Chapter 169: Special Service

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The next day, the way Vic and the others looked at Azu had changed.

This guy casually handed Hank's mercenary group a hefty sum last night, making even the hardened mercenaries treat him with unexpected kindness.

After breakfast—

Hank and his men came out in full combat gear. They were heavily armed and carried large backpacks, yet their breathing remained steady as they moved. Even the woman named Kama was the same.

It was clear that they were battle-hardened warriors, each exuding a fierce aura.

"Alright, gentlemen and ladies."

"If you've finished breakfast, it's time to depart."

"It will take us three days to reach Goresak."

"During this time, we'll have to cross dangerous deserts and may encounter armed bandits."

"So, I expect you all to follow my orders."

"Every single order."

"If you want to make it back in one piece, I strongly advise you to do so."

"Now, let's move."

Azu stood up, clapped his hands, and walked leisurely within the group.

Among the entire archaeological team, only the elderly Dr. Nick carried nothing—but at least he had a cane.

Azu, on the other hand, had absolutely nothing.

Well, except for a sun hat and sunglasses.

Even the young girl, Amy, had a hiking bag stuffed with supplies.

Seeing this—

Captain Hank chuckled, "Mr. John, no luggage?"

Azu shook his head.

Hank joked, "I was about to ask Tank to carry your things for you."

Tank, the bald mercenary who had mocked Azu the night before, now looked at him as if he were a walking treasure vault. There was no trace of ridicule left—just an awkward, goofy attempt to appear friendly.

Hank gestured, "Kama, you walk with Mr. John."

"Take care of him and Dr. Nick."

Then, he winked at Azu. "Sticking with Kama is way better than being with us rough guys."

"But don't let her do anything beyond combat duties. Even if she offers, it's a no-go."

"I don't want my people running out of strength when we need them most."

Even Amy understood the double meaning behind those words, glancing at Kama a few extra times.

Truthfully, the female soldier was quite attractive—tall, well-built, stronger than a girl like Amy but not overly muscular.

Apart from her slightly rough skin and tanned complexion, she could be considered beautiful.

As a female soldier accustomed to dealing with men, Kama didn't get angry or blush at the joke.

Instead, she smirked. "I doubt I'll need to spend that much energy on Mr. John."

A group of men immediately whistled.

Azu also grinned, feeling the urge to make this overly confident female soldier experience some "hardships."

They left the inn, where six off-road vehicles were parked outside.

The vehicles had been modified—high chassis, thick tires, built for rough terrain.

Two of them even had mounted heavy machine guns, operated by Tank and a burly Black mercenary.

Hank swiftly assigned seats.

Azu shared a vehicle with Dr. Nick and Amy.

Kama, her face painted with camouflage, sat beside Azu. She carried a faint, pleasant scent.

The female soldier took out a pack of gum. "Want one?"

Azu smiled and shook his head.

Kama didn't insist and put it away. "You're not with the archaeology team, are you? Why come to such a dangerous place?"

"Is it dangerous?"

Azu spread his hands. "Aren't you here to protect me?"

Kama chuckled. "Most men try to act brave in front of me, but you don't seem to care."

Azu smirked. "I don't mind being protected by a woman. Besides, I paid for this. It's a service I'm entitled to."

"Service." Kama nodded. "That's true."

Just as they were about to depart, a man on a motorcycle arrived hurriedly, speaking English with a strange accent.

"Sorry, I'm late."

Hank tossed him a backpack. "Any later, and I'd have found another guide."

Then, he introduced the man to the group. "This is our guide, Ackerman."

"Ackerman is a walking map of this region. If you have any questions during the trip, feel free to ask him."

The local man, Ackerman, greeted everyone with a smile.

A few minutes later, the convoy set off.

At first, the archaeology team was excited, chatting and laughing in the vehicles.

But as the town faded into the distance, leaving only barren wilderness, their enthusiasm waned.

All they could see were shades of red, yellow, and brown.

The landscape was littered with weathered rocks—some eroded into bizarre shapes, others riddled with holes. When the wind blew through them, it produced eerie, haunting sounds.

Through the convoy's radio, Ackerman explained:

"This area is full of canyons, caves, and stone forests."

"The terrain is complex, offering plenty of natural hiding spots."

"In the darkest, most chaotic times, every shadow and cave here concealed human corpses."

"This is a barren land, where rocks and sand are the most abundant resources."

"Our ancestors called it a land cursed by the gods."

"Yet, despite this, we never abandoned it."

"Our forefathers struggled and survived here."

"Their stories could be turned into tragic poems."

"Ladies and gentlemen, water here is incredibly precious."

