017 The Imminent Battle
“Get in the car first. We’ll head over and meet up with them, and then discuss how to get out.”
“Yes, get in!”
Li Changjiang and Teng Fei switched seats and sat down next to Liu Bo.
The engine started.
On the way, Liu Bo briefly recounted what had happened after they were separated. Li Changjiang didn’t say anything, just sighed quietly. After all, on the battlefield, no one knew if they’d be the next to fall. Simply surviving was already the greatest luxury.
After less than two hours, the vehicle entered the jurisdiction of the checkpoint ahead. Yang Jianyong didn’t continue forward but stopped the car at the roadside and let everyone get out.
Boom!
Tat-tat-tat!
Tat-tat-tat!
Bang!
Bang, bang, bang!
The gunfire was still ongoing. Li Changjiang raised his sniper rifle and peered through the scope, his brows furrowing at the scene before him.
“Captain Yang, if we don’t take the initiative, we won’t be getting out of here by tomorrow.”
Yang Jianyong was taken aback.
Li Changjiang didn’t explain further but handed him the sniper rifle, gesturing toward the front.
Taking the rifle, Yang Jianyong looked through the scope as well.
Instantly, he understood why Li Changjiang had said what he did.
That bastard Gaddafi—his troops were all the same, hiding in foxholes and firing aimlessly. No amount of ammunition could keep up with their wastefulness, shooting desperately at the sand behind the rebels as if they were playing whack-a-mole.
“No, we absolutely can’t get involved. This is Libya’s civil war. If we intervene, it’ll become an international incident, and the trouble will be endless.”
“Captain, actually, I don’t think it’s that hard.”
“If you’ve got something to say, spit it out and stop wasting time.”
Yang Jianyong snapped at Li Xiaomao.
He was already growing impatient. Up to this point, their mission had far exceeded its original scope. Not only had they failed to find Li Lin, but one of the Huaxin News Agency reporters had died. According to military regulations, this mission was already on the brink of failure.
“We can change into local Libyan clothing. If we can get government uniforms, even better. There are just over twenty rebels. With our firepower, we can suppress them easily—wiping them out won’t be difficult.”
Li Changjiang only paused for a moment before nodding.
It was indeed a workable plan.
Yang Jianyong was tempted as well.
“It’s a bit risky, but not a bad idea. Here’s what we’ll do: we split into two groups. You and Tian Weiliang go find clothing. Teng Fei will come with us to rendezvous. We meet back here in half an hour.”
“Let’s go!”
With the plan and time set, no one hesitated any longer. They split up and moved out.
The wound on Li Changjiang’s abdomen had already scabbed over; as long as infection didn’t set in, he’d be fine for now.
Following Teng Fei for less than ten minutes, Li Changjiang spotted a large blue bus overturned in a sand pit. On the east side, a group of Chinese had gathered. Among the crowd, he immediately saw Meng Yao, her expression tense.
After all, she was just a young woman who had barely left campus. Though she’d already been through some hardship, this was still difficult to accept.
Sensing someone’s gaze, Meng Yao suddenly looked up and locked eyes with Li Changjiang.
He didn’t know how to describe the look in her eyes.
He only knew that, in the next moment, a figure rushed toward him.
Meng Yao threw herself at Li Changjiang, wrapping her arms tightly around him and refusing to let go.
“Ow—hey, could you let go for a second?”
Hearing Li Changjiang’s hiss of pain, Meng Yao quickly released him, her face turning crimson.
Now that she was cleaned up, she truly was a beauty.
Li Changjiang couldn’t help but mutter to himself.
“Are you hurt?” Meng Yao’s slightly concerned tone touched the softest spot in Li Changjiang’s heart.
“I’m fine, won’t die from it. Are you alright?”
“I’m… I’m fine. Why did you leave without saying anything? Do you know how worried I was?”
As she said this, Meng Yao, despite her bravado, couldn’t help but feel shy.
For a girl, those words were as close to a confession as it got.
But Li Changjiang, dense as ever, didn’t catch her meaning. He just nodded and looked around nervously.
“What are you looking at? Am I not worth looking at?”
Meng Yao suddenly grew bold, her beautiful eyes fixed on Li Changjiang.
“N-no, I was just looking around, just looking around!”
Li Changjiang stammered, feeling awkward under her gaze. Liu Bo, watching from the side, couldn’t help but want to laugh.
He never expected Li Changjiang to be capable of playing dumb so skillfully. It was a natural-born talent for flirting—something most people could never learn.
“So you think I’m not good-looking?”
“Huh? No, no! Don’t misunderstand. I just meant I wasn’t looking at anything, not that you’re not good-looking. You’re very pretty—really, you look just like a TV star.”
Liu Bo finally couldn’t hold it in and turned away. If he stayed any longer, he’d be tempted to hit him. He’d always heard that beauties ended up with fools and never understood why—until today.
This wasn’t stupidity; it was wisdom in disguise.
Who would have thought this kid was a master at winning over women?
Hearing Li Changjiang’s words, Meng Yao’s cheeks flushed even deeper, and she suddenly seemed bashful.
“Did you go back to look for your dad earlier? Did you find him?”
Li Changjiang’s nerves, just beginning to relax, tensed up again.
“Not yet. But I’ll find him.”
“But Benghazi is already in rebel hands. How will you find him? Maybe Uncle Li’s already gotten out; after all, so many Chinese have already evacuated.”
Li Changjiang nodded, but he knew the chances were slim.
He and his father had been caught up by the rebels at the same time. He’d blacked out for a while, so his father might have escaped with the fleeing crowd—but he worried his father might have doubled back to find him.
“Don’t worry, he’ll be fine. As soon as we get out, we’ll go straight to the embassy for help. If Uncle Li got out, he’ll go there first thing.”
“Mm, I hope so!”
Half an hour passed quickly.
Yang Jianyong and the mysterious Director Hao had already prepared their attack plan.
Their group consisted mainly of Yang Jianyong and his four soldiers, Li Xiaomao, Yang Sheng, Teng Fei, and Tian Weiliang, plus Li Changjiang and two of Hao Bing’s men—eight in all—disguised as Libyan refugees or government troops.
Hao Bing, Liu Bo, the four reporters from Huaxin News Agency, and the other two Chinese tourists remained in place.
After regrouping at the agreed time and place, Li Xiaomao impressively managed to acquire five sets of government uniforms and four sets of civilian clothes.
Yang Jianyong and his four men dressed as government soldiers; Li Changjiang and the others posed as civilians. The eight of them crept toward the checkpoint.
Li Changjiang quickly scrambled up a low dune, just high enough to spot the rebels inside the checkpoint.
He lay prone and took aim.
For this assault, Yang Jianyong had already ordered Li Changjiang to strike first—taking out the enemy’s machine gunners and RPG operators as the opening move.
As everyone took their positions, the atmosphere around the checkpoint grew taut.
The battle was about to begin.
Vote! Vote! Vote! Five hundred votes in one day means an extra chapter! Free rice all you can eat—no charge!