HC CH218
Ling Lie nudged Ji Chenjiao. “What is it?”
Ji Chenjiao snapped back to reality, narrowing his eyes as he looked into the distance. “I feel like the smell of the wind here is familiar.”
Ling Lie was slightly surprised. “You can still remember things from here?”
Ji Chenjiao shook his head. “I just remember the smell of the wind. Dry, metallic, and bloody.”
Outside the airport, many vendors were waiting to pull in customers, resembling a long-distance bus station in a small Chinese county town. Ling Lie was tugged at several times before Ji Chenjiao pulled him over, hiding him behind his back.
They had arrived in L Country in separate batches and at different locations. Later, they would be sent to pre-arranged mines and construction sites, disguised as foreign laborers waiting for their next orders.
A dusty gray pickup truck drove into the crowd, and everyone climbed aboard. The pickup drove for over two hours, arriving at the edge of Salingauke City. Ling Lie looked out the window; the scenery was becoming gradually familiar. When he “escaped” from here last year, he hadn’t expected to return just six months later.
“That’s where you’ll be staying.” The pickup driver pointed to a cluster of makeshift single-story houses not far away. “Someone will meet you there.”
Acting alongside Ji Chenjiao and Ling Lie were three other team members. This mine was nominally operated by the Salingauke region, but in reality, it was controlled by “Jasmine Tea,” making it a suitable place to hide and wait for orders.
The closer they got to the mine, the heavier the smell of kerosene became; it was quite choking. Ji Chenjiao handed over their foreign labor permit documents. A foreman at the mine glanced at them, his guarded gaze sweeping over the group, before assigning them to Container House No. 12.
There were about a hundred workers in this batch, all coming from neighboring countries to make money. They were of all races, but if they had anything in common, it was that they were poor, couldn’t make it in their home countries, had a disregard for their own lives, and were filthy.
Before departing, Ling Lie had specifically given Ji Chenjiao “roughneck training,” successfully suppressing Ji Chenjiao’s naturally upright posture. Right now, looking at them alongside the other dirty, dust-covered workers, one couldn’t tell the difference.
The foreman led the newcomers down into the interior of the mine. The lighting inside was dim, the atmosphere oppressive, and everyone was busy with their own tasks. The foreman spoke in the common tongue about safety precautions for first-timers entering the mine. Many workers listened impatiently—although it was their first time at this specific mine, they had been down plenty of mines elsewhere.
The foreman was also one to cut corners; he rushed through the procedures and told everyone to get to work.
Ling Lie sidled up to Ji Chenjiao and lowered his voice. “Do you know how to do this?”
Ji Chenjiao said, “If I don’t, will you teach me?”
Ling Lie laughed. “Teach you? I’ll just do it for you.”
Not long after, there was a shout from above for food. The workers dropped their tools and squeezed toward the exit. The members of the Special Action Team didn’t rush to eat and were the last to go up.
Construction sites never had good food; it was just enough to fill the stomach. Everyone’s plate had a pile of something that looked completely unappetizing. It was a local staple called Chekaba. Ji Chenjiao took a spoonful and got a mouthful of spices.
Ling Lie sat opposite him, smiling at him, and mouthed: Little Young Master.
Ji Chenjiao frowned but ate several more spoonfuls.
The meals provided by the site actually contained meat, but the cooking method was different from back home. It was incredibly gamey, even harder to swallow than the Chekaba.
Ling Lie slid over to sit next to Ji Chenjiao. “If we have time in a couple of days, I’ll take you into the city to eat something good.”
Ji Chenjiao raised an eyebrow. “Landlord Ling?”
Ling Lie grinned. “I’ve been to every nook and cranny of Salingauke City.”
Life as a miner was no more leisurely than being a detective. There was no news of “Black Peacock” yet, and everyone’s nerves were pulled tight.
However, working in a place with so many people had one advantage—you heard a lot.
Since these miners dared to come to L Country to risk their lives for money, they were bold. When talking about the gangs and mercenary groups in L Country, they weren’t afraid of a stray bullet flying out of nowhere.
As they talked, Ling Lie and Ji Chenjiao listened quietly, occasionally chiming in with a sentence or two to satisfy the miners’ need to boast, making them talk even more enthusiastically.
