Chapter 273

Chapter 273: Varyag?

It’s a big development!

Anyone hearing this news for the first time would think exactly that.

“Captain Lin and everyone else don’t need to overthink this. As long as we don’t harm national interests, we generally don’t interfere with personal benefits,” Colonel Qi said in a tone that implied the matter was quite ordinary, stating that this gem mine was a mutual gift, not even a spoils of war.

“On the contrary, this mine is beneficial for us to develop closer cooperation with those Pashtun people,” Major Su added, nodding in agreement, “You all might not know this, but the Pashtun people have proposed military cooperation with us and even requested for our troops to be stationed there.”

Lin Mo’s eyes widened, and his mouth dropped open in disbelief. This was unexpected—those Pashtun people hadn’t been able to withstand any assault from the coalition forces, yet with just a light statement, the Chinese military had gained an advantage.

Captain Feng and the others exchanged glances. Were the Pashtun people out of their minds, requesting foreign troops to be based in their territory? Military bases don’t just spring up anywhere.

American overseas bases are widely resented by local civilians, so it was puzzling that these Pashtun people would ask for one. Didn’t they know what that implied?

“Hehe, we must commend Captain Lin for strictly adhering to the confidentiality regulations after his ejection. This gives us more maneuvering space; as long as we don’t disclose who’s stationed there, who would know?”

Major Su, head of the Foreign Affairs Department, had a wide grin on his face. When he learned the Pashtun people still thought Lin Mo belonged to some armed organization and had no idea about his military background, he nearly shouted with excitement.

Using their own schemes against them, they could casually set up a fictitious organization in Afghanistan, crush the anti-China forces, and those with ulterior motives internationally wouldn’t find any evidence against China.

Many abroad had used similar tactics before—making others take the blame while they enjoyed the benefits had proven effective. This time, it opened up a new opportunity for China to make a strategic move.

The unexpected gains from Lin Mo’s return were truly significant; compared to that Lapis Lazuli mine, the strategic value held immense importance. It was a well-placed stronghold, hard to breach, which couldn’t be exchanged for money. The immediate impact could directly suppress the anti-China elements outside China’s western borders.

The geographic location of Gem Valley was like driving a nail into the vein of Afghanistan’s extremism, terrorism, and separatism.

Captain Feng and the others had even stranger expressions, as if they could imagine Lin Mo’s consistent style: using odd code names to deceive the unsuspecting, creating the “Dragon Knight Corps” in Pakistan, leaving the poor Indians baffled. Now, he was probably using another code name to play tricks on these unfortunate souls.

In fact, Gem Valley had undergone new changes. Fate is often unpredictable, and during this time, Lin Mo was unaware, and even the Foreign Affairs Department didn’t know, that a company called “Dragoon” had quietly established itself in Gem Valley.

No one knew what impact this unintentional company would have on the global landscape, but it grew rapidly since being founded in war-torn Afghanistan, and its influence swiftly extended into the international military technology arena.

The saying about Afghans being poor and only having guns may extend a little longer than expected.

“There’s some news I want to report,” Lin Mo suddenly became serious, reflecting on his experiences in Afghanistan, filled with legends, as well as meeting with bizarre events not typical for an ordinary pilot.

The fact that an ace combat pilot wore such a solemn expression signified something unusual, making Colonel Qi and Major Su sit up straight. Major Su even moved closer with his recording pen ready.

“Go ahead!”

“I encountered Haus from the ‘Red Scorpion’.”

“What?!”

Colonel Xie from the Intelligence Group sprang to his feet. The ‘Red Scorpion’ organization had severely wounded him before, and Lin Mo had even once participated in an operation to overturn ‘Red Scorpion’.

However, Lin Mo’s ejection was quite unexpected. How this crafty intelligence officer had found Lin Mo was a matter of great curiosity.

“Old Xie! Sit down!” Captain Feng, slightly shaken but not as animated as Colonel Xie, waved his hand, indicating him to take a seat.

“What? What’s going on?” Colonel Xie asked, seeming incredulous, slowly sitting down, his eyes darting around, clearly contemplating many things, distracted by Lin Mo’s words.

