324 Really Divine Ears (1/2)

Fang Zhao first went over to the kennels.

The base had provided the unprocessed and comprehensive sound recording. Regardless of what a normal person was able to hear or not hear, in Fang Zhao's mind, all the sounds created a comprehensive scene.

Every person, every dog, and all their activities and paths formed a clear picture in his mind.

The spot where the sniper had concealed himself had been planned meticulously. Perhaps he had already been observing for many days.

The first shot had been taken when the dogs had finished their meal in the kennel, when they'd been looking for a spot to rest.

Curly Hair's alertness was very high. He had evaded before the assassin had fired. Following that, he had taken to his heels and chased the perpetrator while dodging the second shot.

Fang Zhao left the kennels, walked over to a large tree, and examined the traces beneath it.

This was where the third shot had struck Curly Hair's backside, but Curly Hair had only slightly paused for a bit before continuing to give chase. Surveillance footage here had been obstructed by the rapidly growing branches and twigs from the trees.

And the base soldiers that had rushed over behind Curly Hair had not been able to discover any bullet traces here, nor had they been able to determine precisely where the assassin had been.

Moving further forward, this was the area where Curly Hair had been restrained by the soldiers from the flying transport.

The sounds in the recording and the traces on the ground all showed that Curly Hair had been very irritable. Curly Hair had been barking away, starting from when he was restrained continuing even after he was brought back to base. Huo Yi and the others felt that Curly Hair had been like this because he had experienced a shock, but looking at it now...

Curly Hair had probably been scolding them.

After all, he had been so close to apprehending the assassin. It was unfortunate that he had been restrained by the base's personnel. He couldn't be blamed for being irritable.

All the way from the kennel to this spot, the men that Huo Yi had dispatched had followed Fang Zhao, but shortly after, they lost Fang Zhao. The lieutenant colonel only knew this much.

In the base, when Huo Yi listened to the lieutenant colonel's report, he wore an amazed look.

”At first, the path he took was the same path that Curly Hair took back then.” Although Huo Yi had already made mental preparations, when he heard this, he could not help but feel that it was miraculous. ”Those ears of Fang Zhao's are really even more impressive than a dog's!”

”That is why he is called Divine Ears,” lamented an aide standing beside Huo Yi.

”Indeed, a dog is like his master. Curly Hair was able to find so many sealed prohibited items, and Fang Zhao can hear sounds that other people are unable to hear. Curly Hair's nose and Fang Zhao's ears, I wish I could keep both of them here.” Huo Yi did not hide his own opinions. If it was anybody else, they would surely also feel the same.

”Actually, Commander, if you really wish to keep the dog, you can try. My grandfather once said that something that can be loaned out isn't really important, and a really important object would never be loaned out. Since Fang Zhao previously lent us the dog, as long as we are able to show enough sincerity and offer sufficient trading terms, Fang Zhao will surely lend us the dog once again. Commander, if you are able to give him more benefits and sacrifice more, perhaps Fang Zhao might even sell the dog to us!” the aide said.

Huo Yi sighed deeply and shook his head in silence.

If it was anybody else, Huo Yi might still have considered discussing it, but Fang Zhao was just too difficult to deal with. Fang Zhao did not lack money, and he wasn't obsessed with power or privilege. If Fang Zhao had really wished to develop further in the military, he would have stayed on planet Baiji. Baiji military district even treated Fang Zhao as a mascot and a treasure. Planet Baiji had much better development prospects than planet Wai.

At this moment, his internal comms device starting ringing.

Huo Yi was flabbergasted. ”Southeast garrison region?”

”Commander, Fang Zhao has requested Southeast Garrison Region Three's original sound recordings and surveillance footage,” stated the other side.

Huo Yi was astonished. He has already arrived there? How is his speed so fast? ”Give it to him!” Huo Yi exclaimed. As long as Fang Zhao was able to find the target, any assistance to Fang Zhao was fine. Today, the base's southeast direction did not have any training activities, so there was no need to maintain secrecy.

Five minutes later.

”Commander! According to the leads that Fang Zhao has provided, we have found a suspicious target. We aren't able to see his face and he is wearing our base's uniform. We have already confirmed that it is stolen. The person probably isn't from our base... Twenty minutes ago, the party entered the primeval forest in front of the southeast garrison region. According to ecology and environmental protection regulations, besides the sentry towers, we don't have any monitoring equipment inside. It will be quite difficult to track the target.”

