"What's wrong with this guy?" Lu Fei asked, stepping aside with his phone.
"This person has a large dog farm on the outskirts, not just for selling dog meat but also for raising numerous aggressive dogs. I sent someone to probe the place, but if you're not a familiar face, there's no way to get close," Jiang Hao explained.
"That doesn't sound like something needing psychological preparation," Lu Fei replied, puzzled.
"My men took some photos. A few of the dogs are strange—not exactly like the Yin Dog you mentioned, but... I don't know how to describe them. I'll send the photos to you," Jiang Hao said.
"Alright."
Shortly after, Lu Fei received three photos. They were clearly taken secretly, with poor lighting—likely at dawn.
The first photo showed a shabby, cluttered dog farm. A short, stocky man was leading three unusually shaped dogs toward a dimly lit factory building. The distance and obstructing structures made it hard to discern details, though the dogs appeared odd.
The second photo zoomed in on the dogs. Although their backs were to the camera, their size was apparent—they were taller and more muscular than ordinary dogs, their limbs bulging like bodybuilders'.
The third photo was blurry, as if the photographer's hands were shaking. One of the dogs had turned its head. Its face was grotesquely ugly, with a short snout and a long tongue hanging out, exposing razor-sharp, fang-like teeth.
The most horrifying detail was its eyes—they glowed red. Cold and watchful, they seemed to pierce through the dog farm and fix on the photographer.
"What kind of dog is this? I've never seen such an ugly breed," Lu Fei muttered, zooming in on the photo to study the glowing red eyes.
Normally, a dog's eyes reflected green light in photos, but this one emitted a sinister red glow. Could it be that its eyes were naturally red?
Few animals had naturally red eyes, and even among demonic creatures, green was the typical hue—unless the creature had tasted human blood.
"So, not only are there Yin Dogs, but also these sinister hunting dogs. No wonder Jiang Hao said I should prepare myself," Lu Fei thought grimly.
Bloodthirsty beasts like these were even harder to handle than Yin Dogs. Yin Dogs were spiritual entities, easily subdued with enchanted items. These creatures, however, were physical brutes that could tear through humans like wild beasts.
"What is this monstrosity? So ugly!" Jing Jian exclaimed, peering over at the photo.
"They belong to the dog seller. Didn't you say you'd come along? Take a good look and think of a way to deal with them," Lu Fei said, handing him the phone.
"Red-eyed dogs?" Jing Jian squinted at the screen and gasped. "My god! Look at those eyes—they look like they're ready to eat people! Dogs are supposed to be spiritual animals, but once they've tasted human flesh, they can't stop."
"Exactly. So, do you have any good ideas?" Lu Fei asked.
Jing Jian thought for a moment. "How about we throw in some meat laced with poison?"
"Do you think a dog that's eaten human flesh will settle for ordinary meat? Why don't you make a sacrifice for your childhood sweetheart and slice off a few pieces of your own flesh to feed them?"
"T-that's not appropriate!" Jing Jian stammered, waving his hands frantically. Then his eyes lit up as he glanced at Master Mo, busy in the workshop.
"I've got it! We don't need to fight those beasts head-on. Why not attack them from a distance?"
"Master Mo has a really powerful repeating crossbow. If we coat the arrows with poison, there's no way those red-eyed dogs will survive!"
"Good idea!" Lu Fei nodded in agreement. "So, what are you waiting for? Go buy that crossbow."
"Me?" Jing Jian was dumbfounded. "You just made a million, and you're asking *me* to buy it?"
"She's your childhood sweetheart. Isn't it your responsibility to foot the bill?" Lu Fei retorted matter-of-factly.
"That... does make sense," Jing Jian mumbled, feeling oddly convinced.
Once Master Mo finished repairing the peachwood sword, Jing Jian plastered on a smile.
"Master Mo, I'll take that crossbow too."
"Didn't you say you're broke?" Master Mo asked, puzzled.
"Can I... put it on credit?"
Later That Night
Jing Jian left the workshop, clutching both the repaired peachwood sword and a finely crafted repeating crossbow, his face a mix of pain and reluctance.
As night fell, a black SUV sped away from the neon-lit city toward the desolate outskirts.
Inside the car were Lu Fei, Tiger, Jing Jian, and A-Long. Knowing about their mission at the dog farm, Chen Jinfa had specially sent A-Long to assist.
Two vans trailed behind, carrying over a dozen of Jiang Hao's men armed with iron rods, ready to back Lu Fei up.
Under the cover of darkness, the three vehicles parked a distance away from the dilapidated dog farm and switched off their lights.
From the vans, over ten burly men with iron rods got out, their eagerness palpable.
"Too many people might attract attention. Wait here for our signal," Lu Fei instructed.
"Understood!"
The men obeyed without question, having been told by Jiang Hao to follow Lu Fei's orders.
Lu Fei gazed at the gloomy dog farm. A few scattered lights flickered, and the occasional bark broke the silence.
"Brother Jing, is your arm okay?" Lu Fei asked, glancing at Jing Jian's bandaged arm.
"It's fine. I'll use this tonight," Jing Jian replied, lifting the repeating crossbow.
"A-Long, stay close to him," Lu Fei said.
"Understood," A-Long replied calmly.
Tiger, sitting nearby, was both nervous and excited. It was his first time participating in such an operation, and it felt like being in a movie.
"Move out!"
With everything arranged, the four men advanced toward the dog farm under the cover of night.
At the entrance, two large guard dogs stood vigilant, their ears twitching at the slightest sound.
Fortunately, these were ordinary dogs and easy to handle. A-Long threw two pieces of beef soaked in tranquilizers from a distance.
The dogs initially backed away warily, but the scent of the meat soon drew them in. Within a minute of devouring the beef, they staggered drunkenly and collapsed.
Tiger opened the heavy iron gate and peeked inside, signaling an "OK" to the others.
They entered quietly, their first goal being to deal with the three red-eyed dogs.
The suburban night sky was clearer than in the city, with faint moonlight illuminating the dog farm's silhouette. The air reeked of animals.
Lu Fei narrowed his eyes, scanning his surroundings. One building had its lights on, and the sound of laughter echoed from inside. Next to it was a smaller factory building, dark and silent.
"There's Yin energy over there. Let's check it out," Lu Fei said, pointing.
Exchanging glances, the group moved cautiously toward the darkened building.