The Plan

  " Do you want to obtain this 50,000 yuan? "  Liu Yong asked.

  " Definitely, "  Replied Hu Shijun.

  " It is accurate that 50,000 yuan is considerable for numerous individuals like us. " 

Upon pondering for a moment, Liu Yong suggested,

  " If you have such a desire, let's take our chances in the Ink Lake region tomorrow. Who knows, we may get fortunate. " 

Hu Shijun almost raised his hands in agreement and said:

  " Okay, okay, then we need to prepare something. " 

Liu Yong said:

  " There is no need to prepare much. A stronger rope should be enough . " 

  " Okay, this is simple; I will prepare. "  Shijun confidently said it.

  " Then come over tomorrow morning, and we will set off together to try our luck at Ink Lake. "  Liu Yong said.

The two young people decided so.

Hu Shijun was impulsive, and his focus was stuck on the 50,000 yuan reward. While Liu Yong possessed a more composed demeanour, realizing that with the assistance of the little snapping turtle, the issue should not be excessively challenging.

The following morning, Liu Yong arose, washed up, and Hu Shijun arrived. He messaged Liu Yong on WeChat, saying,

  " Brother Yong, I have arrived. I am currently downstairs at Fatty Liu's food stall. Let's grab breakfast first. " 

Seeing this message, Liu Yong went out.

Hu Shijun had arrived, carrying a nylon rope, and had placed his belongings on the table. They ordered breakfast, which consisted of steamed buns, deep-fried dough sticks, and soy milk, among other items.

  " Brother Yong, let's set off after breakfast. " 

Hu Shijun asked.

  " no problem. " 

Liu Yong replied.

The duo sat down, consumed their breakfast in ten minutes, and departed. Liu Yong drove the large G vehicle to Mohu Park.

Riding in the car, Hu Shijun was envious again  " Brother Yong, if I have a car like this, I will have no regrets in this life. " 

Liu Yong said:  " There will be. I believe in you. " 

Ink Lake Park was not distant, so they entered the park, parked the vehicle close to the lake, and arrived at the lakeside carrying their equipment. Due to the lake's crocodiles, fewer individuals were near the area. Usually, people come for fishing, but not today.

  " Brother Yong, look reward amount has been increased to 100,000 yuan. "  Hu Shijun said surprisingly.

The notice had distinctly printed, stating that whoever captured or eliminated the crocodile would be rewarded 100,000 yuan.

The park management office had stamped the announcement with a bright red seal, ensuring its authenticity.

  " 100,000 yuan is good! "  Liu Yong said.

Liu Yong was eager to try quietly communicating with the snapping turtle, asking it to find the giant crocodile, catch it, or kill it.

  " Master, no problem. Wait for my message. "  The little snapping turtle radiated a palpable sense of confidence. Comparing its current state to two days ago, it was evident that the turtle had grown significantly, and its attributes had improved remarkably.

Having been in Ink Lake for so long, it is very familiar with this water area, and it didn't take much time to find the crocodile.

Soon, the little snapping turtle found the crocodile and swam over quickly.

At first, the crocodile didn't pay much attention to the little snapping turtle in the distance, but as the snapping turtle approached, the crocodile became increasingly wary and perplexed.

The crocodile had never experienced this level of aggression from a creature as small as the snapping turtle. It began to realize that it might have underestimated its opponent. The little snapping turtle was no longer the easy target it once thought.

The crocodile attempted to submerge into the water, hoping to drown its opponent, but the little snapping turtle proved to be a proficient swimmer. It held on to the crocodile's back and scratched at the skin, causing deep wounds that oozed with blood.

Despite the crocodile's best efforts, it could not shake off the little snapping turtle. The once proud and mighty predator was now at the mercy of a tiny snapping turtle that was tenacious and ferocious.

  " Is this really the snapping turtle from two days ago? "  " Why is it a lot bigger?"  The giant crocodile thought.

The gigantic crocodile sensed danger, and the first reaction was to run.

But its speed was not as fast as that of the small snapping turtle, where it got trapped in no time, and the little snapping turtle bit the crocodile fiercely.

