Question Them One by One, Kill Them One by One

"Kirov, I want to order takeout."

That's what Kang De said.

Business is coming in, which should be a cause for celebration.

Especially in the arms dealer business, where a single order can sustain them for three years, and the client is someone with power, wealth, and generosity, Kirov should be enthusiastic and happy to receive such an order call.

But this time, he only felt waves of... testicular pain.

Brother, the plane full of weapons you bought should be enough to plow up the entire Comora region, right?

Why do you want more?

Even though Kirov had been in the arms trade for many years and was already incredibly audacious, he still felt uneasy.

Over the years, he has traveled all over the world, his footprints covering many chaotic places such as Southeast Asia, Central America, South America, and Africa. He has dealt with many tyrants, scum, butchers and madmen, and has already witnessed the evil of human nature. Morality is nothing but a joke in his eyes. He thought he was fearless, but Kang De, a young man he had only known for less than two days, gave him a great sense of oppression and fear.

This China man is different from those tyrants, scumbags, butchers, and madmen.

The source of power for those warlords and dictators is wealth, their armies, weapons, oil, land, and the support of the United States. That's why they dare to act recklessly and do whatever they want.

They killed indiscriminately, kept slaves, inflicted torture, and watched gladiatorial combats. They trampled on all public order, good customs, and moral character, considering themselves inherently noble. But when they lost their support, they howled like pigs and dogs, just like the creatures they trampled on, being humiliated, tortured, and tortured to death.

Without what they relied on, these people are nothing more than writhing, insignificant lives.

But this China man named Kang De was different.

This person did not go mad because of power, but rather gained power through madness.

The essential difference between the two is that the young China man bought a whole transport plane full of weapons to rescue his father in Africa, but Kirov had a feeling that even without that plane full of weapons, Kang De could still achieve his goal and kill anyone he wanted to kill.

So what was his purpose in buying more weapons?

There is only one answer.

He wanted to exact a more severe revenge on those who kidnapped his father and didn't mind escalating the conflict.

But I mind!

I just wanted to sell some weapons. I didn't want to attract the attention of the five permanent members of the Interpol because of a massacre that shocked the world, and then have Interpol trace my origins back to me!

The official international order strictly prohibits arms smuggling, but the world is not black and white. In the Shadow, there is another set of dark orders that are not known to outsiders. In the Shadow side of this world, arms smuggling is tacitly permitted to some extent—provided that you don't cause too much trouble, to the point that an assault rifle with the fingerprints of the United States president appears at the scene of a massacre.

People will die.

He should have simply and bluntly refused, then hung up, deleted the contact information, and gone as far away as possible. But holding the phone, he swallowed a few times unconsciously and said nothing.

There are some people in this world who, even if you are thousands of miles away from them, have only met them once, and can lose contact with them at any time... you still don't have the courage to reject them.

The words that were about to come out had already changed their meaning. "You... what would you like to order?"

Kang De thought for a moment, "Cluster bombs, thermobaric weapons, sarin, thermobaric weapons... do we have these?"

The sound of a Russian spitting water came from the other end of the phone, "These things are so expensive that even the world's five largest arms dealers wouldn't dare sell them! Some are even banned by international conventions! If I had these things on my shelves, Xie Liqian wouldn't even have the right to talk to me! And they're expensive too!"

"I see." Kang De thought for a moment, "What about 155mm or 152mm howitzers? Self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, Vulcan cannons, shore-based naval guns—I remember you moved the AK-130 naval gun ashore, and the Phalanx. Oh, right, I saw the Russia- made 'Death Combine Harvester' online before..."

"..."

Kirov remained silent for a short while.

Then, in a sincere tone, he said, "Brother, boss, I'm just an arms retailer. I wholesale small-caliber firearms and ammunition, and I buy back secondhand weapons and sell them to those who need them. That's all. My abilities and connections are limited. I can only afford heavy weapons at the platoon level. This world is cold and real; there are some things that money can't buy..."

"What restricts your purchase is not your wealth, but your power and my status."

"Especially these things you mentioned. In Africa, no country uses these things systematically in war. The AK rifle is the real weapon of mass destruction."

"In today's world, large-caliber howitzers, self-propelled anti-aircraft guns, tanks, and naval guns are all regular arms sales between countries. They are efficient but expensive, and even small countries cannot afford them. The five permanent members of the UN Security Council would not allow a warlord or dictatorial madman to obtain such terrible weapons. Money and social class are not always compatible."

"Just as Zuckerberg can't sail a Zumwalt destroyer back to his private island, Jeff Bezos can't buy a B-2 bomber to park at his private airfield, even though they have the financial means to buy a dozen or even dozens of them—they can't even afford a single one."

"Do you understand what I'm saying, sir?"

Kirov swore that he had never explained a complex problem so patiently and gently since graduating from high school... not even to a president or general.

Kang De paused for a moment, then said, "Two questions."

