The next day, the way Vic and the others looked at Alex had completely changed.
Last night, this guy had casually handed Hank's mercenary team a hefty sum of money, to the point that the way those mercenaries looked at him had turned downright friendly.
After breakfast, Hank and his men came out in full combat gear. They were heavily armed, each carrying a large pack, yet they moved without the slightest sign of strain. Even the woman named Karma was the same.
It was obvious they were battle-hardened, each one tough and imposing.
"Alright, ladies and gentlemen."
"If you've finished breakfast, then we're heading out."
"It'll take us three days to enter Goresak."
"Along the way, we'll have to cross dangerous desert terrain, and we may encounter armed bandits."
"So during the journey, I expect you to follow my orders."
"Every single one."
"If you want to make it back in one piece, I suggest you do."
"Now, move out."
Alex stood up, clapped his hands, and strolled along with the group in a relaxed, unhurried manner.
In the entire archaeological team, only the elderly Dr. Nick wasn't carrying anything, but even he at least had a walking stick.
Alex, on the other hand, had nothing.
Well, aside from a sun hat and a pair of sunglasses.
Even Amy, a girl, carried a hiking backpack stuffed full of supplies.
Seeing this, captain Hank smiled, "Mr. John, no luggage?"
Alex shook his head.
Hank joked, "I was thinking of having Tank carry it for you."
Tank was the bald man who had mocked Alex last night. Now, the way he looked at Alex was like he was staring at a walking vault. There was no trace of ridicule anymore, just a hint of clumsy friendliness, as if trying his best to appear likable.
Hank made a gesture, "Karma, you go with Mr. John."
"He and Dr. Nick are your responsibility."
Then he winked at Alex, "Sticking with Karma's a lot more comfortable than hanging with a bunch of rough guys like us."
"Just don't let her do anything other than fight, even if she offers."
"I don't want my people running out of energy when it matters."
Amy understood the double meaning in that and couldn't help glancing at Karma a few more times.
In truth, this soldier had a certain charm. She was tall, her build slightly stronger than a girl like Amy, but not bulky.
Aside from her somewhat rough skin and darker, sun-tanned complexion, she could be considered quite beautiful.
And as a soldier used to dealing with men, Karma didn't blush or get angry at the joke.
Instead, she gave a dry laugh, "I don't think I'll have to put in that much effort with Mr. John."
At once, the men started whistling.
Alex smiled as well, though he felt a faint urge to make this overconfident soldier "suffer" a little.
They walked out of the hotel. Outside, six off-road vehicles were parked.
All of them had been modified, high chassis, thick oversized tires, clearly built for power.
Two of the vehicles even had mounted heavy machine guns, operated by Tank and another burly Black man.
Hank quickly assigned seats.
Alex rode in one vehicle with Dr. Nick and Amy.
Karma, her face painted in camouflage, sat beside Alex, a faint fragrance coming from her.
The female soldier took out a pack of gum, "Want one?"
Alex smiled and shook his head.
Karma didn't insist and put it away, "You're not part of the archaeological team, are you? Why come somewhere this dangerous with them?"
"Is it really that dangerous?"
Alex spread his hands, "Aren't you here to protect me?"
Karma smiled, "Most men try their best to act brave in front of me. You don't seem to care at all."
Alex smiled faintly, "I don't mind being protected by a woman. Besides, I paid for it. This is the service I'm entitled to."
"Service," Karma nodded, "That's true."
Just as they were about to set off, a man on a motorcycle rushed over, speaking English with a strange accent.
"Sorry, I'm late."
Hank tossed him a backpack, "If you were any later, I'd have had to find another guide."
Then he introduced him to everyone, "This is our guide, Ackman."
"Ackman is a living map of this region. If there's anything you don't understand during the trip, feel free to ask him."
The local man named Ackman greeted everyone with a smile.
A few minutes later, the convoy set off.
At first, the archaeological team was quite excited.
They chatted and laughed in the vehicles.
But as the town faded away and the world became barren, that excitement quickly died down.
As far as the eye could see, the world was reduced to shades of red, yellow, and brown.
Everywhere were weathered rocks of all sizes. Some had been eroded into strange shapes by wind and sand, others hollowed out with holes. When the wind blew through them, they produced eerie, hair-raising sounds.
Through the convoy's radio, Ackman began introducing the region.
"This area has numerous canyons, caves, and stone forests."
"That makes the terrain extremely complex, with countless natural hiding places."
"During the darkest, most chaotic times, every shadow and every cave here held human corpses."
"This is a barren land. The most abundant things here are rocks and sand."
