Chapter 92

“We have traced Tang Jingzhi’s last whereabouts,” Crow said, his eyes fixed on the computer screen without looking back. “This is the information sent by the lab. Let’s take a look together.”

He opened the file package, revealing some photo folders. The photos displayed a place where Tang Jingzhi was located, resembling a hot spring resort. The resort was built halfway up the mountainside, with no other buildings visible around. From a closer look, one could see that the wooden cabins and tropical plants had an exotic charm. If it weren’t for the mission at hand, staying in such a heavenly place for a couple of days would have been delightful.

“This guy really knows how to enjoy life.”

“It’s not just about enjoyment. It’s currently summer, the off-season for the hot spring resort. So Tang Jingzhi booked the entire resort, hiding without revealing himself. Our agents put in a lot of effort to find him. Who knows what he’s doing inside.”

“He must be conducting some twisted experiments,” Pelle remarked, looking at Tang Jingzhi’s photo with disgust. Although she had been mostly unconscious during the incident in Morocco, she later learned from other team members what had happened. The thought of almost turning into a monstrous creature herself left her with lingering fear.

Lily laughed, “Dragon Blood Kins are so cool. I heard they can even regenerate the wounds on their bodies, there’s no need to be afraid of leaving scars anymore.”

Before Pelle could respond, Tang Tingzhi suddenly turned his head, his eyes gleaming. “Are you interested? If you’re willing, we can cooperate. We’re in dire need of female Dragon Blood Kins.”

Lily’s expression slightly changed, and she replied harshly, “I refuse.”

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Tang Tingzhi replied, “That’s right. Your task is simply to capture or kill Tang Jingzhi. The rest of the aftermath will be handled by us. So, don’t destroy the laboratory. Your target is solely Tang Jingzhi.”

Ayer snorted coldly, “On the battlefield, unexpected situations can occur. We prioritize completing the mission and protecting ourselves and our comrades. Anything that conflicts with these two objectives will be destroyed. So, don’t tell us what to do. When we arrive at the scene, the real situation will dictate how we act.”

Tang Tingzhi didn’t pay attention to his provocation. Instead, he thought silently, and everyone watched him. For the special forces, Tang Tingzhi was the highest-ranking commander here, and for the Peregrine Falcons, he was their employer. Everyone was waiting for Tang Tingzhi to give an order.

Attack, or wait.

After a while, Tang Tingzhi said, “Let’s take action, but make sure to capture him alive.”

Jobb snapped his fingers, somewhat disappointed, and said, “Looks like there won’t be a chance to play this time.”

Vulture wiped his beloved sniper rifle, his expression revealing a strong fighting spirit.

Tiger Shark arranged for a transport plane through the Mochizuki Group. With over twenty people and sufficient equipment, they rushed to the mountains near Tang Jingzhi’s location overnight.

When they arrived, the sun had just risen. The surrounding mountains created a breathtaking scenery. The morning mist wrapped around the mountains, giving it an ethereal feeling like a fairyland. As they looked around, they couldn’t see any villages. The satellite images showed that the resort where Tang Jingzhi was located was about a four-hour journey from the nearest village in the mountains. Everyone questioned why a resort would be established in such a remote area and if it could sustain business. Oriole explained that the resort was a private club owned by a corporation. Most of the time, it catered to the company’s VIP guests and employees for vacation purposes. During the off-peak season, they either closed down or rented it out. Therefore, Tang Jingzhi probably didn’t spend much to rent the entire resort.

Jobb nudged Ayer and said, “We should come here for vacation in the future, using public funds. We work so hard every year, you should provide us with some benefits.”

Ayer’s eyes lit up, “I’ll consider it.”

“Tsk. Stingy.”

Dino took in a deep breath of the fresh air. “Be content. Even if we can’t vacation here, consider yourself lucky to carry out missions in such a picturesque and refreshing environment. You should be grateful.”

Being able to carry out a mission in such a pleasant environment was a great joy for the mercenaries. They had traversed treacherous swamps, waded through foul-smelling underground pipes, and climbed through deadly tropical rainforests. But they had never conducted their business of killing in such a place where birds sing and flowers bloom. It didn’t feel like a mission, it felt like pure enjoyment.

The mercenaries were eager and ready for the mission, their motivation at its peak.

Crow spoke up, “To conceal ourselves, we won’t be using vehicles from now on. We’ll be traveling on foot with heavy loads. The route I’ve designed is hidden but not easy to traverse. It’s an uphill journey, which will require a great deal of stamina. It’s approximately sixty-four kilometers, so everyone needs to be mentally prepared. We must arrive by tomorrow’s sunset.”