Kirov perked up. "What did you say?"

How can I successfully purchase those weapons?

"It's obvious," the Russian said without hesitation, "Purchasing military equipment as a legitimate country allows us to acquire these weapons completely legally and without any risk."

"Or, as a powerful warlord, extend an olive branch and sign agreements with the target country that cover everything except arms trade—political agreements, trade deals, etc... you understand."

"I see..."

On the other end of the phone, Kang De murmured to himself, his eyes deep and mysterious.

Then he said, "So, the second question, Kirov, do you sell individual shells?"

"... What do you mean?"

Kang De cracked his neck. "I mean, if I captured something like a 155mm howitzer in Comora, but had limited ammunition and needed to purchase shells, do you have a solution?"

"That's acceptable..."

The Russian hesitated before saying, "After all, there's a lot of room for maneuver in handling artillery shells and ammunition. Reporting exercise consumption and disposing of old ones is very convenient, at least more convenient than dealing with the weapons themselves... Have you already captured some?"

"No, but you can start stocking up now."

Kang De said, "To capture—this is a traditional skill of our Chinese nation."

Before Kirov could say anything more, he continued, "Furthermore, APEI ammunition needs to be replenished. I need more RPG rockets and 30mm AGS-17 grenades. Kirov, I also need high-powered, wide-range, long-range, and inexpensive weapons..."

A flash of inspiration struck Kirov.

Once he entered the state, he became a reckless death merchant who didn't mind doing business with demons, and almost immediately he thought of the most suitable product.

"Why not try your country's domestically produced goods? The Type 63 towed 107mm rocket launcher, which is considered one of the three great guerrilla warfare weapons along with the AK-47 and RPG, is good quality, inexpensive, easy to operate, and readily available."

"Very good."

Kang De's words were concise and to the point, which was quite satisfying.

He finalized the specific quantities with Kirov, and the Russians promised to do their utmost to stock up. At the same time, he still nervously reminded Kang De that if he caused any major disturbance, such as burning the Comora capital to the ground, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council would surely show him what swift action and international order meant.

"Don't worry, I'm not crazy."

"..."

These words left Kirov speechless.

"By the way—can you get your hands on landmines?"

--You still say you're not crazy!

Kirov sighed.

Kang De spoke to him in a polite tone, but for some reason, his unease and fear grew stronger, as if he were not communicating with a harmless China man, but a terrifying demon covered in blood. He didn't know if this was his imagination or a mental problem, but he had been having a strange, sharp intuition these days... Perhaps it was just some kind of mental stress.

But he did find Kang De terrifying.

I'm also not keen on having any unpleasant conflict with this China person.

Anyway, the plane full of weapons this guy bought from me is enough to wipe out the entire population of a city. Since that's the case, I might as well sell him some more; things won't get any worse.

If he really is a madman, then something bad is bound to happen. Since something bad is bound to happen, and it could implicate me, why don't I make a fortune in return?

--That's how the arms dealer convinced himself.

"Okay, okay, my brother, I have, of course I have, and lots of them."

"As you know, due to international pressure and the difficulty in clearing them out, there's a huge stockpile of these... What type do you need? Anti-infantry or anti-armor?"

"Infantry."

What type? Fragmentation type or explosive type?

"Broken pieces."

Kirov spoke of this with great familiarity, "So, which one do you prefer?"

"Type 72 Antipersonnel Mine, weighing one kilogram and containing 122 grams of explosive, produced in your country?"

"BLU-42 Antipersonnel Mine, manufactured in the United States, weighing 470 grams and containing 60 grams of explosive?"

"--Or is it the MON-200 Antipersonnel Mine, produced by the great Soviet, weighing 25,000 grams, with a 12,000-gram explosive charge, a kill radius of 200 meters, and facing the enemy from all four directions?"

"... Is that an anti-personnel mine?"

"Yes, comrade."

Kirov replied solemnly, "The Great Soviet Red Army's definition of infantry differs slightly from that of other countries—whether they are sitting in a truck, an infantry fighting vehicle, a tank, or even a helicopter, as long as they are human, they are infantry."

"Your landmines are even effective against helicopters?"

"... Yes, comrade, although helicopters are not intended to be targeted, the MOH200 does have a record of shooting down helicopters, that was in Afghanistan."

At this point, Kirov's tone became somewhat strange and awkward. "The only problem is, that helicopter belonged to the Soviet Union..."

... So Russian indeed.

"Sounds good—give me five hundred first."

"... We can't gather that many at once, and they're very heavy."

"Then do your best to collect them. Besides that, I also need anti-aircraft guns and machine guns, no matter what brand or how old the model, as long as they can fire, I want them all."

They discussed some more details. The Russians need two to three days to prepare the goods, and then airlift them. As for where to transport them, how to transport them, and how to deploy them, they will discuss that later.

