Under the moonlight

Chapter 168: Life for Life

Life for life

As the rumbling grew closer, the tank's powerful beams illuminated the entire shed area. Xu Ao and the others exchanged a glance and decided to remain stationary for now; their position wouldn't be exposed for the time being. Xu Ao peered into the tank's view using its beams. This tank seemed to be the same one from before? Then... it shouldn't be firing.

Zhao Meng noticed Xu Ao staring blankly at the tank and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Let's take a gamble; this tank is just a means of transportation."

"Isn't this gambling with your life? The risk is too great." Zhao Meng shook his head, disagreeing with the suggestion.

“Yes, but if we bet right, we have a great chance of winning and can drag it out until dawn,” Xu Ao said firmly to Zhao Meng.

"Okay, I'll trust you this once."

Saudi Arabia stood in the center of the tank, leaning back against it, his gun scanning back and forth as if searching for prey, his face displaying an air of confident determination.

"Friends, I advise you to come out and surrender now, otherwise it won't look good if you get crushed into mincemeat by tanks. Tsk tsk, but I like to eat mincemeat, hmph!" Saudi said with a cold glint in his eyes.

The tank stopped in the middle of the shed area, right next to the tent where they were hiding. Xu Ao and the others pressed their bodies tightly against the edge of the tent, holding their breath. Saudi Arabia got off the tank. Listening to the footsteps right next to his ears, Xu Ao looked back at Zhao Meng, Li Shuo, and the nervous Wala beside him. Before, he was just an ordinary civilian. Now, in order to fight against mercenaries, his hardworking hands, which were used to support his family, had taken up weapons and were stained with blood.

Xu Ao gritted his teeth, turned his head away, and remained silent for a while. All Saudi Arabia wanted was him. According to the definite information he had received from Zhao Meng and the others, they certainly did not want to confront the international aid organizations head-on. At most, they would withdraw before dawn. They were only after money and would not really want to exterminate all civilians and embassy personnel. Whether it was abusing those men or storming into the shantytown, Saudi Arabia really wanted him, so why drag them down with them? As long as they could hold out until dawn, they would be safe.

Thinking this, he seemed to have made up his mind and raised his head. Zhao Meng, who was beside him, seemed to have noticed his intention, reached out and grabbed his arm, shook his head, and pressed his arm down hard. He moved his lips and said, "Huang Meng."

Xu Ao looked at Zhao Meng and understood his meaning. They were about to be exposed, but as long as he went out, they could be saved. Whether one or several would die was a simple matter of quantity that didn't require much thought. Even a child could do it, provided that one didn't think too much about it and didn't elevate it to the realm of philosophy.

Xu Ao forcefully pulled Zhao Meng's hand away. Li Shuo understood what he meant and was so anxious that he almost jumped up. Just then, Xu Ao got up and walked out.

“I’m here. Oh, even tanks have come out. I’m really being taken seriously by you.” Xu Ao said as he took the gun slung across his chest and threw it aside.

"Haha, you've finally come out. Five of my men died trying to find you, so it was worth it." Saudi Arabia, who had been turning his back and preparing to get back on the tank and destroy all the tents, said with a happy laugh, "Luckily you came out, or your friends would have been turned into mincemeat." It was as if he was talking about something very pleasant.

Saudi Arabia inadvertently exposed their weakness; if their tanks had been equipped with artillery shells, they would have bombed the shantytown long ago. Zhao Meng also realized that, according to Xu Ao's plan, they didn't have many bullets, and all they could do was stall until dawn.

"Really? It seems you really like me. Okay, then let's make a deal. Release them, and I'll go with you." Xu Ao raised his head and looked directly at Saudi Arabia, his eyes showing no fear whatsoever.

Saudi Arabia walked up to Xu Ao, licking his dry lips, staring intently at Xu Ao. He hated Xu Ao's fearless demeanor the most, and he desperately wanted to see fear, no, terror, in those eyes.

"Okay, deal." Saudi Arabia looked up at the night sky, which looked like diluted ink, and chuckled in agreement.

Zhao Meng and the others listened to Xu Ao and Saudi Arabia's conversation the whole time. Li Shuo tried to rush out several times, but Zhao Meng and Wala held him down firmly. After Xu Ao was surrounded by mercenaries and walked away, Zhao Meng turned to Li Shuo and said seriously, "Calm down. Let's go and meet up with the people outside. Even if it's a fight to the death, we can't let them take Xu Ao away."

As Zhao Meng walked toward the edge of the shantytown, he told Vala about his plan. Although it might cost some of them their lives, Vala agreed. After all, without them, the people in the shantytown would have no chance to wait for the rescue organization to arrive, and the children would not have been able to stay safely in the embassy.