The arduous and robust skin of the crocodile seemed to offer no defence as the little snapping turtle effortlessly pierced through it. In a sudden burst, blood splattered, and a chunk of flesh was torn off.

-Death Roll!

The little snapping turtle displayed confidence, demonstrating its growth and development in just two days. It had grown substantially, with enhanced attributes and augmented combat capabilities.

The formidable crocodile seemed no match for the little turtle as it struggled in vain to shake off its grip. The battle between the two was decidedly one-sided, with the little snapping turtle holding the upper hand.

The razor-sharp front claws of the snapping turtle easily cut through the thick and rough skin of the crocodile, tearing off large chunks of flesh with each strike.

The combat capabilities of the little snapping turtle had significantly improved, and it exuded confidence and self-assurance in contrast to its demeanour two days ago.

Its attributes had grown substantially, and it appeared more potent than before.

  " Brother Yong, what shall we do next? "  Hu Shijun inquired.

  " follow me. "  Liu Yong instructed.

Despite the small number of rented boats, more than a dozen were docked near the pier. Since the reward was announced, people had been flocking to the lake, hoping to capture the giant crocodile.

Liu Yong observed that professionals occupied the few boats on the lake with all the necessary tools and equipment to capture the crocodile.

  "Boss, how much is a boat? "  Liu Yong asked

The boat owner said:

  " It was initially fifty, but today it is thirty. " 

  "  I didn't expect such a good thing  as it's so cheap. You can rent a boat for thirty. "  Shijun Said.

After paying 30 yuan, they rented a small boat, and the two headed toward the middle of the lake. The boat owner reminded them:

  " Be careful, don't put your hands or feet into the water. There is a giant crocodile in the lake. Yesterday, they almost killed me. "  The boat owner warned them.

Liu Yong said:

  " Thank you, Boss. We are here to catch that crocodile, so we are not afraid of it. " 

  " What the ***k??? "  "  Are you here to catch crocodile? "  The owner shouted.

The boat owner was aware that after the reward announcement, individuals in small groups had started to arrive yesterday with the same goal of capturing the crocodile.

However, the groups seemed professional, and their equipment was comprehensive. Typically, these teams consisted of three to five people and seldom only two members.

While the boat owner was in a daze, the boat had already sailed far away, heading towards the middle of the lake.

The lake was noticeably quiet, only two or three boats present, which was a significant departure from the usual bustling scene.

  " Brother Yong, what should we do next? "  Hu Shijun asked once more.

Liu Yong explained,

  " It's pretty simple. We need to tie a knot at each end of the nylon rope to form a noose. Then lower it into the water. " 

  " Is it that simple? "  Shijun asked with a sense of scepticism.

Liu Yong smiled and said confidently,

  " Brother, wait and see " 

Hu Shijun nodded and tied the knot as instructed. As the two of them put the nylon rope into the water, the little snapping turtle suddenly swam over and signalled that the crocodile was approaching.

There happened to be a ship not far away. Three people were on board, with professional tools and equipment. They are searching for and preparing to catch the crocodile.

As they approached, the distance between the two parties shortened to only 20 to 30 meters, which was easily noticeable. The group of four seemed to have taken notice of the situation on Liu Yong's side, and the leading middle-aged man couldn't resist calling out to them loudly.

  " Little brother, what are you doing? "  They asked.

Liu Yong replied:  " To catch that crocodile. " 

- Haha!

Everyone on that boat laughed loudly, and the middle-aged man smiled and said,  " It's not like you saw a reward of 100,000 yuan, so you want to try it too. " 

  " Yes, We know, and  we want to try it. If we are lucky, we can trap that crocodile."  Liu Yong said confidently.

- Ha, Haha!

Hearing such an answer, the people on the ship laughed again louder than last time.

Despite their laughter, Liu Yong paid no attention and proceeded to the noose. He carefully lowered the loop into the water with steady hands until it was about ten meters deep.

Hu Shijun asked:

  " Brother Yong, can we do this? " 

Liu Yong spoke with confidence and encouraged him that they could try. He said luck could be on their side, even if it were a long shot.

  " Who knows, sometimes a blind cat can catch a dead mouse. Let's give it a try, " 

He said.

Hu Shijun shook his head with a wry smile...….