Chapter 121: The Captain’s Authority (First Update, Please Subscribe!)

The gunfire abruptly ceased.

As Li Changjiang and his men advanced along the main road into the defensive fortifications constructed by the Libyans, the battle had already been largely decided. Batla’s squad continued pressing forward, but Batla himself had halted, needing to gather the bodies of his mercenaries.

In this assault, Batla lost six men. The one caught under heavy machine-gun fire survived but was gravely wounded, likely unable to continue fighting.

“Hey, man, thanks! You’re amazing!” Batla’s expression was somber, yet upon seeing Li Changjiang approach with reinforcements, he immediately stepped forward to express his gratitude. The fire support Li Changjiang provided was unexpectedly formidable, even shifting the tide of the battlefield.

Batla was no arrogant fool; he understood well the impact of having a sharpshooter with exceptional marksmanship and a well-armed allied force backing you up. Such assets were rare on the battlefield.

“No need to thank me. We’re on the same team now. It’s what I’m supposed to do,” Li Changjiang smiled faintly. Batla left a good impression on him—at least someone who knew how to show gratitude. Without such acknowledgment, future cooperation might falter; after all, war was no charity.

Soon after regrouping his mercenaries, Batla followed a Libyan officer toward Li Changjiang. Nicholas and the German Tank stood on either side of Li Changjiang—not hostile, but clearly positioned to support him.

“That’s the Duke!” The Libyan seemed incredulous that this Chinese man standing before them was the key to their victory in this operation. Yet Batla’s word carried weight.

Although Batla’s mercenary group was small, they had collaborated over five missions, earning a solid reputation. Trustworthiness was one of their mercenary codes—something not common among mercenary groups, many of which lacked such reliability. Batla’s band was one of the few exceptions.

In this operation, five mercenary teams were deployed. Batla’s and the Duke’s men were assigned to the right flank; the other three teams took the left. They had expected their side to progress slower, but the outcome was surprisingly swift. Casualties were minimal—only five wounded in Batla’s team, a minor loss in such a brutal assault.

By contrast, the other three teams suffered over ten casualties—a stark difference.

“Greetings! I’m the officer in charge of this mission. Congratulations on being the first to capture the stronghold. Here’s your bonus. We pay daily wages every day,” the Libyan officer said, handing over a bag of money carried by two soldiers. Li Changjiang accepted it without hesitation, placing it on the ground between himself and Batla.

This bonus was not his alone.

“Li, the total bonus for this operation is $200,000. We split it evenly—$100,000 for you guys,” Batla said.

Split evenly?

The remark quickly made Li Changjiang realize something was off.

Including himself, Nicholas, and the others, there were seven of them. Batla’s mercenary group, even after losing six men, still had twenty-two—a little more than triple their number. Dividing by headcount, their share should be just over $30,000. Batla’s offer to split the bonus evenly was remarkably generous.

Though $100,000 was not a massive sum, distributed per person it amounted to over $10,000 each—a substantial figure. Their daily wage was $500, already generous compared to cannon fodder units earning less than $200.

“Why? Duke, do you have an objection?” Batla asked.

“No, but since you outnumber us, an even split isn’t fair,” Li Changjiang replied.

“No! No! No! Numbers alone don’t win battles. Your men are excellent, Duke. This is what you deserve!” Batla insisted.

Li Changjiang felt a bit embarrassed. The Russian was a big money enthusiast, and he was a small one, but still, he felt awkward accepting such generosity. A glance at Nicholas revealed the latter’s expectant expression—he took it as a given.

“Here’s the deal. Seven of us: I take $70,000, and the rest goes to you. That’s settled!” Li Changjiang decided swiftly. He signaled Nicholas, who immediately knelt to pull out seven bundles of neatly wrapped cash from the bag.

Batla understood the gesture was to save face. He nodded in acknowledgment without thanks, but he appreciated the goodwill and would repay it in due time.

“Hey, guys! Here’s our first bonus for tonight. Come and collect your share!” Li Changjiang announced.

Distributing pay was a crucial duty and privilege for a mercenary squad leader. A leader’s authority stemmed not only from wisdom and courage but also from their power to reward and discipline. Nicholas had pushed for Li Changjiang to replace Williams as the new mercenary group leader; naturally, he wouldn’t do the job for him.

“Thanks, boss!”
“Thanks, boss!”
“You’re awesome, boss!”

The German Tank, British Medic, Swedish Angel, and Israeli Sniper all gratefully accepted their shares. Earning $10,000 was relatively easy compared to the hardships endured.

When that bastard Hamis handed Nicholas $2 million in commission to buy weapons and body armor for the squad, over $200,000 was spent on equipment alone—about $30,000 per person. Though not top-tier, the gear was far from shabby. One thing was clear: arms dealing was a highly profitable business.

A standard Russian AK-47M assault rifle sold legally on the international arms market for under $500, but second-hand black market prices were inflated to nearly $1,200. Li Changjiang’s squad received brand-new arms, yet that scoundrel Polika charged them $3,000 per rifle—seven rifles in all, totaling $21,000.

The AK-47M was not for sale in Russia, and though Polika was a bastard, his connections were solid; otherwise, he couldn’t have procured such military-grade weapons.

Two million looked like a large sum but was hardly enough to cover arms purchases, let alone the one-time mission pay for the squad.

At $100,000 each, the lump sum for five men was $500,000, leaving little for other expenses.

So, receiving $10,000 in bonus money so easily was a pleasant surprise. Even more surprising was Li Changjiang’s decision to split the money evenly among them.

They were, after all, Li Changjiang’s personally hired free mercenaries who had already been paid their wages. The bonuses could have been withheld, but this Chinese man chose otherwise. They understood well that the extra money in the bonus was earned by this somewhat delicate-looking temporary leader.

Owing favors naturally made one speak softly.

The most pitiful was the fellow who had previously spoken disrespectfully to Li Changjiang on the keyboard.

“Hey, man, I apologize for earlier. You’re really something! Boss!” Even the seasoned mercenary showed a rare flush of shame.

Li Changjiang merely glanced at him, then the two clasped hands.

“We’re brothers on the same team now!”

(Hunt the Globe QQ Group: 121162553) (To be continued.)