Farming Life Starting in Africa

He recognized the car just now; it was Rosen's BJ40. And in the entire Uller region, apart from Rosen, no one else drove such a uniquely modified car.

It seemed that his phone call had convinced Rosen to come and rescue him without hesitation. Thinking of this, Ma Xiao felt a surge of warmth in his heart, and his eyes welled up with tears.

When Rosen's car crashed into the other bus, he was actually ecstatic, not for himself, but for his wife, Pan Wenjia. As a traditional Chinese man, after having children, his own survival was no longer his top priority. He could die, but his wife and children could not be harmed.

He leaned back in the car seat, closed his eyes, and silently prayed to the gods and Buddhas in the sky, hoping that Pan Wenjia had been rescued, that she was safe, and that the child was alright.

For him now, the best news was that the bandits hadn't contacted him. If they had made contact with the previous driver, they would have definitely changed their route or something, but so far, the bandits hadn't said anything, which meant something might have happened to the car.

These bandits were clearly waiting for nightfall before setting off.

Their car wasn't fast enough; if they drove during the day, they would be easily caught. Once it got dark, and the wasteland was pitch black, it would be much harder for Rosen to find them.

Facing the guns of the bandits, the hostages in the carriage could only huddle together, trembling. The air was thick with the stench of sweat and fear, a mixture that made Ma Xiao feel nauseous.

He looked out of the cave; no light was leaking in anymore, and it was completely dark.

The bandits lit only a small torch inside the cave, barely illuminating its general outline.

He didn't know if Rosen would come to rescue him, or if he would be able to get back alive, but he really wanted to see his child born.

On the wasteland, Rosen knew the bandits were hiding where he couldn't see them. But the wasteland was vast, with many hills and crisscrossing ravines; in some places, even a car couldn't drive in. Searching the entire area alone was simply too difficult.

He also tried to call Fahd of the government forces, but unfortunately there was no signal and he couldn't get through. He guessed that Fahd was busy fighting at the moment.

Finally, when it was completely dark, Rosen continued to fly the drone. He hoped to spot the bandits' car headlights at night. The wasteland was pitch black; anyone with car headlights would be visible from several kilometers away. He flew the drone to an altitude of over 300 meters and had it scan back and forth within a 10-kilometer radius. The remote control screen remained completely black; there was nothing there.

It's not that he doesn't want to see further, it's just that the cameras and sensors on his drone don't allow it; the noise floor of the drone's sensors has already reached its limit.

However, whether the bandits were cautious enough or had truly escaped far away, Rosen couldn't find any clues. The screen refreshed again and again, but nothing he wanted to see appeared.

In the middle of the night, Rosen used up all the batteries in the dozen or so drones he had in the capsule.

He had no choice but to start the car, turn it around, and drive back.

My phone suddenly vibrated while I was on the road.

Rosen glanced at the caller ID—Zhou Weijie. He answered.

"Uller was attacked?" Zhou Weijie's voice sounded tired, and his throat was a little hoarse.

"Yeah." Rosen gripped the steering wheel, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "Where are you?"

"I'm going to Ivia tomorrow to take care of some business before heading back to Uller." A rustling sound of papers turning came from Zhou Weijie's end, as if he were checking some documents. "How are things going on your end? Are you injured?"

"You're alright, no injuries." Rosen paused, then asked, "Do you know who did this?"

Zhou Weijie was silent for a few seconds before replying, "I guess it's the Iron Army. But my friends over there told me that the Red Turban Army should also be involved. Otherwise, the Iron Army alone wouldn't dare to attack the government forces. They don't have enough firepower or manpower; a head-on confrontation with the government forces would be suicide."

Rosen immediately perked up, his grip on the steering wheel tightening: "So, who were those people who stormed into the city to carry out kidnappings today? Do you know?"

"They must be from the Iron Army," Zhou Weijie said with certainty. "The Tuo people have always been after valuable targets; only they need hostages. The Red Turban Army only wants to defeat the government forces; they're not interested in hostages."

Rosen narrowed his eyes, his gaze dangerous and sharp. He slowed the car down slightly and asked, "Old Zhou, do you know where the Iron Army's headquarters is?"

"I don't know," Zhou Weijie replied quickly. "Every time I go, I'm hooded, and the places I go are just markets under their control, not their hideout. They're very careful and won't let outsiders know where their real stronghold is."

"So when will you make your next deal with them?"

"The earliest would be next week." Zhou Weijie thought for a moment. "I should contact them as soon as I get back from Ivia."

Rosen thought for a moment, then spoke up: "Okay, could you take me with you next time?"

Zhou Weijie was somewhat surprised, and there was a pause on the other end of the phone: "Have they made enemies with you?"

"They kidnapped one of my friends, and today they sent men to block my yard."

Zhou Weijie was silent for a moment, then spoke after several seconds, his voice low: "Pay the ransom, you'll be back. Don't risk your life."

"How much money do you need?"

"It'll be at least tens of thousands of dollars. But you can't agree too readily, or they'll raise the price. You have to negotiate with them, say you're raising the money, drag it out for a few days, and then pay at the end." Zhou Weijie sounded very experienced.

Rosen stared at the dark road, the car's high beams piercing the darkness and illuminating the gravel road ahead: "Will they really be released?"

"Most likely," Zhou Weijie said. "Because if this hostage is paid, but the person doesn't return, the families of other hostages won't pay anymore. They're in business too, and they need to maintain a certain level of credibility. Even though that credibility is built on the body."

Rosen was speechless. These guys had turned kidnapping into a professional job, and they even had a reputation for being trustworthy. "Okay, come back as soon as possible."

Zhou Weijie thought for a moment before saying, "Then how about this, I'll be back in three days."

It seems he'll have to change his plans. He was originally going to Ivia on business, but now he'll be making a round trip earlier.

"Okay, thanks," Rosen said.

"Oh, right." Zhou Weijie seemed to remember something. "That bullet—the one you asked me to investigate—should have been used by a private military company called Dane. I've dealt with them before; I first saw it once back in Congo. They like to use these patterned bullets."