152 The New Master of the Griffin? (Fifth Update!)

Rushing out of the dense forest, when the open clearing suddenly appeared before them, along with the silver-glistening modern buildings in the distance, everyone was momentarily dazed.

Then, however, an irrepressible surge of wild ecstasy swept over them.

"Hahaha!"

"F***er, we made it out!"

Li Changjiang also let out a long breath.

Damn it, they had finally broken through!

After three carpet-search operations, the Tunisians seemed to have given up on pursuing them further, though covert investigations directed at them would surely persist—that was beyond doubt.

Six human lives!

The Tunisians would never simply let this matter rest.

Not long after the group stepped out of the dense forest, two helicopters quickly appeared overhead. This time, however, they did not hide; instead, they rushed to a flat area and frantically waved their arms to signal the choppers.

The helicopters quickly landed.

"Hahaha! Moneybags, we meet again!"

"Damn bloodsucker, I'd rather see you a lot less often."

Stepping out of the helicopter was none other than the Old Russian's old acquaintance, and the mysterious arms dealer behind him, Polica.

Compared to the Old Russian's rugged appearance, Polica could certainly be considered delicate. In fact, Polica was exceptionally handsome, save for his long hair, which always gave him a somewhat uncanny and ethereal vibe.

Golden hair, azure eyes, a high-bridged nose, and a smile permanently lingering at the corners of his mouth. Judging purely by his appearance, it was utterly impossible to imagine that this Russian, who seemed to possess the blood of the Tsarist nobility, was actually a notorious arms dealer.

"Thank you, Antony!"

Polica's full name was Antony Policapovich, a rather peculiar yet noble-sounding name.

After exchanging an embrace with the Old Russian, Polica quickly walked over to Li Changjiang.

"Duke, we meet again!"

"Hello, Antony! We need your help right now."

"Hahaha, helping mercenaries is my greatest pleasure."

Li Changjiang was not particularly familiar with Polica, but that did not diminish his rather favorable impression of the Russian. Aside from being even greedier for money than the Old Russian, Polica was extremely trustworthy and possessed immense resources.

Seeing that he could arrive precisely on time within Tunisian territory, and making such a grand entrance with two helicopters, such strength and confidence were certainly more than just empty boasts.

"Get on the aircraft; I will take you to a safe place."

Li Changjiang soon found out where the safe place Polica spoke of actually was.

An ocean liner!

A massive cargo ocean liner with a displacement of tens of thousands of tons!

Had it not been for the salty tang in the air that clearly reminded him of his current location, Li Changjiang would have almost thought he was inside the presidential suite of a five-star hotel.

Hollowed-out carvings and marble panels inlaid with what looked like either brass or gold—even the chandelier overhead gave no impression of cheapness whatsoever.

"This is the place I have prepared for you. You can have a good rest, and I will come to see you after dark."

Polica left shortly after.

Immediately afterward, two fiercely attractive blonde women came into the room to examine and treat everyone's wounds, while Shi Junqiang was moved to another room for medical attention.

Following the long and grueling dash, everyone fell asleep quickly. They were not awakened until close to 8:00 PM by the people arranged by Polica. After washing up, Li Changjiang felt thoroughly refreshed and invigorated.

Following the waiter into another dining room, which was shockingly spacious, the group eagerly strode toward the dining table.

Clap, clap!

"Please sit down, my friends. All of this has been prepared for you."

Clapping his hands, Polica signaled the staff.

A line of waiters quickly lifted the food covers in front of everyone. The rich aroma emanating from the exquisite dishes was instantly inhaled, so intense it felt almost viscous in the air.

With his stomach growling uncooperatively, Li Changjiang smiled awkwardly. To his astonishment, however, when he looked around, aside from himself, not a single person was paying attention to anyone else; instead, they were devouring the food before them like a whirlwind.

After dinner concluded, Li Changjiang and the Old Russian were promptly escorted to another room. Waiting for them there, apart from the remaining members of the mercenary group, was unexpectedly Williams himself.

The wound on Williams' face had already been stitched up, but his spirit was still quite good. Seeing Li Changjiang walk in, Williams quickly approached him, and the men shared a brief embrace.

"Li, thank you!"

"William, how are you holding up?"

"I'm doing well, but I plan to return to the United States. However, Li, I know you are ready to be a true mercenary now, aren't you? I have a request."

Hearing Williams' words, Li Changjiang did not feel surprised. Or rather, he was no longer the type to feel flattered; having crawled through blood and fire for so long, he was no longer the naive Chinese youth who had killed someone with a gun for the very first time.

He was now the Death Duke capable of ruling a battlefield!

To become a mercenary?

Perhaps that was merely an idea in his own mind, but seeing the burning fervor in the eyes of everyone in the room as they looked at him, Li Changjiang felt as though he understood something extremely subtle in an instant.

Instead of readily nodding, he looked directly into Williams' eyes.

"I want to hand the Gryphon over to you."

Gryphon?

This time, Li Changjiang was genuinely startled.

Hand the Gryphon over to him?

If he remembered correctly, even within the world of free mercenaries, the Gryphon was considered a top-tier elite mercenary group. Williams' words were tantamount to letting him continue leading this fighting force.

In other words, he would replace Williams as the head of this mercenary group.

Whether it was Williams and the Old Russian, or the old guard of Gryphon, or Tank and Angel among the free mercenaries, everyone looked at Li Changjiang with a glimmer of hope in their eyes. Their meaning was crystal clear: accept William's request and become their leader.

After all, no one was a fool. Even among mercenaries, market values varied, and given Gryphon's status and reputation in the industry, the commissions would be significantly higher than those of ordinary mercenary groups.

Even Polica looked at Li Changjiang with a playful glint in his eyes.

Duke!

This was undoubtedly a powerful code name, but Polica knew better than anyone that earning the title of Duke was no easy feat.

"Boss?"

Keyboard could not help shouting out to Li Changjiang, but he was immediately glared back into silence by a sharp look from the Old Russian.

With a scrutinizing gaze, Li Changjiang's eyes swept over everyone, capturing the expression on each face.

The Old Russian!

Tim!

Tank!

Assassin!

Angel!

...

Finally, his gaze landed on Williams, who stood right before him!

Time did not stand still just because he fell into deep thought; instead, it continued to tick away at a terrifying pace.

Thump, thump, thump!

Li Changjiang could even hear his own heartbeat—steady and strong!

The very moment he raised his head, time seemed to truly freeze.

"No! I cannot accept your request!"