Chapter 723: Private Mission

Five foolish and greedy men had no idea that their plan had been leaked from the very beginning.

The scheme of "Red Coral" and the "Gypsy" had not even begun when the proactive Lin Mo took the initiative to launch an attack, completely ruining their plans, using the competition rules to annihilate everyone involved.

One hero conquers ten types of foes; this truly reflects the combat style of the Dragon Knight. No scheme or trick can withstand the overwhelming power of the Dragon Knight, which effortlessly crushed everything in its path.

The battle lasted less than a minute, resulting in the instant death of four pilots and the destruction of five fighter jets.

The ejected pilot, the "Gypsy," also could not escape his fate.

A barrage of cannon fire swept across mercilessly, staining the white parachute with patches of bright blood, while the harness hung with tattered pressure suits and pieces of flesh that were unrecognizable.

Participants from both the government army and the anti-government forces remained silent, without exception.

Any disgrace to the knightly spirit met a grim fate.

A scheme-filled three-aircraft team battle forced everyone to recognize the harsh reality once again.

The participant from China, "Number 13," becoming the sole champion of this month’s Death Team Battle was not due to luck.

Many wisely abandoned their ill intentions, recognizing that even a full squad attacking a single opponent would not guarantee victory against this special tier that masqueraded as intermediate.

The organizers of "Abyss Nirvana" announced immediately after the battle that two government army participants had violated the competition’s purpose, and all their points were awarded to "Number 13," who shot down these two "traitors." If everyone were to follow in the footsteps of these two, then there would be no reason to continue the Death Match.

Moreover, the sponsors of those two pilots were expelled and banned from the next two competitions, serving as a serious warning.

The shootdown record of five fighter jets granted Lin Mo an impressive total of over 1,400 points, making "Demon Hunter" team leader "Yasha" regret his decisions deeply; it equated to one-tenth of the Team Battle points, earned in less than a minute—quicker than robbing a bank.

These points belonged entirely to Lin Mo, and even if converted to cash, the military could do nothing about it. The higher-ups had only intended for Lin Mo to gain experience; achieving intermediate status was already a significant achievement.

The look in Yasha’s eyes when he gazed at Lin Mo was filled with envy. He regretted not allowing Lin Mo to participate in more matches. High-tier technology and equipment, even if not used temporarily, were always better off in possession.

No one really knew what Lin Mo had exchanged; even Yasha was unclear. The transaction was handled by Sally, the rich beautiful woman from Afghanistan who had close ties with the Chinese military, but she wasn’t truly one of them. It was puzzling why the intelligence department had not intervened.

Perhaps only after returning could Yasha clarify which high-tier treasures Lin Mo had acquired through military connections.

For Lin Mo, his identity as a high-tier pilot in "Abyss Nirvana" held no significance; he exchanged all his points and directly withdrew from the International Pilot Death Match.

Some were destined to be extremely disappointed.

But that had nothing to do with Lin Mo.

The sponsors behind "Red Coral" and the "Gypsy" were bound to become victims.

On the surface, the Chinese government would strike hard, while privately, the Dragoon Group would show no mercy. Offending two forces consecutively deserved bad luck, not to mention that the circles left behind by Yuri would also take the opportunity to deal some kicks due to their alliance.

Homeward!

For every warrior fighting away from home, these two words mean happiness.

As "Eagle King" rushed across the Atlantic without gathering experts, the Chinese had already smoothly returned home with their spoils.

Lin Mo generously gifted food and other insignificant items back to the original small group.

The well-connected government army pilots, including the Swedish pilot "Spear," the Canadian partner "Raccoon," and the Saudi "Peregrine," all received generous gifts, filling them with joy.

This created goodwill, which made "Demon Hunter" team leader "Yasha" feel a bit pained for a moment, but he quickly changed his mind.

Several sponsors behind those pilots took the opportunity to form connections through Lin Mo and his team.

As for whether any romantic sparks might fly, that was a concern for the intelligence department.

The X-1 Forward-Swept Wing Fighter Jet and some essential equipment traveled on Russian air force transport planes. Domestic large aircraft capacity was still quite tight, making it challenging to transport so many items at once. Transporting them in batches not only took time but was also unsafe.

The Chinese military approached the Russian air force, as it was neither the first time nor the last time this occurred.

