At thirty, I started my comeback from the intelligence system.

The motorboat roared, leaving a white trail on the wide, dark river, quickly leaving the dock lights and sirens behind.

At Pier 3, a tower crane casts a long shadow in the moonlight.

Juan leaned against the cold steel frame, breathing heavily.

A piercing pain shot through his right shoulder; the bullet from the police's concentrated fire had pierced the edge of his bulletproof plate and embedded itself in his muscle.

The stolen police uniform was soaked in blood.

The sound of Carlos confirming the disconnection through the earpiece brought a sense of relief, which was quickly replaced by a deeper weariness and a kind of fatalistic calm.

He looked down at the SWAT team swarming and approaching like ants below, then glanced at the long-disappeared taillights of the motorboats on the southeastern river, a hideous smile smeared with blood and foam tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Captain, this time... consider it repaying the favor you did for me in Kandahar. Damn it, we promised to retire together and sunbathe in the Caribbean..."

Memories flashed back: the scorching desert, the deafening explosion, he was trapped under the wreckage of a Humvee, and it was Carlos, then a U.S. Army sergeant, who risked RPGs and stray bullets to drag him back from the brink of death.

From then on, he followed this taciturn commander who valued the lives of his men more than his own, from the regular army to mercenaries, from the desert to the rainforest, and now to this unfamiliar Eastern city.

"Put down your weapons! Surrender immediately!"

The police's loudspeaker announcements grew closer, and beams of light swept between the steel frames.

Juan used his still-functioning left hand to touch his waist. There were still two bullets left in his pistol, but he had already run out of bullets in his sniper rifle.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the excruciating pain in his wound, his eyes sharpening and turning cold once more. "Trying to capture me? Dream on! I, Juan Rodriguez, a member of the Green Hell Legion's 'Fang,' only die in battle, never take prisoners!"

He suddenly emerged from behind cover, gun in his left hand, and fired two precise bursts, "Bang! Bang!" forcing back the two SWAT officers who were trying to rappel down, with sparks flying from one of their helmets.

Immediately afterwards, he used all his strength to smash the empty gun at the police officers below who were trying to surround him, and at the same time, his body suddenly leaned backward and fell through the gap in the steel frame dozens of meters high!

"Watch out! He's jumping down!" the police officer below exclaimed.

However, during the fall, Juan used his last bit of strength to pull out a spare dagger hidden in his calf. He adjusted his posture in mid-air, like a hawk swooping down on its prey, and stabbed straight at a special police officer who was looking up below!

"Pfft!"

The dagger was deeply embedded in the shoulder and neck joint area, which was not fully protected by the bulletproof vest!

The SWAT officer screamed and fell to the ground.

Juan also crashed heavily onto the steel platform below, making a dull thud. Blood gushed from his mouth and nose, and his internal organs were clearly fatally injured.

He lay on the cold steel plate, his vision began to darken, and the sounds around him became blurry.

He made a final effort to turn his head and look in the direction Carlos had fled. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but only more blood foam came out.

"Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!" The SWAT team's gunshots rang out one after another.

Juan, the Green Hell Legion's "Fang" squad's best sniper and spotter, ended his mercenary career in the way he chose, fulfilling his final act of loyalty to his superior.

Police command vehicles are stationed outside the dock.

Despite the reports coming in from various places, Director Wang's expression remained grave.

Negotiation expert Chang Le stood to the side, having changed out of his dusty negotiation uniform and into casual clothes, his baby face bearing a solemn expression.

"Director Wang," Chang Le began, his voice clear and steady, "based on the initial situation at the scene, at least three forces are involved."

"It's clear that Lu Jiahao and Li Yilong, the visitor from Xingcheng, had a breakdown in their cooperation. At the last moment, Lu Jiahao didn't hesitate to kill Li Yilong to silence him and pin the human trafficking and other dirty deeds on Li Yilong, so that he could still struggle a bit by relying on his connections."

"As for Li Yilong, he was fierce but suspicious. He was very suspicious of Lu Jiahao at the last moment. Falling into the river may not have been an accident. It could have been a suicide in despair, or... he had a backup plan."

He paused, then continued his analysis: "As for that group of foreign mercenaries, they are well-trained and work together seamlessly; they are not the kind of people that ordinary gangs can hire."

"Their target is clear: the weapons in the warehouse. They have a meticulously planned perimeter and evacuation strategy. The guy impersonating our sniper is a suicide bomber. This group has a powerful background, and their ambitions are likely much greater. I suggest that we immediately place the detained suspects under the highest level of isolation and interrogation to prevent collusion or... silencing them."

Director Wang gave Chang Le an approving look. This young man was observant and meticulous; he was a promising talent.

"That's a good analysis. You may not know this, but we already received intelligence that the notorious international mercenary organization, the Green Hell Legion, might be plotting something in Shenzhen. Now it seems that these foreign militants are most likely members of the Green Hell Legion!"

"The Green Hell Legion? It's them? Then... what they're planning is no small matter; the situation is probably very serious!"

"That's right, I'll personally arrange the interrogation and security. You should rest; we might need you to participate in psychological warfare later."

"Yes, Director." Chang Le nodded and stepped aside.

He had a vague feeling that what happened at the dock was just the beginning, and that a bigger storm was yet to come, and that he himself seemed to have been caught in the eye of the storm.

Zhao Longsheng's arm wound had already been stitched and bandaged by military doctors. He refused the suggestion to be hospitalized for further observation and rushed over to meet with Director Wang.

"Mr. Zhao, we owe you a great debt this time. If you hadn't found and tried to rescue Officer Yang Yongchao in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable." Director Wang's tone was sincere, but his gaze was scrutinizing.

"Director Wang, you're too kind. I just happened to be there. Chen Geng is like a brother to me, and I couldn't ignore his brother's situation."

Zhao Longsheng spoke in a calm tone, but he used the phrase "coincidentally" cleverly.

"Mr. Zhao's skills are not those of an ordinary veteran, are they?" Director Wang probed.

"I served in the army for a few years, including in a reconnaissance unit, where I learned some survival skills, which I didn't completely abandon after my discharge."

Zhao Longsheng, without giving a hint, asked in return, "Director Wang, Chen Geng has been kidnapped by that mercenary leader. Is there any news? That kid is clever, but after all, he's dealing with desperate criminals. We must rescue him as soon as possible."

"Furthermore, Lu Jiahao, a mere gangster boss, is pulling off such a massive operation, smuggling people and weapons. I, Zhao Longsheng, am the first to doubt that he has no powerful backers. Those rescued girls also deserve an explanation!"

Director Wang understood the meaning behind Zhao Longsheng's words. From his calm and steady demeanor and eyes, he was almost certain that Mu Xueke's guess was correct. This "Boss Zhao" was no ordinary person and was most likely the third son of the Zhao family in Beijing.

But if the other party is unwilling to talk, he cannot force them to.