Chapter 101: Kinship

The dagger followed the sunlight in a straight line, its gaze extending from the three coordinates on the map. The regions and countries between them formed a continuous line, and at the middle two coordinates, arrow symbols were visible. If the arrow symbols were accurate, then this must be... the Jinji Jungle?

“My goodness, boss, you truly are brilliant! May God bless you!” Stannery, who was already half resigned, crossed his arms and faced the rising sun in the east, praying fervently.

“No matter what, we have to take a gamble!” Chen Cao lifted the dagger, his eyes suddenly fixed on Kalisa.

A complex expression flickered across Kalisa’s eyes as she met Chen Cao’s gaze.

Chen Cao spoke calmly, “Kalisa, you should stay behind. Let me advise you once more: Stannery is at least battle-hardened, having fought in wars. You, on the other hand, have no basic combat skills. If you go, you’ll be nothing but trouble. I promise you, I will bring your mother back safely.”

Hearing Chen Cao’s praise, Stannery proudly straightened his chest and said, “Yeah, yeah, leave it to us!”

“No!” Kalisa said firmly. “I must go with you. That’s my only condition. Life or death doesn’t concern you!” It was less that she feared death, and more that she simply did not trust Chen Cao’s words. At the very least, he had never even asked what her mother looked like.

Chen Cao fell silent once again.

Kalisa’s eyes darted around before she looked at the thoughtful Chen Cao and said, “Actually, my mother has another piece of important intelligence, also from the box. I wonder if you want to know about it?”

Chen Cao slightly lifted his head. Sitting in his chair, he lightly propped his head with his hand, stroking the beard growing on his chin as he said, “You must understand, our ultimate goal is the gem.”

Kalisa smiled slyly. “It’s about Dachen, too, and…!” She didn’t finish her sentence before Stannery fainted, collapsing softly onto the table.

Chen Cao picked up the dagger and said coldly, “I think you know a lot.” He had to be cautious. Though he was currently free, he had to be vigilant about any intelligence related to his homeland. His target was to eliminate that person, but the box had leaked from the Holy War Organization’s command to Mainz officers, then to Husum. The chain of custody was difficult to trace.

“That’s right. Though I never saw the intelligence myself, I did see my father take it out once. At the time, I was delivering a patient’s file and noticed his hands trembling. When I approached, he hastily hid it. But I saw a set of Dachen characters engraved on that item, neither paper nor cloth. I was curious, so I memorized them and later looked them up online,” Kalisa said seriously.

Chen Cao twirled the dagger in his free hand, his gaze growing colder. “What is it? Be careful with your words. If you deceive me, your life will be in danger. I’m already seventy percent sure of the exact coordinate’s location. You’re not of much use anymore!”

Kalisa’s warmth toward Chen Cao turned icy at his words. She retorted coldly, “That set of Dachen characters refers to the Dachen Republic’s Unit 0611... and the following number — Old Ghost. That’s all I know! For the specifics, you’ll have to find my mother. Before danger came, my father told me he folded the intelligence into a ring and sent it to my mother long ago. Only the ring she carries contains the truth about what’s at that coordinate.”

Chen Cao stabbed the dagger into the map and said calmly, “Kalisa, you’re clever. All this you’ve said is just to get me to take you along on this treasure hunt, isn’t it?”

Kalisa sneered and nodded without denial.

Chen Cao said nothing, only picked up a glass of water from the table and poured it over Stannery.

Stannery suddenly jumped up from the table, pulling a pistol from his back and pointing it at Chen Cao. “Boss, there’s an enemy! I’ll protect you!”

...

Outside a building near the open window, a faint glimmer appeared. A man dressed in black lowered his binoculars and touched his hooked nose. Wearing sunglasses, he straightened his clothes and pressed the earpiece on his ear. “Old Ghost, to be honest, this guy really has undergone special training. He managed to crack such a code!”

A voice came through the earpiece. “Heh, Number Seven, this game is interesting. It seems only people from our own country can be trusted. Number One’s three so-called top generals were completely outplayed by Chen Cao. Not only did they fail to kill him or get the password, but they also let him learn the secret of the box. Yet, Number One didn’t have them eliminated humanely—I wonder what he’s thinking. However, Seven, I admire your strategy of waiting patiently. I look forward to your confrontation with him!”