"Our ancestors said it was cursed by the gods."
"Even so, we never abandoned it."
"For generations, our people have struggled to survive here."
"Their stories could be woven into tragic epics."
"Everyone, water is extremely precious here."
"In this vast region of hundreds of thousands of square kilometers, rivers are scarce, and almost none of them flow year-round."
"So in this land, whoever controls water becomes a ruler."
"There are several factions we need to watch out for."
"One is the 'Scythe Gang.' Their symbol is a white scythe. They all carry small sickles and like to cut out their victims' tongues."
"They're the most lawless group in this land. The military once tried to wipe them out, but finding and eliminating them across such a vast region proved too difficult for our country's forces."
Ackman chuckled and continued.
"Then there are the 'Carrion Bugs' and the 'Sand Leopards.'"
"The former are elusive. They rarely clash with other groups and seldom attack caravans."
"But if you're injured and unable to move, they'll appear."
"Like insects feeding on carrion, they'll slowly, bit by bit, consume you."
"Sometimes they'll linger around their prey for a week, waiting until it dies before looting the remains."
"As for the 'Sand Leopards,' they're not the largest force, but they're the best equipped."
"No one knows where they get their gear, but it's certain that neither the Scythe Gang nor the Carrion Bugs can match them."
"They're like leopards, once they've set their sights on you, they wait for the right moment."
"Then they strike fast, killing in a single blow."
"Additionally, there are rumors that their leader has superpowers, but what those powers are, or even whether they truly exist, no one has seen."
"Or rather, anyone who has seen them is already dead."
"In any case, we've now entered dangerous territory."
"There's no protection of law here."
"Everyone, stay alert."
"And ladies, it's best to cover your faces with scarves."
"That'll help avoid a lot of trouble."
Following Ackman's suggestion, Amy and the other women wrapped their hair and faces with black scarves, leaving only their eyes visible.
Even then, they put on sunglasses.
At that point, they were completely covered.
At four in the afternoon, under Ackman's guidance, the convoy headed toward an oasis.
Through the radio, Ackman explained, "The oasis we're about to reach is called 'Sabrina.' In our language, it means 'Goddess of Life.'"
"Sabrina Oasis is an important supply point in this region. Most importantly, it's only about a day's journey from the city."
"So up to now, it hasn't been occupied by any faction."
As the guide said this, Alex had already spotted something in the distance.
On the road leading to Sabrina Oasis, there was a man-made barricade.
It was crude, just a few sharpened logs nailed together with some piled stones, forming a simple obstacle.
At one end of the barricade, on its highest support, a flag was tied.
As the wind blew, the black flag unfurled, revealing a white scythe symbol.
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Alex's lips as he said to Karma beside him, "Looks like your 'living map' needs an update."
Karma wasn't smiling anymore. She pulled up a black face mask to cover most of her face.
Then she lowered her goggles and placed her hand on the safety of her rifle.
At that moment, from behind and atop a massive weathered rock near the barricade, people began to emerge.
They wore mismatched clothing but all had masks bearing a white scythe symbol. Their eyes gleamed with hostility as they shouted in the local language, pointing at the convoy.
Over the radio, Ackman said, "They're saying they're from the Scythe Gang. Let me talk to them."
"This place shouldn't be occupied by the Scythe Gang."
Then, from the front vehicle, Ackman stood up and shouted in the local language.
"By the Goddess of Life, I am Ackman Shelly Kabuchi!"
"Brothers of the Scythe Gang, I know Captain Comper. We've shared meals before."
"Could you let us pass?"
Seeing the Scythe Gang, he didn't even mention entering the oasis anymore, he was asking to leave.
A disheveled man with yellow-brown eyes like a reptile stepped forward.
"Comper is dead," he shouted, "Killed by the Sand Leopards."
"So it doesn't matter whether you know him or not. Whether you're entering or leaving, you must pay a toll."
"That's Captain Mongo's rule!"
Ackman spoke through the radio, "This is trouble. They're under 'Black Hand' Mongo."
"Mongo is one of the most ruthless figures in the Scythe Gang, even their own people fear him."
Then the guide added, "We're willing to pay the toll, as long as you let us go."
The man glanced at Hank and the others, then switched to accented English, "Then it's one thousand dollars per person. U.S. dollars!"
Immediately, Tank, manning the heavy machine gun, roared, "A thousand per person? You've got some nerve!"
Tall and imposing, with a mounted gun in his hands, Tank forced the Scythe Gang members to instinctively step back.
Their expressions shifted as they tightened their grip on their weapons, fully alert.
