Chapter 270

Chapter 270: A Free Piece of Land?

Captain Lin Mo lived up to his reputation as the Money-Gathering Boy. As soon as he ran outside the border, he never came back empty-handed, and this time, despite being accidentally shot down, he managed to bring back an Afghan specialty—Lapis Lazuli mine of unknown worth.

The promise of the Pashtun people remained unbroken despite Lin Mo leaving first. Instead, they proactively mentioned it, presenting a document in Pashto and English, signed with all the original village chief and elders’ signatures and fingerprints, ensuring absolute validity.

A mine, not just ore!

This meant that if properly developed, it represented a continuous flow of wealth. Not only could they live worry-free for a lifetime, but they could also spend extravagantly as long as they didn’t completely deplete the mine.

This wasn’t extortion; it was something they pressed into Lin Mo’s hands while crying and pleading. If he didn’t accept it, they worried about whether he would genuinely help them.

Moreover, it was heard that a young Pashtun girl was even willing to offer herself; it seemed unheard of—why wasn’t anyone else so lucky?

The soldiers of the fourth squad had their eyes turn green upon hearing this news.

The Money-Gathering Boy with the luck of a thief drew envy, even from Captain Zhang Zhenyu.

By the time they returned, this legendary news would surely spread rapidly among all Special Operations Teams, creating yet another uproar.

Even after the fourth squad entered the valley and were face-to-face with the Pashtun people and mercenaries, they couldn’t distinguish what kind of force this armed group represented. Among them were blonde-haired, blue-eyed Europeans and warriors who looked just like them, making it seem like an immensely powerful international mercenary force.

The Pashtun people’s thoughts became lively.

Grateful for the Knight’s favor and feeling weak, mercenary leader Abik made the first move, indicating to Captain Zhang Zhenyu that Gem Valley was willing to form a military alliance with them and provide a military base for them to stay.

What did this represent? Zhang Zhenyu was stunned, realizing that these people’s gratitude toward Captain Lin Mo had reached an indescribable level, even willing to become their vassals.

Of course, it also included the hope of finding a strong yet not overly greedy ally; such thoughts were entirely reasonable. The Knight had completely conquered them with his formidable prowess and actions—powerful, wise, and with formidable backing. This was definitely a patron they couldn’t afford to overlook.

Listening to the Pashtuns narrate their experiences over the past few weeks felt like hearing a legendary tale, and Captain Lin Mo had truly accomplished great feats.

The chaotic Afghan government was merely a fa?ade; the further they moved into the remote areas, the less effective the government’s decrees became. The real power lay with the tribes and armed organizations, and those living in Gem Valley were the rightful owners, immune from interference from the international community.

Their willingness to allow military presence was full of potential.

On the surface, it represented a naked piece of land; when the U.S. military established bases in Afghanistan, they faced enormous resistance from the locals. Here, however, there were people willingly offering a piece of land for a military base. Surely, if the Americans heard about it, they would spit blood—this was practically giving it away!

Moreover, if the advantageous terrain was utilized well, they could use force to intimidate the whole of Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, India, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Iran.

It would be far more convenient to launch cross-border assaults from here than from Tibet or Xinjiang—not only in terms of resources but also time. They could easily establish a solid base to keep enemies at bay outside the borders in western and southwestern China.

Clearing out old foes like the East Turkestan militants and others amidst the mountains would feel like building gun emplacements right in front of the enemies’ doorsteps; the feeling of their discomfort must be truly delightful.

Furthermore, in this deep mountain wilderness, the enemies would face significant challenges in retaliating with a large force. Transporting troops would be a major difficulty, and small units wouldn’t be effective either, as there was only one entry point. This naturally defensible position was absolutely perfect for a secret military base.

The civilians in the valley could provide ample support, significantly easing the logistical pressure.

From another perspective, having a military base here would also be beneficial for the Pashtun people, not only gaining powerful protection but also receiving more supplies, like urgently needed cement and food, which would be cheaper to acquire.

Additionally, those military personnel would make the best consumers in Gem Valley.

Economic development requires consumption. The civilians and mercenaries in Gem Valley could only achieve self-sufficiency no matter how much they developed and built. Having a military base nearby, however, would instantly energize the economy as the soldiers with money would flock to the valley.

It’s easy to imagine how Gem Valley could quickly become a paradise in northern Afghanistan.

Having received this crucial information, the squad leader immediately sent it out in encrypted form.