It went without saying that Salingauke and the southern districts were “Jasmine Tea’s” turf. The mountain forests to the east of Salingauke were also supposed to be under “Jasmine Tea’s” control, as the resources there were richer than in the south. But Su Yi and Shu Tong had fallen out, and Shu Tong’s forces were entrenched in the eastern forests, taking that territory directly to hook up with “Wang Ting.”
“Wang Ting” was the gang that, according to intelligence, “Black Peacock” would soon contact personally. They occupied the northeastern Weimannu region of L Country. In previous years, their relationship with “Jasmine Tea” wasn’t bad; Ling Lie had even infiltrated the entourage of the “Wang Ting” boss’s nephew during the Alice Crown Carnival. But now, with Duan Wande gone, “Wang Ting” and “Jasmine Tea” were hostile once more.
Intelligence indicated that “Wang Ting” wanted to consume the drug trade in L Country and its surroundings, creating a western version of the Golden Triangle, which fit perfectly with “Floating Light’s” goals.
Although the L Country police were weak, they couldn’t watch “Wang Ting” act so brazenly. At the same time, “Jasmine Tea” didn’t want “Wang Ting” to grow stronger by relying on “Floating Light.” So when the Special Action Team contacted the L Country police proposing international cooperation, Superintendent Asak quickly agreed after weighing the pros and cons.
To put it plainly, the L Country police wanted to strike at “Wang Ting” but lacked the strength, while the Special Action Team needed to capture “Black Peacock,” and operating in a foreign country required official permission. Both sides had shared demands.
Meanwhile, “Jasmine Tea” was washing its hands clean. Su Yi had bought the position of police captain in Salingauke City and was secretly funneling intelligence to the Special Action Team through the L Country police.
The miners didn’t know these twists and turns. They only knew that “Wang Ting” was causing trouble in the northeast, that it was always unrestful there, and that “Wang Ting’s” territory had richer mineral deposits. Since they couldn’t go there to mine and make money to feed their families, they cursed “Wang Ting’s” ancestors to the eighteenth generation, cursing the traitor Shu Tong along with them.
The injury Ling Lie sustained last time was caused by Shu Tong, so Ji Chenjiao joined the miners in cursing, using the dirty words he had just learned.
Ling Lie: “…”
Three days passed with no new intelligence or mission orders. The team members dutifully worked as miners. During lunch, the foreman said a truck was coming in the evening; those who wanted to go to the city to buy things could catch a ride, but they had to return to the pickup point before 11 PM. If they missed the ride, they’d have to pay for a hotel in the city themselves.
Ling Lie patted Ji Chenjiao. “Come on, I’ll take you to town to see the world.”
Night fell, and Salingauke City was ablaze with lights, seemingly even more prosperous than when Ling Lie visited last year. There were many people on the streets, and the roadsides were lined with snack stalls. However, the malls and entertainment venues built like palaces remained deserted; only the wealthiest people in the city could afford to spend money there.
Ling Lie led Ji Chenjiao through the streets and alleys like a local, finally stopping at a flatbread shop to order two flatbreads and two bowls of thick soup.
Ji Chenjiao smelled the rich spices and frowned, reminded of the Chekaba at the construction site.
Ling Lie wiped the stool. “Don’t worry, this is good.”
Ten minutes later, steaming hot flatbreads were placed on the table. Although called flatbread, it was closer to pizza, but the dough was softer than pizza, drizzled with a local specialty sauce. Chicken and beef were melded into the dough, and there was a side of braised meat that could be stuffed inside the bread or eaten separately.
Ji Chenjiao didn’t have high hopes. In the few days since arriving in L Country, he had missed his own kitchen terribly. But after one bite, the gamey taste he expected wasn’t there; it was actually quite good.
Ling Lie grinned and pushed the thick soup toward him. “When has your Lie-Lie ever lied to you?”
After paying, just as the two were about to leave, a customer sitting nearby suddenly walked over and whispered, “Mr. Ling.”
It was a man with a very ordinary appearance, but Ling Lie remembered him. He was Su Yi’s trusted subordinate and one of the bodyguards who had followed Duan Wande into the country last year, named Lai Kehai.
“Su Yi wants to meet with you. Some things are better said face-to-face.”
Neither Ling Lie nor Ji Chenjiao moved.
Lai Kehai added, “Don’t worry, there are no ‘Wang Ting’ spies here.”
Ling Lie stood up. Lai Kehai knew this meant he should lead the way, so he walked quickly toward an alley. Ling Lie followed at a leisurely pace, with Ji Chenjiao about ten steps behind him.
