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墨書 Inktalez
The Stilt House had at least three rooms on the second floor, and Fatty and I were talking by the eastern window of the room on the east side. As long as we kept our voices down, no one could hear us. Fatty turned to me, giving me a meaningful glance.
"Since we're here, we have to go no matter what. The Nine-Headed Bird is ruthless. If I don't deliver Ransom soon, he won't treat Da Zhang kindly. He might not take Da Zhang's life, but he will definitely make him suffer." Fatty placed a hand on my shoulder and leaned in closer. "Guai Zi Liu's words aren't trustworthy. I'm not foolish enough to be unable to tell right from wrong. If he tells me to take out the Nine-Headed Bird, I'll do it. It would be best if I could rescue Da Zhang; if the Nine-Headed Bird has other plans, I wouldn't mind turning against him. Old scores and new ones will be settled together; if I don't turn his world upside down, I wouldn't be honoring my fallen comrades."
"The more I hear about this, the more confused I get. Does Guai Zi Liu mean that Da Zhang was set up? Do you know this person?"
"Heh heh." Fatty's laughter was cold. "I know him well. He used to be a mercenary broker, specializing in introducing mercenaries to armed groups everywhere. We were introduced by him initially, and later he sold us off to Africa. We didn't get any good treatment from him; although he made money off selling us, our comrades' deaths had nothing to do with him. But now that he dares to come after me, I won't let him off easily."
"But you can't let Guai Zi Liu use you like this; he's clearly trying to make you his pawn. You know some people; didn't you save him? Isn't this a case of biting the hand that feeds you?" I pressed firmly.
"Anyone who can survive in this jungle is cunning. You don't understand the situation with mercenaries; it's not unusual for someone to repay kindness with enmity and turn against you in an instant. A comrade in one trench today could be shooting at you from the opposite trench tomorrow—all for money. Whoever pays more gets their loyalty; there's no sentiment involved." The more I listened to Fatty, the colder his words felt.
"Is this still human?" I cursed under my breath.
However, I couldn't shake off my concern for Fatty going off on his own. If he truly disappeared without a trace, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself for my decision today. "If you really have to go, then count me in."
"You've lost your mind! This isn't an adventure game; it could get us killed! You don't have the experience; you'd just be a burden."
"Then you shouldn't go either; let's think of another way. Otherwise, we're going together."
Fatty was genuinely anxious now, staring at me with wide eyes. "I have no choice; I have to go! You stay here to back me up—if something happens, at least there will be someone to rescue me. If we both get caught, who will save us?"
"Stop talking nonsense! Who do you expect to help you if you go alone? Guai Zi Liu?" I questioned him bluntly. "If something really happens to you, what kind of rescue would there be? Those people would tear you apart! If I'm going with you, at least I'll be a helping hand. It's either we both go or neither of us goes—make your choice."
We stood by the window, staring at each other like two roosters ready to fight.
After a while, the door to the room creaked open, and Guai Zi Liu stepped inside with a neutral smile on his face. "Black Steel, how did the discussion go?"
Fatty turned his head with a grim expression. "I need to see Nine-Headed Bird before I can decide what to do. If I can rescue Da Zhang, I don't want to complicate things. But if Nine-Headed Bird is looking for trouble, then don't blame me for being ruthless."
"I can guarantee that Nine-Headed Bird has ill intentions. Black Steel, you saved my life, and I am eternally grateful to you. I wouldn't deceive you. I want to save Da Zhang too, but..." Lame Li sighed and pounded his lame leg. "This leg of mine is useless. If it weren't for this leg, I would have gone over there myself without needing your help, Black Steel."
Fatty remained unmoved. "So what can you offer me? Weapons or assistance?"
"I'll do everything I can to help," Guai Zi Liu said cheerfully. "I've prepared the gear; let's head over first. Everything is over there."
Guai Zi Liu's words were filled with eagerness, seemingly sincere in his desire to help, but I knew he was definitely up to no good. I was determined to go with Fatty; Guai Zi Liu had ulterior motives, and I worried he might betray us. In front of Guai Zi Liu, Fatty didn't voice any objections to my joining them.
We followed a group of people carrying stones into Myanmar, taking a forest path where someone was waiting for us in Myanmar. Once we entered Myanmar, we broke away from the stone-carrying group and turned into a village filled with vibrant red poppies that looked both beautiful and sinister.
We entered a mud-brick courtyard, and the others who followed us did not enter the house. Guai Zi Liu led Fatty and me into a wooden cabin. In one corner of the room sat a large wooden box marked with several Russian letters. Guai Zi Liu pointed at the box. "This is what I've prepared for you."
The lid of the box wasn't nailed shut; Fatty easily pried it open. Inside were several long and short guns wrapped in oil paper, along with bullets and a few grenades. Fatty quickly tore off the oil paper covering the firearms, revealing several distinctive weapons before me. I'm not a military enthusiast, but during my time in the Archaeology team, I often interacted with troops and became familiar with our infantry equipment. In my spare time, I would compare these with infantry gear from other countries, so I had some understanding of these basic weapons.
Inside the box were seven or eight AK-47 assault rifles, several 9mm American-made handguns, and M67 grenades also used by American forces. Fatty picked up one of the handguns and skillfully disassembled it for a thorough inspection before reassembling it and tucking it into his waistband after loading it with bullets. He then picked up another one to check.
Seeing this made my scalp tingle; these weapons could start a small war. Judging by Fatty's demeanor, there was a high possibility we would go after Da Zhang, so I had to be prepared. I picked up a handgun, checked it, loaded it fully, and tucked it into my jacket pocket for safety before grabbing an extra magazine filled with bullets.
Fatty glanced at me and handed me another gun. "There's no time to switch magazines; it's better to take two guns."
I thought about it and realized that with my magazine change speed, I was shot dead before I could even finish swapping the magazine. I took the handgun and inserted a fully loaded magazine into the grip.
Fatty had three handguns strapped to him and a bag of grenades. He turned to Guai Zi Liu and said, "To meet the Nine-Headed Bird, just me and my buddy are enough. Arrange for someone to back me up. It’s best to find someone reliable; I don’t want him to run off before I even get out."
"It's already arranged; I found the most trustworthy person for you," Guai Zi Liu patted his chest. "I may not be able to go into battle, but backing you up is no problem."
As I was still in shock, Guai Zi Liu pulled an AK-47 from the box and loaded a magazine into it.
Fatty smiled, "Alright. Find me a briefcase; I need to pack the ransom. Make sure it's double-layered."
Guai Zi Liu's expression changed slightly. "No problem."
Thank you all for your support, and thanks to AA Liu for the reward.
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