“Stand by! Maintain a high level of vigilance!”

This was the message returned from the "Night" base within half an hour. The significance of the fourth squad’s mission had completely shifted—from rescuing Pilot Lin Mo to establishing a liaison task for developing a secret base in Afghanistan.

As for the Lapis Lazuli mine that Lin Mo found, let it be, and consider it a side business; it is not worth too much attention. A Lapis Lazuli mine, or even a diamond mine, is nothing compared to the important matter of building a secret military base in Gem Valley!

Well, here we go again with another commotion caused by Lin Mo. The last time he ejected was chaotic, and this time the results seem bigger. It appears that the more expensive the plane he crashes, the greater the unexpected rewards!

Informants from the relevant department began to wonder when this "Dragon Knight" would eject again. This guy is exceptional with his aerial combat skills, and his ability to turn a profit is equally impressive.

However, Lin Mo’s secretive way of dealing with people satisfied his superiors; this is very good. It means there will be more room for operations in the future. His identity has been shrouded in mystery from the start, and the less the country is involved, the better. Even if this place is developed in the future, it would greatly help avoid being targeted by other forces too soon.

Around the campfire, grilled meat, fragrant naan, freshly picked sweet wild fruits, and fresh vegetables filled the air. Though simple, it was full of genuine warmth, and the fourth squad’s soldiers were invited to join the celebration with song and dance.

Not knowing how long he had slept, Zhang Zhenyu suddenly awoke from a dream. After listening for a moment, he frowned. He heard a series of suppressed cries and even heart-wrenching shouts, as if a hundred ghosts were wandering, filled with anger.

He instinctively grabbed the automatic rifle beside him and jumped up.

“Captain?”

Outside the tent, he heard the voice of the Uyghur warrior Eliyar. Even though the soldiers in the fourth squad no longer had to endure sleeping outdoors as they had the night before and the last two weeks in the wild, they could now rest in the comfortable tents provided by the Pashtun.

Squadron Leader Zhang Zhenyu still assigned four soldiers to keep watch and stay alert; this vigilance was always necessary.

“What’s happening outside?”

The cries Zhang Zhenyu heard seemed to come from a great distance, and there were many voices.

“The Pashtun are saying goodbye to their deceased comrades; they lost many people.”

Eliyar, on guard, was touched by the heartbreaking cries and learned that nearly two-thirds of the strong young Pashtun men, along with many elders and youths, had fallen on the battlefield at the mountain pass and would never rise again. Their families had almost lost all mental support. After celebrating their victory, they spent the night gathering bodies and held a collective burial ceremony at dawn. Even the bodies of the mercenaries received the same honor.

In the hearts of the Pashtun people, after sharing experiences of life and death, these mercenaries were no longer seen as hired ones; they became their intimate brothers, fully integrated together.

Almost all the Pashtun people stayed awake all night, clearing a place to perform bathing rites for the deceased. They wrapped the bodies in white cotton cloth, while an elder Imam stood at the front of the deceased, leading the living in the funeral ritual.

Alongside the cries of their relatives, the elders led everyone in prayers from the Quran. All rituals would be completed before sunrise.

Considering their different religious beliefs, the Pashtun did not disturb "Night" of the fourth squad.

“Gather everyone; let’s go to the ceremony together!” Zhang Zhenyu thought for a moment, slinging his gun behind his back, and stepped out of the tent.

“Understood!”

The Pashtun were surprised to see the companions of the “Knight” voluntarily participate in the funeral. They walked softly to the back, remaining silent, and removed their hats to show their respect.

This deeply touched the Pashtun and made them feel joy for the potential cooperation in the future. The group was quite extraordinary and different from any armed organizations they had encountered or heard of before. They were not only polite and knowledgeable but also had incredible combat skills, seemingly perfect like warriors from the heavens.

At three a.m. Kabul time, the farewell ceremony for the dead quickly concluded. The Muslim rites emphasized being laid to rest as soon as possible. In front of over three hundred prepared graves, simple stone-made tombstones bore the names, genders, and dates of death of the deceased, allowing future generations to remember them.

This was the hard-earned result of the elderly and weak who remained at the camp over the last two days.

Once all the deceased were buried, the dawn began to light up the sky.

“Mude Grandpa!” Sally, wiping away her tears, quietly tugged at the hem of Mude Zariyev, the village chief, as if she had something to say.