The yellow-eyed man shouted, "What are you trying to do?"
"If you want to leave alive, pay the toll!"
Dr. Nick trembled and glanced at Alex. Seeing that he said nothing, the old man turned to Hank, "Maybe we should just pay them. We need to keep moving."
"Besides, Akre Company said all travel expenses would be reimbursed."
Hank frowned slightly.
Alex let out a soft chuckle.
The old doctor lacked experience. With people like these, the more you compromise, the more they push.
Sure enough, once the doctor spoke, the expressions of those men turned greedy.
The leader even shouted, "You're taking too long. The price just went up!"
"Two thousand per person, no, five thousand!"
"And don't think we're blind. The women, take off your scarves!"
Ackman hurriedly said, "Everyone, we all move around this land regularly."
"Besides Comper, I also know Okam and Captain Reed."
"How about this, we'll pay two thousand per person. Just let us go, alright?"
The yellow-eyed man immediately fired a shot into the sky.
Bang!
The gunshot made Ackman duck back into the vehicle.
Then the man shouted, "Bullshit!"
"Who do you think you are?"
"So what if you know Okam and Reed?"
"Until you pay, none of you are leaving today!"
Hearing this, Hank spoke quietly over his team's channel, "Karma, protect Mr. John and Dr. Nick."
"Tank, Tiger, you two wait for my signal, then open fire."
"Everyone else, make sure none of these bastards get away."
Then he said loudly, "Do as they say. Take out the money."
"Ladies, remove your scarves."
Immediately, Amy and the others lowered their scarves.
The men stretched their necks to get a better look at the women in the vehicles.
Some even started walking closer.
At that moment, Hank roared, "Fire!"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Tank and the black man called Tiger opened up first, manning the heavy machine guns.
Bright streaks of fire tore through the air, sweeping across the thugs. The moment the bullets struck, flesh and blood exploded everywhere.
The sheer power of the heavy machine guns even shattered the weathered rocks the bandits had been using as cover.
Hank and the others used rifles and pistols, picking off the survivors one by one with precise shots.
Inside the vehicle, the moment the fight began, Karma shoved Alex's head down with one hand.
She pressed his head onto her thigh, then leaned forward, using her chest to pin him down, practically lying over him to shield this "important client."
Alex found himself enjoying this rather distinctive "service." As for Karma's life or death, he didn't concern himself with it.
After all, he had paid.
Being protected was only fair.
If Karma died like this, it would simply mean she wasn't good enough at her job.
However, the mercenary team hired by Akre Company was no ordinary group.
Each one was skilled, with excellent marksmanship.
Combined with their superior equipment, dealing with these petty bandits was effortless.
After a brief exchange, the Scythe Gang members were either dead or wounded.
Not a single one escaped.
Afterward, Tank and the others got out of the vehicles to clean up the battlefield.
They fired pistols at the bodies on the ground, regardless of whether they were already dead or just pretending.
A shot to the head, no loose ends.
The others were fine.
But the archaeological team didn't look so good.
Especially Amy. Though she had witnessed something bloody before, she still hadn't gotten used to it, nor could she.
She started retching on the spot.
Alex, of course, remained unfazed. Leaning against the car door, he checked the time now and then, thinking Hank and the others were taking too long.
Only after killing every last bandit did Hank and his team get back into the vehicles, turn around, and leave the oasis, heading straight for the depths of Goresak.
By nightfall, under Ackman's guidance, they reached an abandoned village.
They made camp in houses that hadn't yet been completely swallowed by the sand, lighting fires to rest.
Warming himself by the fire, sipping freshly made instant coffee, Alex heard the guide say, "The place you're heading to is called Gaskell Valley. Locally, it's also known as 'Devil's Valley.'"
"It's completely desolate. Anyone who has gone there has never returned."
"There are rumors that terrible demons dwell there. Even groups like the Scythe Gang don't dare enter."
"So when the time comes, I can only take you to the entrance of the valley. I absolutely won't go inside."
"I strongly advise you not to enter either. It's too dangerous."
"Why would you want to go to a place like that?"
As Ackman spoke, Alex suddenly picked up another sound with his ears.
He smiled faintly and focused on drinking his coffee.
Not long after, a sharp whistle rang out.
Hank, who had been sitting on a rock, immediately jumped up, "Something's wrong!"
"Put out the fire, stay alert!"
Beside Alex, Karma kicked sand over the campfire, extinguishing it.
Then, grabbing Alex and Dr. Nick with one hand each, she pulled them deeper into the house, hiding them in the shadows.
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