Chapter 1000: Chapter 683: Loulanel Village [19] Slap in the Face
"How do you use it?" Jared Oliveira pondered for a while, his thoughts drifting, "Do you give the photo to the thugs and then shout ’Look at my killer beauty’?"
Frank Ford: "..."
April Thomason: "..."
What an imagination.
"Ahem." Frank Ford coughed lightly, somewhat embarrassed, "Maybe it’s just technically an amulet for good luck."
"A photo of yourself?" Jared Oliveira was shocked, "Why not go to a temple for one?"
April Thomason glared at Jared Oliveira.
—Can this guy not die if he stops talking?
Jared Oliveira shrank his neck and immediately shut up.
"My sister would not do something so useless," April Thomason, not convinced, rolled up her sleeves and said, "Ford, have they arrived?"
"Yes, Felipe Clark and Miss Pinto have both gone ahead."
"You head over as well, we’ll be there soon." At this point, April Thomason paused slightly, "Bring the amulet, try to use it when you get a chance."
"Huh?"
Frank Ford felt awkward.
This...
Feels quite embarrassing.
"What if you run into her fans?" April Thomason asked.
Frank Ford: "..." He thought those tough guys weren’t likely to be little fans online shouting "I love you, Heavenly Immortal."
But after thinking about it, he didn’t say anything and agreed.
Guess we’ll see.
What if it brings some luck?
*
April Thomason and Jared Oliveira arrived at the scene of the commotion a step later.
The villagers, armed with long knives and sticks, surrounded the investigation team, including Annabelle Pinto.
Annabelle Pinto probably failed in negotiations with them.
Someone was gesticulating at Annabelle Pinto, she couldn’t take it and directly fought them, but after she knocked down two people, a long stick struck her back fiercely, making a "bang" sound as it broke in two. Annabelle Pinto groaned and fell to the ground.
"Miss Pinto!"
Felipe Clark rushed forward immediately.
But just as he bent down and was about to reach Annabelle Pinto, someone kicked him in the shoulder, knocked him to the ground, and he couldn’t get up.
They’re just bookish types, how could they possibly fight these people?
Seeing this, no one else dared to approach, not even to help Felipe Clark or Annabelle Pinto.
"Mr. Oliveira! April!"
From afar, seeing Jared Oliveira and April Thomason arriving, the investigation team seemed to have seen their saviors and immediately beamed with joy.
At their shout, the villagers immediately looked toward the newcomers.
But, what attracted them was not Jared Oliveira, but the imposing presence of April Thomason.
—Anyone knowledgeable could see that April Thomason had an extraordinary aura, clearly someone who had faced real life and death.
By coincidence, this group wasn’t ordinary ruffians, they had some sense.
As the two approached, the groups automatically parted to let them through to the center.
"April."
Seeing the granite-faced April Thomason, Frank Ford touched his nose and greeted her.
April Thomason glanced at him, then looked at the group of people.
"Who’s the leader?" April Thomason moved her wrist and asked.
"Me."
One of them stepped forward.
Broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with dark skin, obvious characteristics of a local, but he exuded a leader’s intimidating aura.
He likely wasn’t an ordinary person.
"Want money?" April Thomason asked.
"Hmm."
The person wasn’t forthcoming.
"Negotiating is useless, let’s just fight," April Thomason said bluntly, "If you win, you’ll deal with us however you like; if we win, you leave obediently."
The investigation team: "..."
What the heck!
They don’t want to fight!
If it’s going to come to blows, they’d rather just pay!
Frank Ford also twitched his mouth, clearly not expecting this straightforward brutality.
However, April Thomason had already spoken, and at this point, it was impossible to take it back. Moreover, the group had taken her words seriously. They sought the opinion of their head honcho, who focused on April Thomason, and with a signal, the two sides began to clash.
"..."
In no time, the male members of the investigation team were wailing.
They really didn’t want to fight!
They’re just weak scholars!
They whimpered, wanting to plead, but the opponent wouldn’t listen.
Poor Frank Ford, just yesterday he had tussled with someone and was still covered in injuries. Now, not yet mentally prepared, he had to fight again, gritting his teeth against the pain while constantly watching out for knives and sticks.