The person on the other end in charge of giving the report had actually wanted to say that they were poor and had limited funding. In these non-open places, there were only a few old facilities, and the machines there might even be defective, as nobody had maintained them in a long while. However, to save face, he could not speak too directly, just enough that the commander could understand.

Huo Yi could naturally understand what the other party was trying to say. ”Where is Fang Zhao?” Huo Yi asked.

”Fang Zhao... Fang Zhao said he would be heading into the primeval forest to search for the target.”

Huo Yi became even more alert. ”Let him in! You people follow him! Follow him tightly!”

”Yes!”

Two minutes later.

”Commander, reporting... We lost him.”

Huo Yi sat in front of his desk, his face as black as when he received rejections to his requests for additional expenditures.

The lieutenant colonel beside him heaved a sigh of relief. Luckily, I wasn't the only one that lost him. Everyone is useless too. Brothers in the southeast garrison region, you guys are comrades who have gone through the same trials and tribulations as I!

The reporting personnel from Southeast garrison region asked cautiously, ”Commander, what do we do now?”

Huo Yi really wanted to wave his hand and shout ”Find him,” but thinking rationally, now was not a good time to send people in. The primeval forest was an original forest on planet Wai. Although there weren't fierce and savage creatures like on planet Baiji, there were still dangers. Now, it was already getting dark, and the amount of people that could be transferred over to the southeast garrison region was limited. They would also be practically useless if they went. It would still be all right if they had been following Fang Zhao. At least they would still have had someone to follow, but if they were unable to keep track of him, then forget about it.

”Remain on standby where you are!” Huo Yi said through clenched teeth.

————

In the primeval forest southeast of the base, a black figure was moving.

Bang!

A snake darted out from the underbrush, but its head exploded. Snake blood splattered on the underbrush and tree trunks.

The sound of gunfire suppressed by a silencer wasn't very loud, and it was very quickly muffled by the sounds of the snake's head exploding and blood splattering.

In the gradually darkening forest, these sounds were clear yet not very abrupt..

Nightfall descended and the figure finally stopped.

This was a person that did not seem to have any distinguishing characteristics. He might even be wearing a mask. With his appearance now, even if he was captured by surveillance cameras, it would be difficult for someone to remember his face with just a glance.

After this person stopped, he leaned against the trunk of a tree and closed his eyelids slightly. He maintained a specific breathing rhythm and was so quiet that he appeared to blend into the surrounding forest. Not moving for some time, it appeared like he was already sound asleep.

”Tsk!”

The person who seemed like he was sleeping soundly suddenly sneered. Raising his eyebrows, he looked in the direction of Wai base, his expression full of disdain.

Weren't the troops garrisoned on planet Wai supposed to be more impressive than the troops on military districts back on earth? Looking at things now, it seems like this wasn't the case!

It made sense. Before planet Wai had made a name for itself, it had just been a small and barren place. Species here were ordinary and did not pose much threat. Over time, the basic quality of the military here might even be weaker than the military districts of the various continents.

Relaxing his frayed nerves, he fished out a palm-sized communications device. Then he attached an additional device. This was to camouflage the signal to prevent the military team at the sentry tower in the primeval forest from intercepting his communications signal.

He was contacting someone who was waiting in the film entertainment complex.

”Have you succeeded?” The other party's voice was rough. It wasn't his real voice.

”Failed. That tiny thing is rather difficult to deal with. The price has to be increased. Three times the previous price and I will not let it board the transport. Otherwise, you better find someone else.” While he conversed softly, he remained vigilant of his surroundings.

The person on the other end reacted as if he had heard something unfathomable. His rough voice became shrill and ear piercing. ”What did you say? Failed? Aren't you the 'Dog Butcher' known as the number one at slaughtering dogs? With such a high reward, you actually failed? Now we are really doubting your professional ability.”

A hint of fury flashed across the face of the person with the nickname of ”Dog Butcher,” but he calmed down quickly. ”Since you don't believe me, go find someone else. But I advise you all to hurry. I reckon that dog will be taken away by Fang Zhao shortly and won't remain on Wai base.”

The other party's voice sounded very calm. ”If the dog is taken away, then we don't have any need to fork out a large some to kill it. Without the dog around, a lot of our goods will not be detected.”

”Heh!” Dog Butcher laughed sarcastically. ”In no rush, really? Your boss's business is really big. All along, he liked to strangle potential threats in their cradle. Now that he has got his sights on earning a fortune on planet Wai, shouldn't he be willing to spend a little more to clear up the path ahead of him?”

The other party revealed a hint of alarm. ”You know who my boss is?”