America's No.1 Demon Cultivator

The team quickly finished crossing the river, and although the guide said they had to leave immediately, everyone was still given five minutes to rest.

Five minutes later, the group set off again, and after several hours of climbing over mountains and hills, they stopped for a temporary rest by a stream.

This rest was actually their mealtime because, after all, trekking in this kind of area was very exhausting.

Xiu Nuo had prepared compressed biscuits, but just as he took them out, Zhang Wenxuan pushed them back to him, "We are all brothers here, you don't think poorly of us, do you? Why eat biscuits? I've got some self-heating rice meals here."

"Thanks."

"Old Zhao, let's go get some water."

The two headed to the riverbank while Xiu Nuo and Lin Zi stayed in the original spot.

One advantage of having companions is that you can choose a nice place to sit down.

The solo travelers were squeezed into corners during the rest, taking things from their backpacks cautiously, as if afraid of revealing their possessions.

And taking advantage of the afternoon rest, everyone began to make fire, trying to dry their just-wet clothes and wraps as much as possible.

Lin Zi moved closer to Xiu Nuo and asked in a low voice, "Nuo, did you really fuck a snake?"

Xiu Nuo's mouth twitched, and he glanced at him, "A female snake, I'm not interested in males."

After saying this, Xiu Nuo found Lin Zi visibly relaxed.

What did this skinny little monkey think he was?

Lin Zi seemed to be just over 1.6 meters tall, small and thin, which was very different from Zhang Wenxuan.

"Are you and Zhang walking the route together?" Xiu Nuo asked casually, gathering intelligence.

"Ah? Yeah," Lin Zi nodded, then added, "But we didn't start from our country together. I set off from our country, and Zhang seemed to have come from Vietnam. We chatted on the way and found out we were from the same hometown, so we teamed up."

"And Old Zhao?"

"Old Zhao wasn't with us. We saw each other at the port of Nei Cocli. When we were about to enter the rainforest in Pitu, Zhang took me to find Old Zhao, saying that it was good to have an ally. Old Zhao agreed to join us after seeing the two of us and hearing Zhang say he had relatives in America."

"Oh... I see."

Xiu Nuo looked toward the riverbank, where Zhang Wenxuan and Zhao Hong were walking over together.

There was something about this Zhang Wenxuan.

When alone, he first found Lin Zi, this skinny guy. A little fellow like that, out in the world, would certainly not refuse the kindness of others.

The two coming together might not seem useful, but how does that saying go? You don't have to be the strongest in death, just stronger than your companion.

Once you have a companion, even if it's someone who doesn't look so strong, that's still two people. At this time, if you find another person who looks intimidating and lure him into the group with promises, a small team is formed.

Once the trio was established, they were considered safe within this trekking group. It wasn't because the three of them were so formidable, but rather because there were even more people within the group who were easier to bully and rob, in not inconsiderable numbers.

Finally, by bringing in oneself, the 'good Samaritan', the team could begin to expand. Next, they would probably start to recruit females by leveraging oneself, right?

However you look at it, this Zhang Wenxuan seemed like those righteous cultivators, a typical example of mutual aid.

But, Xiu Nuo had a feeling, how should he put it.

He could smell the scent of a kindred spirit on this Zhang Wenxuan.

Interesting.

Zhang Wenxuan and Zhao Hong had already returned with water and then took out four self-heating rice meals from their backpacks, poured in water, and began heating them up, while instructing, "We should reach the temporary camp tonight, where there's a boat. We'll need to travel at least overnight on those broken boats along the river, and there won't be much time to eat, so let's have a good meal now."

"We have bottled water, don't we?" Lin Zi brought over his portion, puzzled, "Zhang, why insist on fetching river water?"

"You're down to one bottle, right?" Zhang Wenxuan patiently explained, "On this rainforest route, we've nearly depleted our supplies. The boats are only equipped to carry people, they don't sell provisions. Once the bottled water runs out, we'll have to drink river water. With our stomachs, a few sips could lay us low if we're unlucky, and then you'll be abandoned. And the local hospitals have charges high enough to empty your wallet."

"Not to mention the cities after Panama. Although they don't have the natural hazards of the rainforest, the level of danger in those countries is hardly less than that of the rainforest."

"What if you have no money by then? No money means you leave your life behind."

Listening to this, Xiu Nuo asked, "This isn't your first time on this route, is it?"

"How could it be. Who would want to walk this rotten path a second time?" After saying this, Zhang Wenxuan leaned forward, whispering, "I spent a lot of money before coming here to buy an insider guide, which lays out all the hidden pits."

Xiu Nuo's voice took on a playful tone, "The guide you have must contain more than just this, right?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wenxuan's expression grew serious.

"Indeed, there's more, like at the temporary camp. Once we get there, it means that the road ahead is a lot safer, but I'm not the only one who knows this, am I? And the location of the temporary camp doesn't change."

Xiu Mo looked at the white steam rising from the lid of the self-heating rice and remarked offhandedly, "You mean, for those drug traffickers who rob us, this is their last chance."

"Exactly." Zhang Wenxuan nodded, "So, do you want to be safer when the time comes?"

"Who wouldn't?" Lin Zi quickly asked, "What do we do, Zhang?"

Zhang Wenxuan looked helpless, "I can't do anything, but Xiu Nuo can."

"Huh?" Zhao Hong looked at Xiu Nuo, "What can you do?"

"Women." With just a few words, Xiu Nuo understood what Zhang Wenxuan meant, "As long as we have women with us, we can 'shield ourselves with misfortune' and be safe by then, at least, we won't have to be dragged off to be shot like my last trip. After all, the more chaotic the place, the closer a woman's value gets to that of a commodity."

"But the money still has to be paid." Zhang Wenxuan looked at Xiu Nuo, "I can pay it for you. Or, if you're lucky enough, they might not notice you."

"Because I've saved people twice, it's simpler to use my name to invite people to join us, right?"

"Exactly," Zhang Wenxuan said, "But it's up to you in the end, since this is..."

"No problem," Xiu Nuo agreed readily, "It's all for survival, after all."

"Then it's settled!" Zhang Wenxuan stood up with the self-heating rice, confidently looking at the others, "Leave the next steps to me; you guys eat first."

Soon after, the three saw Zhang Wenxuan come back with two women.

Both of them were quite ordinary-looking, and even appeared rather ugly due to the few days of hardship in the rainforest.

"Let me introduce you all. These are our new members, Linlin and Xiao Rui. We'll need to look out for each other on the road ahead." After saying this, Zhang Wenxuan turned to the two girls, "Let me introduce..."

While the two women listened to Zhang Wenxuan's introduction, they kept as close to Xiu Nuo as possible, clearly indicating he was the reason they joined this small group.

Xiu Nuo, listening to the chatty Zhang Wenxuan, was already certain.

He's of the same kind.

This innocuous and approachable demeanor was too similar to his own when he was gaining worldly experience! Beneath this human cover, however, hid a man-eating beast.

Reaching out, Xiu Nuo patted Zhang Wenxuan on the shoulder, and a wisp of Ghostly Vicious Energy quietly infiltrated his body.

One must never be without a guard against others, right?