Upon hearing that they had to climb sixty-four kilometers of mountainous terrain, their initial enthusiasm waned. Ayer glanced teasingly at Tang Tingzhi and said, “Can you handle it? Don’t end up making someone carry you because you can’t walk anymore.”

Tang Tingzhi replied calmly, “I come from a military background. I should be fine under the condition of not carrying any extra weight.”

Oriole nodded and said, “We’ll take turns carrying the Colonel’s equipment.”

Crow chuckled, “If need be, we’ll take turns carrying the Colonel.”

Ayer pursed his lips and warned Tang Tingzhi, “Don’t slow us down.” He then began organizing the mercenaries, instructing them to unload their gear and form up.

Shen Changze asked Shan Ming, “How’s your leg doing?”

Shan Ming jumped in place a couple of times and nonchalantly replied, “Completely fine.”

Tang Tingzhi checked the navigation map and said, “Let’s set off.”

Each person in the group carried equipment weighing between twenty to fifty kilograms and started their journey towards the hot springs resort nestled in the mountains. According to satellite imagery, they needed to cross an entire mountain. If they were driving on the road, it would only take about three hours, but on foot, it would be a day-long trek.

In the beginning, everyone maintained steady breathing, and no one lagged behind. In fact, the air in the mountains was fresh, and the scenery was beautiful. They hadn’t yet felt the burden and most of them maintained a relaxed mindset.

However, after four hours, the forest grew pitch dark, with dense vegetation obstructing the moonlight. It soon became apparent that the moonlight wasn’t blocked by the trees but by heavy clouds because, without warning, it started raining.

When the raindrops hit their faces, everyone began cursing.

There were hardly any sheltered spots here, and even if there were, it was too dark to be spotted. Proceeding through the rain would have a significant impact on their performance tomorrow. The dampness and cold could easily cause a seemingly insignificant cold but turn fatal at a critical moment for even the most resolute warrior.

They found some rain covers and used them to shield their equipment and heads. With no other choice, they pressed on through the rain.

The rain quickly transformed the ground into a muddy mess. The uphill path that was already challenging became even more treacherous. Every step became a struggle as they had to exert extra effort to pull their legs out of the mud. The physical exertion was several times greater than usual, and combined with the dampness, cold, and fatigue, each step required immense willpower.

They began supporting each other, pulling one another, and barely managed to move forward.

Tang Tingzhi was the first to reach his limit. Exhausted, he gasped for breath drenched in sweat. His naturally fair complexion drained of color, making him look as if he could collapse at any moment.

Oriole said, “Colonel, let me carry you.”

Among these people, the four Dragon Blood Kins clearly had superior physical endurance and showed little signs of fatigue. Jobb cursed loudly and said with envy and jealousy, “Turn me into a monster too!”

Tang Tingzhi, panting, turned his head and earnestly looked at Jobb, “Re…Really?…”

Vulture shouted, “Colonel Tang! You’re still thinking about finding test subjects in this situation? Please let Oriole carry you immediately.” He took Oriole’s equipment and placed it on himself.

The pale-faced Tang Tingzhi was carried onto Oriole’s back. Ayer observed this, clenched his teeth in frustration, and turned his head, silently marching forward with an indignant air. With each step, their feet felt heavier, yet not a single mercenary from the Peregrine Falcon complained. They would rather bleed or sweat than lose face, they couldn’t show weakness in front of their employer.

Shen Changze tried several times to pull Shan Ming, but was always brushed off. Shan Ming gritted his teeth and said, “I’m completely fine. Go help Pelle and Lily.”

Shen Changze ran to the back of the group, holding onto the arms of Pelle and Lily, and pulling them forward. With his assistance, the two beauties could finally catch their breath.

The three Dragon Blood Kins took turns carrying Tang Tingzhi, but eventually, they too were drenched in sweat and exhausted. Some mercenaries were so tired that their eyes rolled back and saliva continuously dripped from their mouths, impossible to wipe away. However, no one fell behind. Everyone persevered, driven by their tenacious willpower.

After a night of excruciating trekking, the rain stopped shortly before sunrise. With the aid of sunlight, they finally found a less muddy area to rest.

Everyone collapsed on the ground, motionless as if dead, but this state lasted only a few seconds. They conscientiously climbed to their feet, those who needed to stand watch stood watch, those who needed to eat or rest did so. They carried out their respective duties, striving to recover their optimal condition as quickly as possible.

After taking turns resting for four hours, they set off again. By this time, the sun had evaporated most of the moisture from the ground, making the terrain less challenging to walk on. Finally, after sunset, they arrived at their destination.