131. Reunited After Life and Death (Third Update!)

"Damn Libyans, all for the sake of the dollar!"

"Hahaha!"

"Let's have a toast!"

Misrata.

Inside the prison where Williams and the others were held.

The gloomy, damp underground cage was suffocating. The guards had been replaced by mercenaries; the rebels were clearly not foolish, knowing such tasks were better left to professionals rather than local militias. However, the mercenaries guarding the prison seemed indifferent to the offensive by Khamis's government forces outside the city. After all, they were just mercenaries. They worked for money, but if the situation turned sour, turning coat was not exactly a difficult decision.

Unfortunately, they had run into a group even more ruthless than themselves.

*Pfft! Pfft-pfft!*

A series of muffled sounds erupted.

Before they could even counterattack, several men were gunned down.

*Clatter.*

A wine bottle fell to the floor and shattered, spilling deep red wine everywhere. The air was instantly filled with the rich aroma of alcohol.

"Clear!"

"Obstacles removed!"

"Boss, we're in!"

Outside, Li Changjiang had shaken off his initial shock and adrenaline.

"Find the others and get out immediately. I'll cover you from the outside."

Before he could even finish his sentence, several figures suddenly darted into his line of sight. He swung his muzzle to the left with lightning speed, his finger tightening on the trigger, when he suddenly cursed under his breath.

"Damn it!"

"Nicholas, there's no time. Find them and get out of there immediately. There are enemies approaching, more than twenty of them."

Li Changjiang had intended to shoot the men who appeared, but he quickly realized something was wrong. About twenty people were charging out of the corridor on his right. If this weren't a life-or-death situation, he wouldn't have blown such a perfect shot.

"Fuck!"

The Russian, who had just stormed into the prison, cursed upon hearing the message over the comms.

"Quick, you guys go that way!"

Angel and Killer immediately charged toward the prison cells on the left.

Two minutes later, both teams met at the entrance, each carrying two unconscious men. Williams and Shi Junqiang were out cold; Tim and Bob were still conscious but severely wounded and required assistance. Elisa, however, was nowhere to be found.

"Tim? Where is Elisa?"

"Elisa? They’re keeping her on the second floor."

"Fuck!" Li Changjiang couldn't help but curse. "Nicholas, take them and get out of here right now. I’m going to find Elisa."

He stood up, slung his sniper rifle over his back, grabbed his AK assault rifle, and rushed into the prison entrance.

"You guys take them out; I'm heading to the second floor."

At the entrance to the basement, the Russian shouted to Tank and Doctor before immediately rushing toward the second floor.

"Damn it, that's Williams!"

Behind him, the British medic, Doctor, recognized Williams and exclaimed.

"Fuck! It's the Gryphon team."

"Hey, buddy, hey!"

After entering the facility, Li Changjiang avoided the elevator and turned toward the stairwell. He moved with incredible agility, his nerves pulled tight, his heart racing, and blood surging to his head.

*Hoo, hoo!*

He was panting heavily. The painful part was that he had to force his breathing to slow down. Soon, a mechanical voice echoed in his mind:

"Oxygen deficiency! Physical function down by 1%! 2%..."

It wasn't until it reached 5% that his vitals began to stabilize. By the time his body adjusted to the breathing rhythm, Li Changjiang had pushed open the door to the second-floor stairwell.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

"Damn it!"

"Fuck, Nicholas, are you trying to get us killed?"

Li Changjiang was speechless—he had accidentally fired a burst toward Nicholas. Once the gunfire started, hiding became nearly impossible. Footsteps rang out immediately, and frantic shouting filled the corridor. The two men charged forward as if their lives depended on it.

*Rat-tat-tat-tat!*

*Bang!*

"Damn it, we're blocked!"

Pinned in a corner of the corridor, the Russian looked somewhat disheveled.

"Where is Elisa?"

"2018!"

"Fuck! We went the wrong way!"

Looking up at the "2001" sign on the door, Li Changjiang felt a chill. "You hold them off here; I'll circle around from the back."

Without giving the Russian a chance to argue, Li Changjiang turned and sprinted away.

*Bang! Bang!*

He gunned down two rebels rushing out of the elevator. He cursed his luck and picked up the pace. The gunfire would soon attract every rebel in the building. Their time was short; if they were surrounded here, they would certainly die.

Inside 2018, hearing the gunfire, Elisa’s pale face lit up with a glimmer of hope.

"Elisa! Elisa! Where are you?"

"Damn it, why are there so many rooms?"

After searching for a while, seeing the number "2218" appear on the wall, Li Changjiang nearly broke down. He shouted at the top of his lungs, ignoring the danger. Time was life—this was no mere figure of speech.

"Eli—"

*Bang!*

Before he could finish, two shadows darted out in front of him.

*Bang, bang, bang!*

A burst of bullets raked the wall, leaving a row of holes. The bullets grazed his nose; Li Changjiang knew he was bleeding, but as long as he was alive, it didn't matter.

*Bang!*

He popped out and fired a shot.

*Click!*

Out of ammo!

"Bastard!"

"Li! Li! I'm here! I'm here!"

Hearing Elisa’s voice, Li Changjiang was overjoyed, but as he turned his head, he was rendered speechless. How the hell was she over there? It turned out Elisa’s voice was coming from behind the two rebels who had just charged out. The two rebels weren't stupid; hearing the voice, they stopped chasing and turned back, playing a waiting game. However, this gave Li Changjiang a chance to catch his breath.

*Click!*

He slapped in a new magazine.

This time, the two rebels were doomed. *Rat-tat-tat!* He cut them down with a burst of fire and rushed to the door.

It was definitely Elisa!

"Hey, Elisa!"

"Li, I'm here."

"Damn, the door won't open. Stand back!"

*Bang, bang, bang! Bang, bang, bang!*

He fired a dozen rounds into the lock and kicked the door open. Before he could even catch his breath, a figure threw herself into his arms, soft and trembling.

"Li, thank you for coming to save me! You're my hero."

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Elisa!"

Li Changjiang sensed that Elisa was overly agitated, but this was certainly not the place for affection. "We have to leave right now. Take this gun!"

He grabbed an AK from one of the corpses on the floor, and the two of them rushed back toward the elevator along the path they had come.

"Nicholas, retreat now!"