EM 59. Exceptional Case

Before the jeep even came to a full stop, Bai Xuyao leapt out in a rush. He stumbled a little as he landed but didn’t pause. He sprinted forward and flung himself at Song Feng, wrapping him in a tight hug like a puppy reunited with its owner. “Bro, I thought I’d never see you again! I’m so fucking glad you’re alive!”

With several Humvees drawing enemy fire, Song Feng had finally caught his breath. He grinned and patted Bai Xuyao on the shoulder. “We weren’t apart for that long.”

“It felt like forever to me.” Bai Xuyao stayed latched onto him, practically wagging his tail.

Xiao Mingxuan had already jumped down from the truck and rushed over. Now that the immediate danger had eased, he too wanted to hug his man. But someone else had beaten him to it, and the guy wasn’t letting go. Xiao Mingxuan shot Bai Xuyao a look and gave a quiet cough.

Bai Xuyao instantly released Song Feng. “Bro, I know you’re attached to me, but we’ve got enemies to deal with. Priorities.” He turned and sprinted toward Wei Xiaoyan for another round of joyful hugging, only to promptly let go again when faced with Duan Qing’s intense glare. He slumped to the ground and started drawing sad little circles with his finger. “Damn, I’ve got all this passion and nowhere to unleash it…”

Song Feng kicked him hard. “We’re not out of danger yet. Don’t be a dumbass.”

Bai Xuyao scrambled to his feet, muttering curses under his breath as he scanned the battlefield with rifle in hand. The rest of the team had already jumped off the jeeps and climbed onto the enemy Humvees to join the fight. One person, however, was still sitting alone in the battered vehicle. It was Boss Kang. As soon as Bai Xuyao spotted him, he bolted over.

Boss Kang finally felt like someone appreciated him. “Not bad. You’ve got an eye for importance. Knew I was the boss… but what the hell are you doing, little merc?”

“Go find my brother. He’ll protect you.” Bai Xuyao pulled him out of the car and dumped him unceremoniously on the ground, then jumped behind the wheel, started the engine, and roared straight into battle with his gun at the ready.

The enemy seemed to have anticipated that this route would cross into Boss Kang’s territory, which was why they had deployed more men here. Xiao Mingxuan gave Song Feng’s head a quick pat, then jumped back onto the truck with Duan Qing. With the front line drawing enemy fire, their pressure eased significantly. The two of them raised their sniper rifles and fired in perfect coordination. Within an eight-hundred-meter range, they didn’t leave a single target alive.

Song Feng held his submachine gun as he scanned the battlefield. The sun was already sinking low. Xiao Mingxuan stood to the west, his profile lit with a golden edge, sharp and radiant like a god of war. Song Feng squinted against the light. The urge to light a cigarette rose in his chest, just so he could stand there, take a slow drag, and watch him.

Enemy firepower had dropped sharply. They were retreating in chaos while Song Feng’s team surged forward. The tide had turned decisively, and there was no risk of reversal. Xiao Mingxuan lowered his rifle and turned his head, catching the stare from nearby.

Song Feng climbed onto the truck and stood beside him. He took one last look at the battlefield, then turned, grabbed him by the collar, and kissed him.

Xiao Mingxuan froze for a second. Then he came to his senses, wrapped his arms around Song Feng’s waist, and deepened the kiss.

Song Feng leaned in closer, lips and tongue entwined with his. The scent of gunpowder still hung in the air. Gunfire crackled at his ears. Yet in the middle of the battlefield, under a wash of golden sunlight, they kissed like the world around them didn’t exist. It was reckless, and it was exhilarating.

Duan Qing had already jumped down when Song Feng came up. He glanced at the two of them, then turned to look at Wei Xiaoyan. Wei Xiaoyan hesitated for a moment, then raised a hand and waved him over.

Boss Kang looked at the pair over here, then at the pair over there, then went right back to sitting alone on the ground with a blank face. One of his men, lightly injured earlier by mortar fire and unable to fight, walked over and stopped beside him.

Boss Kang gave a satisfied nod when he saw him with a gun. “At least you’re thoughtful.”

