Chapter 31 Not counting the person in his arms, who then leaned back onto the bed.
The girl's lips were bitten red, but her eyes were even redder.
"Why are you crying? I already said I'd be back soon, and I won't abandon you." He let go of her, letting her hand wander across his face, his fingertips tracing the corners of her reddened eyes. He guessed Yu Tang had been crying since she took a shower.
Yu Tang didn't know how to respond to Yu Chaoxian's words. She was thinking about her brother's condition and not knowing when it would get better, leaving her all alone, which made her cry sadly.
After thinking it over, Yu Tang looked into his eyes, as if she believed him, and nodded, saying, "I understand."
“You can call or text me,” Yu Chaoxian tapped her smartwatch lightly. “As long as it’s not nonsense, I’ll reply to you.”
"Then...is it pointless to ask what you're doing?"
"No."
"Is it a stupid question to ask you something I don't know the answer to?"
"It doesn't count."
Yu Tang was held in his arms through the blanket, blinked, and asked softly, "So, what we just talked about...was it all nonsense?"
The question wasn't difficult to answer, but Yu Chaoxian didn't respond immediately as he had before. He remained silent for a moment, seemingly surprised by her question. Under the warm orange light of the desk lamp, a rare hint of unease appeared on his handsome, slightly wicked face.
"Why do you have so many questions?" He reached out and gently poked her forehead. "Go to sleep."
The person in his arms fell back onto the bed, but Yu Tang thought to himself, if those obviously nonsense words weren't considered nonsense... then he could tell him anything.
She rested her head on the pillow and asked softly, "Where did you go?"
“Kirarri.” Yu Chaoxian tucked the blanket around her shoulders.
Yu Tang recalled what she had learned in geography class: that desert was one of the driest regions in the world.
She hurriedly asked, "Did you bring enough water? You should bring more water in the desert."
Yu Chaoxian had already stood up. He had come up here specifically to see what kind of tantrum she was throwing. He ruffled her hair and said in a low voice, "What do you think?"
Before leaving, he reached out and turned off the bedroom light.
"Then I'll wait for you to come home." Yu Tang quietly lifted the corner of the blanket, watching his silhouette fade from sight inch by inch in the darkness.
Yu Chaoxian's fingertips unconsciously brushed against his chin, as if the soft touch of the girl still lingered.
Waiting for him to come home? He glanced back at the floor lamp still lit in the hallway, and noticed a thermos Yu Tang had given him in his hand. He finally turned and walked downstairs. He really didn't want to leave if he stayed any longer.
Yu Tang ran to the balcony, and the black Bentley disappeared into the night.
As far as the eye can see, there is only endless desert; the gaze is fixed on yellow sand, and the view continues indefinitely. A vulture circles above a distant dune. The tropical desert climate makes it impossible to grow any vegetation here. The only winding road stretches into the distance, its roadside sign riddled with bullet holes, looking precariously about to collapse.
In the distance, a Hummer gradually entered the area, its tires rolling over the scorching sand and gravel.
Hot winds carrying sand lashed against the car windows. Mickey, in the driver's seat, turned on the windshield wipers. A thin layer of yellow sand covered the windshield, and his own face was bleached yellow by the wind.
Only then did Mickey understand why his boss didn't want to keep Yu Tang by his side. This desolate desert, even though he had fought and carried out missions in various harsh environments, made him feel hopeless about such a desert climate, let alone a delicate girl.
Looking at the man in the back seat, he wasn't at all disheveled by the sand; his skin was still fair, and his handsomeness remained undiminished. Yu Chaoxian twirled his phone the whole way, with a thermos that was clearly a girl's cup next to him.
Mickey saw that the boss's lips were curled up, and he seemed to be in a good mood, though he didn't know what he was thinking.
Yu Chaoxian recalled that before he left, Yu Tang ran down and gave him the thermos, looking into his eyes and earnestly explaining that the thermos could hold a lot of water and had a very good heat retention effect, so he could keep it filled with water for later use.
It's as if they're afraid he'll die of thirst in the desert.
They had no idea that the girl was taking on her brother's responsibility and caring for his only child.
As the road narrowed, the off-road vehicle drove onto the bumpy, muddy road. A few dilapidated houses were sparsely built beside the swamp, their wood blackened and almost completely rotten.
At the corner of the road stood a huge wooden sign with a brightly painted portrait of the president. The president was smiling broadly, and even in the darkness, his white teeth were visible.
Next to the president's portrait is written: "Kirarri, the Land of Freedom".
Killaria was once a free market for slave trading. After slavery was abolished, the slaves here were enslaved by another ruler.
This ruler was Taylor, who declared himself president.
The moment the vehicle arrived in Kirali, Yu Chaoxian suddenly spoke, his voice languid: "Yeah, we're here."
Mickey was initially puzzled; the tone didn't sound like an order. He glanced at the rearview mirror and, sure enough, his boss was on the phone. "You can go out, but be home by 7 PM," Yu Chao said, hanging up first. Yu Tang had texted him as soon as she woke up, asking if it was convenient for her to answer the phone.
