"Is that all there is to it?" Yu Hong shook the paper in his hand, feeling a bit dissatisfied.
"Lives are at stake here! We've got their identities, names, and ages; what more do you want?" Li Runshan opened his eyes wide in disbelief.
"Alright, let's talk about hiring someone to take revenge," Yu Hong dismissed the argument casually.
"Sure thing. Have you seen where this Zhao Zhenghong comes from?" Li Runshan chuckled, clearly amused.
"What about it?" Yu Hong frowned.
"Do you know about the People’s Army?" Li Runshan's smile faded slightly.
"If we are the elite all-round talents of the post office, then the People’s Army are true killing machines, the specialized elite who handle various difficult missions."
"So, this Zhao Zhenghong is very strong? Stronger than the White Python?" Yu Hong's frown deepened further.
"That is for sure," Li Runshan nodded, "The People’s Army is a group of top-notch experts handpicked from our nation. They previously undertook a rigorous strengthening program, weeding out those with poor morals. This guy may well be one of those filtered out."
He paused for a moment.
"Everyone knows the United Army is the main force against the Black Calamity, but very few know that many high-risk tasks are handled by the People’s Army. These are people with extremely scary willpower, formidable strength, excellent equipment, and exceptional teamwork. They fear nothing and can be described as extremely terrifying individuals."
"Sounds troublesome," Yu Hong said, half believing it.
"Just tell me, how much does it cost to deal with this guy?"
"Hey, I’m not just making this up," Li Runshan clarified while patting his chest.
"Zhao Zhenghong is still a part of the United Army. Though each branch operates independently now, forming their own factions, you shouldn't worry too much about that. But he’s indeed strong, and behind him, he has over twenty underlings—this price is not average."
"Is there anyone willing to take this job?" Yu Hong couldn't be bothered with small talk.
"Of course, there will be takers! But can you afford the price?" Li Runshan countered.
"To be honest, I didn’t expect him to be from the People’s Army either."
Yu Hong thought for a moment.
"How about this, I can offer a reward for upgrading and reinforcing a bulletproof outfit."
"Like the kind you’re wearing?" Li Runshan’s eyes lit up.
"Yes, but the materials must be provided by you. I can design and customize it. As for the upgrade, it can achieve what you see if the materials are plentiful."
Yu Hong waved his hand, showcasing the sturdy suit he wore.
"If that's the case, let's see the list!" Without hesitation, Li Runshan took out a sheet of paper filled with names and handed it to Yu Hong.
Yu Hong picked it up and examined it.
The list contained rows of capable hands, detailing their names, backgrounds, and skills.
Some came with their own assistants.
"These are all trustworthy teams I’ve compiled. They can complete this mission, but I should warn you, a few of the most skilled among them have pretty strong personalities," Li Runshan cautioned.
"That’s fine. It’s normal for capable people to have personalities. I can deal with that," Yu Hong shrugged.
He suddenly noticed a red number next to each name and pointed at it, curious.
"What’s this red number at the end?"
"Oh, that? It’s the number of kills," Li Runshan replied with a grin.
Yu Hong was taken aback, glancing at the top few names, where the numbers were all four digits long.
Lifting his head, he looked back at Li Runshan, who only wore a natural smile.
This isn't a list of mercenaries, every name on here seems like a killing machine!
A shiver ran down his spine.
"Are you serious?" After a moment of silence, he couldn’t help but ask.
"Anyone who survived the battlefield, those who came out from the frontline of Aurora City, able to escape both Black Calamity and backstabbing from teammates, you know how valuable that is. And these are just the closest ones."
Li Runshan chuckled, "They have partial infections from the Glitterstone Disease, causing them to develop issues, making them unsuitable to stay in the United Army. They have to seek ways to live outside, but some are always seen as blades. So, some of them have caused a lot of big incidents, killing many under the Black Calamity guise. Guns, you see, are quite efficient. Find the right place, angle, and crowd, and you can take out a lot. Those four digits aren’t as hard as you think."
Yu Hong was left speechless.
He suddenly felt that in this world, perhaps it wasn’t the terrifying Black Calamity that was the worst, but the talent themselves.
Looking at the list, his hand glided along the names until it landed on one team.
"Let’s go with them. Contact them immediately to discuss payment. I need them to act fast."
"These teams are the ones closest by; they can get here the quickest, and they all have their own transportation. Don’t worry. Just make sure you can really reinforce their gear properly. If they come and you can't deliver, that would be a disaster," Li Runshan urged seriously.
"We can settle the details first; I can upgrade ninety percent of protective gear on the market. I’ll keep it simple; you won’t understand the technical side," Yu Hong replied flatly but with an air of authority that made it clear he was in charge.