Lai Kehai entered a six-story building and hid in the shadows. Ling Lie stood downstairs until Lai Kehai nodded, then climbed the stairs.
An iron door on the fourth floor opened, and Lai Kehai said, “Sir, they are here.”
Su Yi immediately came to the door to welcome them. “Long time no see, Mr. Ling.”
His attire today was completely different from their last meeting; he was covered in grime, looking much like the miners. Ling Lie almost thought he was back at the mine.
Ji Chenjiao came up as well. Su Yi welcomed them inside, and Lai Kehai closed the door. Su Yi said, “I’ve been looking for a chance to meet you.”
Ling Lie looked Su Yi up and down, realizing he had deliberately dressed this way to avoid attention.
Ling Lie said, “I heard you’re a police captain now? Doesn’t that make us colleagues?”
Su Yi smiled. “L Country will soon be completely stabilized. When that time comes, I can’t very well still hold the title of a mercenary leader.”
“Does Wonder have similar thoughts?”
“Wonder… Is Mr. Wonder doing well?”
“Depends on how you look at it. Is spending a lifetime in prison good? Is not having to worry about getting your kidneys harvested good?”
Su Yi looked a bit awkward. Ji Chenjiao coughed, and Ling Lie ended the topic. “Mr. Su Yi, you should be honest with me. What benefits do you hope to gain from this joint international operation?”
Su Yi was about to speak when Ling Lie suddenly raised his hand. “First off, don’t tell me it’s to exchange for Wonder. That’s impossible.”
Su Yi smiled ruefully, sat down, and lit a cigarette. “I do indeed have thoughts of rescuing Mr. Wonder. If you cooperate with me, and if…”
“Hold on!” Ling Lie interrupted again. “Since when are we cooperating with ‘Jasmine Tea’? We are cooperating with the official police department of L Country, with Superintendent Asak.”
Su Yi said, “True, and I am merely providing necessary intelligence to our police. Mr. Ling, I only hope that after this operation, I might have a chance to see Mr. Wonder.”
Ling Lie said, “I’m afraid I can’t promise you that. You see, I’m just a team member sent to execute a mission. Su Yi, why don’t you tell us your real thoughts?”
Su Yi paused, then quickly laughed. The worry that had initially appeared on his face vanished. “I was raised by Mr. Wonder, but since he decided to return to his country to face trial and leave ‘Jasmine Tea’ behind, I really have no standing to stop him. From the moment he left, I became the actual manager of ‘Jasmine Tea.'”
Su Yi’s gaze sharpened. “I cooperate with the L Country police; Superintendent Asak is my friend. But you also know that our police are relatively weak and sometimes have to rely on my men to maintain order. Yes, I want to legitimize ‘Jasmine Tea,’ and ‘Wang Ting’ is the biggest obstacle. Once ‘Wang Ting’ unites with ‘Floating Light,’ L Country will inevitably descend into chaos again. I don’t want to see that happen, so… I want to wipe out ‘Wang Ting.'”
Ling Lie said, “My mission is to capture ‘Black Peacock.'”
Su Yi said, “Our missions are different, but like branches on a tree, this tree is named ‘Floating Light.'”
Ling Lie was silent for a moment. “Anything else you want to say?”
Su Yi waved to Lai Kehai, who handed over a photograph. “You should like this lead.”
Ling Lie took the photo, his expression turning serious.
The person in the photo was the long-lost Xu Jiajia. He had permed his hair into curls and dyed it blonde. Combined with the effects of plastic surgery, he looked just like a foreigner. He was walking down a narrow street, his eyes very alert. The surrounding environment looked—very much like L Country!
Ling Lie: “This guy is in L Country?”
Su Yi said, “More precisely, he is in the northeastern Weimannu region of L Country. That is ‘Wang Ting’s’ territory, just as Salingauke is mine.”
Ling Lie asked, “When was this?”
Su Yi said, “Last week. As far as I know, he isn’t the only ‘Floating Light’ member active in the Weimannu region. More than a dozen ‘Floating Light’ members have appeared in ‘Wang Ting’s’ territory. They are definitely plotting something.”
Ling Lie put away the photo. “Good intel.”
Su Yi smiled. “You’re welcome.”
