Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 1038 This is what makes it exciting
"Mr. Song, please watch your words. I am a reporter and I have the right to conduct interviews."

Angel chuckled on the other end of the phone, but his tone was unusually firm. "Besides, my flight is the only civilian aircraft authorized to land, with special permission personally issued by your 'good partner,' His Excellency Haftar. I'm in the terminal right now, and all around me... well, it looks like it's all your people? Or Haftar's people? They're being very 'polite' to me. If you don't come to pick up your 'old friend,' then I'll have to hire a car myself to go into town to find you. I heard the penthouse suite at the Corinthia Hotel has a great view? Although the previous owner just committed suicide in there."

Song Heping was at a loss for words, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

However, upon reflection, I immediately understood the mystery behind it.

Angel mentioned that there were people around, so they couldn't reveal their close relationship too much, since it was a secret.

"Stay where you are! Don't wander off! I'm coming right away!"

After giving his instructions, he immediately hung up the phone, rushed into the villa, grabbed his tactical vest and pistol, and yelled into the communicator, "White Bear, assemble A Company immediately! Fully armed! Target: Mitiga Airport, highest alert! Protect the target! Hurry!"

"Who's here?" Bai Xiong, who was sitting at the bar drinking beer with Jiang Feng, looked completely bewildered.

"Angel!"

"Huh? You mean that American girl?"

……

The roar of the engine shattered the tranquility of the beach.

In less than ten minutes, a convoy of more than a dozen armed pickup trucks and armored vehicles kicked up a cloud of dust and sped toward Mitiga Airport.

The mercenaries in the vehicle had grim expressions, their guns cocked, and they warily scanned the ruins on both sides of the road.

Song Heping sat in the lead armored vehicle, his fingers unconsciously tapping the cold barrel of the gun, his mind churning.

Angel…

How dare she?
And why did you come?
Just for the interview?
Aunt Nancy's image flashed through his mind.

The airport terminal building looked even more dilapidated.

When Song Heping led a company of elite mercenaries, exuding a murderous aura, into the arrival hall, the atmosphere instantly froze.

The few remaining staff members and a few stranded, shaken passengers huddled in a corner.

There was only one person, like a calm spot in the eye of a storm.

Angel stood in the center of the hall.

She wore well-tailored khaki cargo pants and a matching trench coat, with a simple white shirt underneath. Her long golden hair was tied into a neat ponytail, and although she wore light makeup, it couldn't hide the fatigue from the long flight, nor could it conceal the complex light in her deep blue eyes, which mixed professional sharpness with personal emotions.

Several airline crates bearing the "Horizon News" logo were piled up around her, and several assistants, also dressed in bulletproof vests and carrying cameras and recording equipment, stood nervously behind her.

Seeing Song Heping stride towards him fully armed, Angel's face broke into a bright yet restrained smile.

She extended her hand: "Song, it's been a long time."

Suppressing the surging emotions in his heart, Song Heping pretended to be an ordinary friend and extended his hand to shake her hand politely.

“Angel, welcome to Tripoli. Although this is not a wise choice, your safety is now my responsibility.”

His voice was formulaic, but his eyes conveyed a thousand words the moment their hands touched.

"With you here, I feel very at ease."

Angel responded subtly, his gaze equally complex.

"My team needs to shoot some footage of airports and the outskirts of cities, and we'd like to conduct an in-depth interview with you afterwards. Location...you can arrange it?"

"Back to the city, my temporary accommodation."

Song Heping spoke succinctly, then winked at the "white bear" behind him.

The mercenaries quickly and professionally escorted Angel and her team into several armored off-road vehicles.

The massive convoy started up again, driving away from the airport amidst countless curious or wary glances, heading towards the villa on Hade Beach.

Speechless all the way.

The atmosphere was subtle and silent.

The only sounds were the roar of armored vehicle engines and the occasional brief reports coming from the radio.

Song Heping and Angel rode in the same car, with a spacious back seat between them. Their eyes occasionally met, then quickly looked away, as if electricity was silently crackling in the air.

As the convoy entered the villa area, the heavy security made it resemble a military fortress.

Angel's assistants were politely seated in the lounge area on the first floor of the villa, where their equipment was temporarily placed.

Song Heping gestured to Angel and pointed to the staircase leading to the upper private area.

"It's safer here, let's go upstairs and talk."

His voice remained calm.

Angel nodded and instructed his assistants, "You set up the equipment first, and Mr. Song and I will discuss the interview arrangements."

After saying that, he followed Song Heping up the stairs.

The second floor of the villa offers a panoramic view, with huge floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the shimmering Mediterranean Sea. The door closes behind, isolating the world below.

The "click" sound of the door lock closing was like a switch being turned on.

Angel's professional smile vanished instantly, replaced by an overwhelming mix of worry, longing, and lingering fear.

She turned around abruptly and threw herself into Song Heping's arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist as if to confirm his presence.

Song Heping's body stiffened.

He hugged her tightly, burying his face deep in her blonde hair that exuded a familiar fragrance.

"You crazy woman...do you know how dangerous it is here?"

Song Heping's voice trembled slightly, but he tightened his arms around her.

“I know…I know everything…” Angel raised her head, her eyes reddening, her gaze alluring.

“But I know even better where you are. The Marlin… Savinno… Tripoli… Every news tip sends my heart racing! I can no longer sit in my New York office, learning about your life or death on a cold screen! I must see you with my own eyes, I must… be by your side, even if only for a few days!”

