?47: Chapter 45: Make a Friend 47: Chapter 45: Make a Friend Gao Yi didn’t know what Sean had planned specifically because Sean hadn’t made it clear on the phone, leaving Gao Yi in the dark.

    “Are you seriously going along without pre-agreeing on how and where to make a move, and just pulling Suleyman’s rival into this and that’s it?”

    As it concerned Gao Yi’s safety, his question was justified, but Sean answered indifferently, “Your concern is reasonable, but the reality is that arrangements can’t be made.

    I was able to get in touch with Suleyman’s rivals because I made preparations before arriving, investigating all of Suleyman’s potential enemies that could pose a threat to him, but that’s all—just investigations, no prior agreements.

    This means there is a lack of mutual trust, which is crucial.”

    “Then aren’t you afraid that Suleyman’s rivals might kill us too?”

    “Of course I am, so I contacted Sand Scorpion.”

    Sean waved his hand and continued, “The Sand Scorpion Mercenary Group is the only mercenary group I know of that consistently operates around the US-Mexico Border.

    They’re quite strong, about twenty people, and this group tends to follow rules, but I don’t know them well enough to trust that they’d keep to those rules when facing a large sum of money.

    So, I choose safety first.”

    Sean was obviously experienced, and Gao Yi, undoubtedly a novice, so things that Sean thought needed no explanation were not quite clear to Gao Yi.

    “Hold on, what do you mean by ‘not knowing them well enough, so choosing safety first’?”

    Sean nodded, “Good question.

    Not knowing them well means I’ve never worked with them before, and relying solely on their external reputation, I cannot determine whether Sand Scorpion values money or credibility more.

    So, my choice was simple, ‘Don’t take the ten million dollars, give it all to Sand Scorpion.''”

    Gao Yi muttered under his breath, “Ten million!

    Even giving them nine million would have sufficed, right?”

    Keeping an extra million always sounded good so Gao Yi couldn’t understand why they had to give all the money to Sand Scorpion.

    Sean sighed, “If you were a Sand Scorpion, you could kill two people to get an extra million because the money is right there in front of you.

    Most importantly, this mission wasn’t through the Dark Web, and we aren’t even the real employers since we can’t provide the full process required for a mission.

    Thus, to Sand Scorpion, nothing but industry reputation and morals bind them.

    If it were you, would you kill two people for an extra million?’

    “No.”

    “Can you guarantee Sand Scorpion won’t?” Sёarch* The n??el Fire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    “I can’t.”

    Sean nodded and then spoke seriously, “No matter how much I explain now, you won’t fully grasp it.

    Wait a while, and once you see how everything unfolds, you will understand why I made this choice.”

    “Okay, then let’s wait and see.”

    At this moment, Sean seemed quite eager to play the role of a mentor, continuing, “Every decision I’ve made is to ensure your safe extraction?”

    It sounded too good to be true, so Gao Yi merely responded noncommittally, “Uh-huh.”

    “The reason I ask for old bills is because drug traffickers definitely have a lot of cash, but ten million dollars is a large sum, and Suleyman could produce ten million dollars at any time, likely in new bills.

    So, asking for old bills is to buy time for Sand Scorpion to arrive.”

    After explaining why he had asked for old bills, Sean chuckled, “The more detailed and numerous your demands, the more it shows you genuinely intend to release your opponent.

    If you agree too readily, Suleyman would never believe you.

    These are little tricks, but they’re crucial, mostly bought with lives.”

    Gao Yi, feeling somewhat helpless, muttered, “So you’re saying without joining you, I can’t gain this experience, and if I go alone, I’d likely die, right?”

    Sean replied generously, “Yes.”

    They were in it together now, so Gao Yi thought for a moment and ultimately said nothing.

    It was too early to say he wasn’t interested in joining another assassin organization.

    Gao Yi wasn’t stupid, and his emotional intelligence wasn’t that low either.

    He’d just have to swallow the sugar coating and fire back when necessary.

    As long as he knew where he stood, that was enough.

    “He looks like he’s about to wake up.”

    Gao Yi simply spoke, prompting Sean to immediately fall silent.

    “Can you tell how long it will be before he wakes up?”

    “I can’t.

    I rarely knock people out; in fact, this is the first time.

    I didn’t gauge the strength well and didn’t dare to hit too hard, so he won’t be out for too long.”

    Sean took a breath and spoke, “Alright, now I’ll say only the most crucial thing: you’re an assassin, not a mercenary.

    Look out for yourself when the time comes.”

    The car continued to drive erratically, and Gao Yi then realized that keeping Suleyman was the right decision for today because, given the cars that appeared and disappeared behind them, without the hostage, they would have surely died several times over.

    “I… What is this…”

    Suleyman had woken up, having been unconscious for about two hours—not a short time, but not long enough for Sand Scorpion to arrive.