“Continue!”

“I suspect it’s a conspiracy—or rather, a trap. My plane wasn’t directly hit by a missile, but was brought down after losing control from an electromagnetic pulse bomb. I strongly suspect three modified SA-2 Surface-to-Air Missiles were involved, guided by more than just radio instructions. They employed infrared and optical imaging guidance, almost reminiscent of being pursued by a Pioneer-4. So, I believe the ‘Lapis Lazuli’ castle is a trap targeting me.”

“Moreover, not only did I meet Haus, the intelligence officer from ‘Red Scorpion’, but I also encountered a mysterious team equipped with gear that no Afghan or Middle Eastern organization or country should possess.”

Lin Mo’s words caused a thunderous shock in the room, unveiling an increasingly shocking conspiracy.

No one interrupted him; Colonel Qi and the others signaled for him to continue: “During the ambush battle with the Pashtun mountain people, I was attacked by laser weapons—high-powered laser weapons—and ‘Metal Storm’. The enemy used wheeled armored vehicles mounted with laser weapons, and all attacks were directed at me.”

“How is that possible? Such high-tech weapons targeting you, yet you’re still alive? How is that possible?” Not just Captain Feng and Major Su, but all the officers looked skeptical. The weapons Lin Mo described felt almost science fiction—surely they were intended for large-scale battles, aimed at more advanced armors, not just to deal with one ace pilot.

“ If you don’t believe me, you can send someone to investigate the scene. The dense impact points and vitrified ground are proof enough of what I’m saying.”

Lin Mo shrugged, as he could roughly guess which organization aimed to deal with him. However, without a clear goal, it was surprising how fervently they wanted his life and how meticulously they plotted this conspiracy, employing such formidable weaponry to take down a small ace like him.

“Additionally, I possess A+ physical fitness, decent marksmanship, and knowledge of fighting techniques. In some sense, even without flying a combat aircraft, I would still be considered one of the kings of soldiers, especially with my reaction time being over ten times faster than the average person. At that time, I used a powerful homemade shock bomb. When the enemy saw the tide turning, they immediately fled.” Lin Mo, to explain how he managed to evade such an attack, remained calm while exaggerating the truth—three parts truth to seven parts fabrication. Given the chaos, any special evidence from the battlefield had been destroyed, and even if anyone wished to investigate, it was an extremely difficult task. Surely the higher-ups wouldn’t waste resources on such matters.

As for the enemies taken down by his gold coins and the two armored vehicles consumed in the chaos, let the higher-ups bicker with the enemy about that; it was all unclear anyway. No matter what was said, trust couldn’t be established, further complicating the misunderstandings.

Once Lin Mo completed his explanation, a rhythmic tapping sound echoed in the room. The gaze shifted toward the sound, finding Colonel Qi seemingly deep in thought, absentmindedly tapping the table.

The description of "Night"’s ace pilot did not seem fabricated. If true, the nature of the situation would change drastically.

“Captain Lin Mo, we will report your information to the commanders and will send people to investigate the truth. For a short time, you should refrain from taking on missions. If necessary, we will arrange for you to go to another place to unwind and avoid detection from those who want your life.”

Colonel Qi considered his response carefully before speaking. If what Lin Mo said was accurate, then the enemy’s carefully laid plans seemed too deep, having fully utilized the actions of "Night" to lure Lin Mo to a designated location, preparing modified missiles for the attack, and then sending special troops for the assault. It was as if they viewed a wounded eagle as just a “Little Chicken.” However, plans often change, and Lin Mo’s fighting abilities far exceeded their expectations, which is why they failed.

“Where am I supposed to go? Just sitting here with no missions, I’ll lose my mind!” Lin Mo frowned, unable to imagine a life without planes or missions, worrying that his joints would seize up, or his flying skills would deteriorate.

“Hehe, don’t worry. I’ve got a great place in mind that you will definitely like, and it’ll keep you safe from any threats.”

Colonel Qi smiled slightly, thinking of a perfect place for Lin Mo—safe and not lonely.

“Where?”

“Varyag!”

“Varyag?”