Even Lin Mo had once flown on an Old Russian transport plane, even sharing meals in their cafeteria and getting the better of their special forces. In the end, he even walked away with a brand-new Russian military uniform. The polar bears were usually easy-going, but if they got angry, they would definitely use their AKs without hesitation.

Although Lin Mo had made the Russians look foolish in the Abyss Nirvana competition, making them search for their teeth after taking quite a beating, if the Old Russians held the upper hand next time, things could turn out even harsher.

After all, separate matters were separate. Anyone who participated in such a death match had to have a level of awareness; apart from a few stubborn people or those with poor character, very few would hold grudges. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be called a death match, but rather a revenge duel contest.

The Chinese paid in hard currency, and the Old Russians happily assisted without imposing any nationalistic fervor on the matter.

Lin Mo did not return to China with the “Demon Hunter” team and the two National Defense Star engineers, nor did he board the Dragoon Consortium charter flight with Sally to see the drastically changed Gem Valley.

Instead, he left alone, just as he had arrived, carrying a military backpack, leaving the still war-torn city of Damascus behind.

Through solo travel, he gradually released the negative emotions accumulated from the violence in the Abyss Nirvana International Pilot Death Match. These unnecessary negative memories could impair his judgment in future battles.

Combining work and rest was essential to ensure the Dragon Knight’s sustained combat ability. Yasha understood this and handed Lin Mo a bulletproof vest, a tactical pistol, several bullets, and a sixty-centimeter-long alloy Triangular Military Dagger, just as a precaution for self-defense.

The Dragon General still belonged to Lin Mo, and with this top-notch individual combat gear, ordinary light weapons could do him no harm, significantly increasing his safety.

Although Yasha did not think these items would greatly enhance Lin Mo’s ground combat strength, which was on par with the kings of soldiers, at least they would save him a lot of effort in case of emergencies.

Besides wandering around the Middle East for relaxation, Lin Mo also had a special private task to fulfill.

This was a request from Australian pilot Yuri before he left.

Yuri had asked Lin Mo to visit the family of his fallen comrade from the Death Team Battle, “Monkey.” This was an extremely important mission.

“Yuri, please take the time to see my family…”

Yuri vividly remembered Monkey’s last request. He had originally intended to fulfill Monkey’s final wish, but after sacrificing himself to fight alongside Number 13 against the Eagle King, he was still in poor shape and had not recovered enough. He could only entrust this request to Lin Mo.

Yuri obtained information about Monkey’s family from the Northrop Grumman company, which was Monkey’s sponsor, and handed it over to Lin Mo, along with one hundred thousand dollars in cash as a personal favor to be delivered to Monkey’s family.

War is always cruel, and perhaps Monkey’s family was still unaware of the tragic news. When they learned of this unfortunate event, it would undoubtedly hit them very hard.

It was only when Yuri solemnly handed over this task that Lin Mo learned Monkey’s real name: Abul Hasan Zargalar, a former Iranian air force pilot.

Based on his surname, which reflects Arab culture, it appeared that his ancestors might have worked in jewelry making; Zargalar means jeweler in Chinese.

Departing from Damascus, traveling east through Iraq would lead Lin Mo to Iran, and this visit would not hinder his journey home.

Outside the city of Damascus, battles between the government army and the anti-government forces continued. Both sides engaged in a tug-of-war across several major cities, with the sound of gunfire echoing daily. This not only devastated the local economy but also severely impacted the lives of ordinary people.

Civilians often risked their lives to procure essential supplies, darting through the streets where stray bullets could easily drop them in a pool of blood.

Inside the city, the remnants of war-damaged buildings appeared almost everywhere, and occasionally, one could see terrified civilians dodging the aftermath of the conflict.

Lin Mo chose to pass through the urban area but did not plan to venture around the city’s outskirts. The periphery was a battlefield; entering recklessly would likely turn a simple journey into a brutal bloodbath, and he could not guarantee he would remain a turtle even if attacked.

“Stop!”

A shout came from not far away.

A bullet whizzed past and struck the ground just in front of Lin Mo. If it weren’t for the Dragon General concealed beneath a full-length cloak, he might have faced not just a bullet but an RPG rocket instead.

Lin Mo did not understand what the person shouted but recognized the sound of the gun.

“Hey?! It’s that guy!”

Lin Mo couldn’t help but squint; another mischievous Chinese kid had come here.