Brian Carter gave a wry smile. He finally said in English what he had always wanted to say, “Hello, sir, it’s a pleasure to meet you all. I am in urgent need of help right now. Someone in our group is about to die. Please, you must help us.”

Although he hadn’t spoken it for several years, Brian Carter’s English was clear and precise. At this moment, the old man standing opposite him, smiling, suddenly opened his mouth wide, staring at him with wide eyes, his lips trembling as he blurted out, “Oh my God, can someone tell me what’s going on?”

Three years ago, when Brian Carter came to Africa, it was the rainy season, so he was wearing a quick-dry shirt and a pair of quick-dry pants. These clothes dried quickly when wet and were cool, but they were also thin and not durable. After crawling and rolling on the savannah, Brian Carter’s clothes had long since turned into rags. However, the pair of Danner combat boots Brian Carter wore had remained completely intact after three years of hardship.

So now, Brian Carter was wearing a pair of six-inch combat boots on his feet, a belt of grass around his waist, and his whole body was covered in geometric patterns painted with white clay and a kind of red clay as pigment. Besides that, after three years of exposure to the sun, Brian Carter’s whole body was dark and shiny. Even his hair—Brian Carter had just cut it with a knife, leaving only short, uneven stubble. Except for his skin being a bit more brown while the other members of the Akuri tribe were truly black, there was almost no difference between Brian Carter’s appearance and the others in the Akuri tribe. Of course, the biggest difference was that Brian Carter still had a pair of boots on his feet.

So, when a man who looked like a member of a primitive tribe suddenly asked for help in fluent English, it was no wonder it caused such a stir.

The old man in front of Brian Carter seemed to be scared stiff. Apart from his exclamation, he didn’t react for a long time, just staring up and down at Brian Carter. At this moment, a young woman stepped forward from behind the old man and stood in front of Brian Carter.

“Professor, it’s obvious he’s asking for help. Some things we can talk about later. For now, we should figure out what kind of help he needs.”

The old man, called Professor, snapped out of his daze. After giving Brian Carter an apologetic smile, he said anxiously, “Sorry, I got a bit excited. Ah, let’s talk about the important things first. Please tell me exactly what happened?”

“Someone in our tribe was injured. A man’s neck was bitten by a leopard. There are two wounds about half an inch deep. The main artery wasn’t hit, but I think some small blood vessels were ruptured. The situation is bad. Besides needing surgery, he probably needs a blood transfusion. Another person was scratched by the leopard, so we also need antibiotics. Sir, he’s been injured for three to four hours already. There’s not much time left. Please, you must help us, sir.”

“Where is the injured person?”

Brian Carter pointed in the direction he had come from. “Over there, about twenty kilometers away, I’m not sure. I ran for three or four hours to get here.”

The old man immediately turned and shouted, “You all heard that! Evan Carter, bring your first aid kit. Do we have anything for blood transfusions? If we do, bring it. Daniel Baker, bring the small camera. We’ll drive over—quickly!”

At this moment, the woman standing in front of Brian Carter said urgently, “Professor, I’m going too, and we need to bring at least two armed guards. It’s not very safe here.”

After she finished, the woman smiled apologetically at Brian Carter and said, “I’m sorry we have to bring guns. Please understand, it’s not aimed at you or your tribe. This is Africa—there are many dangerous wild animals. We need guns for protection.”

Brian Carter nodded and said sincerely to the two people in front of him, “It’s all right. I completely understand. Thank you for your willingness to help. Thank you.”

“Let’s go first. We can talk more on the way. Gentlemen, please hurry. Once we’re ready, we’ll set off.”

After the old man finished speaking, he hurriedly began packing up. The group scrambled to load the necessary items onto two off-road vehicles. In just a few minutes, once everything was ready, the old man waved to Brian Carter and said, “Get in. You lead the way. We’re heading out.”

There were seven people in total—four white and three black—driving two off-road vehicles under Brian Carter’s guidance, heading back the way he had come. Once the vehicles left the camp, Brian Carter had them stop and called out for Curtis Stone. After Curtis Stone got in, the two vehicles sped off again.

Chapter 9: Sudden Change

Sitting in the speeding off-road vehicle, Brian Carter was filled with thoughts. The chance to go home had suddenly arrived without warning.

Brian Carter was, of course, no stranger to riding in cars, but for Curtis Stone, getting into a fast-moving vehicle for the first time was terrifying. He clung tightly to Brian Carter’s arm and refused to let go. But after a while, Curtis Stone’s curiosity overcame his fear.

The cameraman named Daniel Baker never stopped filming with his camera, though who knew what kind of footage he could get in such a bumpy ride.

Brian Carter had so many things he wanted to know, and now he finally had time to ask. But just as he was about to speak, the professor beat him to it.