Ultimate Firepower
Chapter 368 - 351 My People

Chapter 368: Chapter 351 My People

Tenacity, toughness, the degree of resilience.

This is a personality trait that many people overlook and a group gene that many teams undervalue.

Be it an army, a Mercenary Group, an assassin organization, or even a basketball or football team, as long as it’s a group of people together, tenacity is a very important ability.

Some teams start strong but then exhaust all their energy at once and need a long time to regain their vigor for a dogged fight.

Other teams might not seem impressive at first, but they’re full of toughness and just won’t collapse no matter how they’re hit.

Then there’s the formidable kind, who go all out from the start, blazing with firepower, fierce from beginning to end, and regardless of how many enemies die or if they are down to their last breath, they’ll immediately get back up and keep fighting if needed, even if they are lying on the ground.

Now, the War Axe Mercenary Group quite obviously exhibits this precious tenacity, continuing their mission even with only a few members left standing.

The War Axe Mercenary Group is worth spending big money on to win over. In future matters, it’s worth entrusting to the War Axe Mercenary Group and investing heavily in them.

On the other hand, the Lego Mercenary Corps isn’t up to par. They scatter at the first sign of trouble. Although they can regroup quickly, Gao Yi doesn’t see such a mercenary group as being very useful. So, Gao Yi didn’t even bother to pursue the Lego Mercenary Corps for fleeing mid-battle, and after this fight, he wanted them to get lost as soon as possible.

Lastly, there’s Sherkin, who don’t even have the name of a Mercenary Group and whose strength wasn’t clearly apparent. They seemed quite full of themselves, but they also had the guts, so the true capabilities of Sherkin’s group remained a mystery.

Gao Yi decided to ditch the tank and drove back to Baghdad City at top speed to meet with Grasse.

The situation had changed.

Grasse couldn’t make a move himself, and the CIA’s Panetta wouldn’t personally take action, so in the end, the only ones actually able to step in were Gao Yi and the group of people he was currently paying.

The next operation would be no safer than chasing down a routed armored unit.

By taking out a top CIA agent in Baghdad, Gao Yi, a man with several backers, wouldn’t be intimidated by making an enemy of the CIA, but Sherkin and Donkey were a different story.

"Let’s be straight here," Gao Yi said, "the mission is different now, so let’s talk price again, redefine the mission. If you’re willing and daring enough to continue, let’s proceed. If anyone is scared and wants to leave, then this is where we part ways."

The mission having changed, of course terms had to be renegotiated. Not clarifying now would inevitably lead to problems later.

Gao Yi had already made up his mind. He planned to rely heavily on War Axe because Donkey had already proven to be trustworthy.

Sherkin’s strength was unclear and their attitude was uncertain; it would be better if they dropped out voluntarily.

Standing in front of an office building pockmarked with blast holes, with the few surviving members of the War Axe Mercenary Group on one side and Sherkin with his rallied convoy on the other, Gao Yi was conducting his final negotiations before the hunt.

Gao Yi looked towards Sherkin and spoke in a low voice, "The person I want to take out is a top CIA agent, who has now escaped from the Iraqi military camp. His destination is still unclear; it’s either the US Air Force Base or the embassy."

Sherkin was poker-faced, while Donkey still had blood stains on him and showed no change in expression either.

Gao Yi continued, "To complete my mission means making an enemy of the United States, and going to war directly with the CIA, which will inevitably lead to CIA retaliation."

Sherkin nodded slightly, while Donkey stayed silent without any response.

Gao Yi clapped his hands together and said, "So, the previous mission is null and void. The new mission..."

Before Gao Yi could finish, Sherkin suddenly said, "Since the previous mission is null and void, and this new mission sounds quite tough with serious consequences, let us take it over."

Gao Yi and Donkey both turned to look at Sherkin.

Sherkin smiled and said, "The War Axe Mercenary Group, right? There’s only a few of you left. What else do you think you can do? Especially you, wanting to compete with me for business? Aren’t you afraid of the CIA’s retaliation?"

Without any hesitation, Donkey said, "Not afraid!"

Sherkin waved his hand and said, "Regardless of what you say, let me handle this. I’ll take care of everything for fifty million; you just pay me fifty million and don’t worry about anything else."

This was the model Sherkin was familiar with and enjoyed: enough money, and the rest wasn’t his concern, leaving everything to him to resolve.

Gao Yi hadn’t yet had a chance to say anything, he hadn’t even indicated whether the price of fifty million was too steep, but Sherkin acted as if he was in charge, pointing at Donkey and saying, "You just go home nicely; we don’t need you here."

Gao Yi and Donkey both looked astonished.

This was overstepping bounds, taking liberties, not considering himself an outsider at all.

Then Gao Yi finally said, "Have you mistaken your own identity?"

"I haven’t mistaken my identity; it’s just that you haven’t recognized the reality," Sherkin replied, still with a calm demeanor, smiling, "The War Axe Mercenary Group is down to a few people. What can they do? The task you have is urgent, extremely urgent, you need manpower, and currently, you can only rely on me."

