The Fake Heiress and Her Purrfect Partner novel Chapter 83

**TITLE: Dreams Rise Again by Braxton 83**

**Chapter 83**

The three grave robbers, hearts pounding with fear and desperation, paddled furiously toward the fishing boat, but they were caught in a relentless storm of chaos. Above them, a barrage of bird bombs rained down, making it nearly impossible to keep their eyes open, let alone navigate. Each droplet felt like a heavy weight, a reminder of their precarious situation.

As they struggled to maintain their pace, the overwhelming stench assaulted their senses, turning their stomachs. The guy at the helm of the boat wanted to scream at them to hurry, to push harder, but with the foul rain pelting down, he knew better than to risk exposing himself. It was as if the heavens had opened, unleashing a deluge that promised instant regret for anyone foolish enough to show their face.

The fishing boat was already teeming with Night Herons and egrets, their cries piercing the air, a cacophony that made his head spin and his heart race. He waved a harpoon in a futile attempt to shoo them away, but the sheer numbers were against him—hundreds of birds against just four frantic men. It felt like a losing battle, and soon, the boat transformed into an avian fortress, the birds claiming it as their nesting ground.

To make matters worse, the birds could fly, launching a relentless aerial assault that left the boatman feeling utterly helpless. He clenched his jaw, frustration boiling within him as he contemplated his powerlessness in the face of nature’s fury.

From above, the Spokesbird cocked its head, its voice sharp and clear. “Ms. Summer, our friend who managed to sneak into the cabin reports that the boatman is clutching some sort of round disk!”

Nina’s brow furrowed as she processed this information. “Just like those fortune tellers hustling on the riverbank—total scammers! But this guy seems to have his wits about him.”

“A round disk? For fortune-telling?” Nina pondered, her mind racing with possibilities.

She quickly relayed the news to Simon, who paused, his expression shifting from concern to alertness. “Those three in the water are already exhausted. Even if they try to make a run for it, they won’t get far. The real focus should be on the boatman.”

“In any tomb-robbing crew, there’s always one person designated as the lookout, the one who keeps watch and surveys the area. In the trade, they refer to him as the Lookout—an expert at feng shui, the slickest operator you could ever encounter.”

Nina glanced at her now-empty bamboo basket, a hint of pride in her voice. “I’ve already sent Slinky on a mission—it’s keeping an eye on that boatman.”

Although Slinky appeared tough, it was really just an adorable little creature. No one was intimidated by it, which made it perfect for stealthy underwater surveillance, lurking in the shadows, and observing everything without raising suspicion.

The boatman, clearly flustered, yelled in a panic, “You idiots, stop wasting time—get on the boat! Don’t just float there—dive and swim over!”

The three grave robbers, still half-blinded and reeling from the onslaught of bird bombs, frantically ducked underwater, desperate to reach the safety of the boat.

Just as they kicked off, a sudden, powerful force coiled around their legs, anchoring them in place. It writhed and tightened, flexing like a thick, unyielding cord, far stronger than they had anticipated.

They whipped their heads around, eyes wide with terror, each one discovering a muscular water snake wrapped tightly around their legs. Each robber had his own snake, a testament to nature’s cruel sense of teamwork.

Panicking, the grave robbers broke the surface, only to be overwhelmed by a swarm of herons. Claws slashed, beaks jabbed, and wings whipped around them—an all-out assault from every direction.

Below, the water snakes constricted their grip, while onshore, Nina orchestrated the chaos like a maestro, and above, the birds continued their relentless dive-bombing. It was a perfect storm of ambush: land, water, and air—there was no escape.

The grave robbers found themselves hopelessly trapped, utterly overwhelmed, their suffering escalating with each passing moment.

Nina quickly cautioned the Spokesbird, “Don’t hurt them too much—just drive them back to the boat alive.”

At her command, the Heron Brigade withdrew slightly. By the time the three grave robbers finally managed to haul themselves onto the fishing boat, they were utterly spent, collapsing in a heap on the deck. The relentless waterbirds, however, had no intention of letting them off the hook; they settled on their heads, pinning them down so they couldn’t even twitch.

“Thomas! Hurry up—get this thing moving now!” the grave robbers shouted, scrambling to their feet, panic evident in their voices.

But the cabin remained eerily silent, as if the boat itself held its breath.

Suddenly, as they lay sprawled on the deck, all three froze at the sound of a heavy splash nearby.

Thomas—the seasoned boatman—had made a split-second decision to bail. Without a second thought, he abandoned the boat and dove into the river, swimming away for his life.

This left the three grave robbers utterly exhausted, stranded like a trio of unfortunate fools.

“What the hell, Thomas! You traitor!” one of them cursed, his voice dripping with anger and betrayal.

“Get off, you filthy birds!” another yelled, thrashing helplessly against their feathery captors.

Defeated, the three grave robbers collapsed onto the deck, completely wrecked, coated in bird droppings from head to toe. Even their feeble whimpers reeked of despair and the stench of their avian assailants.

In the distance, sirens wailed, a harbinger of impending doom.

Five minutes later, the coast guard’s speedboat roared into view, lights flashing, screeching to a halt just in time.

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