Mercenary’s War
Chapter 1310: One Thousand Two Hundred Ninety-Three: This Is Reality

Chapter 1310: Chapter One Thousand Two Hundred Ninety-Three: This Is Reality

He came, and then he left, unable to wave goodbye, nor able to take even a single bill with him.

With three holes in his body, leaving behind 150 million dollars burned to ashes, Gao Yang was gone just like that.

Eileen piloted a helicopter—a French-made Dauphin SA-365N. Austria had modified the aircraft into a rescue helicopter, and even though it had been hijacked, this helicopter was indeed fulfilling its rescue mission.

Onboard the helicopter piloted by Eileen were all wounded personnel and people who couldn’t speak Arabic. They didn’t need to bother conveying the hastily devised plans by Krulney and Yake to deflect the massive attack in Austria onto a scapegoat. So whatever needed to be said, they could speak plainly.

“150 million, just burned like that? Didn’t you say we were going to toss it down the cliff? We could’ve come back for it, or flown the helicopter directly to the bottom of the cliff and taken the money with us. This helicopter has rescue rope ladders and zip lines; it would’ve been convenient!”

“Do you think I didn’t want to? F**k, those windows don’t even open! Fixed, bulletproof glass—what do you think? Of course I wanted to! Watching all that money burn… thinking about it now, it really makes my heart ache…”

Jansen rubbed his face, his expression filled with longing, and remarked, “150 million dollars—how big of a pile would that be?”

“You’ve seen how big a bag for 5 million looks, right?”

“Seen it.”

“Thirty such bags. Imagine that.”

Jansen pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, “I can’t imagine it unless I have all thirty bags piled in front of me. But still, while it’s a shame, the fact that you all made it back alive is what really matters.”

After he finished speaking, Jansen glanced at Karima with curiosity and whispered, “Who’s she?”

Rafael lowered his voice and replied, “Number Thirteen’s sister.”

Jansen’s eyes widened in surprise. “She’s Number Thirteen’s sister? My God… wait, why isn’t she staring at Number Thirteen but instead gazing at our Boss without even blinking?”

Rafael took a deep breath and shot Jansen a sideways glance. “Buddy, when this kind of thing happens with the Boss, it’s not exactly surprising, is it?”

The noise in the helicopter cabin was loud, and even though Karima was quite close, Jansen wasn’t worried about her overhearing. After sighing deeply, he said, puzzled, “I just don’t understand. Is the Boss really that handsome?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Then why do women always seem willing to have his children immediately? Are they blind or something?”

“This question… I’ve actually thought about it seriously. Big Bird, let me ask you, why is it that I’m so dashing, and you’re pretty decent too, yet anytime we’re with the Boss, all the women’s attention always shifts to him? Have you thought about this?”

“I admit I’m handsome. As for you… um, why?”

“You’re just a Pretty Boy. Don’t glare at me. Even now, with that scar on your face, you’re still a softie. Me? Well, in terms of looks, I’m no worse than the Boss. But none of that matters. The only reason the Boss is more popular is that when we’re together, it’s always about combat—that’s the key. And in combat, the Boss is always the most eye-catching one. As for why the Boss attracts so many gorgeous women, it’s because he’s always encountering them in situations where he can show off his prowess in the midst of danger. That’s it. Yelena, Catherine, Adele, Number Thirteen’s sister—they all share a common trait, don’t they? I don’t even need to spell it out for you, right?”

“Exactly! That’s it. Speaking of which, don’t you think Eileen sometimes gives Boss some strange looks?”

“That’s a different story. If you spend enough time with the Boss, any woman who shares our type of personality would be doomed. Eileen’s a mercenary; she idolizes strength. She’s seen the Boss in his element countless times, looking all mighty and imposing. The worst part is, the Boss is also her direct superior. If Eileen doesn’t succumb, now that would be surprising. Ugh. Bottom line, we just aren’t as cool. And in those rare moments when we are cool, there’s never a beautiful woman around to see us in action. The only women who do occasionally see us act cool are stuck facing the Boss, who’s naturally cool the moment he picks up a gun. That’s the issue here.”

Jansen grumbled, “This world is so unfair!”

Rafael reached out and patted Jansen on the shoulder, sighing as he said, “Look at Number Thirteen’s sister. If you could step in front of her and take a bullet for her, then single-handedly take out everyone in front of you with a handgun and still survive, you’d get the same kind of attention. So, actually, this world *is* quite fair. The reason you feel it’s unfair is simply because you don’t have the same skills, bro. You need to learn to accept reality.”

Jansen replied sullenly, “I think piloting drones is pretty cool though!”

“Haha, that’s a funny joke. You’re just a guy tinkering with drones. No matter where you play with drones, you’re just a shut-in nerd at best—a tech nerd. A tech nerd trying to woo women? Forget it, man!”

“But I’m also a Bagpiper!”

“Mm-hmm. Even if you’re a softie Bagpiper, you’re still just a tech nerd. Face reality—you and I are destined to work behind the scenes. Kick Ram, on the other hand—the guy who’s invincible with a gun in hand and can kick people in the crotch without breaking stride—is the one standing under the spotlight.”

Jansen sighed helplessly and said in a low voice, “Alright, I admit you’re right. You’ve got a better sense of things than I do. Although, if we were in a more normal environment, we’d still be pretty popular, wouldn’t we? The fact that you can only catch a woman’s attention during life-or-death moments—that’s the Boss’s failure, isn’t it? Also, I suddenly feel quite sorry for Boss. Tell me, how do you think he’s going to deal with all these women?”

Rafael cracked a smile. His face was charred and blistered, entirely blackened except for his mouth’s gleaming white teeth. He whispered, “At a time like this, please allow me to display a gloating expression. Haha! If our Boss were the type to flirt everywhere, it’d be easier. But no, he’s the kind of man who absolutely refuses to cross boundaries. Now, in this situation, what can the Boss possibly do? I bet he’s utterly stressed out!”

Jansen waved his hand, chuckling. “We’re better off, aren’t we? We can pursue the women we like during less dangerous times. That’s pretty good. Boss, though—he’s always being chased by women and has never chased a woman himself. That’s bad. One of life’s great joys is just gone for him. Plus, he doesn’t ever face the same predicaments we see him in right now. That’s even better for us.”

“Right, exactly. You’ve got it spot on—just like that!”

As Rafael echoed Jansen’s sentiment, agreeing wholeheartedly, the two of them fell into a temporary silence. After a while, Rafael let out a long sigh and whispered, “Actually, I’d really love to be chased by women…”

Jansen was silent for a moment before replying softly, “Me too. Honestly, what the Boss sees as a predicament is what I’d call heaven…” (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations or monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com for reading.)