Chapter 729: “Monkey’s” Family

Saeed Muhammad Banisadr led Lin Mo to a low, one-story house with a yard and looked around, saying, “This is the place.”

Perhaps due to the arrival of strangers, the village children became particularly excited, gathering at the entrance to the alley, peering curiously at Lin Mo and the others.

Saeed knocked on the thick wooden door of the yard.

There are specific customs for knocking on doors here; men and women knock differently. When a man knocks, the male owner opens the door, while if a woman knocks, it’s the female owner who opens it.

The wooden door opened just a crack, revealing an elderly woman.

This surprised even Saeed, who looked at his hand. He’d knocked according to custom, so why was it a veiled woman who answered?

"God is great!"

Saeed stepped back and bowed slightly in apology.

In the Islamic world, there are strict gender separations, especially in Iran, and even more so here.

“I’m sorry! There are no men at home. May I ask who you are looking for?”

The elderly woman glanced at Saeed and then at Lin Mo behind him, her gaze showing a hint of suspicion from beneath her veil.

Saeed asked, “Is this the home of Abul Hasan Zargalar?”

The elderly woman sized them up again, still a bit distrustful, but replied, “Yes, this is Abul Hasan Zargalar’s home. Are you here to see him? I’m sorry, but my son has gone far away.”

“No, no, there is a foreigner, um, a Chinese person, a friend of Abul Hasan Zargalar, who brought some things for him.”

Saeed conveyed Lin Mo’s message in Persian and then nodded toward Lin Mo, saying, “That’s right, this is indeed the place. This is his mother, but since there are no men at home, we can’t go inside right now.”

“That’s fine! I can just hand over the items to his family and not intrude further.”

Lin Mo pulled a thick canvas bag and a hefty envelope from his military backpack, took a few steps forward, and handed them to the door.

The elderly woman received them with a hint of skepticism, and unexpectedly, she closed the door behind her.

Looking at the closed wooden door, Lin Mo and Saeed exchanged glances, neither expecting such a reaction.

Saeed shrugged at Lin Mo, indicating this was how it was done here. Lin Mo didn’t speak, simply nodded; it was just local customs, after all.

Just as Lin Mo and Saeed were about to turn away, the wooden door suddenly opened.

The elderly woman called out to Saeed and said a few words. Saeed pulled Lin Mo back, saying, “Wait a moment, she asked us to wait here while she prepares, then she’ll let us in.”

“Alright!”

Lin Mo surmised that the elderly woman must have been startled by the cash in the bag. The euros and dollars were contributions from him and Yuri, sufficient for her family to live a dignified life.

Besides the money, the bag contained photographs, recordings, and DVDs of “Monkey” and other personal items. “Monkey” had anticipated the dangers of the Death Team Battle, preparing early, and now it had come to use; he left as many memories for his family as he could.

These items were enough to prove Lin Mo’s claims were genuine.

If he were to wait for the payments from “Monkey’s” employer, Northrop Grumman, for the life insurance, he didn’t know how long it would take. The Americans often showed no warmth once the deal was done; they never cared much for personal connections.

The elderly woman called out a few times, and among the group of children watching from the alley, a little boy responded and, seemingly receiving instructions, ran off to who knows where.

“Please wait a moment, she called her grandson, who is Abul Hasan Zargalar’s youngest son, to fetch the village imam, so we can enter more easily.”

Hiring a local guide turned out to be a wise choice for Lin Mo; Saeed effectively served as the bridge for communication with the locals.

Before long, two elderly people arrived at Abul Hasan Zargalar’s doorstep, led by the little boy. They nodded and smiled at Lin Mo and Saeed, knocking on the door and calling out.

Lin Mo’s tactical armor did not raise much surprise; everyone’s attention was on something else.

At that moment, the elderly woman swung open the heavy wooden door and said to Lin Mo and Saeed, “I sincerely apologize for making my esteemed guests wait. Please come in.”

She guided the two older imams and Lin Mo into the yard.

Although the courtyard made of mud bricks showed no signs of modernization, it was tidy and fresh.

Lin Mo noticed that besides the elderly woman, two younger women were busily preparing things — one in the kitchen was cooking and the other was lighting a small stove, seemingly preparing tea.

Inside the house, he heard the cries of a boy and a girl, but they quickly quieted down. Perhaps "Monkey’s" family was already aware of the unfortunate news and was trying to suppress their sorrow because of the guests.

Saeed quietly reminded Lin Mo about local customs as they went. This guide was quite competent, making no mistakes in the details.