They'd only been apart for one night, and they could have texted each other, but she insisted on calling him—wasn't it just because she wanted to talk to him?
The boss's travel plans are always a closely guarded secret. Now that he's proactively reporting his itinerary, it's obvious he's talking to Miss Yu.
Mickey was driving when he glanced in the rearview mirror and saw his boss texting. Anyone who didn't know better would think he was chatting with Miss Yu, as his phone was constantly buzzing with messages.
Who would have thought that this seemingly respectable old man would be such a beast when it comes to women?
Lost in thought, Mickey suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, as if he were being targeted by a sniper rifle. Sure enough, Yu Chaoxian's cold gaze seemed to pierce through the back of his head.
"I'm sorry, boss." Mickey quickly admitted his mistake, guessing that his boss's matter could be serious or minor.
Yu Chaoxian was in a good mood, so he was particularly lenient, saying, "From now on, you should stop gossiping with Chen Diao."
Mickey was secretly surprised; it turned out the boss knew everything.
Suddenly, the roar of a sports car engine echoed in the distance. A red sports car, utterly out of place in this desolate landscape, sped through the mud. Mud splattered from the car onto the roadside tents. The man in the driver's seat held the steering wheel with one hand and fired aimlessly with the other, using the gun to clear a path. The stray bullets pierced through the tents scattered everywhere.
The woman who was sewing in the tent was threading a needle one second ago, and the next second a stray bullet pierced the back of her head, followed by the cries of a child.
A red sports car screeched to a halt, blocking the Hummer's path. The window rolled down, revealing an arrogant young face. The man brandished a gold-plated gun and shouted in heavily accented English, "Mr. Shark? I'm the president's brother, here specifically to show you the way."
Yu Chaoxian's code name in the special task force was "Shark." During a previous mission, Taylor and Yu Chaoxian had met briefly. At that time, the two armies were on the same side, and Yu Chaoxian had saved Taylor by shooting through the enemy's temple; otherwise, Taylor would have been the one with the temple pierced.
At that time, Taylor only knew that Yu Chaoxian's code name was "Shark".
Later, when Taylor became a local tyrant, he learned that Yu Chaoxian was in the arms business and naturally contacted him immediately.
In fact, other arms dealers couldn't get him such a large quantity of armored vehicles.
The presidential palace is the only building that can be considered a proper structure in this area. The iron gate opened, and two cars entered one after the other.
This presidential palace is designed in imitation of the White House.
It can be considered a mini-White House.
Although Taylor is no longer the same person he once was, his enthusiasm for Yu Chaoxian remains undiminished. He even tacitly approved of Mickey standing next to Yu Chaoxian with a gun, showing no displeasure whatsoever.
Mickey was standing beside Yu Chaoxian when he first met Taylor. Taylor was wearing a white military uniform, his clothes as white as his teeth.
Upon seeing Yu Chaoxian, Taylor was eager to show him around the Presidential Palace, insisting on taking him on a tour. It wasn't entirely about showing off, but he also harbored a desire to be looked up to by the other party.
Taylor spoke eloquently to Yu Chaoxian: "Yu, America once treated this place as a colony, where slaves were bought and sold. I led the people to liberation and established a democratic nation! Today, Killarley, under my rule, is a truly free land!"
Yu Chaoxian was too lazy to expose him, what liberation, what land of freedom.
Killaria was embroiled in a long-standing civil war, and President Taylor's methods of eliminating dissent were ruthless and brutal; anyone who disobeyed his rule was simply shot. This six-year civil war was nothing short of a brutal and unrestrained spectacle.
In short, violence was a pleasure for President Taylor. Taylor turned this place into a veritable "freedom" for organ trafficking in his pursuit of wealth.
But Yu Chaoxian came here solely to do business, not to get involved in politics. He merely raised an eyebrow slightly at Taylor's self-aggrandizing pronouncements, remaining silent.
Taylor ushered Yu Chaoxian to a seat and finally got to the point: "Yu, let me see those guns?"
Yu Chaoxian glanced at Mickey, who immediately took an AK from the box and handed it to him.
He leaned back in his chair, tapped the table with his fingertips, and looked at Taylor, who was fiddling with the gun: "It won't overheat, it won't jam, and even if it's buried in the sand and dug out, it will still fire. It's easy to operate, even a child can use it."
Mickey listened quietly to the others, feeling as if his boss's introduction was saying: This pencil sharpener is very easy to use, and even children can use it easily.
As Yu Chaoxian was introducing the gun to Taylor, a soldier and a passing maid whispered and joked. Taylor glanced at them, his smile vanished, and a ruthless glint appeared in his eyes. He was about to test the gun.
Without any warning.
With a loud bang, a bullet pierced the soldier's forehead. The sudden shooting made Mickey instinctively step in front of Yu Chaoxian to shield him, raising his gun directly at Taylor.
