Mercenary’s War
Chapter 1235: One Thousand Two Hundred Eighteen: This is an Order

Chapter 1235: Chapter One Thousand Two Hundred Eighteen: This is an Order

Halfway through the meal, someone suddenly came to visit. This shouldn’t count as a big deal, but Gao Yang noticed that Eileen’s face turned pale. She instinctively wanted to stand up but hesitated for a moment and eventually sat back down in her chair.

Soon, the sound of footsteps could be heard, followed by someone speaking. Judging by the voices, they were heading toward the dining room.

Out of courtesy, Gao Yang and the others all stood up, while Eileen, as she got up, seemed somewhat dazed and distracted.

A middle-aged man walked in. Gao Yang needed no introduction to recognize who this man was.

Fritz Alberg, Eileen’s father, Deputy Director of the German Federal Defense Forces Army, or in simpler terms, the Deputy Commander of the German Army.

Eileen’s father’s sudden return not only interrupted their lunch but also made the atmosphere turn exceptionally awkward in an instant.

Eileen’s mother seemed a little flustered. She said softly to Eileen in an ingratiating tone, “Eileen, your father is back.”

Eileen nodded, then spoke softly to her father, “Are you heading back to Berlin today?”

“It’s a rest day today, so I came to visit. I’ll head back to Berlin in the afternoon.”

“Oh, my friends, have you eaten yet? Would you like to join us for lunch?”

Eileen’s father appeared somewhat strange. He still seemed imposing, visibly a bit emotional—half happy, half angry. His facial expression was exceedingly complex.

After nodding and smiling briefly at Gao Yang and the others, Eileen’s father turned to Eileen and said in a deep voice, “When did you come back?”

“About three or four days ago.”

“Are you leaving again?”

“Yes, I’m leaving today.”

Fritz extended his hand and pointed at Eileen. After a moment of silence, he nodded and said, “You look very beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

Eileen’s mother seemed increasingly flustered. She quickly said, “You two, our guests are still standing. Let’s continue eating. Fritz, I’ll get you a plate.”

Fritz smiled slightly and gestured for Gao Yang and the others to sit. “Please sit. I’m sorry to interrupt your lunch. Please, have a seat.”

Fritz pulled out a chair at the other end of the table and sat down. Only after Fritz took his seat did Gao Yang and the others sit as well. However, Fritz had neither a plate nor utensils, and Gao Yang and the others couldn’t resume eating until Fritz joined the meal.

Eileen reintroduced everyone, but Fritz only exchanged a few brief words with Gao Yang and the others before falling silent.

The dining table wasn’t large; it could just accommodate six people sitting around it. Yet, despite the close quarters, the remainder of the meal passed in complete silence, as no one spoke a word again. The meal was finished in an unspeakable stillness.

After the silent meal, Gao Yang and the others returned to the living room, and Eileen followed with her parents. Gao Yang smiled faintly and said, “Mrs. Alberge, your cooking is excellent. This was a truly unforgettable meal. We’ll take our leave now. Mr. Alberge, goodbye.”

Eileen smiled and said to her parents, “I’ll see them off.”

Just then, Fritz said in a deep voice, “There’s still plenty of time. Why rush to leave? Please stay a while longer so we can have a proper chat.”

Eileen suddenly interjected, “No, they have other things to attend to. I must see them off.”

Initially, Gao Yang had also intended to insist on leaving, but upon hearing Eileen’s words, he found himself unable to insist any further. He could only maintain a strained smile, awkwardly standing in place.

Fritz pursed his lips. He seemed somewhat angry, but after a brief hesitation, he still said in a deep voice, “I have a few things I’d like to discuss with Mr. Gao. Mr. Gao, would you mind stepping into my study for a while?”

Eileen suddenly raised her voice, shouting, “He’s not your subordinate! You have no authority to order him to do anything! Gao, let’s go.”

Although Gao Yang and the others had already sensed the tension between Eileen and her father, they hadn’t expected the confrontation to escalate so quickly.

Fritz, seemingly unable to hold back any longer, raised his voice—not rushed but still authoritative—and said, “Eileen! It’s been five years since you’ve been home! And now you’re leaving again?”

Eileen spread her hands toward her father and said indifferently, “Oh, has it been that long? I hadn’t realized. But I’m an adult now. Surely I have the right to decide where I go, don’t I?”

Fritz was furious. He raised his hand, pointing at Eileen. Yet, his trembling hand quickly dropped as he stepped closer to her.

For every step Fritz advanced, Eileen retreated one step. Her retreat seemed to strike Fritz like a devastating blow, causing his entire body to tremble.

The pretense of calm could no longer be sustained. Eileen’s mother, her voice choked with tears, pleaded, “Eileen, don’t be like this.”

Fritz’s voice quivered. “Do you… do you hate me that much? Ever since you returned from training in America, you’ve never come home. Now you’re back and, seeing me, the first thing you want to do is leave again?”

