Chapter 74: This Is a Real Man! A True Hero!

The bald man’s sniper rifle could not penetrate the concrete wall, which meant he couldn’t clear out the hidden artillery position. Once Tiger and the other PMCs attempted to drive away with the hostages, there was a high chance they’d be blown sky-high.

It was now certain: the rebels possessed individual anti-tank missiles, equipped with tracking systems. Once locked on, no amount of driving skill could save them.

Moreover, the two gunners hidden inside the house were protected by rebel fighters. They had all the time they needed, able to wait safely indoors until the hostages were loaded, then come out and fire, ensuring they wouldn’t be sniped.

Tiger and the PMCs not only lacked time but were critically low on ammunition; they simply couldn’t afford a protracted fight. They had to leave as soon as possible.

Tiger understood this well. Taking the second hostage handed to him by Xing Xiaolong, he asked in a low voice, “Baldy, can you change your angle to shoot?”

“No. These two bastards aren’t ordinary. Their positions are perfectly placed in my blind spot. Unless I move to the opposite hill, there’s nothing I can do,” Baldy replied.

Switching from one hill to another wasn’t possible in a short time.

Tiger’s brow furrowed, caught in a dilemma.

In this suppressed situation, even if Tiger didn’t say it, the other PMCs knew they had only two choices.

They could abandon the road and move quickly through the woods to the second extraction point. But the hostages were wounded and unconscious, some even dead. Progress would depend on carrying them, which would greatly slow the retreat, and they’d be chased by both rebels and government forces.

Bullets don't discriminate. During a pursuit, no one could guarantee their own survival, let alone the safety of the hostages.

The second option was to split the squad into two groups.

The first group would stay with Baldy, providing covering fire to suppress the two gunners. The other would seize the opportunity to drive the government’s abandoned pickup truck at the village entrance, escaping the battlefield with the hostages.

This plan could rescue the hostages, but was difficult to implement. Once the second group escaped, the first group would be at a severe disadvantage. With the gunners still alive, driving the remaining pickup out would likely end in disaster.

With ammunition nearly depleted, survival would depend on fleeing into the woods on foot.

But the rebels were guerrilla fighters, much like our ancestors during World War II—always leveraging the cover of the woods against the government forces, who, despite superior equipment, were helpless against them.

The rebels knew these woods intimately; once inside, they would be in their element.

The first group of PMCs, lacking ammunition and outnumbered, could only rely on luck and the favor of Lady Fortune to escape.

Given the current situation, Tiger would have to carry out the second plan.

But leaving the first group behind would almost certainly mean death, and deciding who would stay was the real problem. Though Tiger was the leader of this Beast Squad, the squad was just a registered team with the Peace Hotel.

The Peace Hotel operated under a unique model; Tiger was not the actual boss, just a temporary leader.

In other words: if there was work, they did it together; if not, everyone went their own way.

During Tiger’s indecision, Xing Xiaolong dragged the remaining seven living hostages out of the armored personnel carrier, handing them off at the door for Tiger to transfer to the back of the armored vehicle.

During this process, three hostages regained consciousness and, after Xing Xiaolong’s explanation, understood what had happened.

With three extra hands, Xing Xiaolong could organize the hostages quickly.

Tiger and the PMCs’ discussion was crystal clear over the radio to Xing Xiaolong, and he knew the situation was hard to resolve.

He checked the injuries of the wealthy woman again, finding her breathing steady and in no immediate danger. Xing Xiaolong sighed in relief, stood up, and addressed Tiger seriously, “Captain, give me the machine gun. I’ll cover the retreat alone—go and organize the others, and get the hostages out of here as quickly as possible.”

“You’ll cover us alone?” Tiger was startled, staring at Xing Xiaolong in disbelief.

To Tiger, facing the rear alone was tantamount to suicide. Even with his years of special forces experience, he wouldn’t dare take on such a task solo.

But Xing Xiaolong, with no special operations experience and little tactical understanding, stood up at this critical moment.

Tiger was truly shocked!

“I promised I’d cover the retreat. Staying behind is only a slight increase in difficulty. Besides, I grew up in the mountains; I have more advantage than you in a woodland retreat.”

Xing Xiaolong, a country boy, was used to running and jumping through the hills since childhood and was very familiar with the terrain. This was his personal advantage.

Of course, his real confidence in staying behind came from his “cheat”—his own unique edge. Acting with Tiger’s men would actually hinder him.

Sometimes, simple brute firepower with unlimited ammunition was more effective than any technique.

“Are you sure about this? The consequences of staying behind might be…” Tiger asked solemnly one last time, not finishing his sentence, but knowing Xing Xiaolong understood.

The three hostages who had already awakened were deeply moved, their eyes red, upon hearing this strong Asian youth bravely volunteer to stay behind and buy time for their retreat.

Especially the one who had created the connection between Louis Gabriellagues and Xing Xiaolong, the one specifically named in the mission envelope for rescue…

She appeared to be no older than twenty-five, her noble bearing shining through the blood and grime—Artilicia Len Lagues. She looked at Xing Xiaolong with a gaze sparkling with admiration.

It seemed that Xing Xiaolong’s act of bravery had shattered certain preconceived notions, showing her what a true man was—a real hero.

After all, those polite, gentlemanly nobles could never muster such raw courage.

“There’s not much time. Give me your gun,” Xing Xiaolong said.

Gunfire at the village entrance was getting closer; Xing Xiaolong knew Black Fox and the others were at their limit. He walked over and took the MG4 light machine gun from Tiger’s back.

“In my life, few have earned my respect, but you’re the exception. I’ll remember you, brave panda boy,” Tiger said, thumping Xing Xiaolong’s chest, his opinion forever changed. He handed over the machine gun and reached for grenades and the remaining ammunition.

But Xing Xiaolong waved him off.

“This is enough.”

He slung the machine gun over his left shoulder, patted the HK433 rifle on his chest, and finally glanced at the unconscious wealthy woman, earnestly saying, “Please, take good care of her for me. Thank you.”

“Of course. Unless I die,” Tiger said solemnly, patting his chest in promise. He then added, “I’ll wait for you at the second extraction point for ten minutes. I hope you’re not late.”

“OK!”

Xing Xiaolong gave him a hand signal.

With a mix of anxiety, apprehension, fear, and an inexplicable excitement, he headed straight for the only three-story concrete hollow brick house on the left side of the village entrance.