Number Seven lit a cigarette. “Heh, Old Ghost, don’t flatter me. Number One’s strength is notable, but he’s inflexible. Since Chen Cao got the password anyway, let him keep it for now. At least I know with our power, no one on this planet can escape our grasp. We’ll let them exhaust themselves, and then we’ll discover the location of the target and execute our plan. I never underestimated Chen Cao, but I never took him seriously either!”

Old Ghost replied, “Seven, now that the code is cracked, proceed with the plan. I will have Number One prepare, and all organizational resources and personnel will support you. Just do your job.”

Seven carefully put out his cigarette in a box and pressed his earpiece. “Old Ghost, the plan can be implemented now.”

Old Ghost was silent for a long moment before sighing, “Yes, we’ve been plotting this opportunity for a long time. The great mercenary war is about to begin.”

...

The corridor was thick with a peculiar scent, making one uneasy.

Chen Cao sat at the end of the hallway by the operating room, gripping his pants tightly.

With a ding, the light outside the operating room turned blue, and Chen Cao and Stannery sprang to their feet.

An elderly doctor with white hair emerged, pulling down the mask covering his face to reveal yellowed skin. He wiped sweat from his forehead.

Chen Cao anxiously asked, “Doctor Li, how is she?”

Doctor Li responded solemnly in fluent Dachen, “I’m angry. How can there be such scum in this world to do such harm to a little girl?”

Anyone with a shred of conscience who saw Meimei’s condition would feel the same anger. Chen Cao remained silent.

Seeing Chen Cao’s silence, Doctor Li realized how sorrowful he was and softened his expression. “The surgery was successful, but the child remains unconscious. You must understand, she has suffered immense psychological trauma. Those with weak mental endurance can become vegetative. She cannot endure long-distance travel now and must recuperate slowly in the hospital.”

“Thank you, doctor,” Chen Cao whispered. In front of this elder of Dachen descent, he no longer felt like a killing machine but like a child.

Doctor Li patted Chen Cao’s shoulder with a kind smile. “Have faith. Everything will get better.”

At that moment, Kalisa pulled out a wad of US dollars and handed it over.

Doctor Li frowned deeply, the wrinkles on his aged face deepening. “Young lady, what are you doing? This is an insult to me!”

Kalisa was startled, holding out the money. “After surgery, it’s customary to give a tip. That’s how it is in Husum.”

Doctor Li turned away angrily.

Chen Cao turned to Kalisa, saying, “Kalisa, take the money back.” Then to Doctor Li, “I’m sorry, doctor. She’s from Husum.”

Seeing the young and beautiful Kalisa, Doctor Li’s expression softened considerably. He said meaningfully, “You must understand, as a doctor, I cannot compromise my conscience. First, being a doctor is my professional ethics. Second, I’m saving my compatriots. Though I have joined the Sanford nationality, the blood of Dachen flows in my veins!” With that, he turned and left, leaving behind Kalisa standing there stunned with the money in hand, Stannery stroking his beard in thought, and Chen Cao with moist eyes.

“This is what it means to be Dachen!”

“If I get the chance, I must settle in Dachen. I find myself curious about that country,” Kalisa murmured thoughtfully, pocketing the money.

“Is that so? If we live long enough, you’re always welcome!” Chen Cao wiped his nearly teary eyes and, rare for him, smiled.

At that moment, a discordant voice spoke seriously: “The doctors here don’t take money? Have we entered a mental hospital?”

“Shut up!” Kalisa and Chen Cao scolded simultaneously.

In the ward, thanks to the nurses’ careful care, Meimei’s face gradually regained some color. The same white-skinned female doctor continued to tend to her meticulously. Meanwhile, Stannery ate a banana, and Kalisa gently wiped Meimei’s body.

The white-skinned female doctor then pulled Chen Cao onto the ward balcony and said earnestly, “Mr. Chen, I want you to understand that although Meimei’s surgery was successful, the drugs keeping her alive and maintaining her bodily functions are very expensive. The medical fees you’ve advanced are already insufficient. Though it’s inhumane to say, I must tell you this is a private hospital. If you cannot cover the fees within a month, you will be transferred to a welfare hospital, where medical conditions are...”

“Don’t worry, doctor. You’ve done your best. I will find a solution immediately. Within a month, I will definitely solve this problem!” Chen Cao interrupted her, fully grasping her meaning.