Ultimate Firepower
Chapter 132 - 122: Don’t Want to See

Chapter 132: Chapter 122: Don’t Want to See

From October 2016 to July 2017, the battle for Mosul lasted a full nine months.

A hundred thousand strong, comprising Iraqi anti-terrorist forces, the Police Force, tribal armed, the Kurdish Armed Forces, and, of course, the Iraqi Defense Army, fought for nine months under the support of the air force led by the United States, just to recapture Mosul.

From the air, to say that the entire city of Mosul had become ruins was an understatement; it had essentially turned into a pile of building rubble.

The helicopter slowly landed. This was neither combat nor an emergency landing, so Peter waited until the rotor had completely stopped spinning before opening the cabin door.

Gao Yi jumped out of the helicopter. He looked like an older cadre inspecting a construction site, wearing a helmet on his head, except he also wore a Bullet-Proof Vest.

A stench unique to war hit him—the smell of decaying corpses.

"Sir!"

A Major dressed in Iraqi desert camouflage walked up to him, saluted Gao Yi, and then said in English, "We’re all set, please follow me."

Given Gao Yi’s current capabilities, he didn’t need to wait long. He just needed to ask around for a rough idea and then call for a helicopter in the name of the Secret Action Bureau.

Lin Xianghua and their group of six surrounded Gao Yi, two in front and four behind, making Gao Yi look even more like a visiting dignitary.

The campaign had ended, and Mosul had been recaptured.

But the fighting was not entirely over, because Mosul had been bombed into a state of ruins. There were still scattered terrorists hiding in the rubble, in places not easily noticed, so sporadic fighting still occurred.

After all, it had only been two days since the recapture—it wasn’t possible to completely clear every corner right away.

There was no suitable building for a command post, so the Defense Army opted to place their headquarters in a tent.

A very large tent with two big air conditioners running at full blast; still, the inside was only tolerable, certainly not cool.

Gao Yi walked into the tent as if on an inspection, and an Iraqi General saluted him and extended a hand.

A General in his forties or fifties saluting a young man in his twenties did so very naturally, very smoothly.

Speaking a language Gao Yi couldn’t understand, the General began to introduce matters enthusiastically. The Major translating at the side said, "The General says they have not found the person you’re looking for, but they did find the mercenary you mentioned. They were part of the team that fought alongside Justice Envoy. As for the hostages, the terrorists almost always pushed them out front in every battle to stop our advance. The Justice Envoy you mentioned has been captured for more than nine days now. We think his chances of survival are not great."

After translating a stream of words, the General pointed to a group standing in the tent.

There were seven of them, all in camouflage, all carrying guns, each looking dusty and grimy, with tattered clothes.

"These men fought alongside Justice Envoy. Unfortunately, the combat team that included Justice Envoy has all fallen, but they know the area where Justice Envoy was captured."

After the Major finished translating, the General said to Gao Yi, "You can speak to them. If you need our cooperation with the operation, just let me know."

The General departed after speaking, leaving behind a small squad that had just pulled out of the battlegrounds of Mosul, an interpreter, and the seven members of Gao Yi’s team.

There would be no second mistake. Gao Yi took out his phone, pulled up a photo, and asked the seven men, "Have you seen him?"

A very clear photo of Li Jie. But the seven didn’t seem interested in looking at it, and nobody answered Gao Yi’s question.

The translating Major shouted, "Answer the gentleman’s question!"

Still, no one spoke.

Gao Yi thought for a moment, then said, "He’s my friend. I’m here to rescue him."

On hearing these words from Gao Yi, finally one person said, "He was captured. After that, we never saw him. We know the general area, but we’ve searched and didn’t find his body."

They were looking directly for a body, then.

The search for Li Jie would not take much time or effort from Gao Yi. A small favor was all that was needed, which was why he had come.

Even though Gao Yi’s search for Li Jie was only meant to gain a pawn, by now, he really did want to find him. After all, he had spent time and effort, and even called in favors—sunk costs. It would be unfortunate to give up after just two questions.

Gao Yi pondered for a moment and then asked the men in front of him, "Are you all mercenaries?"

"I am, and these three are. The others aren’t," someone replied.

Three among the seven were mercenaries, paid by the Iraqi government, and paid handsomely at that.

In a battle that had degenerated into a meat grinder, it was not uncommon for paid mercenaries and the unpaid tribal armed to end up mixed together.

