In fact, Michael Bolton also glanced at Eric Bennett in surprise. He felt that Eric Bennett seemed a bit different—more composed than before, with a hint of arrogance between his brows, which caught him off guard.

"Just wait, you'll see what happens to you in a bit!" After Paul Carter finished speaking, a strange look appeared on his face as he looked at Eric Bennett and said this.

"I'll be waiting!" Eric Bennett replied indifferently upon hearing this.

Although Brian Cooper also found Eric Bennett's behavior a bit odd, he was still quite pleased. In the past, he always had to face this group alone in verbal battles, but now Eric Bennett was finally fighting back, which made him secretly happy.

After the two finished speaking, neither said anything more.

"None of you are newcomers, so I won't repeat the rules... There's a big job today, and I won't allow any internal problems. Otherwise, don't blame me, Michael Bolton, for being ruthless!" Standing at the front, Michael Bolton swept his gaze over the Flying Tiger Team members and spoke coldly.

As soon as Michael Bolton finished speaking, the hearts of these Flying Tiger Team members tightened. Every time Michael Bolton said this, it meant a big haul, but it also signaled great danger. They didn't know how many of them would make it back alive.

But even knowing this, none of them backed down. Life? To them, life was the least valuable thing. Sometimes, their lives weren't even worth a piece of a fierce beast's flesh.

"As usual, I'll scout ahead. Eric Bennett, you lead the team! Move out!!" Seeing no one speak, Michael Bolton felt secretly pleased and spoke again. After that, he turned and walked toward the outskirts of the village.

"Hmph, just wait and see!" Paul Carter snorted coldly as he followed Michael Bolton outside, especially when passing by Eric Bennett.

Those following Paul Carter all looked at Eric Bennett with schadenfreude.

"Third level? Heh!" Watching Paul Carter walk by and sensing the surging blood energy within him, Eric Bennett curled his lips into a smile and muttered to himself.

"Eric Bennett, what did you say?" Eric Bennett's voice wasn't loud, so Brian Cooper naturally didn't hear clearly and asked in confusion.

Brian Cooper was still a bit worried. In the Flying Tiger Team, Paul Carter had a strong presence. If it weren't for Eric Bennett being the longest-serving member and having a better relationship with Michael Bolton, he would have been replaced long ago.

For the Flying Tiger Team members, the biggest gain wasn't the employer's meager wages, but the chance to get things in the mountains that they couldn't usually buy.

Although these were all unspoken rules, Eric Bennett and his group were few in number. If Paul Carter replaced Eric Bennett as the vice-captain, it would be much harder for them to get anything. Without these unspoken rules, they'd have to join another team, and then they'd be total newcomers, which would make things tough. That was probably Paul Carter's plan.

If they joined another team, they'd be pure rookies, and it wouldn't be easy to get by.

"It's nothing, let's go!" Hearing Brian Cooper's words, Eric Bennett just shook his head and followed along.

He hadn't expected Paul Carter to have reached the third level of the Iron Body Technique.

"No wonder he didn't join the last operation—he must have been breaking through," Eric Bennett thought to himself as he watched Paul Carter walk away.

However, if it had been before yesterday, Eric Bennett might have cared, but now he didn't feel any pressure at all.

Led by Michael Bolton, they quickly arrived at the outer entrance of the Tianlang Mountain Range.

Qingshan Town was a small town situated just outside this entrance. Though called a small town, it was actually very bustling. Almost all the martial artists entering the mountains would stop here to buy what they needed.

Nearly all the martial artists coming out of the mountains would also sell their goods here, which made the place full of all kinds of shops and almost no residential houses.

General stores, pawnshops, material shops, pill shops... weapon shops, and so on—everything you could think of. The signboards on the main street's shops all bore different symbols, which Eric Bennett knew were the emblems of various families from nearby Qingshuang City.

Qingshan Town was within the territory of Qingshuang City, so almost all of it was controlled by the city's various families.

At this moment, in Qingshan Town, men exuding powerful auras hurried by. Whether they were heading into the mountains or coming out in tattered clothes, each carried large bundles and chatted animatedly with their companions as they walked.

Michael Bolton led Eric Bennett and the others past the main street and onto a side street.

"Come take a look, all kinds of powerful pills... Blood-stopping pills... Vitality pills... Clearance sale..."

Top-quality weapons, guaranteed to satisfy all you martial artists...

...

Although this place wasn't as bustling as the main street, it was still packed with people. The cries of the various street vendors on both sides made it seem even livelier than the main street.

With just one glance, Eric Bennett understood: if the main street was like a modern boutique, this was the wholesale market.

Michael Bolton didn't stop, leading Eric Bennett and the others to a fairly large general store—a two-story building with several clerks inside attending to customers.

This general store was the base of the Zhang family, a third-rate family from Qingshuang City, in Qingshan Town. The Flying Tiger Team served the Zhang family.

Chapter 5: Blood and Qi Withered?

"Mr. Bolton, you've arrived. Please, upstairs!" Upon seeing Michael Bolton, a middle-aged man in his fifties hurried over, glanced at Eric Bennett and the others, and addressed Michael Bolton.