He called Xiao Yuan De over and put a watch on his wrist. "Congratulations, Mr. Xiao. It's been many years. There aren't many people like you who can deal with jackals anymore. This is a Rolex watch, worth tens of thousands. I've never been able to give it away!"
"Oh? Is that so? I love Rolex watches the most!" Xiao Yuan De's pretense was a little obvious. I guessed from his demeanor that he had never cared for such things. He and Du Qi Tai laughed heartily, and I thought to myself, Yuan De, your acting skills!
After they finished laughing, Du Qi Tai gave Xiao Yuan De an envelope and then turned to us. "Everyone, do you see? If you want to get rewards, you'll have opportunities in other parts of the tourist area. This morning's activity is over. You can take the game you caught and barbecue it! However, you're also free to explore and find restaurants nearby!"
"Haha, Boss Du, you just said it's been many years since anyone dealt with jackals. Did all the others get eaten by jackals?"
He Xin was just joking, but to her surprise, Du Qi Tai's brow furrowed as if a nerve had been struck.
"I didn't mean that!" Despite the short sentence, I noticed his expression was off. This guy was probably lying again.
"Alright then! Let's go barbecue!" He Xin said, trying to smooth things over.
We took the jackal carcasses. Before roasting, I naturally tested them for poison. Once I confirmed there were no issues, we bought some barbecue tools from a shop next to the barbecue area, and everyone got busy.
While barbecuing, Gao Ming Qiang said, "That soil seems to have a problem."
"Hmm? You noticed too? The soil in the hunting grounds seems to have something buried in it!" Liu Yu Ning replied.
"It's human bones! I noticed it just now but didn't say anything," I stated directly.
"Ah, it seems the jackals really ate quite a few people before," He Xin said in surprise.
We discussed it quietly amongst ourselves. Du Qi Tai wasn't here. Upon learning this, Xia Hou picked up his phone and said, "I'll go take some photos. Be careful, everyone. This alone should be enough to convict them, right?"
"Not yet. You probably haven't noticed, but our phones haven't worked since we got here!" I said.
"No way?" Liu Yu Ning immediately picked up her phone, and everyone else followed suit. After they tried it, they suddenly understood.
"So what do we do now?" Liu Yu Ning asked me.
"Let's play the long game. It's not enough to expose the problems of the entire tourist area yet. There are too few white bones in the hunting grounds. In court, Du Qi Tai can always say it was an accident. After all, he didn't do it; it was the jackals!"
"I understand. Everyone, pay attention. You must continue to play your roles carefully. Don't get exposed!"
Everyone agreed. We ate the roasted meat heartily. It tasted good, even without seasoning, just the natural flavor.
As we were eating, Gao Ming Qiang went to the adjacent shop and bought some beer. Seeing him open it, Xie Chu Chu couldn't help but tease, "Ming Qiang, you're really carefree!"
"So what? Let's just treat it as a vacation. Isn't it great to work and travel at the same time?" Gao Ming Qiang opened a bottle of beer and drank it in one go.
I coughed. "Don't drink too much, just in case something happens suddenly. Remember, we have a mission here!"
"Got it!" Everyone replied. After eating and drinking moderately for a while, Du Qi Tai returned. We immediately resumed our act.
"Ah, Boss Du! Why are you back again? Are there any more exciting programs to introduce this afternoon?" He Xin excitedly stood up and waved at Boss Du.
"Miss He, you guessed correctly. I've come to give you some gym passes for the sports complex."
"Sports complex??"
Speaking of which, Du Qi Tai then explained to us, "The tourist area's sports complex is located to the west. You can take a small boat there. Today, there's a special fitness event, all free, so don't miss it. Of course, you're also free to explore on your own!"
Mentioning fitness, Yuan He excitedly said, "I love fitness the most! Brother, let's go to the sports complex this afternoon!"
"Sure. Actually, I haven't been to the gym in a long time," Yuan He said confidently.
Seeing that they had all said so, we deliberately echoed them, all expressing great interest in fitness. Du Qi Tai became even more excited. "Great! It's really fortunate to have met you all. You are the friendliest tourists I've ever hosted! However, at the sports complex, you'll be received by our Manager Zhang!"
"Manager Zhang? Doesn't he manage the commercial street?" He Xin asked curiously.
"No, we don't have many staff members here. Many people manage several areas at once."
"Oh, I see."
Following the map, we all took small boats to the sports complex. Manager Zhang was indeed waiting for us, likely having been alerted by Du Qi Tai.
Seeing us, he said, "Welcome, tourists. The boss has already informed me."
"That's good. Manager Zhang, what kind of sports equipment do you have inside?" Yuan He asked.
"We have everything! Absolutely everything you could want!" Manager Zhang said excitedly, patting his chest.
We all appeared very interested and followed Manager Zhang into the vast sports complex, our faces lit up with anticipation, though we were cursing inwardly.
This place was indeed quite large, designed somewhat like a medieval square, with a unique fountain in front. Many fish swam in the water. As we passed, they deliberately showed their small heads, their round eyes darting around.
However, I inadvertently noticed something submerged at the bottom of the water.
I didn't look closely at that moment and followed the group into the sports complex.
Inside, we saw countless fitness equipment, and everyone was incredibly excited. Some people started using the treadmills, while others chose jump rope, swimming, or disco dancing. In short, everyone found a suitable sports activity according to their interests.
Gao Ming Qiang and I went to the basketball court and began shooting hoops proficiently. He Xin walked over at this point. She was quick, and within a minute, she snatched the basketball from Gao Ming Qiang and made a jump shot.
"Nice shot! He Xin, do you play often?" Gao Ming Qiang asked.
"Sometimes. I play when I'm bored. I remember when I was in college, I was even the captain of the women's basketball team!"
"That's amazing? Looks like I've met my match today!" Gao Ming Qiang patted He Xin's shoulder and took the ball back.