Kang De calculated the time and realized they could afford to wait. In the other world, it would take A Xing and the others at least a day to reach Danfeng Lucerne, while on Earth it would take seven days, which was more than enough.

In terms of the intensity of the war, the situation in the other world is far more dangerous. On Earth, he not only has to rescue his father, but also try to acquire as many, larger, and stronger weapons as possible.

Whether it's buying, stealing, or robbing.

"Did you have a good harvest, Father?"

After hanging up the phone, Iron Son's question came from the car stereo.

The Humvee rumbled southward, crossing the desolate Gobi Desert, as night slowly fell.

"That's alright," he said. "It depends on what our mercenary friends bring us."

In the military camp ravaged and nearly wiped out by Kang De, a large amount of fuel was found. The contents of the armory were unremarkable, but the warehouse was stockpiled with building materials and even industrial explosives. Kang De, with his family background in esoteric studies, recognized these items as being for demolition and excavation... How could such things be found in a military camp?

According to Oschatz, these were transported here by mercenaries. What do they need these things for?

Without thinking twice, Kang De and Horus collected these things and then threw them all back into the White Mist Space.

He didn't care what conspiracy was hidden in this invasion, what the mercenaries were after, or what the purpose of kidnapping China people was.

All he wanted was to rescue his father, get weapons, and then destroy all hostile creatures.

This is the only operational plan.

As dusk settled, the moon rose and night fell. Lights were scarce in Comora, where electricity remained a luxury. Kang De had arrived in a small town west of Moyani, the capital of Comora. From a mountain, he could see the distant city with faint lights, tracer bullets streaking across the sky, and the occasional sounds of gunfire.

There seems to be ongoing fighting there.

Kang De surveyed the red lights in the town with the keen eyesight of a life detective.

Large numbers, with ample power supply, armed, and patrolling.

It's not difficult to pinpoint its location.

A three-story, beige house, Oschatz said, was where he had brought the China.

However, within the field of vision, no people who were restrained and unable to move were seen.

Hold.

Kang De's face darkened.

He got out of the car, went to the door of the three-story walled building, and knocked on the iron gate.

Is anyone home?

He asked in English.

Soon, someone walked towards him, shining a bright flashlight on his face, which was very dazzling, but Kang De did not blink, staring at the other person's face in the bright light.

He is a white man.

"Who the hell are you?" The fully armed white man approached, glaring at him. "Get lost!"

"I'm here to find people." Kang De removed his scarf, revealing his face, and said calmly, "I'm China, and I've come for my compatriots... Can you tell me where they are?"

The flashlight beam cast a white light on the yellow skin, so the man didn't initially notice anything amiss. But upon hearing "Chinese," the white man's expression changed drastically, and he raised his gun. "Fxck!"

Just as he was about to raise his gun, Kang De threw a punch.

With a deafening roar, the iron gate's railings were broken and bent by the fist.

As soon as Kang De threw his punch, it pierced through the railing. Midway, it transformed into a claw, grabbed the man's throat, and pulled him backward. The man's body lurched forward, and his head slammed straight into a broken and bent section of the railing, piercing through his mouth and exiting diagonally from the back of his head, leaving a string of brain matter sticking out.

Kang De twisted the iron lock, pulled open the iron gate, and casually broke off two iron bars. He then stomped on the other person's back, causing the convulsing body, which was half-lying on the iron gate, to sink. The mouth and half of the head were completely torn open, and blood gushed out like a fountain, splattering onto the ground several meters ahead.

Inside, some people had already heard the commotion and were peering out the window. Kang De swung his arm, and two iron bars shot out like short spears. The window shattered, and two people froze in place, their throats gaping open as the iron spears pierced through them. Moments later, their bodies fell straight down.

Someone rushed out of the main gate, but Kang De was faster. He took a step forward and leaped forward, his body shooting out like a cannonball. His shoulder slammed into the man's chest, shattering his sternum. The impact carried the already dead body through the first-floor door and into the foyer, sending pieces of wood, glass, and dirt flying everywhere.

The first, second, and third floors were in complete chaos, with footsteps and shouts filling the entire house.

Kang De raised his left hand, and lightning crackled around him. A blinding flash of thunder shot into an electrical outlet, and a chaotic, raging bolt of lightning swept across the entire room, extinguishing the lights and plunging everything into darkness.

The enemy's voices grew increasingly terrified; some turned on their flashlights or lit their lighters.

But the hunters moved through the darkness, chasing the light to hunt, gunshots rang out, then quickly fell silent, heavy objects fell one after another, and there were screams and painful howls.

Although it seems that my father and the others have been moved, the target is still clear, and the clues have not been lost.

Even if the connection is broken, it doesn't matter. The mercenary leader and the king of Gambia will always find a way. The goal is to rescue my father, so we should follow the clues instead of going the long way around.

First, knock everyone here unconscious.

Then they questioned them one by one, and killed them one by one.

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PS1: First update, 5000 words! Remember to vote!