Leveling Up With My Pet



[ "Boss, we've received another contact from the pirates. They're not agreeing to the 72-hour deadline and have given us a new ultimatum of 6 hours. They've threatened to kill one of our crew members if we don't deliver the $100 million US dollars within that time, " ] Qui Yang informed, concern etched on his face.

Liu Yong's heart surged with anger. These pirates were pushing him to the edge. Taking a deep breath to control his emotions, he replied, [ " We'll transfer the money to their designated account within the next 6 hours. However, there's a condition: once they receive the money, they must immediately release our ship and crew unharmed. " ]

Qui Yang raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. [ "Boss, are we really giving them $100 million dollars? " ]

Liu Yong's eyes burned with determination as he responded, 

[ " Yes, we'll give it to them. As long as our crew can safely return, the money is insignificant. And I assure you, we'll make them regret it many times over. " ]

With the crew held hostage, Liu Yong felt a certain level of restraint. But he planned to unleash his fury upon these wretched pirates once they were freed. After ending the call, Liu Yong motioned to his team and declared, [ " Let's go. We'll find a hotel to stay in temporarily. " ]

Exiting the airport, they were greeted by a bustling scene. Various vendors, rental tricycles, and a few taxis filled the surroundings. People from all walks of life hurriedly passed by, and to their surprise, some individuals openly displayed weapons, like AK-47 rifles slung over their shoulders.

[ " This place is truly chaotic, " ] remarked Kang Zhenggang.

[ " Yes, it seems carrying weapons around the city is a common sight, " ]  He Qiang chimed in.

Liu Yong turned to them and asked, [ " Would you like to hold a gun ? "]

Their eyes widened with excitement. Since retiring from the army, they hadn't had the chance to handle firearms, and their hands were itching for it.

[ "Boss, are you suggesting we buy some weapons ? " ] He Qiang asked eagerly.

Liu Yong waved his hand dismissively. [ " Of course, we can't go without a few weapons. " ]

Spotting a taxi nearby, Liu Yong signalled for them to enter and addressed the driver in English, [ " Take us to a weapons store. " ]

The taxi driver nodded, glancing at Liu Yong and his companions, wondering who these people were and why they were so hurried to purchase weapons right after getting off the plane.

Sensing the formidable presence of Liu Yong and his companions, the driver refrained from speaking frivolously and dutifully escorted them to a local weapon shop renowned for its wide selection and affordable prices. Despite the perpetual civil strife in Somalia, with daily conflicts and a crumbling economy, such arms vendors lined the streets, a common sight. 

As they arrived, Liu Yong handed a $100 bill to the driver and instructed him, [ " Wait for us here; we need to go to the weapon shop. " ]

The driver's face lit up with delight, realizing he had encountered an esteemed clientele. He eagerly nodded in agreement.

Liu Yong, Kang Zhenggang, and He Qiang entered the weapon shop together. The store, spacious and well-stocked, boasted a variety of arms. Kang Zhenggang and He Qiang displayed evident excitement, eagerly sifting through the weaponry on offer.

Liu Yong, with a determined expression, selected a Desert Eagle. Recognizing its immense power and acknowledging the recoil it possessed, he saw no issue in handling it proficiently.

In addition to the Desert Eagle, Liu Yong opted for a KA-BAR sabre, renowned worldwide for its quality craftsmanship.

Kang Zhenggang and He Qiang also made their choices, selecting pistols and daggers and acquiring an L85A3 assault rifle manufactured in-country Y. These rifles utilized NATO standard ammunition and featured a 30-round magazine.

After expending thousands of dollars on their essential arsenal, along with an ample supply of ammunition and several grenades, the trio boarded the taxi again, their weapons in tow, and temporarily settled into a relatively comfortable local hotel.

Upon checking in, Liu Yong suggested, [ " I had a brief encounter with real firearms during military training in college. This is only my second time being in close contact with them. Let's find a suitable place to test our weapons. " ]

Kang Zhenggang and He Qiang exchanged glances, realizing their Boss had limited experience handling firearms.

Subsequently, Liu Yong arranged for the hotel to provide them with a jeep at a daily rental cost of $200. The three departed from the hotel, embarking on a journey toward the countryside.

As they ventured beyond the city limits, the landscape turned desolate—either barren desert or expansive arid lands.

Eventually, they discovered a secluded stretch of Gobi and commenced their shooting practice there.

Having familiarized himself with the operation of the Desert Eagle, Liu Yong began his target practice. A line of stones, each roughly the size of a fist, was positioned 50 meters ahead. With Kang Zhenggang and He Qiang observing intently, Liu Yong aimed at one of the stones and squeezed the trigger, firing his first shot.

-Boom!

Liu Yong squeezed the trigger, but his shot missed its mark. Despite aiming carefully, the bullet failed to hit its intended target. The stone remained untouched, leaving the bullet's destination unknown.

Kang Zhenggang and He Qiang exchanged a subtle glance, smiling slightly. The Boss hadn't lied; Liu Yong was an inexperienced rookie.

The second shot also missed, followed by the third and fourth shots.

Each initial shot was missed, leaving only one bullet in the magazine. Finally, this last bullet found its mark, obliterating the fist-sized stone 50 meters away.

Liu Yong reloaded his magazine and continued shooting.

Something was different now. The gun was hitting its targets, systematically blasting the stones in the distance one by one!

Kang Zhenggang and He Qiang exchanged surprised looks.

[ " It's the Boss! " ] Kang Zhenggang exclaimed.

[ " He's suddenly become a marksman! " ] added He Qiang.

Liu Yong's rapid improvement could be attributed to his exceptional attributes. His strength, physique, and agility were astonishing. Even with little experience handling a gun, some practice transformed him into a sharpshooter.

Firing several more magazines, Liu Yong reached a point where he could almost instinctively aim without consciously doing so. He fired effortlessly, frequently hitting his intended targets with remarkable precision.

[ " Alright, let's go back, " ] Liu Yong said.

The three of them returned to the hotel in a jeep. Soon after their arrival, a knock sounded at the door, and a young man with an Oriental face entered.

Though casually dressed, it was apparent at first glance that he was a soldier.

[ " Mr. Liu, hello, " ] the young man greeted.

[ " Captain Han, thank you for your hard work, " ] Liu Yong replied, gripping his hand tightly.

Han Yi was a Yan Kingdom military member and an exceptional warfare team captain. He had come from a military base to establish contact with Liu Yong.

For the military, Liu Yong was considered a person of great importance. The hijacking of the Global Shipping Group's container ship, the "Eastern Star," had drawn considerable attention from the military.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Han Yi got straight to the point and shared some valuable information that the general had provided with Liu Yong.

[ " Mr. Liu, the Somali pirates currently consist of four major factions: the Puntland Guards, National Coast Volunteer Guardians, Merka, and Somali Sailors. " ]

[ " The pirates who hijacked the 'Eastern Star' belonged to the Melka organization. Behind this group of pirates lies the Somali Al-Shabaab, the largest non-governmental military force in Somalia. " ]

Having listened to Han Yi's informative briefing, Liu Yong finally learned which group of pirates had hijacked his freighter.

-Hmm!

.............