"This vast land, stretching for hundreds of thousands of square kilometers, has very few rivers. And nearly none of them flow year-round."

"Whoever controls a water source here becomes a ruler."

"In this region, we need to watch out for a few factions."

"One is the 'Scythe Gang.' They use a white scythe as their symbol. Each of them carries a small scythe and enjoys cutting out their victims' tongues."

"They are the most lawless criminals here. The military once tried to wipe them out, but locating and eliminating them in such a vast area was too much for our army."

Ackerman chuckled before continuing.

"Another threat is the 'Carrion Worms' and the 'Sand Leopards.'"

"The former are elusive, rarely clashing with other factions or attacking caravans."

"But if you're injured and unable to move, they'll appear."

"They're like carrion-eating insects, slowly devouring you bit by bit."

"They can stalk their prey for a week, waiting for exhaustion to set in before stripping them clean."

"As for the 'Sand Leopards,' they aren't the biggest faction, but they have the best equipment."

"Who knows where they get their gear, but it's certain that neither the 'Scythe Gang' nor the 'Carrion Worms' are as well-equipped."

"They're like leopards—once they set their sights on you, they wait for the perfect moment."

"Then, they strike swiftly—one hit, one kill."

"Additionally, rumors say that the 'Sand Leopards' leader possesses superpowers. But no one has seen it firsthand."

"Or rather, anyone who has… is dead."

"In short, we've entered dangerous territory."

"There is no law here."

"Be careful."

"Ladies, it's best to cover your faces with scarves."

"It will save you a lot of trouble."

Following Ackerman's advice, Amy and the other women wrapped black scarves around their heads, covering everything but their eyes.

They even wore sunglasses over them.

By 4 PM, the convoy headed toward an oasis under Ackerman's guidance.

Ackerman spoke through the radio: "The oasis ahead is called 'Sabrina'—in our local language, it means 'Goddess of Life.'"

"The Sabrina Oasis is an important supply point in this region. Most importantly, it's only a day's journey from the city."

"So, no single faction has taken control of it yet."

Just as the guide finished speaking, Azu noticed something ahead.

The road leading to the Sabrina Oasis had a makeshift barricade.

Though crude—sharpened wooden stakes bound together with stones piled up—it still blocked the path.

Atop the barricade, a black flag fluttered in the wind.

On it was the white emblem of a reaper's scythe.

Azu smirked and turned to Kama. "Looks like the walking map needs an update."

Kama, however, wasn't in the mood to smile. She pulled up a black mask, covering most of her face.

Then she lowered her goggles and placed her hand on the safety lock of her rifle.

At that moment, from behind and on top of a massive weathered rock near the roadblock, several people emerged.

They were dressed in different outfits, but all wore masks with a white scythe emblem painted on them. Their eyes glowed with hostility as they pointed at the convoy, shouting something in the local language.

Ackerman spoke through the communicator, "They say they are from the 'Scythe Gang' and want to negotiate with me first."

"This place shouldn't be occupied by the 'Scythe Gang'..."

After speaking, the tour guide Ackerman stood up from a front-row off-road vehicle and called out in the local language.

"By the Goddess of Life, I am Ackerman Sheret Cappucci."

"Brothers of the 'Scythe Gang,' I know your Captain Komper. We've had meals together before."

"Would you allow us to leave?"

Seeing the 'Scythe Gang,' he no longer discussed entering the oasis and instead pleaded to leave.

A man with disheveled hair stepped out from the gang. His eyes were yellowish-brown, resembling those of a cold-blooded animal.

The man shouted, "Komper is dead! Killed by the 'Sand Leopards.'"

"So whether you knew him or not, and whether you're entering the oasis or leaving, you must pay a tax!"

"That's Captain Mongo's rule!"

Ackerman relayed through the communicator, "This is a bit troublesome. They belong to 'Black Hand' Mongo."

"'Black Hand' Mongo is notorious in the 'Scythe Gang' for his ruthless ways—even the other members fear him."

Then the guide said, "We're willing to pay the tax, as long as you let us leave."

The burly man looked over at Hank and the others, then switched to heavily accented English: "Alright then, one thousand dollars per person! Cash!"

Immediately, from atop the off-road vehicle, the machine gunner Tank roared, "A thousand per head? You guys have some nerve!"

Tank was tall and burly, manning a heavy machine gun, making the 'Scythe Gang' members instinctively take a step back.

Their expressions shifted slightly as they gripped their weapons tightly, standing on full alert.

The yellow-eyed man shouted, "What are you trying to do?"

"If you want to leave alive, pay up!"