"That’s good to hear! I knew my judgment was right. As for that Glitterstone stuff, it’s nothing compared to your expertise!" Li Runshan chuckled a bit nervously before diving back into the details of the team Yu Hong picked.
Blood Butcher Xu Fan—two support members, 35 years old, excels at strength charges, having suffered partial infection from the Glitterstone Disease, making him extremely violent and powerful.
Ability tags: Sharpshooter, Master of Crouching Crane Fist, Master of Banshee Fist, proficient in seventeen types of international martial arts.
Weighing in at 172 kilograms and standing 2.33 meters tall.
"Are you sure it’s him?" Li Runshan's expression shifted to confusion.
"Yes, I’m certain it's him."
Yu Hong nodded earnestly.
"Let's talk it over."
"I know his requirements. This guy has been wanting to upgrade his Blue Whale Armor for a long time, but he can never find anyone. The big organizations charge too much, and they only provide services to their own people. So guys like him working outside, no matter how skilled, can’t get the good stuff," Li Runshan explained.
"Let’s give it a shot. If I can do it, it all depends on how willing he is," Yu Hong stated calmly, positioning himself purely as a researcher.
"Alright," Li Runshan agreed.
After some discussion on the finer details, Yu Hong returned to the cave and pulled out the handgun they had previously seized.
"Relying solely on others is unsafe. Who knows if it’s Zhao Zhenghong or Xu Fan? So, I need enough self-defense strength first, then I can safely hire others to work with me. Moreover, I need to strictly control the extent of any upgrades; they can't be too exaggerated, otherwise, too much intensity could backfire."
Holding the handgun, a glimmer of contemplation crossed his eyes.
Moments later, he reached out and pressed his hand against the handgun.
He aimed to reinforce it to help himself lock onto targets, while also boosting its firing power, before binding it discreetly to himself.
This would become his secret weapon for ambush.
*
Two days later.
On an abandoned highway near Baiqiu Village.
A large, dark green armored vehicle came to a slow stop.
The vehicle’s exterior bristled with jagged metallic spikes, its two headlights shining fiercely.
This armored vehicle was significantly larger than usual, and its six tires were wrapped in thick anti-slip, anti-stab casings.
With a click, the car door swung open from the inside, and a giant bald man with a painted face stepped out.
Bending slightly as he exited the vehicle, his impressive bulk loomed over everything, making the surroundings seem to shrink in comparison.
The man had brown skin, sunken eyes, and occasionally displayed a seemingly suppressed aggression within his dark pupils.
He wore a dark blue bulletproof suit, exposing black 'X'-shaped alloy plates across his chest.
His arms and knees were also reinforced and protected, and his gloves were lined with spikes to enhance lethality.
"Anna," the bald man looked around.
"Is this the task site? Where’s the employer?"
From the car behind him, a petite girl with short brown hair jumped out.
"The employer's an old friend, Black Mountain Cat," she said, a light grin gracing her features.
"It’s surprising to get such a well-priced job. We’re quite lucky this time. Upgrading your Blue Whale Armor will greatly enhance your safety."
"Black Mountain Cat has a decent reputation. Although it’s a bit shady, the credit level is high," the bald man replied in a low voice.
"This time we need to kill twenty-four. Did the employer say they wanted proof for each head?" He squatted down, touching the gravel on the ground, seemingly inspecting something.
"No, the employer said to bring back all equipment, weapons, and personal belongings and prove the number based on the traces left," Anna explained.
"That’s a bit tricky," the bald man frowned.
"Just try to control it, don’t tear them into too many pieces," Anna teased.
She pulled a silver handgun from her waist, spinning it quickly before grasping it tightly.
"The infrared radar is ready. According to our intel, they’ve already set off from Baihe City. We can deal with them on the way and save time," she said, adjusting her handgun and running her fingers over a row of deadly poisoned darts strapped to her thigh, confirming her equipment was all in order before turning and heading toward the armored vehicle.
The bald man exhaled heavily before following her into the armored vehicle.
The armored vehicle made a U-turn and began driving in the direction away from Baiqiu Village.
At that very moment, outside the abandoned city perimeter of Baihe City, military-green jeeps were also heading towards Baiqiu Village.
On the jeeps were Zhao Zhenghong and his team, fully prepared and ready for action.
A total of twenty-four individuals, armed with various weapons—they were about to make one last attempt to determine whether Yu Hong still held hope.
If there were no survivors, with the Shadow of Evil stirring trouble, they would abandon all hope.
But if they found someone alive, all the better; it would mean they could crush their enemies with sheer force of numbers.
(End of Chapter)