As she spoke, she gripped his shirt tightly with her fingers.

Song Heping cupped her face in his hands, his fingertips brushing away the moisture from the corners of her eyes, his gaze as deep as the sea.

"You've taken a considerable risk too. With Operation 'The Wave' causing such a commotion, what about Aunt Nancy... what are you going to do?"

He voiced his deepest concern.

By leveraging Angell's media network at a crucial moment in the US midterm elections, the political damage of the Marlin incident was maximized, thereby influencing the decisions of the Democratic-led White House. Angell's aunt, Nancy, was the Democratic Party's whip.

In Song Heping's view, Angel really risked falling out with his family for his sake.

Angel suddenly laughed.

Her smile carried a shrewdness and complexity that revealed her understanding of the world.

“You underestimate Washington’s ‘swamp’, my dear.”

She pulled Song Heping to sit down on the sofa by the window, her body still pressed close to his, as if afraid he would disappear.

“Three days ago, when our family was having a dinner party at the estate in the suburbs, Aunt Nancy took the initiative to talk to me.”

Song Heping's heart jumped instantly.

"She wasn't angry."

Looking at Song Heping's incredulous expression, Angel said, word by word, "On the contrary... he praised me for doing a good job."

"what?!"

Song Heping was completely stunned; this was entirely beyond his understanding of politics.

"it is true."

Angel leaned on his shoulder and explained softly, as if recounting an absurd yet incredibly real Washington story.

"The Democratic Party's midterm election defeat is not a disaster for Aunt Nancy, but an opportunity. She has been out of office as Speaker for more than two years, and those within the party who covet her whip position have long been eager to take it. This defeat has made the party's veterans and key donors realize that they need a stabilizing force, a veteran who can stabilize the situation and unite the party. The calls for her comeback are now louder than ever. Without this defeat, she might have really retired. But now, after this twist of fate, she is very likely to regain the Speaker's gavel in the next Parliament."

"So... you stabbed the donkey party in the back, but ended up helping her?"

Song Heping felt a sense of absurdity.

"That's one way to put it; at least objectively, it cleared the obstacles to her comeback."

Angel nodded. “More importantly, Aunt Nancy believes that my actions have created an image of a media professional who is ‘unafraid of power,’ ‘pursues the truth,’ and ‘puts family aside for the greater good.’ This is an extremely valuable political asset for both her and me. For her, it demonstrates her family’s ‘fairness,’ showing that she can ‘tolerate criticism,’ even from within her own family, thus cultivating an enlightened image. For me, Horizon News’ credibility has soared, and my personal prestige among journalists and young voters has reached its peak. This paves the way for my future… possible political choices.”

"The future? You want to go into politics?"

Song Heping astutely grasped the key information.

"What will happen to News Corporation if you leave?"

Angel didn't answer directly, but looked him straight in the eye: "Song, the stage in Washington is more complex than the battlefield, but also more central. I will arrange a successor for 'Horizon,' someone absolutely reliable who can carry out our will. As for me… Aunt Nancy hinted that this path is worth considering. And this interview…"

She paused, "Besides my personal wishes, Aunt Nancy was also... happy to see it happen. She even... proactively asked me if I still had your contact information."

Song Heping's eyes sharpened instantly: "She wants to establish an unofficial communication channel through you?"

"Yes."

Angel affirmed, “Politicians are all two-faced. The more fiercely they criticize on stage, the more they need to leave themselves an escape route offstage. Your status is different now. You are no longer the lone mercenary Iligo fought alone. You have single-handedly supported Haftar and are now in actual control of the situation in Lebia. You have become an indispensable player on the North African chessboard. How could an old fox like Aunt Nancy not leave herself a way to contact you? My interview with you is perfectly legitimate and provides her with a window to observe and establish contact.”

Song Heping remained silent, processing this blatant political calculation.

The sea breeze blew in through the window, carrying a salty, damp scent, but it couldn't dispel the complex emotions in my heart.

He looked down at Angel's face, which was so close to his. Years had passed, and she had matured. She was no longer the rich young lady who had jumped onto his lap and cried out when she heard the sound of cannons in Ilig.

An indescribable feeling welled up inside me.

He stroked her cheek, his voice hoarse: "So this time, business and personal matters... are combined?"

Angel's eyes became hazy and burning, a fire of longing that had been suppressed for too long.

A muffled whisper escaped from between his lips: "Most importantly... I miss you... I'm... going crazy with longing..."

The dam of reason was completely breached by the raging flood.

Song Heping let out a low growl and picked her up horizontally.

Her clothes slipped down in disarray amidst her rapid breathing...

However, at the last moment, his vigilance honed over years of battlefield experience made him pause slightly and listen intently to the door.

"Outside…"

He spoke in a low, hoarse voice.

Angel bit his lower lip hard, with a force that carried both punishment and temptation.

She lifted her hazy eyes, breathing heavily, her voice like a honeyed poison, her breath sweet as orchids in his ear: "This...is more exciting...this is more like us..."

These words completely ignited the last shred of restraint in Song Heping's heart.

He no longer hesitated, responding to her with an even wilder offensive, pouring all his longing, worry, love, and desire into this long-awaited storm of intimacy.

The world outside the door, the smoke of Tripoli, the calculations of Washington... all became distant and blurred at this moment.

Only the heartbeats, the breaths, and the warmth of skin touching each other are the only real things.

　Asking for a monthly ticket! Asking for a monthly ticket!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)