Dr. Nick shuddered and glanced at Azul. Seeing no reaction from him, the old man turned to Hank and said, "Maybe we should just pay them. Getting on the road is more important."

"Besides, Eckley Corporation said that all travel expenses would be reimbursed."

Hank immediately frowned.

Azul chuckled softly.

The old doctor still lacked experience. When dealing with these kinds of thugs, the more you compromised, the more they would push their luck.

Sure enough, after the doctor's words, greed filled the men's expressions.

Their leader raised his voice, "You're taking too long. The price just went up!"

"Two thousand per person—no, five thousand!"

"And don't take us for fools. The women—take off their headscarves!"

Ackerman hurriedly interjected, "Gentlemen, we all travel this land frequently."

"Besides Komper, I also know Okam and Captain Reed."

"How about this? We pay two thousand per person, and we part ways. What do you say?"

The yellow-eyed man immediately fired a shot into the sky.

Bang!

The gunshot startled Ackerman, making him shrink back into the off-road vehicle.

Then the yellow-eyed man bellowed, "Bullshit!"

"Who do you think you are?"

"So what if you know Okam and Captain Reed?"

"If you don't pay up today, none of you are leaving!"

At this, Hank spoke softly into the mercenary team's private channel. "Kama, protect Mr. John and Dr. Nick."

"Tank, Tiger, wait for my signal and hit them hard."

"The rest of you, make sure none of these bastards escape."

Then, he spoke up loudly, "Do as they say. Get the money out."

"Ladies, take off your headscarves."

Immediately, Amy and the other women removed their scarves.

The thugs craned their necks, eager to see the women in the vehicles.

Some even started walking closer for a better look.

At that moment, Hank shouted, "Fire!"

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The bald Tank and the Black mercenary Tiger were the first to unleash heavy machine gun fire.

Blinding streaks of tracer rounds tore through the air, sweeping across the thugs.

The bullets ripped into their bodies, sending blood and flesh flying.

The power of the machine gun even shattered the weathered rocks they had been using for cover.

Hank and the others used their rifles and pistols to pick off any survivors with precise shots.

Inside the off-road vehicle—

The moment the fight started, Kama pressed Azul's head down with one hand.

The female soldier pinned his head against her thigh, then leaned forward, pressing her chest against his head.

Her entire body almost covered him, using herself as a shield to protect this "VIP client."

Azul was happy to enjoy this unique "service."

As for Kama's life? He didn't particularly care.

After all, he had paid for this.

Protection was part of the deal.

If Kama died, it would simply mean she wasn't skilled enough.

That said, the mercenary team Eckley Corporation hired wasn't ordinary.

Each member was highly capable, with precise marksmanship.

Equipped with top-tier gear, they made short work of the petty bandits.

In just a brief exchange, the 'Scythe Gang' was wiped out.

None escaped.

Afterward—

Tank and the others got out of the vehicles to clear the battlefield.

They fired bullets into the downed enemies' heads, ensuring none were playing dead.

The others remained calm.

But the archaeology team looked pale.

Especially Amy—though she had experienced bloodshed before, she hadn't grown accustomed to it.

And likely never would.

She retched on the spot.

Azul, on the other hand, remained unfazed.

Leaning against the car door, he occasionally checked the time, feeling that Hank's team was taking too long.

Once the mercenaries finished killing all the bandits, they got back into the vehicles, turned around, and drove away from the oasis, heading deeper into Goresack.

That night—

Under Ackerman's guidance, they arrived at an abandoned village.

In the few remaining houses that hadn't been swallowed by sand, they lit a fire and rested.

Warming himself by the fire, sipping a cup of freshly brewed instant coffee, Azul listened as the guide spoke.

"The place you're heading to is called 'Gaskell Valley.' Locally, it's known as 'Devil's Valley.'"

"It's completely desolate. And no one who's ever gone there has returned."

"Rumor has it that terrifying demons reside there. Even the 'Scythe Gang' wouldn't dare enter."

"So when the time comes, I can only take you to the valley's entrance. I absolutely won't go inside."

"I strongly advise you not to go either—it's too dangerous."

"Why would you want to go somewhere like that?"

As Ackerman spoke, Azul's ears suddenly picked up another sound.

He smirked and continued sipping his coffee.

Moments later, a sharp whistle rang out.

Hank, who had been sitting on a rock, immediately jumped to his feet. "Something's up!"

"Kill the fire! Stay alert!"

Beside Azul, Kama instantly kicked up sand to extinguish the fire.

Then, with one hand each, she grabbed Azul and Dr. Nick, dragging them deeper into the building, hiding them in the shadows.

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