Chapter 951: Chapter 951

The other side, realizing Lin Chen and his group were not responding, continued yelling, "Mr. Lin, you've reached a dead end. Surrender is your only way out."

At that moment, Lin Chen noticed Zhao Xiaohua winking at him.

Only then did Lin Chen realize that the jungle around them was teeming with vibrantly colored snakes.

These snakes were vividly colored and all flicking their tongues.

It seemed they had accidentally intruded into these creatures' territory.

Just by looking at the colors of these venomous snakes, it was clear they were highly poisonous. A bite would undoubtedly result in dire consequences.

At this point, everyone's expressions darkened considerably, as they found themselves surrounded by a group of deadly snakes.

Among them, Lin Chen was in the most dangerous position. While the others kept some distance from the snakes, one particularly venomous snake near Lin Chen was less than a fist's length away.

Lin Chen's eyes flashed with a golden light, and a cold smile crept across his lips.

"Fine, we agree to surrender. But we have some conditions," Lin Chen suddenly declared.

Hearing Lin Chen's statement, everyone was stunned, but Lin Chen gave them a meaningful look.

To their surprise, they noticed the venomous snakes that had initially been coiled nearby had retreated into the underbrush.

Remembering the time Lin Chen had controlled a swarm of venomous bees, everyone suspected this must be his doing again.

Upon hearing Lin Chen agree to surrender, Ge Lei's eyes lit up.

To capture Lin Chen's group alive would be a major achievement—something Han would surely reward handsomely upon their return.

"Very well, state your conditions," Ge Lei said, laughing loudly.

Lin Chen pondered briefly before saying, "First, you have to guarantee our safety, especially the safety of the ladies."

"No problem," Ge Lei replied with a grin.

However, deep down, Ge Lei was scheming otherwise. After all, the women in Lin Chen's group were stunningly beautiful, and he had no intention of letting them go unspoiled.

"Second, we hand over the items to you, and you must let us leave the secret realm," Lin Chen said after thinking a while longer.

Ge Lei burst into laughter. "Alright, I can agree to that."

"And third, I hope you enjoy the little gift I just sent your way."

Before Lin Chen could finish his words, the leaves on the opposite side began shaking violently.

"Damn it, snakes!" came a panicked cry from the other side.

What followed were a series of agonized screams echoing through the jungle.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Lin Chen and his group abruptly stood up and fired toward the source of the cries.

Amid the confusion, they forged a bloodied path straight ahead, charging through.

In an instant, the deafening sound of gunfire shattered the jungle's eerie stillness.

Birds took flight in alarm, wild animals fled in all directions, and Lin Chen's group fought while retreating, with Ge Lei—furious and enraged—leading his men in hot pursuit.

Thick shrubbery and densely packed trees slowed their escape, as they had to hack their way through while advancing, significantly reducing their speed.

By nightfall, they were utterly exhausted and frustrated to find themselves once again surrounded by the enemy.

Using his enhanced vision, Lin Chen quickly discerned the enemy's formation.

Ge Lei had split his forces into four ten-man teams, advancing in a dragnet formation.

In other words, they were systematically shrinking the encirclement to trap Lin Chen's small team.

"What do we do now?" Lan Xingyue asked, looking at Lin Chen.

The situation was growing increasingly dire. The enemy had overwhelming firepower and had surrounded them on all fronts.

"Why don't we fight them head-on?" An Xiaodi said, her gaze steely.

"No, we have a mission to complete. A frontal assault would just be a pointless sacrifice," Lan Xingyue shook her head.

Lin Chen frowned, pondering for a moment before saying, "I have a plan."

The group huddled together, and Lin Chen shared his strategy with them.

"Lin Chen, you're a genius," Wang Zixuan said excitedly.

As the night deepened, the jungle was cloaked in impenetrable darkness.

By this time, Lin Chen and his team had successfully skirted past the crossfire zone and slipped away undetected.

For half an hour, the two factions continued exchanging fire. It wasn't until Ge Lei and his men arrived that they realized they had been firing at their own people the entire time.

"You worthless fools! You've fallen for their ploy!" Ge Lei bellowed angrily.

Lin Chen's group plunged into the primeval forest, vanishing without a trace. Finding them now would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

After a grueling march, they finally stopped as sunlight began to filter through the trees.

Lin Chen climbed a towering tree over ten meters high, surveyed the area, and declared, "Alright, we've been running all night. Let's take a break now. Ge Lei's group shouldn't be able to catch up with us anytime soon."

To outmaneuver their pursuers, they had deliberately chosen a side path, making it even harder for their enemies to track them.

After all, locating someone in such a dense jungle was tantamount to an impossible task.

As they rested, Lin Chen's gaze swept over the group—Zhao Xiaohua and An Xiaodi seemed trustworthy enough.

Lan Xingyue was part of the Dragon Team, so she was likely reliable too. That left Wang Zixuan, Mu Yuqiu, and Yue'er under suspicion.

"Who among them is the mole?"

Lin Chen knew that he had to unmask the traitor. Otherwise, no matter where they fled, the enemy would easily locate them.

After a ten-minute break, Lan Xingyue stood up. "The enemy has entered the secret realm. We need to act quickly."

"Xingyue, I thought only we could access this secret realm. How did those people get in?" Lin Chen asked, puzzled.

"I don't know. Something must have gone wrong," Lan Xingyue replied, shaking her head.

"Captain, I think it's time you told us our mission. We're sandwiched between unknown dangers ahead and relentless pursuers behind. We need to know what we're up against," Lin Chen said gravely.

Lan Xingyue hesitated, her expression torn. She looked at Lin Chen and said, "I'm sorry, but I can't disclose it yet. All I can tell you is that this mission is of immense importance."

Just then, a small bird landed on An Xiaodi's shoulder, chirping incessantly.

An Xiaodi said, "The enemies are five kilometers away and heading straight for us."

"Just as I thought!" Lin Chen was now certain someone within their team was a traitor. Somehow, the mole was feeding their location to the enemy.

"Who could the mole be?"