Gao Yi exhaled and said, "I need to find him. Mark out a rough area for me, then search teams will take over. For now, please indicate the area you’ve already searched."

The Major pulled out a map, or rather a very large and detailed aerial photograph, spread it out on the table, and said, "Do as he asked."

The English-speaking mercenary approached the map, studied it for a while, pressed on a building, and asked those around him, "Is it here?"

"Yes."

"I don’t think that’s right..."

Everyone crowded around the table, engaging in debate, but the outcome was quick. Roughly twenty minutes later, a not too large area was marked on the map.

"We were here, and this area on the map was in the hands of the terrorists. We only searched this small area and encountered six injured but surviving terrorists. However, we found no hostages."

Gao Yi didn’t need to manage these details; he didn’t understand them and didn’t need to take responsibility for rescuing hostages—running a rescue operation himself could even be considered a crime.

Such tasks were, of course, for the Iraqis to handle.

Taking the map, the Major glanced over it and said, "The area is not very large. I’ll immediately dispatch a search team. A battalion’s worth of men should yield quick results."

"Thank you."

The Major quickly left with the map.

No need for loud orders, no need to summon a crowd for Gao Yi’s sake. This couldn’t be considered a rescue mission; it was only a minor sweep of the battlefield.

Alive must see people; dead must see bodies. Even after nine days, if the person has decomposed, clothes need to be found, bones need to be found, all possible items related to Li Jie need to be found.

It’s difficult for one person; not easy for a group, but for an army—thousands sent to a small area, checking every nook and cranny—the task wasn’t all that hard.

Gao Yi found a chair to sit down, without any intention of conversing with the soldiers, and the seven, not having received an order to leave and finding nothing else to do, quickly fell asleep in the tent.

There weren’t enough chairs in the tent, but these men, standing and leaning over, simply fell asleep standing and even started to snore quietly.

Gao Yi was perplexed. He looked at Lin Xianghua, who hesitated and then said in a low voice, "They’re dead tired. They could sleep even after getting shot."

Alright, it was beyond Gao Yi’s understanding, so he didn’t say more.

In just a few minutes, the Major returned, waking up the soldiers one by one to tell them they could go find a tent to sleep. The soldiers staggered out.

"We can wait here. It could be quick, or it could take some time, but today we’ll have an outcome," said the Major politely, but Gao Yi was in no rush.

About two hours later, the walkie-talkie on the table stirred to life, and someone spoke urgently through it.

"We’ve found a hidden underground chamber beneath the rubble, with a lot of people inside, at least over twenty," the Major exclaimed with a surprise, "The assault team has started to enter. Maybe the person you’re looking for is inside."

Before he finished speaking, the urgency in the walkie-talkie intensified, and the Major seemed even more elated as he told Gao Yi, "Confirmed, they are hostages! And most are alive. It’s very likely, very hopeful, that your friend might indeed be inside."

Gao Yi was getting restless, standing up and saying, "Should we go take a look?"

"No, no, better not. It’s too dangerous. Terrorists might have rigged the area with bombs. Believe me, you don’t want to go in there. Trust me, please!"

The Major had always been courteous, always smiling, but now the smile could no longer hold. His expression turned somber as he stressed several times for Gao Yi to trust him, and then said in a low voice, "That’s not a place for a normal person to be involved in, it’s... Hell, the stuff of nightmares."

Gao Yi glanced at Lin, but Lin just shrugged, while Peter suddenly said, "The Major is right; don’t go. Stay away from the battleground, especially from a place that’s... You know, just wait here for the news."

Gao Yi didn’t know what to ’know,’ but he did know that it was wise to heed advice.

Maybe if he saw the scene in person, he might lose his appetite for a long time.

Gao Yi sat back down.

Not ten minutes later, the walkie-talkie came to life again, and before the voice finished, the Major shouted with joy at Gao Yi, "Found him! He’s alive! We found him!"

Gao Yi jumped up, astonished. "Really alive?"

"Yes, yes! He’s alive. Our people rescued him, he’s being brought over. Sir, your friend is alive!"

The Major might not know Li Jie, but he was more excited than Gao Yi, saying "alive" several times and then, with genuine joy on his face, he said, "That’s great. This city... now has four more survivors."

Weren’t there supposed to be over twenty people? How did it turn into four survivors?

Gao Yi pondered and understood the underlying issue. He decided it was best to say nothing.

War is ugly, frightening, and nauseating. Gao Yi had never witnessed the horrors of war, and now, he didn’t want to experience them anymore.