A helicopter landed on the helipad at the Rose Arms stronghold. Three men stepped out. Their faces were cold and stern, radiating an air of keep away. Their demeanours seemed cut from the same mould.
E3, E5, E9. Killers trained in the same camp.
"What's the situation?" E3 was the leader. He got straight to the point.
Luo Qing explained the situation.
E3 narrowed his eyes. "The enemy is a sniper-type killer. This ambush was a probe. From the bait tactic he used, he has detailed intelligence on you. According to your leads, his base is the Farian Group stronghold. But the Farian Group is not to be trifled with. We cannot assassinate him there."
Luo Qing asked, "Then what do you propose?"
"The killer's target is you. So we will use you as bait. Send people out as usual. He will make a move. The three of us will lie in ambush and intercept him."
Luo Qing immediately gave the order. "Ghost Fox, you will lead the teams outside for the next few days."
Ghost Fox nodded.
---
Farian stronghold.
In his room, Xiao Han rubbed the stubble on his chin. A cloud of doubt lingered in his mind.
"The Rose Arms people seemed too easy to kill..."
Dorothy and her team's performance struck him as odd. If Rose Arms were only that strong, why had the bounty remained unclaimed for so long?
Xiao Han's habit of suspicion kicked in again. He felt he had missed some key intelligence. So he went to ask Antonov.
He knocked on Antonov's office door and peeked through the gap. Antonov was sitting behind his desk, signing documents.
"What brings you here again?" Antonov asked with a chuckle.
Xiao Han sat down opposite him. "I want to understand the factions in the Somar Desert."
"Haven't I already given you the intelligence? Their armed forces, their territories. You already know all that."
"I want to know what's not written in those documents." Xiao Han raised an eyebrow. "You know, what's behind it all."
Antonov lit a cigar and smiled. "So you've noticed. These armed groups are all tools. They have backers funding their search for Phironia. If you don't wipe out their leaders in one go, their manpower will be replenished endlessly."
"For example, Gordon's backer is the Cheswold family, the ones who posted your bounty. Heh, don't be surprised. The bounty on Rose Arms is public."
Xiao Han was not surprised. He thought quietly. In that case, to complete the mission, he had to eliminate every member of Rose Arms, leaving no survivors. The most important target was their leader, Luo Qing.
Antonov took a drag of his cigar and said slowly, "Rose Arms' backer is a political financial group from Odivina. They fund political parties to manipulate politics and run mercenary and assassin training camps in secret. Their headquarters are in the Western Continent. They don't have much influence in the Southern Continent, but they are no small organisation either."
A flash of insight struck Xiao Han. No wonder so many Dark Web killers had failed before. Rose Arms' backer must have sent reinforcements.
"What exactly is Phironia? It attracts so many factions." Xiao Han had a hunch it was connected to his bonus reward.
Since there could be an unknown number of reinforcements, he could not act rashly in the next step.
He had two plans. One was to wait for Rose Arms to come out on their own. The other was to lure them out. Both required them to leave their stronghold. Their reinforcements would also anticipate this. They would likely send Rose Arms people out as bait to draw him out, then ambush him.
"What should I do... maybe I could do the opposite?"
Xiao Han's eyes flickered. He could set up traps in one place, then pretend to fall for their ambush and flee in panic, luring all the enemies into his traps. Perhaps he could pull off a counter-ambush.
"That means I need to prepare more weapons."
---
Ghost Fox led her team outside for the third time, wandering aimlessly through the desert. She was getting impatient. "Why hasn't that killer shown up yet? Has he gone into hiding?"
Through the communicator, E3 said calmly, "Killers are cautious. After a successful ambush, he will wait for a while to observe your behaviour."
---
Another night. Xiao Han realised he always seemed to be working at night.
He loaded his newly crafted items into his vehicle and drove out of the stronghold to set up his traps in advance.
The off-road vehicle rolled out of the Farian stronghold's gate. Its headlights faded into the night... and also appeared in the lens of a telescope.
On a sand dune one kilometre away, E9, draped in yellow camouflage cloth, watched the off-road vehicle disappear into the distance through a high-powered telescope. A cold smile curled on his lips.
"The target left his base late at night, heading north. I suspect he is going to set up traps. He may have sensed our presence and is trying to reverse our expectations, luring us into a trap..."
Since they knew Xiao Han was on Farian's turf, how could they not have someone watching his movements?
"This enemy is a bit green." E3's tone was calm. He felt this mission would be very simple. Everything was under control.
---
Dawn. Xiao Han returned to the stronghold, dusty and tired, and sought out Antonov.
"You want me to drive for you?"
Antonov looked surprised.
"Yes. I need to shoot, so I won't have a hand free to drive. So you're my man."
"Hold on. What does your mission have to do with me? Why should I help you?" Antonov was baffled.
"You finally got out for a trip. Why stay cooped up at home? Go out and see the sights, enjoy the great outdoors."
Antonov pointed at the endless desert beyond the barbed wire. "See the sights?"
"Don't get hung up on appearances. Maybe you'll see a mirage. Mountains will appear, water will appear. The desert is vast, but faith moves mountains."
"We don't even know each other that well." Antonov's mouth twitched.
"I'm giving you a chance to be my friend." Xiao Han chuckled.
"Has anyone ever told you that you have a thick skin?"
Xiao Han touched his mask. Two layers. Of course it was thick.
Although Antonov looked fat and bloated, he actually had formidable combat ability hidden beneath. Xiao Han chose him as a driver simply because Antonov was less likely to die.
If he picked an ordinary person as a driver, and that person happened to be killed by a stray bullet, Xiao Han would be in deep trouble.
Antonov thought for a moment and said, "If you let me participate in the mission, then according to the rules, I get a cut."
"How about five per cent of the reward?"
"Not good. Too little." Antonov shook his head.
"Don't be difficult. You're just driving. Five per cent is decent."
"If we run into enemies, the driver gets shot first... At least give me twenty per cent."
Xiao Han stared. "Why don't you just rob me?"
"Aren't I robbing you right now?" Antonov's small eyes sparkled with cunning.
After much haggling, Xiao Han finally got Antonov to agree by paying him two hundred thousand upfront. Cash in hand was more reliable than an uncertain share. The nature of the arrangement changed from partnership to employment. Hiring a driver at that price, for a single use, was pure extravagance.
Antonov's bulky frame barely squeezed into the driver's seat. Xiao Han sat in the back, handed him the coordinate radar, and explained the plan in detail.
After listening, Antonov grinned.
"Interesting."
---
A little later, in the morning. The sun blazed. The desert air shimmered with heat.
Ghost Fox's team took only two vehicles. They roamed the desert, scanning their surroundings.
"A vehicle is coming!" shouted a mercenary.
In the distance, an armoured off-road vehicle appeared over a dune, driving parallel to Ghost Fox's convoy. It was Xiao Han and Antonov.
"The enemy is here!" Ghost Fox's face lit up with joy.
E3's voice came through the radio, cold and edged with killing intent. "The prey has finally stepped into the trap."