280 Neighbors (1/2)
After staying to chat for a short while, Xiao Zhiyuan bade everyone a good night and left for the farm.
They had a lot of local specialties back home, and Xiao Luo's grandparents had prepared a selection of his favorites and placed them in Xiao Luo's room. There were chips, peanuts, and fried rolls.
After he finished tidying up the room, Xiao Luo made himself a cup of hot tea and stood by the window.
It was pitch dark outside, still drizzling, and everything seemed remarkably tranquil. Xiao Luo felt the stark difference here as if this was another life, compared to the city. Standing by the window, everything he had experienced in Jiangcheng was like a dream: protecting Chu Yue, becoming the boss of Luo's Workshop, annihilating the Dragon Gang.
Everything just seemed surreal at that very moment, like he was living two different lives.
One was a world full of killings, commercial maneuvers, and the treacherous underworld--like an exciting and dramatic TV series. And the other brought him right back to ordinary life in the village!
Ding. Ding. Ding.
A handphone ringtone brought him back to the present.
Xiao Luo picked up the black handphone on the table. The caller ID showed a string of asterisks, and he immediately knew that it was a call from Gu Zhanguo of NSA. His handphone was also NSA-issued and specially customized with an ”8848” code. All their phone calls were channeled through a dedicated encrypted line, ensuring confidentiality, and preventing phone tapping and tracking.
His NSA phone could only be unlocked with face recognition and fingerprint detection protocols, without which neither of the special functions or even basic functions could be accessed. The phone would be useless to anyone except Xiao Luo.
Gu Zhanguo's authoritative voice spoke over the line. ”Mie, your contact has set off and will meet you the day after tomorrow. Codename: Night Sparrow.”
Xiao Luo nodded. ”Roger that.”
”There's one more thing that you need to know. Our spy in the Blackwater Company has sent a message. Khun Sa has access to your basic information and knows about your part in the Red Scorpion Mercenaries' massacre. He is enraged and has dispatched a team of his Cobra Mercenaries to infiltrate into the country. Their task is to neutralize you at all costs,” Gu Zhanguo said.
Cobra Mercenaries?!
Xiao Luo narrowed his eyes, and a fierce expression washed over him. ”Let them come, I will be waiting. Whatever number he sends will all be killed.”
His cavalier attitude concerned Gu Zhanguo, and he said, ”As far as we know, there are eight men in the Cobra Mercenaries strike team. All of them are rated grade B operators in the NSA grading system, and they are highly experienced in military tactics. Do not take them lightly, they are far superior to the Red Scorpion Mercenaries. You must not underestimate them.”
”Yes.”
He would be staying with his grandparents in Luo Village, so he needn't have to worry too much about their safety. But his parents were living on the farm, and that was a concern. He needed to arrange for a protection detail to ensure their safety round the clock.
”I've already dispatched 20 grade C fighters. They're being rushed to your location together with Night Sparrow. As for how they are to be deployed, the decision is yours,” Gu Zhanguo said.
Xiao Luo was grateful for Gu Zhanguo's sincerity in making the arrangements to mobilize his NSA resources.
”Do you have any other questions?” Gu Zhanguo asked.
”Yes.”
Xiao Luo answered without hesitation; he wanted to get to the bottom of this. ”Why would Khun Sa have my information?”