The man had worked with him long enough to know exactly what that meant. He decided to be honest. “Boss, my gun’s out of ammo. I can’t protect you.”

Boss Kang: “…”

The kiss didn’t last long. Song Feng and Xiao Mingxuan soon parted. Song Feng licked the corner of his lips, slightly breathless. “Got a smoke?”

Xiao Mingxuan smiled and shook his head. “Hold off for now.”

Song Feng squinted at him. In all his years, no one had ever tangled with him like this when it came to love. Xiao Mingxuan wasn’t like those delicate beauties from the past who needed coaxing and praise. This man was strong. He could fight alongside him and still fuck him good. He really was something else.

Xiao Mingxuan raised a brow. “What is it?”

Song Feng gave it some thought and shrugged. “Not sure. Feels kind of weird.”

“Uncomfortable?”

“No.”

Xiao Mingxuan ruffled his hair with a smile. “That’s a good sign.”

Song Feng lifted his gaze toward the battlefield. Things were wrapping up now. Their side was cleaning up the last of the resistance. Their boss had only brought two heavy machine guns. Song Feng took the sniper rifle from Xiao Mingxuan’s hands, peered through the scope for a moment and whistling low. “M2HB heavy machine gun… and that one’s a Kord heavy machine gun. Fuck, that’s hot.”

He lowered the rifle just in time to see several vehicles charge ahead at full speed. The M2HBs mounted on top began firing the moment they locked on. Ninety-nine-millimeter armor-piercing incendiary rounds tore straight through the enemy jeep. Flames shot three meters high, and the wreck slammed back down in a heap of twisted metal. The others followed close behind, shredding everything in their path.

A few enemy soldiers tried to escape by jumping from their jeeps. Several quick bursts from the Xingtian members cut them down where they landed.

The convoy circled halfway around the field and swung back quickly, one after another coming to a stop. All of them waited quietly for the next command, eyes turned toward their boss.

Under the eyes of everyone around him, Boss Kang slowly rose to his feet. He pushed up his glasses, his figure gleaming in the sunlight, and for a moment, his status and presence shot through the roof. He calmly adjusted his suit, accepting the awe of these shameless mercenaries like it was his due.

Now that the fight was settled, Song Feng tossed aside his nearly empty submachine gun, jumped down from the truck, and looked at him with a cheerful smile. “Boss.”

Boss Kang gave a steady nod. “Speak.”

Song Feng helpfully reminded him. “The head.”

Boss Kang froze. He quickly looked toward the overturned truck. The head was still inside. If it had been crushed by one of the ammo crates, it would be nothing but pulp by now, and all his effort would have gone to waste.

“The head, the head, the head…” He broke into a run, shouting for people to move the boxes. “Hurry up. Move faster. What, none of you had breakfast?”

The Xingtian members all paused, then walked off to the side and sat down wherever they pleased. “Boss, we really didn’t have breakfast.”

Boss Kang fell silent.

After a two-second stare-down, he turned to his own men. “Move it. Now.”

His men started grunting and heaving boxes aside. It didn’t take long to clear the pile. Off to the side, the Xingtian crew watched with disinterest, one of them slowly speaking up. “Careful with that. The head hasn’t even closed its eyes yet.”

Boss Kang’s men froze. They all turned to stare at the dark interior of the truck.

Boss Kang pushed them aside and climbed in on his own. He moved the crates until he saw the head that had slipped into a narrow space between two boxes. It looked unharmed. Just to be sure, he lifted the cloth and checked. After confirming it was still intact, he wrapped it back up and gave it a pat. “Lucky. Really lucky.”

His men exchanged a few strange looks.

Boss Kang handed the head off to them and instructed them to move the rest of the ammo to the truck carrying the heavy machine guns. Once that was done, the group boarded their vehicles and sped off. They traveled in bursts, stopping here and there, and by nightfall found a place to rest. The next morning, they set off again. Song Feng lounged lazily against Xiao Mingxuan and stared out the window. The region was still a mess. Armed groups passed by regularly, some even driving vehicles fitted with mounted guns, just like theirs.

