go home

Using the terrain of the primeval jungle, Steve managed to get the wingtip of the Baya Kingdom's armed helicopter caught on a tree branch, causing it to lose its balance and crash.

During his escape, he killed at least 10 people, including black market assassins and soldiers from the Baya Kingdom who were pursuing him. His injuries weren't serious, but the fatigue from continuous fighting made it difficult for him to concentrate.

He leaned against a giant tree, panting heavily as he injected himself with a stimulant, then bit open the last packet of energy gels. He gave himself some time to rest and recover his remaining strength, preparing to find another opportunity to break out.

He was only two kilometers from the border, but those two kilometers felt like an insurmountable chasm to him now.

They ran out of ammunition and food.

He had no weapons left to use; his only hope lay in his own body. And this was only because both groups chasing him wanted to capture him alive and dared not kill him; otherwise, he had no doubt that he wouldn't have even made it this far.

At the end of one's rope.

It seems that suicide or surrendering is the best option now. If he chooses the latter, he can still consider whether to go with Baya or to Karim.

But he promised Chen Chao he would go back.

He was determined to go back, no matter what, even if it meant despair.

He hid behind a tree, calculating the distance by the slightest sounds behind him, and then rushed out the moment the black market assassin and the Baya Kingdom pursuers met.

The gunfire paused briefly, but soon resumed. As he ran, sharp branches tore through his trouser leg, which had been grazed by bullets earlier. He felt a sudden numbness in his calf and lost his balance, falling to the ground.

Were you scratched by a poisonous plant?

Steve rolled on the ground and tried to get up, but found that his calves were completely powerless. He couldn't help but smile bitterly; it seemed there was no way out, and luck wasn't on his side in the end.

He lay on the ground, panting, watching the dappled sunlight filtering through the jungle, and slowly closed his eyes.

Boss, I'm sorry.

He decided to bite open the venom sac between his teeth.

Whether captured by the Baya Kingdom or taken alive by Karim, it wouldn't be any easier than death. He was certain of that.

"Bang!" The gunshot piercing the jungle instantly stopped Steve's suicidal actions. The gunshot came from the direction of Nutag.

He struggled to his feet, leaning against the tree, and looked towards the direction of his motherland.

He saw at least three soldiers in jungle camouflage rushing toward him.

He recognized the leader as Lu An, the captain of Yunxiao's action team.

But why? Didn't he send Yun Xiao to meet Dries?

The first three men who rushed in stopped in front of him and began providing strong covering fire. Then, two more men who arrived later grabbed him by the arms and dragged him backward. He was quite certain that, given Yun Xiao's style, there were at least two more snipers in the tree providing support from the rear.

The military has always preferred to use excessive force to ensure minimal casualties, which is very different from the special agents who like to walk a tightrope.

Bullets rained down, forcing the pursuers to halt their advance in the face of overwhelming firepower.

Smoke grenades, infrared chaff, delayed-explosive grenades... After throwing out a bunch of ammunition, the three Yunxiao team members who were providing cover also began to retreat rapidly.

Two kilometers is a distance that these special forces soldiers can reach very quickly.

Cars were already waiting at the border.

"Let's go back to Yunxiao Base first for a preliminary check-up. If the injury isn't serious, a plane will take you back to the capital." After getting in the car, Lu An gave Steve a bottle of water and an energy gel, and a team member knelt down to give him initial treatment for the injury on his leg.

Back in the safe environment, his mind relaxed, but the exhaustion made Steve feel drowsy. He took a sip of water, swallowed an energy gel, and, forcing himself to stay alert, asked Lu An, "My mission request is to retrieve T13125, not to provide support."

“We also sent three people over there, and I received confirmation of the recovery 20 minutes ago,” Lu An replied.

Yun Xiao dispatched seven team members to his side, and Driss sent three, which is almost half of Yun Xiao's action team's combat strength. Normal mission coordination would absolutely not be able to mobilize so many people from Yun Xiao.

Steve had a vague feeling that something was wrong.

“I received a Level A coordination order. The highest priority of the mission is to bring you back alive,” Lu An explained.

Steve's expression remained unchanged, but his heart was in shock. An A-level coordination order required Chen Fei's personal signature. What on earth had happened that made it so crucial for him to return?

"I understand. My injury isn't serious, but the wound on my calf is infected and needs to be treated as soon as possible." A wave of weariness washed over him, and Steve didn't have the energy to dwell on it any longer. He could only force himself to explain the basic situation to Lu An.

Regardless of the reason for issuing the Level A coordination order, all he needed to do was obey Chen Chao's orders.

Lu An nodded at him upon hearing this: "Yun Xiao's doctor has extensive experience in treating plant poisoning injuries in border areas, so you can rest assured."

After thanking Lu An, Steve finally closed his eyes in relief, leaned back in his chair, and stopped talking. He was completely exhausted; he needed rest.

As it turned out, Lu An wasn't exaggerating; Yun Xiao's doctor indeed had extensive experience treating plant poisoning. After returning to base and receiving medication, Steve's left leg began to regain sensation.

The examination results confirmed Steve's own account: the injury was not serious.

He had eighteen fresh wounds of varying sizes all over his body, but none of them were vital; they were all external injuries. After stopping the bleeding, clearing the wounds, and changing the dressings, he could simply wait for them to heal on their own. For someone like him, this was indeed not a serious injury.

Lu An saw him off at the airport and, before parting, told him to cherish himself.

Steve knew what Lu An meant. Lu An had worked with him and Chen Jiu before and greatly despised their reckless and dangerous behavior.