In an instant, Taylor's brother and the surrounding soldiers also raised their guns and aimed them at Yu Chaoxian and Mickey.
Yu Chaoxian's expression remained unchanged. Taylor would never be foolish enough to lay a hand on him; otherwise, he would never get a gun.
Sure enough, the next second Taylor frowned and pushed away his brother's gun that was pointed at Yu Chaoxian, "How rude, Yu is my savior."
Yu Chaoxian called out "Mickey" in a low voice, and Mickey then put away his gun and retreated behind him.
A dragging sound came from the side, and the person was pulled out of the hall, leaving a trail of blood that looked like a bright red carpet.
Taylor, however, seemed unfazed, nodding approvingly at the gun with great satisfaction: "It's just a test shot, no need to be nervous."
Yu Chaoxian didn't care about these incidents; he was just waiting for Taylor's next words.
Taylor looked up, his tone frank but unable to hide his calculation: "Yu, you know we're poor, we don't have cash to pay. These guns are the only way I can settle this debt."
A crisp, soft sound came from the desktop, where diamonds lay quietly.
Some of these are rare red diamonds, exquisite and dazzling.
Each one is incredibly valuable. It's easy to imagine how beautiful these diamonds would be when made into jewelry, and how they would make women the center of attention at any dinner party, especially when worn on their wrists.
However, it's currently a seller's market. Seeing that Yu Chaoxian didn't show much interest, Taylor continued to press his advantage: "The armored vehicles Yu offered are also a great deal of sincerity. To express my gratitude, and for future cooperation, including the Lava Pass we discussed earlier, I can grant you passage. I guarantee that no one on this road will dare to touch your goods."
Yu Chaoxian raised an eyebrow—this was exactly what he was waiting for. He then nodded readily: "Deal."
The Killaria route passes through many countries and is a major transportation route. There are many transport vehicles on this route, and many are robbed. With Taylor, the local tyrant, clearing things out, a lot of trouble can be avoided.
Tech stood up and shook hands with Yu Chaoxian, a smile returning to his face: "Mr. Shark, our cooperation will be very pleasant in the future."
The deal was settled, and the firearms would be transported to the destination with the convoy as soon as possible.
As they prepared to leave after the transaction, Mickey finally understood why his boss had described the gun to Taylor in that way. Taylor had shown them his soldiers—all boy soldiers, no more than thirteen or fourteen years old, each holding a gun, meticulously carrying out Taylor's orders and maintaining the discipline he had established.
Just as Yu Chaoxian said before, a bullet fired from the hand of a thirteen-year-old boy may be more deadly than a bullet fired from the hand of a thirty-year-old man.
Yu Chaoxian was already used to this kind of scene. Taylor forced able-bodied men to mine diamonds, and then selected young children to train as Boy Scouts; the wealth obtained from the diamonds was then reinvested in the war.
War is a game for those in power. He's just a businessman, after all, trying to make money. As for mercy, that's a matter for God.
The transaction went more smoothly than Yu Chaoxian had anticipated. As they parted, Taylor gave him a meaningful smile: "I've prepared a gift for Yu at the hotel."
Yu Chaoxian was in a good mood until he returned to the hotel, when his good mood came to an abrupt end.
There were two women in the room who were barely dressed and enthusiastically pole dancing.
This is the gift Taylor gave him.
Mickey followed Yu Chaoxian, and as soon as they arrived, they saw the boss rolling his eyes and walking out without even going through the door.
"Let's go?" Mickey asked.
Yu Chaoxian didn't wait for Mickey: "If you want to stay, then stay."
Mickey glanced back inside. Oh wow, a beautiful and sexy gypsy woman. Too bad, the boss likes… Mickey thought of Miss Yu.
"Boss, where are we going?" Mickey quickly caught up. "Aren't we having dinner with President Taylor tonight?"
Yu Chaoxian didn't even turn his head: "Fuzhou."
As the car drove towards Virginia, Yu Chaoxian's phone suddenly vibrated. The caller ID showed Chen Diao. He pressed the answer button, and Chen Diao's anxious voice came from the other end: "Boss, Miss Yu disappeared right after school, I..."
Yu Chaoxian didn't even bother to talk to Chen Diao. He interrupted Chen Diao and said, "Go to the food stalls near the school gate, look for the takoyaki stalls."
As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Diao's relieved shout came from the other end of the phone: "Found her! Found her! Boss, you're amazing! How did you know she was there!" In the background, you could also hear Yu Tang and the stall owner greeting each other warmly.
Every time I pick her up from school, she looks at that takoyaki stand with a whole octopus on it; without me even asking, I know she wants to eat it.
Yu Chaoxian added, "Buy it for her, and buy her a glass of juice too."
Yu Tang's soft and polite voice came through the phone, "Thank you, Brother Chen, for the takoyaki and juice."
Yu Chaoxian frowned. What was she shouting about again? And what was Xie Chen doing?
That little Yu Tang has no conscience.
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