Chapter 237
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Chapter 237: The Love of Tulips
The convoy had entered a desolate and remote area where no plants could be seen and no water sources were found, as if they had stepped into a life barrier unfit for human existence.
At this point, there were no roads; they could only move forward on flat land. Many vehicles, worn out from the long journey, broke down and stopped, unable to advance even a single step despite having a bit of fuel left, forcing them to abandon the old gas trucks used by Mica Village and nearby settlements.
The trucks had been drained of gasoline and declared out of service.
The migration team seemed prepared for this, unloading groups of semi-finished wooden parts from the trucks, quickly assembling classic wooden-wheeled carts to transfer supplies and children, relying solely on human or animal power to continue moving forward.
At this moment, the team had consumed more than half of their supplies, and after a thorough check, they buried heavy items that were too burdensome to carry in a hidden spot.
In the end, they collectively traveled lightly, even driving the cattle and sheep with lighter loads while making their way on foot.
As a result, the frequency of their rest breaks increased so that they needed to rest for fifteen minutes almost every hour; otherwise, both the humans and animals couldn’t bear the rigors of marching through rugged mountainous terrain.
“What’s wrong?”
While the team rested on the hillside, Lin Mo was busy maintaining his silver armor and weapons, crafted from high-quality materials from the J-10 fighter jet, light yet tough, perfectly meeting his needs. The surface bore countless bullet marks and various other signs of wear, gradually imbuing it with the true atmosphere of war.
Whenever Sally found free time, she would approach Lin Mo, even taking on the role of a liaison. Sometimes, without saying a word, she would watch curiously, yet held back by her own warnings, afraid to speak.
Perhaps other young people or children also joined in.
Uh! It should be considered a gathering of onlookers!
Lin Mo remained silent about his situation, treated like an animal in a zoo for visitors to observe, and he couldn’t chase them off. After all, he was just trying to earn a meal and get a ride, so he chose to ignore it.
“Grandpa Mude said that ahead is ‘Gem Valley,’ our final destination is finally close.” Sally was very excited; they hadn’t encountered any armed militant groups for almost half a month. The destination was right ahead.
If it weren’t for village chief Mude Zariyev’s repeated reassurances, no one would believe that within these barren and sparse high mountains lay such an invaluable paradise.
As everyone trudged laboriously through the desolate mountains, just when despair began to creep in, the scout at the front returned with thrilling news: just past a narrow mountain pass was a vast valley with streams, lakes, trees, grass, and yellow goats—a true treasure in a chaotic world.
The lakes nestled among them sparkled like jewels, perhaps the name "Gem Valley" originated from this very sight.
Almost everyone felt a surge of excitement. After overcoming numerous dangers in their long and strenuous journey, they were finally close to their destination. Their hearts swelled with joy from surviving their trials, and they sensed a glimmer of hope for the future. The hardships accumulated over the past month suddenly felt less burdensome, and even the rest breaks turned into every two hours.
“Oh, I see!” Lin Mo, as usual, was sparing with his words, showing no reaction as if it had nothing to do with him.
It seemed the time to return to the base was also not far off.
In addition to his original armor and sword shield and the small knife gifted by the village chief, Lin Mo now possessed a near-new CQ automatic rifle, modeled after America’s M16A1 but produced in China. Such guns were rarely spotted domestically, mainly exported or supplied to certain foreign organizations with specific needs. Their output was limited, and Lin Mo had found this one among the materials from a defeated armed group, taking it without hesitation.
Produced by China North Industries Corporation, the CQ automatic rifle, though not abundant, significantly improved the quality of domestic copies compared to originals. Its quality matched that of Colt’s and was even better in some respects.
To prevent China North Industries Corporation from continuing to produce a weapon that could threaten Colt’s M16 sales, and to protect this still-profitable product series after its patent expired, Colt had to trade the blueprints and production equipment for the M1911 pistol to monopolize the North American M16 market.
This incident once became widely talked about among international arms manufacturers.
