remember my words: as long as you live, there is hope, and only then will you have the opportunity to earn more money."

"Once you get inside, or die in the mountains, you'll have nothing left!"

Everyone nodded in silence, heads bowed, eyes fixed on the flickering fire. No one spoke, but their minds were in turmoil.

There was lingering fear and uncertainty about the future. No one dared to complain about their previous escape, nor did anyone think about going back to catch Wang Yuyu.

After a long while, the second brother slowly raised his head, a hint of hesitation on his face, and tentatively asked, "Boss, so... so should we continue? Are we just going to give up like this?"

The eldest brother picked up a dry twig and gently poked at the flames. Sparks danced, casting flickering light on his face.

"Go for it! Why wouldn't we? That's over a million US dollars! Why give it up?"

"However, things are too tense right now. The government is on high alert, and the people from the nature reserve are most likely on their way into the mountains. We can't confront them head-on."

He paused, then continued, "Let's lie low for a while, wait for this storm to pass, and wait for those with secure jobs to lower their guard before we make our move."

"Winter is long, there's plenty of time to kill, we won't have trouble catching it!"

After saying that, he suddenly looked up, his eyes fierce and carrying a naked threat: "When you get back, all of you better keep your mouths shut!"

"Not a single word is to be spoken to outsiders about this trip into the mountains!"

"If I hear even a whisper of this, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

"Breaking the rules comes at a price!"

Everyone's hearts skipped a beat, and they quickly looked up, replying, "Boss, don't worry, I definitely won't say a single careless word!"

"Yeah, boss, the brothers here are all seasoned veterans in this business, they know the rules, and they definitely won't ruin your plans!"

"Don't worry, boss, we're all tight-lipped!"

"Boss..."

The leader nodded in satisfaction after seeing everyone's flustered yet obedient appearance.

Silence fell again, broken only by the crackling of the fire.

Some people quietly raised their hands and wiped the cold sweat from their palms.

They all knew that this boss was no pushover; rumors circulated that he had blood on his hands, was ruthless, and meant what he said.

The reason I followed him in the first place was not only because I wanted to make money with him, but more importantly because he had a good reputation in the industry. He never mistreated his own people, but he would never let go of those who betrayed him or broke his rules.

Otherwise, who would dare to fight him?

After resting enough, the group cleaned up the traces and headed off into the distance again.

…………

The next afternoon!

Fan Zhengcheng led his team and finally arrived at the wire snare trap that Wang Yuyu had previously discovered and destroyed.

The road was covered in deep, slippery snow, making it difficult to travel. In addition, they needed to check for potential hazards along the way, which caused them to lose a lot of time on the road and arrive much later than expected.

Fan Zhengcheng stood beside the trap, scanning the surrounding snow with a calm expression, showing no sign of urgency.

Wang Yu has already run away with his concubine and is safe and sound.

Moreover, he arranged for another team to meet it and ensure its safety.

Glancing at the destroyed lasso trap in front of him, Fan Zhengcheng raised his hand and waved: "Everyone, spread out and search the surrounding area carefully!"

The team members immediately sprang into action, spreading out to carefully search the surrounding area for any clues the poachers might have left behind.

More than an hour later, they found the cave and other places where the poachers had lived, and also discovered many traps that had not been removed in time!

At the same time, the direction in which the poachers left was also discovered!

Inside the tent, Fan Zhengcheng looked at his subordinate and asked urgently, "What did you say? Those poachers went deeper into the area? When did they leave?"

The subordinate nodded quickly and replied affirmatively, "Yes, Chief. Based on the situation at the scene, we believe they left yesterday and went deeper into the area!"

He paused, then tentatively asked, "Chief, do you think we should send men into the mountains to pursue them immediately? Maybe we can still catch up with them!"

Fan Zhengcheng frowned, pondered for a moment, and slowly shook his head: "No need."

"They started running yesterday, and a day and a night is enough time for them to run a long way."

"The terrain in the deep mountains is complex, and the snow is thick. If we pursue them rashly, it may put our people in danger, and the losses will outweigh the gains."

Even so, his brow furrowed even more deeply, and he asked in bewilderment, "But I really can't understand why they would go deeper into the area?"

"That direction isn't the road to the 'iron rice bowl' territory, nor is it the road down the mountain. What are they doing there?"

The subordinate, also looking puzzled, pondered for a moment and tentatively said, "Chief, could it be that after these poachers went into the mountains, they ran out of food and couldn't find any trace of the 'iron rice bowl,' so they gave up hope and went deeper into the mountains to look for other targets?"

Upon hearing this, Fan Zhengcheng nodded subconsciously, finding it somewhat reasonable.

But upon closer reflection, something seemed amiss.

He paced back and forth in the tent, his brow furrowed, lost in thought.

A moment later, he abruptly stopped and said gravely, "Something's wrong!"

"If it was just a matter of food shortage, they should have gone down the mountain to find supplies. Why did they go deeper into the mountains?"

A terrible thought flashed through his mind. He looked at his subordinates and said in a very low voice, "Could it be that these poachers knew we were coming and deliberately went deeper into the area to avoid our search and encirclement?"

The subordinate paused for a moment, pondered carefully, and then a look of shock appeared on his face. He quickly nodded, "Director, it's really possible!"

"There is no other reasonable explanation!"

"They must have sensed something was up and fled beforehand, deliberately heading deeper into the area to avoid our search!"

Fan Zhengcheng's expression instantly darkened. He waved his hand and said seriously, "If that's really the case, then we're in trouble!"

"This matter is extremely important. Don't tell anyone, understand?"

The subordinates also realized the seriousness of the matter. The fact that the poachers were able to know about their actions in advance meant that there might be a mole within the protected area or the police force who tipped them off!

He nodded emphatically: "Yes, Chief!"

Fan Zhengcheng waved his hand wearily and said, "Alright, you can go back to work now. Report any new discoveries to me immediately."

The subordinate quickly responded and hurried out of the tent.