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Novel Catalog
Chapter_172
The group continued their journey deeper into the jungle, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and foliage. The mission was clear: find the cannibal tribe and learn the truth behind their association with the Tiger Head gang. Everyone, except for Yvette and Jeremiah, had changed into combat camouflage to blend into the surroundings.
Yvette, however, appeared completely unfazed by the looming danger. She walked ahead with her hands casually tucked into her pockets, as though she were on a peaceful stroll through the woods, completely detached from the urgency of the mission. Jeremiah walked beside her, his usual focus evident in the way his eyes scanned the area around them. To the others, it almost seemed like they were on a vacation, the pair’s calmness a stark contrast to the tension in the air.
They walked for another half hour, the jungle around them dense and silent except for the sounds of birds calling from above. Then, without warning, Yvette stopped. Her entire demeanor shifted instantly, her body tensing as her eyes locked onto something in the distance. Her previously carefree stance had vanished, replaced by an icy, intense focus.
The group followed her gaze, and what they saw sent a chill through their spines. Just ahead, a large clearing appeared, surrounded by dense brush. There, in the center of the clearing, were several crude houses made of banana leaves. The structures were rudimentary, but unmistakably inhabited. Each house was adorned with strings of human skulls, their empty eyes staring out in mute horror. Nearby, a large pile of unlit firewood was stacked high, and a huge frame, likely used for roasting, stood in the middle. All around the area, skeletal remains were scattered, some partially buried in the earth, others left out in plain sight.
The wind carried a thick, metallic scent of blood that filled the air. It was a foul, suffocating odor that made everyone’s stomach churn, but despite the gruesome sight, the clearing appeared eerily empty. No signs of life could be seen—no movement, no sounds of chatter, nothing.
Yvette’s eyes hardened as she darted into the bushes, signaling for the others to follow. They quickly crouched down, hiding in the dense foliage, their eyes trained on the clearing.
“The cannibals are just ahead,” Yvette whispered, her voice low but filled with authority. “They’re likely preparing their food. They’ll be back in no more than ten minutes.”
Jeremiah’s gaze narrowed as he observed the scene. How did she know so much about the tribe’s daily routine? It seemed almost too precise to be coincidence. The others, including Emmett, Frankie, and the soldiers, exchanged glances, their expressions turning more serious. Frankie’s eyes narrowed with a sharp, dangerous gleam.
“Ms. Zeller,” he said, his voice tight with anger, “when you say ‘food,’ do you mean… humans?”
Yvette’s face remained as cold as ever. She lifted one eyebrow slightly, her gaze flicking over to Frankie, and her voice dropped to a chilling tone.
“Yes,” she said, “and even children. The cannibals survive by eating children.”
A collective gasp echoed from the group behind her. Even Jeremiah, usually unshaken by such revelations, felt his muscles tense at the implications of her words. Yvette didn’t elaborate further, but her expression darkened, as if recalling something painful from her own past.
Jacob, who had been quiet until now, suddenly slammed his fist into the ground in a gesture of raw anger. His whole body trembled with rage, his teeth clenched. The others, too, were visibly disturbed. In Clusia, children were the future—the hope of the nation. To think that they could become prey for such savages was horrifying.
Bruce, ever the analytical one, looked around, his mind racing. The cannibals ate children, but where would they find so many? The question lingered in the air, unanswered for the moment. He turned to Yvette, his voice low but full of disbelief. “Yve, the children they eat… they’re…?”
The unspoken words hung between them. Yvette met his gaze and nodded, her expression grim.
“They’re their own children,” she replied, her voice tinged with disgust. “The cannibals believe girls are born unlucky, and if a girl is born with any deformities, they don’t hesitate to turn her into food. This tribe is filthy, chaotic, and bloodthirsty.”
Another round of gasps echoed behind her. In Clusia, it was a saying that even a tiger wouldn’t harm its cubs, yet here, in this jungle, a tribe existed that ate its own children. It was unimaginable, monstrous.
