Chapter 654 - A Meeting in the Forest, Seeing a Family Member and the Odd Situation Among the Rebels (1/2)
Day 147 - 9:25 PM - Southeast Catanduanes Settlement, Codon, San Andres, Catanduanes
Mark and Mei's return were happily welcomed by the girls like usual. Only this time, there were no hugs or head pats since Mark's body was covered with blood.
”Welcome back, Smelly Scary Uncle!”
Emika greeted while giggling. It was clear what she was going at. She mostly called Mark either Scary Uncle or Smelly Uncle depending on the conversation and mood. This time, however, the blood-soaked Mark was both.
”You want a hug?”
Mark asked as he opened his arms and faked to run towards the green-haired girl.
”Eeeek!”
Emika could not help but retreat in panic.
But then, Mark started to run towards her.
”Come on, don't be shy.”
”NOOO!!!!”
She started to run away. With Mark's expression, there was no way to tell whether he was joking or not.
The others could only sigh while Berrak could only gawk. He was not prepared to see this playful behavior of Mark towards Emika.
Of course, Mark did not really go and hug Emika. There would be various implications if he did that. Not only Emika would get dirtier, but she might annoyingly ask Mark for hugs later on.
Hmm? Something else? Of course not. Just whose mind was too dirty to think of that.
Still, Emika was definitely scared that Mark might actually do it.
Leaving the jokes aside, Mark turned to Edzel and Pefile.
”They really came, don't they? Are they scouts?”
Mark asked before turning his head towards the unconcious people lying around tied with ropes.
”Rather than scouts, they might be an advance party.”
Pefile replied.
”Why did you say so?”
Mark asked.
”Scouts should only be in the vanguard to look for enemies and note their positions. As for these people, they were preparing to ambush the soldiers on the walls before we caught them.” Pefile then pointed at the weapons the captured people had on the other side. ”Look.”
Since Mark did not pay attention earlier, he did not notice the weapons that Pefile hid on the other side. Looking at those, Pefile was definitely right. There were the M16 rifles that were commonly used by both military and the rebels. However, there were also sniper rifles and even two M60s. Although snipers might be, the last kind was definitely not equipment for scouts.
It was quite strange. Why would the rebels send a small party to ambush the soldiers while having a much larger one on stand by? It was just suicide.
Or maybe, that was the goal?
Unfortunately, there were a lot of things that they did not know to draw a concrete answer to the situation.
In any case...
With those thoughts in mind, Mark approached one of the unconcious men and sighed in front of him.
”Just what are you doing here anyway...”
That gesture made everyone confused.
”Gege, you know him?”
Mei could not help but ask.
”I sure do. This guy is my younger brother, after all.”
That came as a surprise.
Why? Mark did not have a single resemblance to the guy at all!
Mark had a regular, below-average appearance. The shape of his face was oval, complementing his above-average height.
The unconscious man, on the other hand, had a small face. It was even though he was just a bit shorter than Mark. And more than that, this guy actually was above-average in terms of looks.
”I know what you all are thinking. We don't look like brothers, even a little. I have three siblings, and none of us look like we are related to each other. My youngest brother might have the same eye shape as me, but it was also mirrored.”
”Is this the hunch you had before?”
Pefile asked. After all, they had never heard Mark tell them to capture people instead of obliterating them in one go.
”Well, I guess you all already noticed that I'm looking for something in this place. That's my family. But as you all can see, they are not in the settlement.”
They all went silent. Berrak aside, everyone noticed Mark looking around while in the settlement. Of course, it was not in a tourist-like way at all, even though he appeared to look like sightseeing.
”Then Boss, your family is with the rebels?”
Edzel asked. It was somehow unexpected.
”It's not really surprising.”
Mark shrugged, looking back at his brother.
”Why is that?”
Pefile asked.
”One of my close Uncles, the husband of my mother's younger sister. He had quite a position there. I just don't know which faction he belonged to, right now.”
Mark just dropped another bomb there.
While Mark was working together with the military, he actually had a direct relationship with the rebels.
What a surprising contrast. The group thought that Mark's family were seeking refuge there or joined for some reason. But it was actually none of those two at all.
Was that why his brother with the attackers?
But before anyone could ask, Mark already spoke.
”It's surprising, though. I don't think my overprotective parents will allow my brother to participate in these kinds of dangerous things. My Uncle is more or less a boastful but peaceful one. I don't think he will join the aggressive faction of the rebels, either.”
Listening to Mark, there was one thing that everyone understood.
There was something odd that was happening involving his family.
”What are we going to do next, Boss? Are we going to meet them?”
Edzel asked immediately. Things about family were a s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e topic to Edzel, considering his circ.u.mstances. As a person that lost his mother when he was young, he knew the feeling of losing a family member. If Mark's family were still alive, he wanted them to reunite.
Amihan was the same, looking at Mark eagerly.
But then, confusion took over.
”Who?”
Mark asked.
”Your family, of course.”