Xiao Mingxuan and Wei Xiaoyan stayed on edge the entire way, worried they might cross paths with that same organization again. But the convoy kept moving fast and rarely stopped, so nothing came up. Around noon, they reached Boss Kang’s base. The vehicles rolled into the courtyard, and once the gates shut behind them, the tension finally eased.

With Boss Kang back safe, the Xingtian team’s mission was done. He treated them to lunch before starting to arrange their return.

The mercenaries were in a sentimental mood. One after another, they stepped up to say their goodbyes.

“Goodbye, Boss. Be well, Boss.”

“This mission went pretty smoothly,” Boss Kang said from his armchair in the study. He rested his hands in his lap and gave them all a satisfied look. “If I ever need people again, I’ll still come to you.”

Everyone answered in unison. “Keep dreaming, you shady bastard. We never want to see your face again. Thanks!”

Boss Kang didn’t even blink. “I’m still the boss. Some things aren’t up to you. And honestly, I think I’m pretty easy to work with. Wouldn’t you agree?”

No one answered.

“All right. I’ll have them get the helicopter ready. See you again.”

Song Feng walked up smiling and hopped onto the desk. “Hold on, Boss. Let’s settle our pay first.”

Boss Kang stared at him. “Pay? What pay? I don’t know anything about that.”

“Our mission was to protect you while you stole those documents. Smuggling weapons wasn’t part of the deal,” Song Feng said, smiling as he counted off on his fingers. “Honestly, we could’ve just tied you up and thrown you in the car. If it hadn’t been for your truckload of weapons attracting the base patrol, we wouldn’t have had such a rough time. But I’ve been a mercenary too long. When a client makes a request, I try to meet it.”

“Exactly. So what are you complaining about.”

“Since we did the work of mercenaries,” Song Feng continued with the same smile, “you need to pay us, Boss.”

“Take it up with your superiors.”

“I don’t want to take it up with them. I want to take it up with you. You look richer than all of them. Just that truck of weapons alone must have brought you a fat profit.” He paused, then turned back and asked, “Did any of you catch where our boss’s truckload of weapons ended up?”

The rest of the crew grinned. “We saw. There was more cargo inside too.”

Song Feng gave a slow, satisfied smile. “Perfect. Keep an eye on it.”

“Yes sir.”

Boss Kang went quiet, watching him with a look that said he knew exactly what kind of plan was brewing. After a round of negotiation that was anything but pleasant, they came to an agreement. He signed the check and tossed it over.

Song Feng caught it between two fingers, raised it to his lips and kissed it, then led the group off with a satisfied smile.

Boss Kang was fuming. He filed a report and made sure to flag it with extra detail. It landed on Wang Yizhong’s desk soon after. Wang Yizhong glanced through it, but the moment he saw that familiar name, he shoved the file aside and took a long gulp of tea to steady his nerves.

On the other end of the line, Boss Kang called out, “Director?”

Wang Yizhong snapped out of it and patiently tried to reason with him. “You made a profit. Just let it go.”

Boss Kang narrowed his eyes. “You’re really letting this slide?”

Wang Yizhong stared at the ceiling. “Absolutely. If I try to intervene, he’ll just dump the whole cost on me.”

Boss Kang stayed calm. “You once told me that if possible, we should try to trace the drug routes moving through the Golden Crescent. I know that isn’t my job, but I still kept an eye out, especially on the route entering western China.”

Wang Yizhong straightened. “Where is it?”

“I lost a big chunk of money. Been in a bad mood. Memory’s gone to shit. I’ll let you know when it comes back.”

Wang Yizhong: “…”

For safety, the Xingtian crew didn’t fly directly back to the city where their base was located. They landed somewhere else and switched to off-road vehicles. By the time they made it back, night had fallen. Everyone finally relaxed. After more than ten days away, the base felt like home.

“What’s the rush?” Song Feng said, stepping in front of them with a grin, still holding the check they had just earned. “We finally made some cash. Don’t you want to go have some fun?”

Everyone turned to Xiao Mingxuan. He didn’t say anything, just pulled Song Feng into his arms and said, “Let’s go.”