It was getting late; if they didn’t leave soon, they might miss the bus back to the mine. Ling Lie said, “But I won’t wipe out ‘Wang Ting’ for you just because of this.”
Su Yi smiled and waved his hand. “I know, I won’t force anything. I just want to contribute ‘Jasmine Tea’s’ share of effort.”
Ling Lie and Ji Chenjiao went downstairs, their figures quickly disappearing into the crowd. Su Yi stood by the window, his eyes darkening bit by bit as he chuckled mockingly, “Who knows?”
Life at the mine was monotonous and dull; people were driven to function like animals without thought. Ling Lie was the quickest to blend in with the workers, and the other three team members integrated in their own ways. Ji Chenjiao seemed slightly out of place, but since Ling Lie was always by his side, the workers treated him as a brother too.
A week later, Shen Xun received precise intelligence—”Black Peacock” had entered L Country. “Floating Light” had operations in the northeast of L Country, likely building a production site for “Snow Children” in the mountains of Weimannu in collaboration with “Wang Ting.”
Currently, almost all “Snow Children” circulating in L Country were sold there from E Country through “Floating Light’s” channels. “Wang Ting” wanted a piece of the pie and needed a production base in the territory they controlled. This was an exceptionally important deal, so “Black Peacock” naturally risked leaving E Country.
Nominally, the Weimannu region was under the control of the L Country police, but the police there had either been bought by “Wang Ting” or simply lacked the ability to confront them. Currently, Superintendent Asak had dispatched a so-called elite squadron to secretly head to Weimannu. Although there was no clear intelligence, it could be inferred that “Jasmine Tea” men were also secretly approaching the region.
The Special Action Team currently had twenty people executing the mission in L Country, hidden across four locations—the mine outside Salingauke City was one of them. The team closest to Weimannu was led by Zhao Fan; they had already merged with the L Country police, ready to act under their cover.
“The biggest difficulty in our operation this time is that it’s an international action. We are executing a mission in another country, and even if our collaborators are unreliable, we must accommodate their plans.” On the display screen, Shen Xun sighed. “Both we and L Country are targeting ‘Floating Light,’ but their true goal is to stop ‘Wang Ting’ from cooperating with ‘Floating Light’ and to use our momentum to suppress ‘Wang Ting.’ Our ultimate goal, however, is to capture ‘Black Peacock’ alive.”
Ji Chenjiao’s brow furrowed tight. “The goals of the two sides actually conflict. We want to avoid combat as much as possible, keep our identities hidden if we can, and retreat quickly after capturing ‘Black Peacock.’ But L Country’s plan is practically pushing us toward open conflict.”
Shen Xun nodded. “That is why I had to send Zhao Fan’s group to cooperate with them, while keeping you in the area controlled by ‘Jasmine Tea’ to gain the trust and cooperation of the L Country police and ‘Jasmine Tea.’ When it comes to the critical step of capturing ‘Black Peacock’…”
Ling Lie suddenly interrupted, “Wait a minute, are we just a diversion? Is the real action being taken by the other two groups?”
Shen Xun was silent.
Ling Lie laughed. “Captain Shen, you won’t even let Xiao Ji and me get the kill credit?”
Ji Chenjiao pursed his lips. Internally, he naturally yearned to capture Yan Xi personally, but since this was a collective operation, he would obey all arrangements.
Shen Xun looked at Ji Chenjiao. “Captain Ji, do you have any thoughts?”
Ji Chenjiao said, “It’s not suitable for Ling Lie and me to appear rashly, and ‘Jasmine Tea’ is an important variable in this operation. Before coming to L Country, I went to see Duan Wande.”
Ling Lie puffed out his cheeks, seemingly playing carelessly with a blade of grass.
“Duan Wande said that Su Yi is extremely intelligent and deeply calculating. All his starting points are based on his own interests. He is cooperating with the L Country police now because he judges it to be most beneficial to him, but if the wind changes, he could switch sides at any moment.”
Ji Chenjiao paused. “So, a team needs to guard the area controlled by ‘Jasmine Tea.’ Although it seems far from the key northeastern area, if anything changes, we can respond quickly.”
Shen Xun sighed and nodded. “Captain Ji, I’m glad you understand.”
Turning off the comms, Ling Lie poked Ji Chenjiao in the chest. “You’re certainly generous. Do you know our base is basically logistics? When we catch ‘Black Peacock’ and go back, we won’t get any glory.”
