Night of Despair

Chapter 66: Journey of Route 64: The Alliance Hierarch’s Ascension

“Is this all there is?” Yu Hong flicked through the pages, somewhat dissatisfied.

“What more do you want?” Li Rushan’s eyes widened. “I’ve found the person for you, with an identity, name, and age. What else do you need?”

“Alright, now let’s talk about hiring someone for revenge,” Yu Hong wasn’t in the mood to quibble with him.

“That works. Have you seen where Zhao Zhenghong comes from?” Li Rushan said with a smile.

“What about it?” Yu Hong frowned.

“Do you know about the People’s Army?” Li Rushan’s smile faded a bit. “If we at the post office are considered all-around elite talents, then the People’s Army is the true killing machine, an elite group exclusively assigned the most difficult and troublesome tasks.”

“…So, you’re saying, this Zhao Zhenghong, is very formidable? More so than White Python?” Yu Hong’s frown deepened.

“That’s for certain,” Li Rushan nodded. “The People’s Army consists of the nation’s top experts, meticulously selected. A few years ago, they underwent a special military strengthening program, weeding out some whose ideology and morals didn’t pass muster. This guy likely got filtered out then.”

He paused for a moment.

“Everyone knows that the Combined Army is the main force against the Black Disaster, but few are aware that many high-risk missions are tackled by the People’s Army. They are a group of individuals with terrifyingly strong wills, great strength, excellent equipment, and formidable teamwork. Fearless, they could be described as extremely terrifying individuals.”

“That problematic?” Yu Hong was half-skeptical. “Just tell me straight, how much will it cost to deal with this guy?”

“Heh… I’m not just talking big,” Li Rushan patted his chest to clarify. “Zhao Zhenghong is still a member of the Combined Army. Although the various branches of the Combined Army are quite independent and territorial, we don’t need to worry too much about that. But… he himself is very strong and has over twenty subordinates… The price for this, it’s not ordinary…”

“Will anyone take the job?” Yu Hong didn’t want to waste words.

“Sure, there will be takers, but can you afford it?” Li Rushan retorted. “To be honest, before I investigated, I had no idea this guy was from the People’s Army.”

Yu Hong thought for a moment, “I can offer compensation equivalent to helping upgrade and strengthen protective gear like a bulletproof suit once.”

“The kind you’re wearing right now?” Li Rushan’s eyes lit up.

“Mhm, but the materials must be provided by them. I can design and customize to their measurements. As for the degree of upgrade, if the materials are plentiful, you’ve seen the effects that can be achieved.” Yu Hong waved his hand, displaying the robustness of his suit.

“If that’s the deal, come, come, look at the list,” Li Rushan immediately pulled a list from somewhere on his person and handed it to Yu Hong without a second word.

Yu Hong took a look.

A list of available experts for hire, with names, details, and skills all included. Some even came with their own team members for assistance.

“These are all teams I’ve vetted personally for reliability, all capable of handling this mission. But just a heads up, a few of the top experts on the list, while very strong, have a bit of a temperament…” Li Rushan warned.

“No problem, it’s normal for people with ability to have their own character, I understand,” Yu Hong was unconcerned.

He suddenly noticed that behind each name on the list was a red number. He pointed to it and asked.

“What’s with the red number at the end?”

“Oh, that? That’s the kill count,” Li Rushan answered with a smile.

Yu Hong was taken aback, glanced at the numbers behind the top few names on the list—all were in the thousands…

He looked up at Li Rushan, only to see a natural smile in the other’s eyes.

This is… not a list of mercenaries…they’re all mass murderers, aren’t they?

A chill ran through him.

“Are you serious?” After a moment of silence, he couldn’t help but ask.

“Those who survive the battlefield, the ones who fought on the front lines of Aurora City and lived through the Black Disaster and betrayal by comrades, they carry a certain weight, as you know. These are just the ones nearest us.” Li Rushan explained with a grin. “They suffer from partial luminous stone disease, it affects their temperament, making them unsuitable to stay in the Combined Army anymore. Now they have to fend for themselves, and some people like to use them as weapons, so there have been a lot of incidents as a result. With guns, killing is actually quite efficient. Pick the right place, the right angle, the right crowd, a spray of fire, and that’s it. Four digits isn’t that hard to reach.”

Yu Hong was speechless. He suddenly felt that in this world, humans might be more terrifying than the fearsome Black Disaster.

Looking at the list, his hand moved across it and stopped on a team name.

“Let’s go with this one. Contact them right away and discuss the price; I need them to move out as soon as possible.”

“These teams are the closest and can reach us the fastest. They all have their own transportation, an elite squad. Even the loners don’t travel by foot. Don’t worry. But are you sure you can truly upgrade their gear? If they come and you can’t deliver, things could go south,” Li Rushan earnestly cautioned.

“Let’s settle it first. I can upgrade ninety percent of the protective suits on the market. You wouldn’t understand the technical side of it,” Yu Hong replied, expressionless, though his dismissive tech-expert air was still palpable even through his helmet’s visor.