But they are secret agents, not special forces soldiers.

Special forces are in the sunlight, while they are in the shadows.

Steve didn't expect Lu An to understand them, so he could only nod politely to express his gratitude.

The four-hour flight had restored most of Steve's strength. As soon as the plane landed, he couldn't wait to find a private cubicle at the base airport and call Chen Chao.

"Steve, have you arrived in Gailal?"

A familiar voice came through the headphones. In an instant, Steve felt all his fatigue vanish, and a comforting warmth spread through his chest.

He's back; he's back by his boss's side.

This realization caused the pent-up frustration and loneliness he had accumulated during the mission to erupt instantly, making him wish he could go to Chen Chao's side immediately for comfort.

He longed for Chen Chao's embrace, for Chen Chao's warmth. He needed to be possessed by Chen Chao in a domineering way to dispel the gloom in his heart.

"We've arrived. Just got off the plane." Steve's voice was no longer the cold, hard one he used when reporting missions; instead, it became very soft.

"How's your injury?" Chen Chao asked worriedly, clearly noticing the change in Steve's tone.

“Yunxiao has been checked, and everything is fine,” Steve replied.

"Let's go to the hospital in Te'an for another check-up as usual, and after you're sure everything is fine, go home and wait for me. We'll talk when we get home."

"good."

Steve didn't ask Chen Chao why he wasn't allowed to report to headquarters. Chen Chao told him to go home, so he went home. He didn't think about why.

After taking a shower at home, Steve changed into Chen Chao's loungewear. The familiar scent of grass filled his nostrils, making every cell in his body feel relaxed.

It seemed that as long as he returned here, he could forget the gruesome bloodshed on his hands.

He was owned by his gunman; he didn't have to bear the burden himself.

When Chen Chao returned, Steve went to greet him. Chen Chao smiled and opened his arms to gently embrace him. He hugged Chen Chao back tightly, burying his face in Chen Chao's neck and whispering, "Boss, I missed you."

Chen Chao touched the back of his head with his hair, but did not hug him as tightly as he did; "I missed you too. Let's go upstairs first, let me see where you are hurt."

Steve suddenly realized that Chen Chao was afraid to use too much force because he was worried about pressing on his wound. A sweet feeling welled up in his heart, and he slightly curled the corners of his mouth, following Chen Chao's lead and hugging him.

"Boss, mission report..."

Steve was interrupted by Chen Chao before he could speak: "No rush. I've already read Driss's preliminary report. You've done a good job."

Chen Chao pulled him into the bedroom and kissed him eagerly on the lips. Unlike his usual violence, Chen Chao's kiss was extremely gentle at this moment.

He slowly sucked on Steve's lips, making them glisten with fatigue and blood loss. He gently entered Steve's mouth, his tongue exploring every part of Steve's oral cavity.

Steve's body softened under this extreme tenderness, and his breathing became rapid. He gripped Chen Chao's waist tightly with both hands, trying to support himself.

"Boss." After the kiss ended, Steve looked at Chen Chao with undisguised affection and longing in his eyes.

Chen Chao raised his hand and took off his clothes, revealing his mottled skin.

Chen Chao looked at him, and involuntarily took half a step back and stopped moving, using gentle eyes to scan every inch of his body from top to bottom.

Chen Chao's fingers gently caressed the edge of the gauze, his movements soft and careful. Steve suddenly realized what Chen Chao was looking at and shifted uncomfortably.

"Boss, it's really nothing, just minor injuries."

For him, these are all minor injuries. Anything that doesn't require emergency treatment or cause irreversible consequences is a minor injury. It's just a cut and some bleeding. Even if he needs a dozen stitches, so what? He'll heal eventually.

Chen Chao didn't answer him, but began to kiss the scars on his body. Fresh and old, Chen Chao's cool fingertips gently rubbed the mottled thorns on his body, Chen Chao's warm, wet kisses swept over every groove on his skin.

Steve felt like he was on fire, his breathing becoming increasingly rapid: "Yeah, boss."

When Chen Chao's fingers traced the scars on his thigh, he couldn't help but tremble, and then he felt something warm and moist envelop him.

He was shocked and struggled to refuse, but ultimately gave in to Chen Chao's insistence.

All the fear, unease, bloodshed, and sorrow poured out under Chen Chao's guidance. After a moment of blankness, Steve felt himself fall safely back into a soft embrace, regaining his peace and his whole self.

Chen Chao went to the bathroom to clean up, and came out quickly afterward, taking off his clothes and lying down on the bed. He avoided Steve's wound and held Steve tightly in his arms.

"Boss, shall I help you?" Steve asked hesitantly.

"Don't talk, let me hold you for a while."

The commanding tone left Steve with no choice but to shut up.

Steve sensed something was off about Chen Chao. Even if Chen Chao usually doted on him, he wouldn't act like this. Moreover, he could feel an indescribable sadness mixed with Chen Chao's current affection. Why?

He unconsciously stroked Chen Chao's back, as if trying to comfort him, but Chen Chao tightened his arms around him.

After a while, Chen Chao rested his chin on the crook of his neck and asked, somewhat resignedly, "You noticed, didn't you?"

Steve wrapped his arm around Chen Chao's waist, trying to make his tone sound relaxed: "Boss, you didn't really intend to hide it from me. Besides, the A-level coordination order and the mission in Baya Country aren't worth it."

Chen Chao sighed softly: "Do you want to know now? Or wait until tomorrow?"

"It's up to you, boss."

"Then let's do it tomorrow. Let's rest today. The chef will bring dinner over in a bit."

"good."