Chapter 243
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Chapter 243: The Great Enemy Approaches
Just as the two single-man rocket flight packs soared thirty meters off the ground, they transformed into two massive fireballs.
With Lin Mo’s fierce shout, the mysterious figures were obliterated into nothingness.
A survivor meant trouble, and Lin Mo already had enough of his own issues; it was time to know when to stop.
Sally, still sobbing softly, felt not just fear but also overwhelming relief from surviving the ordeal. To her astonishment, Lin Mo did not end up captured by that villain but turned the tide in their favor.
Since she faced away from Lin Mo and Ma Jun and was bound and unable to move, she only heard their conversation and the screams of others. She saw no scenes of battle; within moments, the conflict had ended.
When the ropes binding her were finally untied, Sally initially thought she was still dreaming. But upon seeing Lin Mo, she threw herself into his arms, crying out in distress.
“It’s okay, it’s okay! You’re safe now!” Lin Mo gently patted the back of the Pashtun girl, showing no intention of taking advantage of her.
This silly girl shouldn’t have been swayed by Ma Jun’s final words, Lin Mo thought. He planned to leave the area as soon as possible to avoid any further complications. Even if he didn’t stay with this migration team, trouble would surely follow, though perhaps not to this degree.
Lin Mo splashed some cold water, using a pinch and a splash to revive a Pashtun man, then quickly left him alone.
After a hysterical scream upon seeing the remnants of the battlefield, the Pashtun man frantically used the same method to wake others.
As the effects of the drug wore off and with the forceful wakeup techniques, the Pashtun people gradually came back to consciousness. At this point, the sky started to brighten.
“Abik, you need to explain this to me,” Mude Zariyev, the village chief, along with a few other village leaders, summoned the mercenary leader Abik and Lin Mo for an urgent discussion.
Inside and outside the conference tent were loyal followers of various village chiefs, armed with AK-47s, their expressions betraying no feelings as they watched Abik and Lin Mo closely.
They treated this situation as if confronting a great enemy, which was understandable after the terrifying events of the previous night that nearly resulted in their complete destruction. Only those who survived could enjoy this paradise-like land, and at that moment, they trusted no one except their closest allies.
“Honestly, I’m not sure, but I will interrogate my men carefully. If I find a traitor, I will personally deal with him,” Abik, the mercenary leader, replied grimly, realizing how absurd it was that a traitor had surfaced among his own. Luckily, it wasn’t poison; otherwise, they would have all met their fate in hell after their long journey.
“Don’t look to me—I’m leaving! I have no interest in staying here,” Lin Mo said, raising his hands in a gesture of indifference and shrugging. No matter how beautiful the scenery, it could only serve as a tourist spot, not a place where he could settle down.
After the events of last night, Sally was completely devoted to Lin Mo. Ma Jun’s schemes had failed, and the Pashtun girl selectively reported the information to the village chief.
If one analyzed Ma Jun’s final words, they simply did not hold water. If Lin Mo were indeed an “agent” of some power, spying on this prime location like other armed organizations, there would be no need to meticulously escort them along the way. Two bandits could be allowed to come and kill a few migrants today, then another small group could follow to do the same tomorrow. The migration team would naturally weaken without suspicion.
Or, as soon as they reached their destination, they could simply turn against everyone and slaughter them all with ease.
Moreover, the “knight” had performed an astonishing turnaround, completely winning the heart of the Pashtun girl. Admiring heroes was a part of Pashtun culture, embraced by men and women of all ages.
“Um, that’s not what we meant!” Village Chief Mude Zariyev’s face flushed slightly as he cleared his throat to cover his embarrassment. He, along with the other village leaders, didn’t share the same attitude towards Lin Mo as they did towards the mercenary Abik. After all, Lin Mo had saved all of them the night before.
Mude Zariyev pulled a small bag from his waist and poured its contents onto the carpet before him.
Inside were several pieces of deep blue stone, washed clean yet not polished, showcasing their pure blue color.
Lapis Lazuli, one of Afghanistan’s gemstone specialties.
Mude Zariyev took a deep breath and spoke slowly, “These were found by some children while playing nearby. They’re quite good in quality. If you can help us defeat the invading enemies, we’d be willing to give you this mine.”