Soon, Zhao Meng and his group gathered the people scattered outside the shed area. Vala briefly explained Xu Ao's situation to them, and they all agreed with Vala's decision. They would protect someone who risked their life to deliver medicine to them and help them gain global attention and assistance, even if it meant risking their lives.

Zhao Meng was moved by their spirit, which was even more courageous than his own, but now was not the time. They decided to snatch Xu Ao from Saudi Arabia by force, following the mercenaries' movements as before.

Because they were driving tanks, Zhao Meng and his men quickly caught up, keeping a distance of about 100 meters. Soon, the tanks stopped near the port. Saudi Arabia jumped off the tank, and Xu Ao was pushed forward by the mercenaries.

Zhao Meng and his men quickly stopped, apparently intending to attack Xu Ao here. They scattered and found cover, waiting for the mercenaries to leave the vicinity of the tanks. With a gesture from Zhao Meng, Vala and Li Shuo launched the first attack from behind them.

With the sound of gunfire, both mercenaries were wounded. "Damn, you missed!" Li Shuo cursed as he looked at the mercenary who had been shot in the shoulder. However, Vala was more composed than him. After shooting, he immediately pulled Vala behind a rock to hide.

Sure enough, the mercenaries, realizing what had happened, began firing at the spot where they had just fired. Vala turned around, grinned at Li Shuo, and proudly raised his head.

"Hmm, not bad!" Li Shuo smiled and gave him a thumbs up, then fixed his gaze on a mercenary who was holding a gun and waiting in ambush not far in front of him.

"Alright, you're the one. Watch my marksmanship!" With a gunshot, this time he didn't miss, hitting the mercenary right in the head. The mercenary only groaned before falling to the ground.

This time, Li Shuo was smarter. After finishing, he immediately moved to another place. However, Wala did not go with him. The two separated, with Wala under the pile of stones opposite him.

"Get on the tank! Get on the tank!" The mercenaries reacted quickly and scrambled onto the tank. Saudi Arabia, who had been pulling Xu Ao along, seemed to have gone mad, pulling Xu Ao while firing wildly in all directions with his gun.

Everyone was hiding behind cover, too afraid to move. Saudi Arabia was firing in circles like a madman. This aimless attack was violent, but the bullets were like raindrops, and anyone who showed their face was likely to be hit.

"You, go, raze this place to the ground!" Saudi Arabia said to the mercenaries on the tank after a burst of gunfire. But this time, his order was not carried out immediately. Seven or eight of them had already died. They could have safely evacuated, and the mercenaries had stolen their bullets. They themselves didn't have many left. What was the point of making money if they were to risk their lives for Saudi Arabia's personal grudge?

"Boss, finish him off with one shot. We need to get out of here quickly," a mercenary said to Saudi Arabia.

"What did you say?" Saudi Arabia glared angrily at the mercenaries on the tank, a fierce expression on his face.

Just then, Zhao Meng seized the opportunity and shot the mercenary who had spoken earlier on the tank in the shoulder. It wasn't fatal, but it was enough to threaten him. Sure enough, the mercenary immediately followed Saudi Arabia's words and said, "They have weapons now and are no longer people you can manipulate at will. Their employer has already given up. We should have left long ago. They might already be in some woman's bed by now!" He clutched his bleeding shoulder, his eyes blazing with anger. If it weren't for Saudi Arabia's selfish desires, they wouldn't have been ambushed like this.

Before Saudi Arabia could speak, Wala fired a shot, but it only hit the tank. However, it still caused the mercenaries to retaliate. Saudi Arabia's anger intensified as he looked at them. He then turned to Xu Ao: "Look, my brothers are still blaming me, and you are the reason they blame me." Saudi Arabia raised his gun, pointing it at Xu Ao's temple: "I'm sorry I don't have time to play with you, but you should be glad you're free so easily. Otherwise, my game would have made you wish you were dead, in unbearable pain."

After Saudi finished speaking, he looked at Xu Ao with a sinister smile, hoping to find a trace of fear on his face, but to no avail. Xu Ao looked at him calmly, without the slightest fluctuation.

"I really can't bear to part with you. You're so tough. I really want to see you kneel down and beg for mercy!" Saudi said as he chambered a bullet. Hearing the "click" sound in his ear, Xu Ao took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes. This is good, no pain.

Zhao Meng and Li Shuo were so anxious that they couldn't help but shout, "Xu Ao!" Their voices immediately attracted the attention of the mercenaries on the tank. They were on higher ground and quickly spotted Zhao Meng and Li Shuo. Like wolves who had finally caught their prey, they raised their guns with sinister smiles. But after a gunshot, it was they who fell down.