    So far, Sean hadn’t received a call that Sand Scorpion was in position.

    “You’ll be fine, you won’t die,” Sean reassured Suleyman before adding lightly, “We’ll release you soon, don’t worry.”

    Suleyman’s eyes moved around as if he were pondering something, then stared at his mobile phone.

    His mobile was in Gao Yi’s hands.

    Gao Yi passed the mobile over, suggesting, “Call and check if the money is ready.”

    Suleyman took the phone, glanced at the time to check how long he had been out for, then murmured, “The money’s definitely ready, but why aren’t you going to get it now…”

    “Don’t ask.”

    Gao Yi didn’t act.

    He just spoke lightly, making Suleyman tremble and quickly shut his mouth.

    Sean spoke emphatically, “Because we’re waiting for backup.

    Relax, we’re professional assassins with professional ethics.

    If we say we won’t kill you, we definitely won’t kill you, especially since this job is just for two hundred thousand dollars.

    If you were in our shoes, which would you choose between two hundred thousand and ten million dollars?”

    Suleyman shook visibly, exclaiming, “What?

    Just two hundred thousand?

    Impossible!”

    Without hesitation, Sean replied, “Show him the task.”

    Sean was treating Suleyman as if he were already dead, but Suleyman, realizing this, promptly exclaimed, “I won’t look!

    I won’t look!”

    Gao Yi took out his phone, pulled up the task, covered up his own name with his finger, and stretched the phone toward Suleyman, urging, “Take a good look, is it two hundred thousand?”

    Suleyman couldn’t help but glance.

    He saw his own photo, the Dark Web page, and indeed, the task was accepted for two hundred thousand dollars.

    Suleyman burst out furiously, “That bastard thinks he can buy my life for just two hundred thousand?

    This is an insult… you… you…”

    His anger quickly turned into intense confusion, and then Suleyman looked at Gao Yi, bewildered, “You took out so many of my bodyguards and kidnapped me just for two hundred thousand dollars?”

    Gao Yi looked back at Suleyman, frowning, “Otherwise?”

    “Just two hundred thousand?”

    “I’m not killing you, would you give me two hundred thousand?”

    Suleyman inhaled sharply twice, then suddenly proposed, “I’ll add another ten million, making it twenty million.

    Will you tell me who the employer is?”

    Gao Yi felt extremely conflicted, then sternly replied, “No, we’re professional assassins, we have… professional ethics!”

    His response sounded a bit weak, but Sean firmly declared, “We can’t disclose that, not for a billion.

    If we fail the mission, that’s it.

    Even if we swapped for ten million, it wouldn’t be a loss, but selling out an employer is absolutely out of the question.”

    Gao Yi concurred, “Yeah, impossible.”

    Suddenly, Suleyman suggested, “It’s not that you don’t know too, right?”

    Sean remained silent, and Gao Yi, looking astonished, said, “How… how can you make such an accusation?”

    Suleyman sighed, “You took the job from the Dark Web, it’s quite normal not to know the identity of the employer.

    But you also don’t know my identity, do you?”

    Sean didn’t speak, and Gao Yi hesitated, also remaining silent.

    “Novices, right?”

    Suleyman confidently posed the question and then gazed at Gao Yi, “Otherwise, you wouldn’t be unaware of my strength, nor would you have accepted the task of killing me in Mexicali for just two hundred thousand dollars.”

    Gao Yi swallowed and unintentionally glanced at Sean.

    Suleyman was convinced, almost arrogantly declaring, “Alright, you can drop the mission now.

    I don’t care whether you were truly going to release me or not before, but it doesn’t matter now because your employer will definitely die.

    He can no longer hire you to kill me, most importantly, he can’t pay you.

    Even if he has transferred the commission to the Dark Web, he definitely can’t increase the bounty.”

    Gao Yi looked at Sean again, who slightly shook his head, leading Gao Yi to remain silent.

    Seeing their small movements, Suleyman confidently stated, “Take the ten million and go, I won’t blame you or pursue you.

    Since you’re professional assassins, I have no reason to seek revenge.

    Even more, I can pay you to kill the employer.

    I know who the employer is; it’s Franciska.

    Only he would place just two hundred thousand on my life because he can’t afford more.”

    Gao Yi couldn’t help asking, “Who’s Franciska?”

    “He was once the biggest drug lord in this town, but not anymore, because I defeated him.”

    Now, Suleyman wasn’t as scared.

    He sat up straighter, waving his mobile phone and proposing, “Let me make a call, okay?

    I’ll give you two million dollars.”

    Pointing at Gao Yi, Suleyman spoke with a somewhat restored authoritative tone, “With your skills, those two million are what you deserve.

    Let’s be friends.”

    Gao Yi licked his lips and haltingly replied, “Uh, this, well… thanks?”

    Sean nodded, then his phone rang, and after checking it, he said, “Alright then.”