Jeremiah’s face grew darker, his eyes like steel as the full weight of what Yvette had said settled on him. Whether or not the cannibals were connected to the Tiger Head gang no longer mattered. This tribe’s very existence was an abomination, and it needed to be erased.
The sound of distant footsteps suddenly reached their ears, breaking the silence of the jungle. The faint murmur of voices could be heard in the distance, their words indistinct but growing louder.
Jeremiah exchanged a quick glance with Yvette, his instincts on high alert. The others readied themselves, their weapons in hand, but they knew they had to wait for the right moment. If the people approaching weren’t the cannibals, they would need to be cautious. But if they were… then this was it. The moment they had been waiting for.
As the figures grew clearer, the group could make out thirty to forty cannibals, moving toward the clearing. The cannibals were dressed in banana leaf clothing and carried crude spears fashioned from thick tree branches. Among them, several younger men, clearly the stronger of the group, carried a makeshift stretcher. On it were two adult men, seemingly lifeless, already prepared for the fire.
Behind the cannibals, a handful of men dressed in modern clothing trailed. Leading them was a man in his forties, sharp-eyed and sinister, his long beard giving him a menacing air. He wore a twisted smile as he glanced over his shoulder at the black box carried behind him.
Emmett, who had personally investigated the Tiger Head gang, immediately recognized the man. “Mr. Chavez, it’s Eban,” he said in a low whisper. “It seems your guess was right. The Tiger Head gang is using the cannibals to produce drugs. That black box likely contains the new type of meth that’s been flooding into Clusia.”
Jeremiah’s expression grew colder as he scanned the group, focusing on Eban. His voice, when it came, was like ice. “Kill them all.”
Yvette glanced at him, her expression unreadable, before turning her attention back to the clearing.
Eban, still unaware of the danger lurking in the bushes, smiled to himself, the thrill of his twisted ritual building inside him. As he watched the cannibals prepare to place the bodies on the roasting rack, he allowed himself a moment of twisted satisfaction. The first time he tasted human flesh had been an accident, but he had quickly become addicted. Now, he was overseeing the production of the drug trade—using human sacrifices to keep the cannibals happy, and in return, they helped supply the meth.
Just as Eban was about to speak, a bullet whizzed through the air, striking him squarely in the lower body. The sound of the shot was deafening, and Eban’s scream echoed through the clearing as he collapsed to the ground, clutching his groin in shock and pain. Blood began to pool around him, and his body convulsed in agony.
The men who accompanied him drew their weapons in a panic, but before they could even react, another series of shots rang out, and they fell, one by one, to the ground with a single, precise red dot between their brows. In an instant, the clearing was silent, save for the panicked roars of the cannibals.
The cannibals, confused and terrified, saw their comrades drop dead, and they assumed that some wild beast was attacking them. They surrounded Eban, attempting to protect him with their spears, but their efforts were futile.
Yvette emerged from the bushes, her movements deliberate and controlled. Her hand remained casually tucked into her pocket, her expression as cold as ever. Jeremiah stepped forward, his eyes scanning the remaining threat. The others—Emmett, Bruce, Chris, Frankie, and Jacob—followed, emerging from their hiding spots with calm determination.
As they walked toward the clearing, Emmett and the others couldn’t help but notice the look on Eban’s face as he lay on the ground, his body shaking with pain. His eyes locked on Yvette’s face, and a shiver ran down his spine. The way she had taken out his men with such precision, and then shot him… it was beyond ruthless.
At the back of the group, Jacob turned to the soldiers behind him, his face twisted in a mixture of fear and humor. “When we get out of this jungle, if Mc Zeller decides to kill me, I’m counting on you guys to hold her back. If that doesn’t work, at least beg her for a quick death and make sure I’m buried whole. Don’t let her take anything,” he said, his voice shaking slightly.
The soldiers glanced at him with sympathy, but the truth was clear: after witnessing Yvette’s cold efficiency, they knew Jacob’s request might be a hard one to fulfill.
Yvette’s gaze scanned the fallen Eban and the surrounding cannibals, her sharp eyes catching on an
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