56: Trade at the Rainforest Entrance

Early morning in Manaus, the air was humid, hot, and thick. In Lin Feng and Wang Dalong's hotel room, their belongings were mostly packed. Backpacks, waterproof bags, entrenching tools, and the high-precision satellite phone Jiang Wanqing had specially mailed from China were all checked.

"Brother Feng, are we really going?" Wang Dalong, carrying his large camera bag, seemed a little nervous. He hadn't slept well last night, his mind filled with the Amazon beasts Lin Feng had talked about.

Lin Feng folded a map and tucked it into the waterproof bag. "Nonsense, we're already here. Are we going to back out now?" He glanced at Wang Dalong. "Scared?"

"Who's scared!" Wang Dalong talked tough, but his body honestly edged closer to Lin Feng. "It's just... this place sounds creepy."

Lin Feng ignored him, walked to the window, and pulled back the curtain. The sunlight outside was dazzling, and there were already sparse figures on the street. He knew the people tracking them were definitely watching from some corner. He didn't care.

"Let's go." Lin Feng picked up his backpack.

Just as they stepped out of the hotel entrance, Carlos greeted them. He was wearing a clean white shirt and had his usual smile, as if last night's tracking incident had nothing to do with him.

"Good morning, Mr. Lin." Carlos greeted him in fluent Chinese. The smile was harmless, but it raised Lin Feng's guard. He hadn't forgotten that this man was introduced by Pedro, and Pedro was involved with the group who stole the Golden Mural.

"Mhm." Lin Feng nodded and went straight to the point. "Are the boat and guide ready?"

"Of course." Carlos patted his chest, his smile widening. "I know the best boatman and guide, and I guarantee you'll be satisfied. You are my distinguished guest."

Lin Feng didn't reply, just signaled Wang Dalong to follow. He didn't want to waste time playing games with Carlos; the most important thing now was to quickly enter the Rainforest.

Carlos led the two through several narrow streets. The smell of fish and dampness in the air grew stronger. Soon, a dilapidated wooden dock appeared before them. The planks were black from being soaked in river water and creaked underfoot. The dockside was packed with all sorts of small boats—big and small, new and old—their hulls mottled and paint peeling. The air was filled with the stench of diesel and decaying river water, making their stomachs churn.

"This is the one." Carlos pointed to one of the wooden boats. It did look sturdier than the surrounding boats. Its hull was coated with a layer of new paint, and although some areas were scratched, it was generally intact.

"Juan!" Carlos shouted towards the boat.

A dark-skinned, stubble-faced middle-aged man emerged from the cabin. He wasn't tall but had broad shoulders, clearly a man who worked hard year-round. He grinned at Lin Feng and the others, revealing teeth stained yellow from smoke.

"Gentlemen, board the boat." Juan's voice had a thick accent, but his tone was warm.

Lin Feng didn't rush to board. He first walked to the bow and inspected the bottom, hull, and engine of the boat. Although he wasn't a professional, he had basic safety awareness. Only after confirming there were no issues did he nod to Wang Dalong.

"Go." Lin Feng said.

Wang Dalong cautiously boarded the boat, afraid of stepping through the deck. Lin Feng followed closely. Carlos also jumped aboard.

Juan started the engine, and the roar was deafening. The wooden boat slowly pulled away from the dock, leaving a murky wake behind it as it headed toward the depths of the Negro River.

The river water was a yellowish-brown, like mud. On both banks stretched endless tropical Rainforest. The dense vegetation formed a green wall, occasionally broken by the strange calls of birds and the screams of monkeys, disrupting the Rainforest's silence.

"Holy crap, this place looks sinister!" Wang Dalong held his camera, constantly snapping photos of the Rainforest on both sides, muttering under his breath. Having grown up in the city, he had never seen such a primitive landscape.

Lin Feng remained silent, sitting at the bow. He took out his phone and compared the map and coordinates Jiang Wanqing had sent earlier, calculating the navigation time. Pedro's notes stated that an eighteenth-century wooden boat would take seven days to travel from Manaus to Eagle Head Rock. But now, with a diesel engine, the speed was more than double, and they could arrive in three days at most. This meant they had to make full preparations within these three days.

After about two hours of sailing on the river, Juan suddenly slowed down, and the engine noise dropped. He pointed ahead and said, "Sir, there's a checkpoint ahead; we need to stop."

Lin Feng looked up and indeed saw an iron boat anchored in the middle of the river channel. Several men in camouflage stood on the boat, holding rifles. Their movements were casual, but the black muzzles of the guns looked chilling.

"What the hell is that?" Wang Dalong saw it too, his voice laced with tension.

Carlos leaned over and whispered, "Rainforest Patrol Team. Nominally, they protect the Rainforest, but in reality... you know." He made a counting money gesture.

Lin Feng immediately understood. This was the local "protection fee." He didn't say anything, just stared at the iron boat.

The wooden boat slowly pulled alongside. A burly man with a scarred face jumped from the iron boat, landing steadily on their bow. He was holding an AK, the muzzle hanging loosely, but a fierce aura rushed towards them. The strong man rattled off a string of Portuguese, his voice hoarse and carrying an undeniable command.

