The main entrance of the cave is quite large, making it convenient for both entry and combat. A direct assault would be disadvantageous, so initially, Jiang Ning and Huo Yishen will take action at a smaller entrance to draw some of the people inside out.

However, the most important thing right now is to understand the situation inside the cave. 

After waiting for over an hour, suddenly the cave entrance lit up with lights. 

Ten men armed with weapons came out lively and boisterous. 

Their flashlights swung, their voices drawing nearer. 

“Third Brother, the Rong family both called the police and agreed to pay the ransom. Could it be a trap?” 

“The Rong family is arrogant, thinking that calling the police can save their son. In this day and age, even the police can’t protect themselves. Their visit to the Rong family is just a formality; they won’t conduct a proper investigation. 

Don’t worry, the boss has already talked to Scar. They will cooperate with us to stir up some trouble in the city, ensuring that even if it’s a trap, we can handle it.” 

“Third Brother is right. Let’s take a stroll around the Rong family later. Once we confirm they’ve brought the goods, we can show ourselves.” 

“Haha, it’s so easy to take stuff from the rich. Whatever we want, they’ll give us. As for that idiot, he’s not even worth a piss, yet the Rong family is willing to waste resources to exchange for him. 

Once we get our hands on those 50 guns, we’ll recruit some more people and charge into the villa area. We’ll spray bullets everywhere and cut off their heads to use as urinals.” 

“This bastard dared to kick me. Once we get the goods back, we’ll kill him!” 

As they walked further away, their conversation remained arrogant and boastful, completely oblivious to the danger lurking in the dark forest. 

When they were gone, Jiang Ning and Huo Yishen quietly approached the lookout. 

The weather was freezing, with a chilling wind blowing. The lookout, wrapped in a coat, stomped his feet for warmth. “This damn weather, if only I could crawl under the covers.” 

“Thinking about women again?” 

“Haha, aren’t you? We caught a few good-looking ones these days. I can’t wait to have some fun after duty.” 

The three men spoke freely, occasionally taking sips of alcohol to keep warm. 

After half an hour, one of them shivered and said, “You two watch, I’ll go take a leak.” 

The other two paid no attention, knowing there was a lookout ahead; no one could sneak in. 

They know he’s just being lazy and making excuses, he was probably finding a place to sleep again. 

As he walked towards a sheltered spot, gun slung over his shoulder, he suddenly felt someone grab him from behind, and then a sharp pain hit his waist. 

Huo Yishen restrained him, while Jiang Ning held a knife to his heart. “Don’t move, or I’ll end you!” 

The man couldn’t move, nodding frantically in fear. 

“How many of you are there?” 

“Six… sixty-eight.” 

“How many guns and other weapons do you have?” 

“30 guns, explosives, grenades…” 

Jiang Ning interrogated him about the layout of the cave, the kidnapped people, and so on. 

The caves along the terrain weren’t large. They were mostly dug by hand, with only two entrances in total. 

The other one, Jiang Ning had found. 

The man was cooperative. He even disclosed what markings were near the entrance, hoping for mercy. 

The workers who dug the caves were refugees. They worked day and night until they died, and then they were thrown into the mountain ravines. 

Six wealthy children were also abducted. However, after their families paid the ransom, they would be disposed of if they were no longer useful. 

There were even more women for entertainment, with over 30 still alive. 

Considering all this, there were at least a hundred people in the cave. 

Having obtained the information they needed, Huo Yishen snapped the man’s neck and dragged him into the bushes to hide. 

The two returned to discuss their next steps. 

Jiang Ning took out a bottle of ether from her backpack and handed it to Ding Qi. “This is ether. Tie it with the fuel bombs. High temperatures can accelerate its volatility which can caused unconsciousness. Be careful when using it.” 

The diethyl ether was discovered in Chairman Feng’s study and was only available in a limited quantity of 50 liters. 

Gas masks were too bulky to fit in the backpack, so Jiang Ning could only provide four people with filtering masks. 

They agreed on a time to act, with a 15-minute difference between the two groups. 

The two returned to the rear of the mountain with the dog and were getting ready to ambush. 

At the agreed-upon time, Jiang Ning took out her submachine gun and threw stones towards the cave entrance. 

The drowsy lookout was startled and grabbed his weapon while rushing out, “Who’s there?” 

Huo Yishen had excellent aim and took down each one with precision. 

Gunshots echoed through the dark forest. 

In less than three minutes, footsteps sounded, and four or five men rushed out. 

Huo Yishen didn’t act but left everything to Jiang Ning. 

Taking advantage of the night vision goggles, Jiang Ning fired several shots in succession. 

Two of them were not killed instantly, so Huo Yishen finished them off with arrows. 

Then, seven or eight more people rushed out, wielding torches and machetes, searching for the intruders. 

To conserve bullets, the two switched to crossbows and took another two to three minutes to deal with them. 

Realizing the vast difference in strength, no one else dared to rush out but stayed inside, listening for any movements. 

As the time arrived, gunshots sounded from the other side of the mountain. 

The people inside the cave panicked instantly, realizing they had been ambushed! 

Jiang Ning seized the opportunity to throw a grenade into the cave. 

The violent explosion was followed by screams. 

They ordered the dog to stay put while they rushed into the cave to finish off anyone still alive. They wore gas masks, threw a burning fuel bomb tied with ether deeper into the cave, and then collapsed the entrance, leaving them trapped inside for a while longer. 

With the entrance blocked, they picked up the weapons dropped by the others and quietly left. 

When they returned, Ding Qi had not only dealt with the lookout but also taken care of the perimeter guards who had rushed back. They had thrown fuel bombs and tear gas inside. 

They didn’t rush into the cave; instead, they dealt with anyone who came out. Those who stayed inside were left to suffocate. 

Altogether, twelve people rushed out, all of whom were efficiently dealt with by the group. 

After waiting for 20 minutes, the six fully armed individuals entered the cave. 

They proceeded cautiously without using lights, relying solely on night vision goggles. 

Those who were close enough to be affected by the ether were dispatched without hesitation and they ensure they would not be reincarnated. 

After advancing a few hundred meters, they heard movement in the darkness. 

Taking advantage of their superior equipment, Jiang Ning swiftly sent them away. 

They advanced cautiously, quickly penetrating deeper into the cave. 

Inside, several rooms had been carved out, including living quarters, entertainment areas, and storage rooms. 

There were alcohol, cigarettes, vacuum-sealed bags of rice and flour, medicines, cooking ingredients, dried seafood, grains, and wheat, among other things. 

Lu Yu and the others were tempted but remained vigilant. 

Jiang Ning found a luxuriously decorated room with a strong smell of smoke and alcohol. The bed still had a faint warmth. 

All the issues inside the cave had been resolved. 

Huo Yishen successfully located the wealthy young men who had been imprisoned, and he immediately recognized Rong Sanshao. 

He had been severely beaten, with injuries all over his body and his face resembling a pig’s head. He wouldn’t be recognizable even to his own mother. 

All of them were lying on the ground, unconscious from the ether. 

Counting them, there were nine unconscious individuals. 

It was a trap!