Hitching a Ride
"Huh?"
Yamamoto Takeo gaped in astonishment. Division Chief Sakurai's suggestion was simply baffling.
They were going to keep following Li Bai? What was going on?
Was this basically desertion?
It made no sense at all!
"Listen to me. I have my reasons."
Sakurai Norika glanced at the prisoners.
Whether they escorted the prisoners back to the Japanese Embassy in Mogadishu or waited for the next batch of reinforcements to arrive, neither option seemed realistic.
Li Bai, who had already sheltered them twice, certainly wouldn't stay here to keep them company. With only herself, Yamamoto Takeo, and Okamoto—the huge burden they had to drag along—they couldn't possibly keep the prisoners under control. There were too many uncertainties. Staying together would only put them in danger.
"Mr. Li Bai, what do you think?"
Before explaining her idea to Yamamoto Takeo, Sakurai Norika first asked for someone's opinion.
After all, if Li Bai refused, her plan would be nothing but nonsense.
As she spoke, Sakurai Norika nervously studied his expression.
When Yamamoto Takeo had introduced the young Chinese doctor to her, he'd made it clear that Li Bai was difficult to talk to and had a truly awful temper.
Her own interactions with him had confirmed as much.
"I'll take you to Kenya!"
Unexpectedly, Li Bai didn't refuse.
He just didn't like trouble.
Agreeing to help this woman would bring some trouble, but refusing would probably bring even more. Leaving them here would put their lives in danger. If anything happened to them, it would eventually be pinned on him, Li someone. That wouldn't be worth it.
So weighing the pros and cons was easy.
"Thank you very much for your help, Mr. Li Bai!"
Sakurai Norika bowed deeply. Once she straightened up, she said to Yamamoto Takeo, "We definitely