Mercenaries are King

Chapter 22 A Heartbreaking Departure

Lu Chen took the box and looked at Mike with surprise. At such a critical moment, Mike actually let him leave. It was clear that Mike was thinking of him, which moved Lu Chen.

He doesn't know what to say now. It would be a lie to say he doesn't want to go back to China. Besides, he doesn't know anything about his parents and sister. If he doesn't have money, he probably won't even be able to afford medicine or go to school.

He gazed at the endless night, remained silent for a long time, then gave a bitter laugh and said, "Mike, do you really want me to leave?"

"Lu Chen, you're born to be a mercenary. I hope you stay, but I respect your choice," Mike said with a wry smile.

After the events of the past two days, Lu Chen demonstrated formidable combat prowess, exceptional adaptability, and outstanding analytical skills—all qualities his team needed. If possible, he would even relinquish the captaincy.

"Okay, let's go to the base at dawn tomorrow." Lu Chen thought for a moment and said. He had to send money to his family, otherwise they would have trouble even eating.

Everyone heard Lu Chen's words. James glared at Lu Chen and said, "Chen, the captain has been so good to you, how can you bear to leave?"

Alex shouted, "Let's go, we'd better go now."

"Shen, we need you," Anthony pleaded.

Lu Chen glanced at James and the others, and smiled. In just a few days, he had developed a deep bond with these people. However, some things cannot be forced, and he had to transfer money to his family—it was his responsibility. As for whether to stay or return home, he was truly hesitant.

What could he say at that moment? Just then, Adile woke up and whispered, "Lu Chen, where are you?"

Lu Chen was slightly taken aback. The first person this woman looked for after waking up was him. Could it be that she had really fallen for him? That was impossible. This was only the second time he had met Adile. Even if it was love at first sight, it wouldn't happen this quickly.

He smiled, strode over, and came to Adile's side. Since there was no bed in the basement, there was only a wooden plank on the floor.

He crouched down and said softly, "Adile, you're awake."

When Adile saw Lu Chen, she reached out and tightly grasped his hands, her voice trembling as she said, "I thought I would never see you again. It's so good to see you."

Lu Chen didn't want to be too sentimental, especially since he didn't like this woman and wasn't emotionally involved. Besides, Mike and the others were also there. He coughed twice, pulled his hand away, and said very seriously, "What exactly happened? Where are your people?"

Adilé led several hundred men; even if he were attacked by Rahman, he shouldn't have been completely wiped out.

Adile said weakly, "We were attacked by Rahman. There was a traitor in our group. They killed Alz and ran away."

"Also, their target is the entire government army. Only by killing me and Alz can they cut off Ibn's right and left hands. Now that I've run away, they will definitely chase after me. It's very dangerous here, and we should leave quickly," Adil said anxiously.

Lu Chen didn't quite believe Adile's words. What exactly happened was probably only known to Adile and the surviving witnesses. But he was certain that Rahman would send someone.

However, it is impossible to predict when they will arrive or how many people they will send.

He patted Adile on the shoulder and said, "Take good care of yourself and don't think about anything. We'll protect you." He then stood up.

"Lu Chen, don't go," Adile said hurriedly.

"I'm not leaving, I have something to take care of," Lu Chen said with a smile. He didn't want to upset her too much, so he lied.

After he finished speaking, he walked out of the basement and came to the outside of the courtyard.

The night was already deep, and there was a slight chill in the air. Lu Chen got into a pickup truck and tried to sleep, but he couldn't fall asleep no matter what he did.

Not long after, Jackal also sat down. He took out a cigarette and handed it to Lu Chen, saying softly, "Brother, if you can leave, then leave, so you don't lose your life."

Lu Chen took the cigarette, lit it, took two deep drags, and exhaled a puff of smoke. He didn't answer the man's question; instead, he looked at Jackal and said, "Why did you hire a mercenary?"

"My father gambled and racked up a huge debt. Luckily, he was in good health and went abroad to become a mercenary," Jackal said calmly, as if these were ordinary things to him.

Lu Chen hummed in agreement. Everyone has their own story, and everyone has had a tough time. There's no need to make too many judgments.

The two chatted casually in the car, and before they knew it, they had fallen asleep. Time flew by, and dawn broke in the blink of an eye.

Lu Chen suddenly woke up. The sun had already risen, and the sunlight shone through the car window onto him, giving him a warm feeling.

At this moment, Mike, James, Anthony, Alex and others were already standing at the gate of the courtyard.

Lu Chen quickly got out of the car, strode over, and said loudly, "You guys woke up so early."

Mike stepped forward, opened his arms, and hugged Lu Chen tightly, patting him on the shoulder as he said, "Let's hurry up and go. There's still half a day's journey ahead."

James, Alex, and Anthony stepped forward and gave each other a deep hug.

Lu Chen knew that Rahman was likely to launch an attack next; they were after Adile, and Mike would never give up on Adile.

He thought for a moment, looked at the basement, and suddenly his eyes lit up. He walked up to Mike and said seriously, "Mike, Rahman will definitely attack this place, so you need to be prepared. I suggest that you gather all the villagers, give them weapons, give them some basic training, and let them engage in street fighting. Meanwhile, you should bring enough weapons and ammunition to ambush in the jungle with heavy firepower. Maybe then you can put up a fight."

Based on past experience, Rahman usually leads an attack with a few hundred men at most, not too many. As long as they are dealt a fatal blow, they will be defeated.

"Lu Chen, your suggestion is excellent, we'll consider it," Mike nodded at him.

Lu Chen nodded, turned around abruptly, and got into the pickup truck without hesitation. Jackal was injured, so only he could drive.

He started the car, slammed on the gas, and the pickup truck roared off.

He headed west towards the sun, and his eyes seemed a little moist. Fortunately, the sunlight made it less noticeable; otherwise, he would have made a fool of himself in front of the jackals.

The two didn't talk much along the way. Even though they were both Chinese, they worked for different organizations and had another layer of relationship.

After driving for several hours, a large cluster of buildings appeared ahead, with patrol teams on patrol and helicopters landing from time to time.

Lu Chen knew that the Allied Forces base was ahead. As he drove, he said, "Jackal, the mission wasn't completed. What will you do if you go back?"