Three hundred thousand dollars!
Happy National Day—may our motherland grow ever stronger!
Boom.
The tank cannon thundered not far away, sending a wave of pressure through the air. Li Changjiang was flung off his feet without any chance to resist, landing hard and dizzy. For a while, all he could hear was a distant, muddled noise growing closer. By the time his hearing returned, his face was already streaked with tears and snot.
Damn, that hurt.
Hiss—
“Li, are you alright?”
“No, move!”
With the machine gunner taken out, a checkpoint was little more than a formality for a group of mercenaries as skilled as these. One assault was enough to end the fight.
When the second shell roared in, they were already scrambling into their vehicles. With a stomp on the gas, a jeep and a pickup broke through the checkpoint.
The night over Surt Bay was deathly still, the engine's roar the only sound aside from the gentle lapping of waves against the rocks. A sea breeze, tinged with salt, drifted from the distant Mediterranean, filling the vehicle and Li Changjiang’s lungs, making his thoughts feel sluggish and tangled.
As if everything had become a blur.
Louis, driving beside him, was quiet. The man’s thick beard made him look rugged, but on closer inspection, Li Changjiang realized this Western man was not the hulking brute he had appeared. Still, anyone serving as the squad’s sniper was bound to be highly experienced. Yet, judging by what had just happened, Louis’s performance was less than impressive—at least, that was Li Changjiang’s honest impression.
“Li.”
Louis was the first to break the silence.
Li Changjiang said nothing.
“Are you from the Huaxia Special Forces?”
“No.”
Westerners always seemed to imagine the Chinese military as shrouded in mystery—and with good reason. There was a reason Huaxia was known as a forbidden land for mercenaries.
“Why are you going to Benghazi? Don’t tell me it’s just to rescue your father.”
“Yes. I lost contact with my father. I think he’s still inside Benghazi, and I have to get him out.”
Damn it.
Louis fell silent again.
“You shoot well. Had formal training? As far as I know, unless you’re military, it’s hard to get proper firearms training in China. Are you a competitive shooter?”
In truth, most competitive shooters were also soldiers.
Thanks to Yang Jianyong’s warning, Li Changjiang was no longer foolish enough to claim he’d had no training. He nodded, but didn’t answer any further questions.
“Damn government forces—they knew our escape route. You realize, if it weren’t for you, we’d be dead by now.”
Louis sounded agitated.
Li Changjiang didn’t know how to respond. What intrigued him was that Louis didn’t seem to be with the government side.
“You’re with the opposition?”
Even before coming to Libya, Li Changjiang had heard stories about mercenaries. In Africa’s turmoil, it was hardly a secret. Where there’s war, there are mercenaries—a unique breed Li Changjiang had never encountered until now.
“Yes, but we’re not with the opposition. We’re mercenaries, Li. Do you know who we fight for?”
A sly, self-satisfied smile appeared on Louis’s face, making Li Changjiang uneasy.
“Money?”
“Yes, Li, you’re sharp. Mercenaries don’t pick sides. We work for whoever pays more. Maybe we’re fighting Gaddafi’s troops today, and tomorrow, if the price is right, we’ll fight for them—assuming he isn’t too stingy.”
Louis’s words left Li Changjiang quiet.
Is it really just for money?
Perhaps. But in Louis’s eyes, he glimpsed something more—a burning intensity.
The car raced along the coastal highway. It was almost dawn when the city’s outline finally appeared on the horizon, and Li Changjiang’s heart pounded.
Benghazi.
He was back.
The opposition was indeed gathering its strength. Once inside the city, the vehicle drove straight to the eastern defense zone. Seeing the dense rows of military tents and squads of opposition fighters, Li Changjiang’s suspicions were quickly confirmed.
“Hey, man, you’re amazing.”
“Thanks!”
“Welcome to the team.”
The others got out and came over to embrace Li Changjiang. Without him, there was no way their squad would have made it back.
Li Changjiang had no intention of explaining that he wasn’t planning to join them—he was only searching for his father, Li Lin.
Along the way, he’d learned from Louis that the five of them formed a small, independent mercenary squad. The captain, Williams, and Bob were Americans, both former US Marine Raiders. Kim was a Korean American, Tim had served in Britain’s Royal Air Force Special Forces, and Louis was a French American. Aside from the five, there was also a former Russian naval task force member, Nicholas Svorovich, but apparently he was on another mission and hadn’t joined this operation.
“Hey, Li, are you coming with us or waiting outside?”
“I’ll wait outside.”
Li Changjiang knew they were delivering something. The man with the black hood was clearly their target this time. Louis had been tight-lipped about his identity.
But anyone important enough for Libya’s opposition to hire a top-tier mercenary squad to capture him was no ordinary figure.
In less than a moment, Li Changjiang saw Louis and Kim each carrying a black briefcase, following Williams out. Tim had taken Bob to the infirmary.
“Li, let’s go.”
After a few turns, they ducked into a building that, once the window was opened, Li Changjiang realized was an old, abandoned warehouse. The light was dim, but Bob and Tim were already back and seemed fine—at least they were laughing and joking.
“Hey, man, how are you?”
“I’ll live. Li, thanks for saving us.”
“No need—if it wasn’t for you, I’d never have gotten out.”
On the other side, Williams walked in and tossed the two briefcases onto the floor. When he opened them, Li Changjiang’s heart leapt—both were packed full of money.
Bundles of crisp, new US dollars, stacked neatly inside. He’d never seen so much cash in his life.
“Alright, guys, here’s our payment. But I think this time, we’re splitting one more share. Li saved our lives—he deserves a cut. Anyone disagree?”
Williams was clearly respected by the group, at least outwardly.
“No objections!”
“That’s what Li earned.”
“Alright, since no one objects, let’s each take our share. Two million dollars total. I take five hundred thousand; the rest of you, including Li, get three hundred thousand each.”
Before Li Changjiang could react, the money was already divided, with a share set aside for him.
Three hundred thousand dollars!
For someone from a modest background, this was an astronomical sum.
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