During the struggle—
Suddenly, the pocket watch in Frank Ford’s pocket flew out, hit the ground, and popped open.
Initially, no one paid attention.
However, when the leader was kicked to the ground by April Thomason and happened to land in front of the pocket watch, he was about to get up to continue fighting but caught a glimpse of the amulet, and was momentarily stunned.
The next second, he shouted—
"Stop!"
So, they really stopped.
Everyone froze simultaneously and looked at him in confusion.
He picked up the pocket watch that had been knocked loose, patted his backside, and stood up, appearing a bit nervous and fearful.
The expedition team looked at each other in disbelief.
Someone whispered:
"What’s that?"
"A pocket watch, seems to have Nora Scott’s photo."
"What?"
...
They were shocked, dumbfounded.
What was normal about carrying around a photo of Nora Scott? And putting it in a pocket watch.
"Whose is this?!" The leader raised the pocket watch, his voice gruff, making it impossible to discern his emotions, but it was undoubtedly loud.
April Thomason thought the situation was interesting, put away the long knife she had taken, and glanced at Frank Ford.
Frank Ford swallowed, not because he was scared, but because he was a bit surprised. Anticipating something, to avoid embarrassing Nora Scott, he calmly raised his hand, "Mine."
Once he spoke, the expedition team started murmuring again.
"Isn’t Nora Scott his sister-in-law? Why does he carry this kind of photo with him?"
"Maybe it’s..."
"Say no more!"’
"Frank Ford is always pestering Nora Scott, isn’t he?"
"Disgusting."
...
Frank Ford heard these remarks, his expression immediately turned cold, as he looked back at the group of senior brothers.
This glance was icy to the extreme, devoid of the usual kindness, making everyone tremble and instinctively shut their mouths.
"What’s your relationship with her?" asked the leader.
Frank Ford replied, "She’s my sister-in-law."
The leader: "..." He was momentarily tongue-tied.
Noticing Frank Ford’s injuries, the leader felt a chill running through his bones.
April Thomason noticed his expression, becoming more convinced of her guess, casually tossed aside the long knife, clapped her hands, and asked, "She’s now in Loulanel Village, do you want to meet her?"
In just a few seconds, the leader broke out in a sweat, perspiring heavily, he wiped his face with a hand, took a breath, and when he spoke, he sounded utterly lacking in confidence, "No, no need."
Like a deflated balloon.
He even seemed very frightened.
"..."
The expedition team exchanged puzzled looks.
"So, how do you want to resolve this?"
The leader’s palms were sweating, and his fingers trembled slightly as he held the pocket watch.
Annabelle Pinto stood up and seeing the leader’s attitude dramatically change because of a photo, curiously asked, "What does that mean?"
Looking at the bewildered expressions on these people’s faces, the leader was somewhat surprised, "You don’t know?"
"What are we supposed to know?" Felipe Clark raised his hand, covering his shoulder in confusion.
"Nora Scott, the Northwest Overlord, known by all."
The leader wanted to throw the pocket watch back to Frank Ford but, seeing the dust on it, carefully wiped it clean on his clothes before handing it back to Frank Ford.
Extending his hand, the leader made a gesture of courtesy toward Frank Ford and April Thomason, "We were blind, offended you. To make up for it, let us know if there’s anything we can help with."
Hearing this, even those who were out of touch with the situation knew something had changed.
"Is that so?"
"We can say anything?"
"Even help us with work?"
...
The initially timid group suddenly perked up, with some even daring to step forward.
But Frank Ford simply gave them a cold look, graciously returned the gesture to the leader, and then stated, "Nora Scott is just my sister-in-law, not theirs."
"What do you mean, Frank Ford?!"
"We feed and house Nora Scott, always accommodating her, and you say something this disgusting?!"
"What, did we uncover your filthy secret of carrying her photo?!"
...
In front of Frank Ford, these people were always very bold, their words getting nastier by the second.
They were used to it.
However, this time Frank Ford did not hold back.
Without another glance at them, Frank Ford directly approached the professor who had been excluded from the "battle" due to his age.
"Professor, I apply to withdraw from the project." Frank Ford took a deep breath, glanced at the group of senior brothers behind him, then spoke firmly, "And withdraw the subsequent project funding."
The expedition team: "..."
???