Gao Yi quietly watched Sherkin continue his performance.

Sherkin said confidently, "I don’t like when people steal my business. Usually, in such cases, I would take out the person who’s stealing from me. Now, it’s either me or the War Axe Mercenary Group; you can only choose one."

Gao Yi was taken aback, and Donkey was greatly shocked.

"Is it hard to understand?" If you can attack an empty barracks under the cover of American airstrikes, and we don’t have a say, then you’re in charge. If you say ten million, it’s ten million; if you say give thirty million to War Axe, then it’s thirty million—I have no objections."

Sherkin paused, then he started laughing and continued, "Now it’s different. The one you have to kill is a top CIA agent. You can’t do it, and neither can War Axe Mercenary Group. This is a job only I can do. You only have two choices."

Sherkin made his point very clear, and indeed, he had a very clear understanding of the situation.

The pursuit and counterattack had turned into a hunt, a field not suited for mercenary groups, and although Gao Yi wasn’t clear about Sherkin’s capabilities, Sherkin seemed very adept at such tasks.

Pointing at Donkey, Sherkin confidently said, "Choose one, who will it be?"

This was the moment, a chance for extortion.

The feeling of being extorted was unpleasant.

From a rational standpoint, Gao Yi knew he should choose Sherkin, but the problem was that he didn’t have to be rational.

One Burning Wind, killed or not—what then? At worst, Gao Yi could just explain to Panetta that he couldn’t do it. What could Panetta do about it?

Gao Yi was no longer just a piece on the chessboard. Though he wasn’t the player, he was the chessboard itself and all the pieces of both players.

If Gao Yi flipped, then Panetta and the Pentagon would have no more moves to make.

Sherkin had assessed the situation correctly, but he was unclear about Gao Yi’s status; he didn’t understand that Gao Yi could flip the table.

So without hesitation, Gao Yi pointed at Donkey.

"I choose him."

Both Donkey and Sherkin seemed taken aback.

Gao Yi lowered his hand, facing Sherkin and said, "I don’t like your attitude, and I hate being extorted by others, so this mission has nothing to do with you now."

Sherkin’s chubby face struggled to maintain composure; he grimaced, "Uhm, do you not understand that right now in Baghdad City, I’m the only one daring to act against the CIA because I’m not afraid of CIA retaliation, and with enough money, I could just avoid coming to Baghdad in the future. But can he do it? Ask him, does he dare?"

Donkey bit his lip and said in a low voice, "What’s there to fear? If the money’s right, what’s there to fear?"

Sherkin probably didn’t expect to hear this response; he slowly nodded, "Fine, War Axe Mercenary Group that wants money over life, I acknowledge your nerve."

Gao Yi thought Sherkin would now compromise, bow his head, admit his mistake, and then continue to take on this big contract.

As long as Sherkin could adjust his position correctly, Gao Yi wouldn’t mind continuing to use him because Sherkin was right about one thing—aside from himself, Gao Yi really had no other manpower to use.

But clearly, Sherkin had no intention of simply bowing down.

The situation had changed, and Sherkin had more options.

By eliminating the competitor, there would be no more competitors. As long as the goal was achieved, it didn’t matter whether or not tempers flared.

Sherkin waved his hand, and his scattered but still gathered subordinates immediately raised their guns.

The guns were not aimed at Gao Yi, but at Donkey.

Sherkin didn’t want to play tough with Gao Yi, he was only targeting Donkey.

"Now take your people and leave, and I’ll act as if nothing has happened."

Gao Yi was first stunned, then he erupted in anger.

"You threaten my people in front of me?"

Before Donkey could speak, Gao Yi spoke first. He took a step forward, staring into Sherkin’s eyes, "Are you looking to die?"

Sherkin really didn’t expect Gao Yi to stand up for Donkey, because it wasn’t necessary.

Donkey couldn’t believe it himself; he said to Gao Yi, "Why... why would you?"

What else could it be, just now Feng Biao had suggested that Gao Yi invest in War Axe Mercenary Group, so naturally, Gao Yi had to increase his investment.

Investments weren’t just about money, but also effort, and it was necessary to play the emotional card well.

Gao Yi pointed at Donkey and very seriously told Sherkin, "Now War Axe Mercenary Group is my people. Threatening them is threatening me. Is my point clear enough?"

Sherkin frowned, "I didn’t mean to threaten you; you’re my employer, and I can’t hurt you. But I can kill all of them. I’m not breaking any rules by doing this, so please, step back—otherwise, if there is accidental harm..."

Sherkin was interrupted, as Feng Biao and Lin Xianghua took a step forward, positioning themselves in front of Gao Yi, while Lucy reacted more directly—she immediately drew her gun, aiming at Sherkin’s head.

At that moment, Donkey’s mentality drastically changed.

Donkey felt a fire ignite in his chest, burning fiercely from within.