With such high-quality replicas, Lin Mo would not waste his time on those inferior old AKs. After all, relying solely on cold weapons could not solve all combat situations; firearms were essential combat tools. Lin Mo’s original Type 92 pistol had long run out of ammunition, which was why he relied heavily on his handmade sword and shield. After all, while body resources could be replenished, bullets could not; each shot fired meant one less in his pocket.
To others, his marksmanship was as frightening as his swordsmanship, clearly indicating he wasn’t merely a reclusive martial arts master hidden deep in the mountains.
Lin Mo’s cold response frustrated Sally. She knew this so-called "Knight" was essentially a proud warrior, which shone through in his actions. He never collaborated with others and always acted alone, making every battle an unprecedented slaughter.
It was hard to imagine how he had been cultivated into such a being, displaying a discipline deeply ingrained in his bones, clearly not a hidden master, but rather a personality honed in a well-trained team. What kind of organization lay behind him?
The only thing they could be sure of was that the organization’s background was frighteningly powerful and unimaginable.
Not only did Lisa think so, but village chief Mude Zariyev and mercenary leader Abik also held similar views.
For a small tribe, it was inconceivable to face a country with one-fifth of the world’s population. Only such a nation could bear the costs of cultivating such warriors.
This wasn’t something achieved by casually handing out AK-47s and providing food and shelter.
For such a formidable warrior, it was impossible not to draw attention. The aftermath of his unrestrained slaughter caused bandits scattered along the route to retreat voluntarily, especially those who were more knowledgeable and cunning, allowing the convoy to pass through a radius of five kilometers without confrontation, unconsciously reducing many battles.
Revenge?
Even suicide wouldn’t be that reckless!
Sally knew that not only mercenary leader Abik sought to recruit Lin Mo, even offering golden bars, intent on making him part of his team. With such a masterful fighter joining, Abik would have the confidence to expand his forces or even mark territories on the spot.
The village chief subtly suggested that Sally should actively approach this powerful warrior, even hinting at sacrificing her appeal to entice him. If they could keep him, it would be fantastic.
As the saying goes, “Heroes find it hard to resist the allure of beauty.” If only they could win over the “Knight,” with such formidable protection, Mica Village’s strength would be just around the corner. After a long recovery, they would surely return to their homeland.
If nothing else, borrowing some seeds would be good.
If it weren’t for fear of the “Knight’s” murderous methods, Sally would probably rally the other girls in the village to make their advances. Afghanistan’s polygamy is also quite famous worldwide.
As for religious beliefs, let them be damned; surviving was the way to continue offering loyalty to Allah.
This was merely the village chief’s own wishful thinking.
The most beautiful tulip in Mica Village had gone to waste on someone else, and the young men in the village, along with the mercenaries, would surely be going crazy, even if it meant throwing away everything for such a chance.
Yet Lin Mo was blissfully unaware. During his free moments, he continued to maintain his armor and weapons. The ongoing battles had severely damaged the armor he crafted from J-10 wreckage, even though he had restored his Battle Energy and improved it further, he still couldn’t evade all bullets and shrapnel.
He didn’t want to consume too much Battle Energy on defensive measures due to these unforeseen circumstances, so maintaining armor and other defensive gear was essential, considering the long road ahead.
He held no hope for the upper search teams to find him in this chaotic area; he could only rely on himself to find a means of escape.
Chief Mude Zariyev promised that as long as they escorted the migration team to their destination, “Gem Valley,” Lin Mo could choose any means of transportation and would be supplied with enough fuel to leave.
“You, when will you leave?” Lisa had a thousand words but dared not speak them.
The “Knight” was the protective umbrella of the entire migration team; annoying him could cost her life and make everyone lose a powerful protector, an outcome too dire to contemplate.
“When the time comes to leave, I will leave.”
Lin Mo continued to wipe the sword blade with a piece of worn cotton cloth. The sword’s strength was not enough to endure the challenges of past battles, and the accumulated internal damage would need the Gold Coins to rectify. This was also the specialty of the gold giant dragon.
Whether it was fighter jets or cold weapons, maintaining Lin Mo’s equipment in optimal condition was one of the agreements for mutual survival between him and the dragon.
Lin Mo completely missed the unusual tone in Sally’s voice; it clearly conveyed hidden meanings.
