Looking at the video transmission on the computer screen, Hughes said complacently, "How is it? The floodlight I made by converting the Wolf-eyes flashlight is very bright, right?"
Surgi couldn't care less about such things. He stared at the screen and said, "What about the box?"
Just as he finished speaking the box came into view.
Hughes continued to speak in that smug tone. "Look, isn't it here? I told you I'm trustworthy and absolutely reliable."
"Get it down," Surgi said. "I want to determine the number of gems in it."
Hughes frowned and looked at him. "What? Are you crazy? You wanna do something so troublesome at this time?"
Surgi said, "I don't give a d*mn if it's troublesome. Hurry up and get it for me. I want to make sure that they're all right."
Hughes got impatient. "You saw that the gems are fine. If there are any problems, would I still bring you here?"
Surgi got exasperated. "Stop wasting time. Go get it, and let me have a look!"
Hughes glared at him. "Why're you partnering with me since you don't trust me?"
Surgi stared at him. "F*ck, can you stop talking crap, bro? Hurry up and get it down. Let me make sure that they are fine. This is the best way to save time!"
Having been repeatedly coerced, Hughes had no other choice but to comply. He cursed under his breath and got the drone to fly back.
Seeing this, Surgi got anxious, and hollered in rage, "Hey, what are you doing?! Did you not hear what I said earlier?"
Hughes couldn't stand it any longer, and swore out loud, "You Indian pig, how stupid are you?! There's no hook attached to the drone yet, how are you expecting me to get the box down?"
As what Hughes said made sense to him, Surgi remained silent, staring at the huge petrified tree with longing eyes.
After a sturdy hook had been attached to the drone, Hughes got it to fly again, this time steadily toward the petrified tree. He then controlled the drone to try to grab the box with the hook.
Surgi looked at the screen with concern and kept saying, "Be careful, buddy. It wouldn't open up, would it? D*mn it, keep it steady . . . "
Hughes's face was glum; he was obviously finding Surgi annoying. But because he would be able to see the gems soon, he was also pretty excited. Such contradictory feelings tortured him, causing him to suffer an indescribable ache in his heart.
Finally, the black box fell off, and Surgi grabbed hold of the box and cried out, "Oh baby, you finally—"
At that very same moment he spoke those words, several people suddenly jumped out of the quiet petrified forest.
Then, two bright lights shined on Hughes and Surgi. A loud, crisp female voice shouted, "Police! Squat down! Put the box down! Put your hands where we can see them!"
At the sound of the voice, the two of them were stunned.
Several police officers surrounded them in a fan-like manner, with two of them operating heavy-duty flashlights. The rest had a small flashlight and a pistol each, with each flashlight overlaying a pistol. They were all in a ready-for-combat position.
Hughes had wanted to run off. As he turned around, the police officer nearest to him shouted, "First warning, about to shoot!"
Hearing this, Hughes resigned to his fate and sighed in despair. He grabbed his head with his hands before squatting down.
Surgi didn't try to resist. Even if he could run off, where would he go to? All he was familiar with was this national park. Tthe environment outside would be too unfamiliar. He couldn't run away!
The team leader was Luo Qun. She bent slightly and walked up to Surgi briskly, kicked his knees to make him kneel down, and then picked up the box.
She opened the box, and shined a flashlight on its contents; the gleaming pieces of fire opal could be seen.
Fastening the box, she handed it to Alison and then turned to Surgi and Hughes. "Suspect Hughes Ashbrook, Suspect Surgi Kapadia . . . d*mn, this surname's too long. What do you guys have to say?"
A disheartened Hughes said, "I want to call my lawyer, and I won't say anything before my lawyer arrives."
As Luo Qun handcuffed him, she sneered and said, "Well, since you've given up your chance to speak, the next time you open your mouth will be when you plead guilty in court."
"I'm not guilty. I don't know what's going on here," Hughes said as he began his futile argument.
Luo Qun punched him and then snapped, "You've given up the chance to speak. Take him away!"
The two men were taken away together with the box. Luo Qun went back into the petrified forest and said, "Hey, come out."
Li Du, who leaned idly against a petrified tree, said, "I've been sitting here. How did it go? Was it a success?"
Luo Qun said, "Since those two scoundrels have been arrested, the case should be closed. You really had nothing to do with this case? If you do, better tell me now. Otherwise, I won't be able to help you."
Li Du shrugged. "Really no connection. I already said, I just happened to find out that there was something up with them."
"Just happened to find out that they had hidden the loot here?" Luo Qun threw a sideways glance at him. "Why am I finding this unbelievable?"
Li Du said, "Facts speak louder than words. Who asked for me to be blessed with keener observation skills than most? Okay, go and get your commendation. I didn't expect you to be in the Flagstaff police's elite squad."
This had been the first case of theft of national resources in a national park in nearly ten years. The Arizona state police took the case very seriously; elite squads from several major cities had been mobilized to crack the case.
This was why Luo Qun had been involved. She was a member of Flagstaff's police elite squad. When she found out upon arrival that Li Du was also there, she had gone to look for him first.
Upon hearing his words, Luo Qun was infuriated. "What did you mean by 'didn't expect?' I work very hard and am good at what I do. Why wouldn't I be in the police's elite squad?"
"Well," Li Du said, "this time you've performed meritoriously again. Your position in the police station should be even more stable now, right?"
A pleased-as-punch Luo Qun smiled. "That's true." Then she went over and patted Li Du on his shoulder. "Thank you for this. Thank you for helping me again."
"The police and the public are one family," Li Du said.
"Are we a family?" the lady police officer suddenly asked.
Li Du was dumbfounded. He hesitated before answering, "What do you mean? All Chinese belong to the same family, which makes us family too."
"Then what about you and Dr. Sophie?"
Li Du replied, "We are also family. Family in another sense."
The lady police officer curled her lip. "You sure have a lotta family members."
With that, she strode off.
Li Du asked, "What do you mean?"
The lady police officer did not reply, and her figure soon disappeared into the night.
A stoic Li Du spread his hands wide and told his three little ones, "Women are really tough nuts to crack. Can't I have many family members? The three of you are my family too, right?"
The three of them responded to him dutifully.
"Meow!"
"Ow!"
"Eeep!"