Carlos quickly translated: "He says entering the Rainforest requires paying an 'Environmental Protection Fee'—five hundred US dollars per person."

"Holy cow! This is highway robbery!" Wang Dalong's eyes widened when he heard this, and he nearly jumped up. This was blatant theft.

The burly man didn't understand Chinese, but seeing Wang Dalong's agitation, a playful smile curled his lips. He slightly raised the AK in his hand, pointing it at Wang Dalong.

Lin Feng's expression darkened. He knew that confrontation was the most unwise choice right now. They were outnumbered and hadn't yet entered the depths of the Rainforest; there was no need to cause trouble here.

"Here." Lin Feng expressionlessly took out his wallet from the waterproof bag, counted a thousand US dollars, and handed it directly to the burly man. He didn't look the man in the eye, just passed over the money.

The burly man took the money, counted it quickly, and immediately broke into a wide smile. The speed of his facial change was faster than Sichuan Opera. He patted Lin Feng's shoulder, said something, and then jumped back onto the iron boat.

Carlos translated: "He says he wishes you a pleasant journey."

Lin Feng twitched his mouth but didn't reply. Pleasant? He sneered internally. This journey was probably anything but "pleasant."

Juan restarted the engine, and the wooden boat accelerated again, moving away from the checkpoint.

"Brother Feng, those guys are too shady, aren't they? We just gave them the money like that?" Wang Dalong leaned over, lowering his voice, still indignant.

"What else could we do if we didn't pay?" Lin Feng said flatly. "This is their territory. There's no need to lose our lives here over a thousand dollars." He knew that in a place like the Amazon, human life was the cheapest commodity.

Wang Dalong thought about it, and he was right. You can't fight the powerful; when under someone else's roof, you have to bow your head.

The boat sailed for another half day. The sun gradually began to set, and the river surface shimmered with golden light. Juan docked the boat at a small sandbar. The sandbar wasn't large, with a few scattered coconut trees, surrounded by dense Rainforest.

"We'll spend the night here," Juan said. "It gets dark quickly in the Rainforest, and navigating at night is too dangerous."

Lin Feng nodded and jumped off the boat. He swiftly took out the tent from his backpack and began setting it up. Wang Dalong was responsible for starting a fire and cooking, while Carlos and Juan checked the equipment on the boat and helped move some supplies.

Night fell, and the sounds in the Rainforest became even more eerie. The scattered bird calls and monkey screams from the daytime seemed infinitely amplified at night. Insect chirps rose and fell, and various unknown beast roars and shrieks came from the depths of the dense woods, sending chills down their spines.

Wang Dalong sat by the bonfire, clutching his camera tightly, his eyes darting around nervously. He asked anxiously, "Brother Feng, there aren't any fierce beasts here, are there?"

"There are." Lin Feng answered briefly. He was using a small knife to whittle a branch, preparing to roast fish.

"What kind?" Wang Dalong pressed.

Lin Feng looked up and glanced at the dark Rainforest. "Jaguars, Green Anacondas, Electric Eels, and Piranhas." With every name he mentioned, Wang Dalong's face grew paler.

"Then... then we won't get eaten, right?" Wang Dalong's voice was almost tearful.

"No." Lin Feng glanced at him, a subtle curve forming at the corner of his mouth. "As long as you don't wander off."

Just then, a mechanical voice suddenly rang out in Lin Feng's mind.

[Ding! Triggered Side Quest: Rainforest Survival Test!]

[Quest Description: Survive for three days in the Amazon Rainforest. During this period, you must find your own food and water, and deal with at least one natural crisis or wild beast attack.]

[Quest Reward: 5000 reputation points, Skill: Jungle Survival (Beginner)]

Lin Feng raised an eyebrow. A Side Quest? Quite timely. Surviving three days? That wasn't difficult for him, but the system specifically emphasized "natural crisis or wild beast attack," meaning these three days wouldn't be peaceful. Still, a Jungle Survival Skill was a nice bonus.

He calculated mentally, deciding to keep the quest in mind but remaining outwardly calm. Safety first; reputation points and the like were secondary.

Lin Feng closed the system panel and continued to tend the fire. The flames of the bonfire danced in the darkness, dispelling the cold and fear in a small area.

The night deepened. The bonfire gradually died down, leaving only scattered embers. Lin Feng lay in his tent, listening to the chirping insects and roaring beasts outside, his mind racing.

If they traveled for two more days tomorrow, they would almost reach Eagle Head Rock. That rock was the key marker for the entrance to El Dorado.

But Lin Feng had a premonition—this expedition would definitely not go smoothly.

The group who stole the Golden Mural was certainly watching from the shadows, perhaps already having entered the Rainforest, just waiting for them to find the entrance. And the Rainforest itself held many more unknown dangers: venomous insects, fierce beasts, traps, diseases, and even local tribes... Lin Feng rolled over, a cold light flashing in his eyes.

"Bring it on." He whispered, his voice carrying undeniable determination. "I want to see who the final winner will be."

This Amazon treasure hunt had only just begun. The real challenges lay ahead.