The three embarked on a direct flight from Huahai International Airport to Dubai before making their way to Muscat, the capital of AM. As they exited the airport, He Qiang couldn't help but remark, "Boss, this city is quite impressive. I had expected it to be engulfed in warfare and overrun with slums."
-Haha!
Liu Yong chuckled and replied, "That's the situation in other Middle Eastern countries. AM, on the other hand, is an incredibly wealthy nation, boasting a per capita annual income of over $15,000, which far surpasses our own country."
The trio hailed a taxi leaving the airport premises, and Liu Yong conveyed in English, "Take us to the finest hotel."
The driver, taken aback, pondered to himself, Could it be that these three are affluent individuals?
To their surprise, the driver chauffeured Liu Yong and his companions to the most exquisite five-star hotel in the vicinity.
Three rooms were booked, with Liu Yong settling into a luxurious executive suite. After settling in, he indulged in a meal and some rest.
Their next priority was gathering intelligence. They needed to ascertain the identity of the perpetrators who had hijacked the Universal crew.
Liu Yong already had a plan in mind for acquiring information. He directly reached out to the police department in AM.
Upon learning that Liu Yong as the head of the Global Shipping Group, the police department promptly dispatched a high-ranking official to attend to him, ensuring no lapse in courtesy.
"Mr. Liu, we apologize for the unfortunate incident of your crew being kidnapped within our territory," the official expressed remorse, briefing Liu Yong on the progress of the kidnapping case.
Liu Yong inquired, "Is it possible to apprehend the mastermind behind this kidnapping and bring them to justice?"
With a hint of regret, the official responded, "Regrettably, we cannot accomplish that. The Rhodes Armed Forces, responsible for the abduction, is a formidable armed organization deeply entrenched in YM territory. They exert control over several major cities within YM."
Liu Yong had asked the question out of curiosity, without harbouring any real hope.
Nonetheless, if the AM police couldn't act against the Rhodes Armed Forces, they could still provide valuable information about the organization.
Liu Yong requested, "Could you furnish us with some information regarding the Rhodes Armed Forces? It would be even better if you could identify the specific leader responsible for planning and ordering this kidnapping."
The official assured him, "That won't be a problem. Give us a little time, and we will dispatch someone to deliver the relevant information to you."
Having briefly spent time at the police department, Liu Yong and his companions returned to their hotel.
A few hours later, they hadn't yet received the intelligence materials from the AM police, but Qiu Yang made an unexpected call.
"Boss, the other party has contacted us again, giving us a two-hour ultimatum. If we don't transfer $50 million to their designated account, they will execute our two crew members."
Liu Yong swiftly responded, "Give them the money and insist that they release the two crew members unharmed. Ensuring their safety is of utmost importance."
"Understood, boss. I will carry out your instructions," Qiu Yang affirmed.
After ending the call, Liu Yong contemplated, "$50 million is a trivial sum. As long as our two crew members are safe, I can proceed with my plans unhindered."
Later that evening, the long-awaited intelligence materials from the AM police department finally arrived. Liu Yong retired to his room to carefully peruse the documents.
Though the information was in English, Liu Yong managed to comprehend it to a reasonable extent. He gained a preliminary understanding of the Rhodes Armed Forces through his perusal.
The armed organization was massive, boasting tens of thousands of well-equipped personnel. They possessed almost every conventional weapon imaginable except for nuclear arms.
Their arsenal comprised artillery, missiles, armed helicopters, and tanks. Operating primarily within YM territory, they occasionally conducted operations in neighbouring countries. For instance, this time, they had ventured into AM territory to abduct two Global Shipping Group crew members.
Aside from comprehensive details about the Rhodes Armed Forces, the police had managed to deduce that this particular kidnapping was likely orchestrated by a subordinate named Alfred within the organization.
Liu Yong finally discerned the culprits responsible for abducting his two crew members.
"Hmph! I wish to meet this Rhodes Armed Forces face-to-face and make them pay the price," Liu Yong seethed.
Extorting $50 million from me? I won't rest until I've recovered that money twice from their grasp.
Liu Yong shared the extensive intelligence document with Kang Zhenggang and He Qiang, emphasizing, "Rest well tonight, for tomorrow morning, we shall journey to YM."
The two of them, brimming with excitement, nodded eagerly.
Throughout the night, silence pervaded their abode.
Early the following day, Liu Yong chartered a plane that whisked them directly to YM territory, landing in a city near the stronghold of the Rhodes Armed Forces.
Upon their arrival, they made their way to a weapon store, promptly acquiring many firearms and equipment in one fell swoop.
Kang Zhenggang and He Qiang couldn't contain their delight as they revelled in the presence of the newly acquired weaponry. They seemed to harbour a peculiar affinity for such tools of war.
The city they found themselves in was perpetually embroiled in conflict and chaos. Armed men roamed the streets, some of whom were mercenaries.
In addition to procuring weapons and equipment, Liu Yong also acquired a high-performance off-road vehicle.
Having concluded their purchases, Liu Yong approached an armed individual on the street, addressing him with a loud voice, "Hey, my friend, where can I find the most formidable mercenary organization in this vicinity? Lead me there, and I'll reward you with $2,000."
Observing the dollars in Liu Yong's hand, the armed man responded, "The most powerful mercenary force around here is known as the Wild Wolf. I happen to be a member. Allow me to guide you."
With that, he unabashedly accepted the $2,000 from Liu Yong and fearlessly climbed into the off-road vehicle.
The destination wasn't far, and after traversing a few streets, they arrived at a building encompassing a spacious courtyard.
Several armed guards stood sentry at the courtyard's entrance, and within it rested an armoured vehicle and several pickups, each equipped with heavy machine guns.
While stepping out of the vehicle first, Liu Yong surveyed the surroundings before issuing a command, "You two wait in the car."
Kang Zhenggang and He Qiang nodded, confident in their Boss's capabilities eliminating any concern for his safety.
Unarmed, Liu Yong gestured to his guide and proclaimed, "Lead the way. Take me to meet your Boss."
The mercenary gazed at Liu Yong in bewilderment as if his brain had temporarily malfunctioned.
He couldn't fathom the identity of this individual who ventured forth so audaciously. Unbeknownst to him, their Boss was a remorseless killer, seemingly devoid of conscience.
After a long moment, the mercenary regained his composure and guided Liu Yong into the building, stopping outside the door of a third-floor office.
The office stood out from the rest, with a thick, bulletproof door and two burly men stationed at its entrance.
The guide briefly explained the situation to the guards, one of whom knocked on the door before escorting Liu Yong inside.
The office was spacious, and behind an expansive desk sat a white man adorned with a menacing scar on his face, signifying his status as an individual of significance.
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