Hidden Moth-Chapter 418 - 233: Always Ask for the Reason

He Kao instantly judged that the "criminal" was a Tier Two Sorcerer.

In such dim light, being able to distinguish footprints on the ground and broken branches, as well as trampled grass, indicates that his senses are extraordinary, and his qi and blood state seem perfect.

Yet, this person was tracking based on traces and hadn’t immediately discovered the woman tens of meters away, indicating he had not yet mastered Divine Sense.

The woman probably thought the criminal wouldn’t find her, so she curled up and hid behind a dirt slope in the darkness, surrounded by dense thickets, holding her breath, afraid to make any sound.

But the terrifying footsteps nevertheless approached step by step, soon accompanied by the sound of a few gusts of wind as two shrub branches were split open, and a boot stepped in front of her, light following close behind.

It turned out the criminal had taken out his mobile phone and finally turned on the flashlight, while in his other hand was a gleaming knife.

The woman turned over, kneeling in horror and exclaimed, "Brother Chang, no! Let’s talk this over, whatever you want I’ll give you, I’ll do whatever you ask..."

The man, however, showed no hesitation and raised the knife to slash, "I want you dead—!"

They both spoke in Eastern Country language, with a strong Shanmin accent. When He Kao dealt with the cleaning staff member Gao Chenshu under Bitter Tea, he had been to Shanmin Province and had numerous conversations with the locals, becoming familiar with this accent.

The knife didn’t descend because someone beside them lightly shouted, "Spare the person under the knife!"

The man was startled, feeling a strange sense of crossing dimensions, as if he had stumbled into a historical drama; was someone here to rescue the condemned? In the lonely midnight thicket, such pure Eastern Country lines could still be heard.

But his reaction was swift; the knife was already raised, quickly twisting his body to change direction, slashing horizontally at He Kao... But suddenly, a blur appeared before his eyes, the knife inexplicably taken by He Kao, as he was simultaneously knocked to the ground.

The man tried to struggle, but was kicked, not too lightly nor too heavily, causing him to briefly lose consciousness and faint.

He fell prone, exposing a handgun tucked behind his rear, having previously used a kukri knife instead of a gun, likely to avoid attracting attention from afar with gunshot sounds.

The woman, witnessing this scene, joyfully exclaimed a string of words.

In any case, He Kao didn’t understand a word, estimating she was speaking a foreign language. At this moment, He Kao also turned on his flashlight, saying solemnly, "You’d better speak Eastern Country language."

The woman seemed to have met her savior, "Are you from Eastern Country? I am too, please help me... Thank you for saving me!"

He Kao said, "You are safe now, tell me what happened?"

The woman pointed at the man, "I’m an Eastern Country tourist, and I’ve been targeted by the gang here, they want to capture me..."

He Kao asked, "What do they want to capture you for?"

This was actually a useless question. Gang kidnappings here could have various purposes, such as demanding ransom, trafficking organs, young and beautiful girls could even be forced into prostitution.

The woman, with a crying tone, said, "I don’t know... It’s so dangerous here, they probably have accomplices, brother, can you take me away from this place quickly?"

As she spoke, she extended a hand towards He Kao, seemingly wanting him to pull her up.

He Kao instead stepped back and said, "Since you’re an Eastern Country tourist, I will protect your safety and help you contact your family. Tell me your name and detailed address in Eastern Country."

The woman said, "Benefactor, just get me to a safe place, I will repay you."

He Kao replied, "Don’t rush; I need to know who you are first. What’s your name, where do you live in Eastern Country, and do you have any relatives or friends’ contact information?"

This conversation indeed sounded somewhat like asking for repayment for a favor. Since the woman said she would repay, he didn’t want her to leave without a trace, not knowing whom to ask for remuneration.

The woman said, "My name is Gan Xiaoyu, I live in Shanmin Province, Wuhua County, Nangong Town, Lianxi Village No. 302... Brother, I’m telling the truth, can you just get me to Sutani city and I’ll agree to any conditions!"

Sutani, a city not far from here in Sawa Country.

Upon saying this, she seemed to suddenly regain her senses, hurriedly adding, "I also have friends I know in Sutani, I can call them to come pick me up..."

Just after finishing her words, she fainted as her vision went black, probably already exhausted or too excited to breathe properly... In fact, she was made unconscious by He Kao’s spell.

He Kao frowned, confiscating the gun from the man’s body, then disappeared, and reappeared about ten minutes later, reaching out to pat the fallen man.

Why He Kao didn’t simply rescue the woman, was because he felt something was wrong, not only with the "criminal," but also with this woman!

Due to climate reasons, locals around here tend to have darker or yellowish skin, carrying a greasy dampness. This woman seemed different upon sight; her skin was pale, clearly from spending extended periods indoors, rarely venturing outdoors.

Earlier, her clothes were torn by branches in multiple places, exposing parts that shouldn’t be visible. Normally, she should instinctively cover her chest with her hands, yet while she spoke earlier, she did nothing of the sort, instead unintentionally or intentionally pushing her chest out.

Most importantly, He Kao saw and heard clearly; the man wasn’t robbing or assaulting her, nor planning to take her back; he intended to kill her directly with a knife; this obviously wasn’t a local gang kidnapping.

The attacker spoke in an extremely thick Eastern Country Shanmin Province accent, clearly not a local, the woman even called him "Brother Chang," indicating the two knew each other.

Though He Kao hadn’t cultivated Qi Observation Skill, he excelled in reading people. This woman was evidently lying through her teeth, and under emergency, her ability to craft lies seemed instinctual, proving her habitual tendency to deceive.