After leaving Zhang Haixing's residence, he hadn't gone far before he saw Hu Bayi and Wang Fatty squatting by the riverbank, looking utterly dejected.
Seeing Gu Gang approach, the two hurriedly stood up and greeted him with forced smiles.
"Boss Gu, how is the young lady inside doing?" they asked with concern.
"It's fine, she just needs to rest for a while longer," Gu Gang replied with a shake of his head.
Hu Bayi then told Gu Gang that their plan to collect antiques in the village would likely fall through, as an archaeological team had arrived at Niuxin Mountain, and the old village chief had already handed over everything the villagers had gathered to them.
Though Gu Gang had already anticipated this, he took the news calmly and probed, "It doesn't matter if we can't find any antiques. I've heard rumors that there have been sightings of wild men in the Savage Valley a few dozen miles away, and there's even a relic of a Kwantung Army Fortress. I wonder if it’s true? I was just thinking of heading over to investigate. What do you two think?"
At the mention of the Kwantung Army Fortress, the two exchanged a glance for a second before quickly becoming excited—they had finally remembered. Although they had heard similar rumors before, they hadn't taken them to heart. Since this trip had been a total loss, finding wealth in the fortress would certainly make up for it.
Hu Bayi immediately proposed, "Boss Gu, actually, we were just discussing going to the Kwantung Army Fortress ourselves. Why don't we team up?"
Wang Fatty chimed in, "That's right, Boss Gu! It’s definitely dangerous over there; it will be much safer if we act as a group!"
Gu Gang smiled and nodded in agreement. "In that case, let's go together. However, the terrain in Savage Valley is extremely complex; it would be safer to hire a guide familiar with the area. It wouldn't do to get lost."
With Gu Gang's approval, Hu Bayi and the others showed signs of relief. Although Hu Bayi still harbored some reservations about Gu Gang, he had no other choice. To solve their current predicament, he had to bite the bullet and join Gu Gang in searching for the fortress.
After some discussion, Hu Bayi and Wang Fatty went to find the old village chief to ask for help in contacting a guide who knew the terrain. Not long after, Hu Bayi and Wang Fatty returned, looking helpless as they led a short-haired girl toward the group.
The woman was about eighteen years old, dressed in practical gear, and leading several large, fierce Tibetan Mastiffs. The dogs were powerful and imposing, radiating an aura that would make them unafraid of wolves or leopards. She also had a hunting rifle slung over her back; she was clearly a huntress from the mountain village.
"Boss Gu, this young lady is our guide. She’s got a bit of a fiery temper, so watch yourself," Wang Fatty whispered to Gu Gang.
The short-haired girl was full of spirit. Her eyes sparkled as she looked straight at Gu Gang and asked, "I heard there was a shootout here last night? I’m your guide, Yingzi."
Gu Gang chuckled, gave a slight nod in response, and ignored the question about the previous night, instead shifting the topic: "Now that everyone is here, we can set off. I’ve already told Gu San and the others to prepare an off-road vehicle; after all, there's quite a distance to cover, and it'll be much more convenient."
"Wow! A mountain off-roader! That’s a great machine—fast and comfortable, way better than riding a horse!" Wang Fatty’s eyes lit up, and he gave Gu Gang a thumbs-up.
Soon, the roar of an engine approached, and a beast-like off-road vehicle charged toward them, kicking up clouds of dust. Once the vehicle came to a stop, Gu San and Gu Si climbed out and gave a concise report to their master, while also revealing the situation from last night: they hadn't stayed at the camp but had instead gone into the city to handle some trouble, including potential threats left behind by members of the Wang Family, to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. They had also swapped for a new vehicle to handle the upcoming journey.
"Let's go!" Gu Gang waved his hand, and the team loaded their equipment into the car. The space was spacious enough that the six of them didn't feel crowded, and the Tibetan Mastiffs simply followed behind outside.
Speeding along the winding path, they crossed the grasslands in just a couple of hours and entered a dense forest section within the mountain ranges.
"The target should be up ahead—Savage Valley!" Yingzi said after confirming their location.
With a sharp screech of brakes, the car kicked up dust and came to a halt. Gu San drove the vehicle deep into their destination before stopping completely. Everyone got out and looked around. It was noon; had they traveled by horse, it would have taken at least half a day, showing the clear advantage of mechanized transport.
"Master, is this 'Savage Valley'? It doesn't look like anything special," Gu Si muttered, scanning the area with his weapon in hand, looking disappointed.
However, at that very moment, a thunderous roar erupted from deep within the nearby woods. A second later, a massive, black-and-yellow-furred creature nearly three meters tall appeared—it was the legendary giant man-bear! The bipedal beast locked its ferocious, violent gaze onto Gu Gang and his entourage.
"Sss, Old Hu, is that a man-bear? It’s even more terrifying than a regular black bear! How could a man-bear be hiding in Savage Valley?" Wang Fatty gasped, trembling with fear. Even the mastiffs Yingzi brought dared not move, only growling at the beast.
"Bang!" A gunshot pierced the air, and a bullet struck the man-bear in the skull. However, it only chipped the bone and caused no real damage.
"ROAR!" Enraged by the pain, the man-bear charged straight at Yingzi, who had fired the shot.
"Yingzi, get out of the way!" Hu Bayi shouted, his face tightening with alarm as the massive figure lunged. Despite its size, the creature was fast and closed the distance in an instant.
"Courting death!" A cold glint flashed in Gu Gang's eyes. His figure moved like lightning, appearing in front of Yingzi before he threw a fierce punch.
*BOOM!*
The force was so powerful it seemed to shatter the air. The giant man-bear was sent flying like a cannonball, and when it hit the ground, its head had been pulverized. Blood splattered everywhere; the ferocious beast had been killed instantly by a single punch from Gu Gang.
Gu San and Gu Si didn't seem surprised, but Hu Bayi and Wang Fatty were left stunned and speechless. To crush such a terrifying monster with one punch—what a frightening display of strength!
Looking at Gu Gang, Yingzi’s heart was filled with nothing but deep reverence. In her eyes, no animal was more terrifying than this man-bear, not even tigers or lions, and that one had been a king among them. Without Gu Gang’s intervention, she would have surely died.
"San, Si, this man-bear’s flesh and blood are incredibly potent, far surpassing that of a tiger. Dismember it; it will be of great benefit to our cultivation."