You can’t catch wolves without spending a little, they thought. The other party had already generously protected their villages without asking for compensation; that was a tremendous kindness. Requesting more help for such a dangerous task without offering any price would be unbecoming of the Pashtun people, especially when their guest was someone so valuable.
So, after some discussion, the village leaders decided to offer this Lapis Lazuli mine to Lin Mo. Though Lapis Lazuli wasn’t exceptionally expensive, the overall value of a complete mine was undoubtedly significant.
On the other hand, mining the mine was necessary for it to have value, which essentially tied this “knight” to them. As long as they were alive, Lin Mo could profit from the mine, but if they perished, no one would acknowledge the owed debts.
“Um…” Lin Mo rubbed his chin. Honestly, a Lapis Lazuli mine didn’t mean much to him, but if he could cash it in, it would be quite a fortune. For someone like him, whose wallet was quickly draining due to creating “monstrous” creatures, this would be like a timely rain, greatly easing his financial strain.
“However, I alone can’t handle many people. If they come with hundreds or thousands, I won’t be able to stop them. Even with guns or swords, I might only take down a hundred or so.”
Money was easy to obtain, but Lin Mo didn’t think he could get it so simply. The Pashtun people’s challenge wasn’t small; otherwise, why would they use a valuable mine as bait?
“That is a problem. Our weapons are limited, and we don’t have much ammunition,” several village chiefs said with worried faces.
Abik, the mercenary leader, also rested his chin in his hand and shook his head. “I only have a little over fifty men. We can handle at most a hundred; beyond that, it’s impossible. How about we negotiate with them to share this place?”
“No, no, no! These guys are greedy wild wolves; they want to eat us alive! How could we possibly negotiate sharing? If we did, they’d just kill us all!”
An older, thin village chief waved his hand, refuting Abik’s idea. With differing stances, they viewed things from different angles. The mercenary could roam freely, but the migrating villagers could not. Moving thousands of people was complex in terms of management and supply.
“Yes, we have no planes, no tanks, no cannons, and our children aren’t professional soldiers. How can we fight against these greedy people?”
Other village chiefs shared the same concerns. The Pashtun were natural warriors, which was true, but small skirmishes were one thing. Engaging in a strong, direct confrontations was another; their discipline couldn’t compare to trained soldiers. Without special training, they could easily turn into a disorganized mob—gaining courage only with victories but likely to collapse under setbacks.
“Planes?” Mude Zariyev, the chief of the former Mica Village, paused, seeming to recall something as his dry fingers tapped on the rifle case, looking up at the tent’s top.
“What’s wrong, Mude, my old friend?”
“Yes, think of a way quickly! We can’t fight against so many people.”
“We can’t just avoid a fight. Our young men will be killed, our women will be violated, and our children will be taken away as recruits. That’s simply terrifying.”
“May Allah save us.”
Even with the “knight” they had brought as guards, the village chiefs couldn’t count on this powerful warrior to handle so many enemies. This task exceeded the capacity of one soldier.
Perhaps only the gold giant dragon in its true form could easily take care of these lowlifes. But Lin Mo wouldn’t expose the dragon’s power for these Pashtun people. He was always very cautious when using gold coins, ensuring there were no hidden dangers.
Sighs filled the tent, and the Pashtun guards nearby wore worried expressions.
Abik clenched his teeth, almost tearing apart his headscarf, unable to think of a proper solution. He had managed to obtain a secret location and the support of several merged tribes, a rare opportunity that meant his mercenaries could advance to the next level. But before long, a pack of ferocious wolves hovered menacingly, ready to snatch away their hard-won gains.
Not only were they awakened from sleep by Lin Mo, but the news he bore was like a thunderbolt on a clear day. Currently, the information was controlled among the village chiefs, who dared not announce it to the outside world. They feared that once this news spread, it would likely cause panic and chaos among the common people. Before the enemy even arrived, they might already fall into disarray.
“Silence!” Mude Zariyev shouted irritably, trying to capture a spark of inspiration as he clutched his head. The tent grew somewhat quieter.
“What’s wrong, my old brother? Do you have a headache? Do you want me to call a doctor?”
“No, no, I’m fine.”
“What were you talking about?”
“We were just saying we don’t have planes, cannons, or tanks. If we had those, we wouldn’t fear this mob.”
“Yes, yes! Planes, cannons, and tanks! That’s it!”