“Heh heh heh…that’s great, my judgment was right. The Large Pyroxene Stone and the like are nothing compared to your research capabilities!” Li Rushan chuckled, then began to introduce Yu Hong to the team he had chosen.

Blood Butcher Xu Fan—two support members, age 35, specializes in power charges, torso afflicted with partial luminous stone disease, brutal temperament, tremendous strength.

Ability tags: Sharpshooter, Crane Chanting Fist Master, Mountain Opening Fist Master, proficient in seventeen international fighting skills.

Weight: 172kg, Height: 233cm.

“Are you sure, it’s him?” Li Rushan looked puzzled.

“Sure, it’s definitely him,” Yu Hong nodded seriously. “Let’s talk first.”

“I’m aware of his demands. This guy has always wanted to strengthen his Blue Whale Suit, but he has never found anyone to do it. The big organizations charge too much, the prices are sky-high, and they only provide services to their own people. So, those of us who operate externally, no matter how capable, can’t get our hands on good stuff,” Li Rushan explained.

“Let’s give it a shot. If I’m up to it, we’ll see if he’s willing,” Yu Hong said calmly.

He had now placed himself purely in the position of a researcher.

“Alright,” Li Rushan nodded.

After discussing some details, Yu Hong returned to his cave and took out the pistol he had previously captured.

“Relying solely on others isn’t safe enough. Who knows if Zhao Zhenghong will pull something again, and then there’s Xu Fan, so I need sufficient self-protection. Only then can I ensure my own safety and hire others to cooperate. Moreover, when upgrading someone else’s gear, I must strictly control the extent of the improvement. It can’t be too exaggerated; otherwise, too much power can be a bad thing.”

Holding the pistol, a flicker of thought passed through his eyes.

A moment later, he reached out and placed his hand on the pistol.

He intended to strengthen the pistol to assist with aiming and lock-on and increase its firing power, then conceal it on his body. It would serve as a hidden trump card for ambushes.

*

*

*

Two days later.

On an abandoned highway near Baiqiu Village.

A dark green armored vehicle slowly came to a halt.

The vehicle was covered in vicious metal spikes protruding outwards, and two headlights in front emitted a glaring beam.

This armored vehicle was larger than the average, with six wheels shrouded in thick anti-slip and puncture-resistant protection.

Click.

The vehicle door opened from the inside, and a giant bald man with a face covered in greasepaint stepped down.

Bending slightly, the bald man stepped from the vehicle onto the solid ground and straightened his frame.

He was an extremely large individual who, just standing by the side of the vehicle, made everything around him seem to shrink with his bear-like stature.

The man’s skin was a tanned brown, his eye sockets were deep-set, and a suppressed fury occasionally flickered in his dark pupils.

He wore a deep blue bulletproof suit with a black X-shaped alloy plate on his chest exposed on the outside. His arms and knees were protected with alloy plates, and the gloves on his fists were covered with a dense array of spikes to enhance lethality.

“Anna,” the bald man surveyed the surroundings. “Is this the mission location? Where’s the client?”

Jumping out from behind him was a petite brunette girl.

“The client’s an old friend, Black Panther,” the girl said with a light, easy smile. “I never expected we’d land such a cost-effective job. We’re in luck this time. If we get your Blue Whale Suit enhanced and repaired, your safety coefficient will increase significantly.”

“Black Panther’s reputation is still reliable. Although a bit shady, her credit level is high,” the bald man said in a deep voice.

“This time there are twenty-four people to kill. Did the employer specify they want the heads?” he inquired, crouching to touch the gravel on the ground as if checking something.

“No, the employer’s requirement is to bring back all the equipment, weapons, and personal belongings to prove the count,” Anna answered.

“That’s a bit tricky…” the bald man said, looking concerned.

“Just try to control it a bit, try not to shred them too much,” Anna teased. @@novelbin@@

She pulled out a silver pistol from her lower back, spinning it rapidly in her hand, then gripped it with a snap.

“The infrared radar is ready to be activated. According to the intelligence, the target left Baihe City already. Let’s take care of them halfway to save time,” she said, adjusting the pistol and running her fingers over a row of deadly darts strapped to her thigh to ensure her equipment and weapons were in order before turning to board the armored vehicle.

The bald man exhaled, turned, and followed her onto the vehicle.

The armored vehicle turned around and headed in the direction away from Baiqiu Village.

At precisely that moment, on the outskirts of Baihe City’s abandoned urban area, on the highway, a parade of army green jeeps was also heading towards Baiqiu Village.

Riding in the jeeps was Zhao Zhenghong’s team, fully prepared and setting out for their mission.

A total of twenty-four people, equipped with various weapons and gear, they planned to make a final attempt to ascertain whether there was still hope on Yu Hong’s end.

If the person was gone, sabotaged by Evil Shadow, they resolved to give up completely.

If the person was still there, even better, it meant they could suppress with force and achieve their goal.