Ji Chenjiao grabbed his restless claws, amused. “Why do you like stirring up trouble so much?”
Ling Lie rolled his eyes.
Ji Chenjiao: “Are you someone who fights for credit? There is no team member more obedient to arrangements than our Lie-Lie.”
Ling Lie hmphed and pulled Ji Chenjiao closer. “Forget it, if we’re just along for the ride, then so be it. I’ll just treat it as a honeymoon on the public dime.”
Ji Chenjiao was speechless. Who goes on a honeymoon in a mine?
Undercurrents surged in this land that had been wrapped in turmoil for decades. The real logistical supplies were already in place; although Ji Chenjiao’s group had no weapons, the moment they were needed, weapons would be delivered to their hands immediately.
In the Weimannu region, amidst the vast mountains and forests, a convoy of off-road vehicles was driving on a rugged road, passing many dark caves along the way.
Hidden within these mountains were many air raid shelters, and underground lay a maze of fortifications. They were not built by “Wang Ting,” but they were the cornerstone of “Wang Ting’s” gradual development. No one knew better than the high-level members of “Wang Ting” that as long as “Floating Light” was willing to cooperate, this place could even replace “Floating Light’s” production base in E Country and become the world’s largest “Snow Children” production base.
Leading the convoy were “Wang Ting’s” armed vehicles, traveling unimpeded through the Weimannu region. Among the dozen vehicles behind them, the one in the very center carried “Wang Ting’s” esteemed guest—”Black Peacock.”
The convoy stopped outside a checkpoint. Masked “Wang Ting” bodyguards came forward to verify identities. “Black Peacock” did not get out of the car. The checkpoint opened completely before him, respectfully welcoming his arrival.
Soon, the convoy disappeared into the dense forest behind the checkpoint, unnoticed as a breeze blowing through the leaves.
In recent days, patrol cars were visible everywhere on the streets of the Weimannu region. The cars had L Country police livery, but the people inside were “Wang Ting” members. The atmosphere in the central city of Weimannu was tense; entering and exiting required inspection.
Ordinary people didn’t know what was happening; having lived in L Country for a long time, they were accustomed to such checks. But Zhao Fan, who had set up a grilled fish stall and was posing as the owner, knew clearly that this was “Wang Ting” preventing the L Country police from obstructing their cooperation with “Floating Light.”
Before “Black Peacock” made the trip, he must have made demands regarding security.
Zhao Fan fanned the fish that was about to burn in front of him, catching a glimpse of the clothing shop not far away out of the corner of his eye. The people in that shop were his collaborators for this mission—members of a certain L Country police squadron. “Wang Ting” was guarding heavily, but ultimately, there were people willing to side with the police for money. Currently, there were over a thousand police forces like them lurking in Weimannu City and the greater region, ready to act at any time upon receiving orders.
Zhao Fan’s only worry was that with the L Country police making such a big production, if they startled the target, it would inevitably affect the Special Action Team’s capture of “Black Peacock.” And guarding this spot, his role was merely to stabilize the L Country police. If a fight broke out, he wouldn’t even have a chance to get close to “Black Peacock.”
He had mentioned to Shen Xun not to make it so troublesome; since they were already in L Country, he and Ling Lie should just go snipe “Black Peacock” directly. But Shen Xun didn’t allow him to act without authorization. The moment international cooperation was mentioned, there was a pile of rules and regulations. He had listened until his ears calloused, so he had to honestly stay here and grill fish.
In a moment of distraction, Zhao Fan looked down—Whoa, the fish was burnt.
“Want some?” Zhao Fan asked the L Country policeman staying with him.
The other man looked at the blackened fish meat and asked doubtfully, “Isn’t it burnt?”
Zhao Fan said, “Not burnt. It’s a specialty grilled fish from my hometown.”
The L Country policeman really hadn’t eaten much good food; he took it, tasted it, and actually thought it wasn’t bad.
An ordinary day was about to pass, but just as Zhao Fan was preparing to make another buck at the night market, the policeman who had eaten his grilled fish suddenly received a mission, turned around, and rushed toward the clothing shop opposite.
A convoy of armed pickup trucks approached from ahead, and “Wang Ting” mercenaries jumped off the trucks. People scattered in all directions. Zhao Fan blended into the crowd and, amidst the chaos, sent intelligence back to the command center—
Asak’s people are exposed. Crossfire is imminent!