The elderly woman handed the letter Lin Mo brought to the two imams. They glanced at it and spoke with the elderly woman for a while before turning to Lin Mo and Saeed with solemn expressions. “We truly thank you for bringing news of Abul Hasan from afar. Abul Hasan was a warrior; although he has returned to the embrace of God, he will live forever in our hearts. We cannot accept this money.”

To Lin Mo’s complete surprise, the two old imams pushed the canvas bag back to him. The bag was much flatter now, perhaps only containing money, yet it still had a noticeable thickness, indicating a significant sum.

Saeed immediately translated their words to Lin Mo, unable to hide his surprise at the situation.

It seemed quite extraordinary to bring money to a friend’s family from so far away.

Lin Mo paused and shook his head, saying, "No, Abul Hasan Zargalar is our best comrade. He is a hero, a great Islamic warrior, and before his passing, he entrusted us with the care of his family. Please don’t let us become untrustworthy people. The compensation from Abul Hasan’s employer should have not arrived yet. I believe his family desperately needs this money to sustain their lives. He would not want his family to face difficulties. My friends and I are very willing to help Abul Hasan’s family; rest assured, this money is not a burden for us."

In another world, the Dragon Knight, who had never known family and affection, recognized that soldiers who fought and sacrificed for their families were the greatest heroes.

This is also why the often cold and isolated Lin Mo accepted this task without hesitation, rather than passing it to someone else.

Even if he handed it to "Demon Hunter" or "Bai Qi," they would have completed the task excellently, perhaps even better than he would.

The two village imams exchanged glances, whispered to each other, then nodded at Lin Mo, saying, “We truly appreciate your generosity.”

Trust holds an extremely vital position in the Islamic world, even more so than life itself.

No matter what, Abul Hasan Zargalar’s family needed this money to support their household without the pillar of a man.

Considering the actual situation of Abul Hasan Zargalar’s family, the imams decided on behalf of his mother and did not refuse again.

“No need for pleasantries!”

Lin Mo smiled and pushed the money bag back once more, which was gratefully accepted by them.

Abul Hasan Zargalar had two sons and a daughter. The eldest son was studying outside, while the younger son and daughter remained at home. Their growth required more resources, and all responsibilities rested on the shoulders of the only man in the family, Abul Hasan Zargalar.

Lin Mo understood why "Monkey" fought so hard; he was neither a second-generation official nor a wealthy second-generation. He came from this poor village, relying solely on his own strength, and if something unfortunate happened, there would be no one to rely on at home.

However, he had to fight hard. “Monkey” did not want his children to live like their ancestors, toil in the fields, and endure a life of hardship and poverty.

Lin Mo said to his guide, “Saeed, I have completed my task; let’s leave after this. I plan to stay in Iran for three days. Please show me around.”

Saeed had fulfilled his duties well, taking Lin Mo to the right place without any tricks, which made Lin Mo very satisfied.

Making a living these days is not easy, and Lin Mo planned to give Saeed an opportunity to earn a little extra money.

“Sure!”

Saeed’s eyes brightened instantly. Since he and Lin Mo were paid daily, along with costs for transportation and small expenses, even just three or four days could earn him a good amount.

“You should eat before you leave. If guests don’t have lunch here, it would be considered disrespectful to the host family.”

One of the imams noticed their intention to leave and hurriedly spoke. The other imam exchanged looks with Saeed.

Lin Mo, with the modesty of an Easterner, replied, “No, we don’t want to disturb you too much.”

With a family of widows and orphans, it was indeed not quite suitable for two big men to stay much longer.

“No, Mr. Morin, this is our Iranian hospitality; feel free to stay and have lunch with us,” Saeed encouraged Lin Mo to remain for lunch.

Iranians’ hospitality often exceeds what the Chinese expect, and such enthusiasm is hard to refuse. Lin Mo agreed without pretension.

Though the lunch was simple, it was quite abundant. Under the coordination of the imams, the village provided the best food to entertain Lin Mo and Saeed, their esteemed guests.

“Uncle, are you my dad’s comrade?”

“Monkey’s” youngest son grabbed Lin Mo after lunch, his clear big eyes shimmering, with long, delicate eyelashes. He was a beautiful and handsome little Iranian boy, his cheeks rosy, both shy and timid, seeming to muster courage to speak to a stranger he had never met before.

“Yes! Little guy, what’s your name?” Lin Mo nodded, and with Saeed beside him, he did not worry about language barriers.

“My name is Ali. Uncle, thank you for bringing my dad’s things. We don’t have anything valuable at home; this is my most precious gift. Please accept it.”

The little Iranian boy pressed a heavy object into Lin Mo’s hand.