For a moment, Eileen bit her lip tightly. She looked visibly distressed, but after a long silence, she said firmly, “I’ll come back, but it might be a while. I’m sorry, but I have a game to catch. We must leave now.”

“Enough! I forbid you from leaving this house! You’re staying right here! You’re not allowed to leave!”

Fritz shouted loudly, losing all composure in dealing with the family matter.

Eileen’s face grew resolute. One look at her expression, and Gao Yang knew things were going downhill. Eileen’s stubbornness had kicked in; nothing Fritz said now could stop her—in fact, it was likely to have the opposite effect.

“I’m sorry, but I am an adult now. You have no right to control my actions. And I am no longer your subordinate—you can’t order me around.”

Eileen’s mother hurriedly said to Fritz, “Eileen is just seeing her friends off. She’ll come back soon, won’t you, Eileen? You’ll come back soon, right?”

Fritz was clearly infuriated. He roared, “What do you know! She’s a mercenary! She’s a goddamned mercenary now! If she leaves, she won’t come back! Do you want to see her again as a dead body?”

Fritz’s revelation stunned the entire room. Eileen looked shocked that her father knew about her profession. Her mother, on the other hand, covered her mouth in disbelief and stared at Eileen in horror. “You’re a mercenary? Is what your father said true?”

Fritz pointed at Gao Yang and Rafael, roaring, “They’re mercenaries, too! Your daughter is running around the world waging wars with a bunch of mercenaries! And now you’re still letting her leave?”

Eileen blurted out, “How do you know?”

Fritz shouted angrily, “I’m the Deputy Director of the German Federal Defense Forces Army! I don’t even need help from the intelligence department to find out what you’re up to! Don’t forget, many of my subordinates left to become mercenaries. Do you really think you could hide it from me? Listen carefully! As of now, you are not to leave this house—not a single step! That’s an order!”

Eileen’s face changed dramatically. She clenched her teeth, yanked at her hair, and ripped off her wig, throwing it furiously to the ground. She shouted, “Take your orders back! Ever since your subordinates discharged me on grounds of being unfit for service after I only sprained my foot, you lost the right to give me orders! I’m not even a reservist anymore! I’ll leave whenever I want—it’s my freedom!”

Fritz’s expression shifted, and he suddenly shouted, “Soldiers! Guards!”

After calling out twice with no response, Fritz strode to the door, yanked it open, and pointed at Eileen. He roared, “Detain her! Watch her! She is not allowed to leave without my order! If she tries to leave, shoot her and break her legs!”

As the Deputy Director of the German Federal Defense Forces Army—a lieutenant general—Fritz naturally had guards assigned to protect him around the clock. When Fritz opened the door and shouted, a German Army soldier rushed in. Seeing Gao Yang and the others, the soldier immediately drew his pistol. However, after Fritz finished speaking, the soldier hesitated.

Realizing this was a domestic dispute rather than a security threat, the guard seemed unsure whether to holster his weapon. In the end, he chose to follow orders.

“I’m sorry, miss. Please sit on the sofa, or else I…”

Before the soldier could finish speaking, Eileen suddenly reached out, grabbed the pistol, twisted the guard’s arm with both hands, and disarmed him with a sharp move. Then, with a swift throw, she slammed the guard to the floor.

After tossing the guard aside, Eileen picked up the pistol and said disdainfully, “My dear father, it seems you don’t know me well enough.”

With a faint sneer, Eileen dismantled the pistol into its component parts. She raised her hand and let the pieces fall to the floor as she said in a measured tone, “Now that it’s come to this, I have no choice but to leave. I’m sorry, Mom. Don’t worry, I’ll come back—but it might be after some time.”

Even after saying this, Eileen still intended to leave. Her mother, now in tears, cried out, “No, don’t go! Eileen, you can’t do this to us! Please, don’t go!”

Eileen appeared deeply saddened and reluctant. She glanced at her mother, but as her mother reached out to grab her, Eileen turned away and walked off.

By this point, Gao Yang could no longer stand by. He raised his voice and called out, “Stop! That’s an order!”

The door was open, and Eileen had reached the threshold. Yet, hearing Gao Yang’s words, she stopped in her tracks, turned around, and looked at him, spreading her hands as she said, “Come on, Boss, please don’t order me to stay.”

Yelena picked up Eileen’s wig from the floor, ran to her side, and grabbed her hand. Gao Yang shook his head, sighed, walked over to Eileen, and took the wig from Yelena. He placed it back on Eileen’s head and said in a firm tone, “I won’t ask you to stay or to leave. But I can’t let you go off like this. Go freshen up, put on some makeup, and come back out. Yelena, Mrs. Alberge, please go with her.”

When he finished, Gao Yang turned to Fritz and said helplessly, “Mr. Alberge, I think it’s time we had a talk.”