Chapter 31: Encountering Danger

On the other side, the Sozali Republic.

The off-road vehicle sped along the rugged mountain road full of potholes. Shi Yi sat in the back, dizzy from the shaking, and waves of nausea rolled in her stomach.

She seriously suspected that Lin Xiaoman was driving the off-road vehicle as if it were a fighter jet...

Seeing Shi Yi's face paler than a ghost, Chen Mo took a small paper bag from his pocket and handed it to Shi Yi,

"Here, for motion sickness."

Shi Yi opened it and saw it was a bag of dried mangoes. She took a piece and put it in her mouth, barely squeezing out a smile.

"Thank you, Doctor Chen."

They had been driving for more than 2 hours, but there were still about 4 hours of driving distance to the refugee camp. The air was sultry, the scenery outside was becoming more and more desolate, and the radio was still looping the latest war situation between the Kabango army and the government army.

A tense atmosphere gradually permeated the air.

"Doctor Chen, the situation outside seems very chaotic now. If, I mean if... we run into the Kabango army, what should we do..."

Shi Yi asked cautiously.

Before the words fell, several gunshots rang out. Sparks erupted from the bushes a few dozen meters away, and bullets pierced the scorching air and slammed into the off-road vehicle, causing the car body to shake violently.

"Get down!"

Chen Mo quickly pressed Shi Yi's head down.

Lin Xiaoman stepped on the brake, pursed her lips helplessly, "No... I'm saying Xiao Yi, is your mouth really blessed?"

Shi Yi:...

"I'm sorry..."

Soon, seven or eight local young men wearing red headscarves rushed out from both sides of the road. They all had fierce and greedy eyes, and the rifles in their hands glinted coldly in the sun—Shi Yi recognized the badge on their shoulders; it was the mark of the Kabango army.

Lin Xiaoman quickly rolled down the car window, raised her hands, pointed to the Chinese logo on her clothes, and said in fluent English:

"We, we are just Chinese enterprise employees trapped in Sozali, about to evacuate back to China... please, officers, be lenient..."

The few young men looked expressionless, staring straight at her. Lin Xiaoman translated it again in broken local language, her face covered in cold sweat, and she was so nervous she almost bit her tongue.

"By the way, do you need money? I have money, I... I can give it to you!"

Lin Xiaoman hurriedly took out her wallet from her pocket. Just as she wanted to take out the money and hand it over, the wallet was immediately snatched away by a large hand on the opposite side.

The leading officer rummaged through the wallet, took out all the banknotes and put them in his pocket, then threw the empty wallet on the ground and stepped on it.

Through the car window, Shi Yi saw the photo of Lin Xiaoman's daughter, Xiao Shiliu, also being stepped on under the man's feet. The chubby little face in the photo was now crushed to pieces.

Lin Xiaoman's face turned pale for a moment, but she still maintained a humble smile, "Officers, that... can we go now?"

The leading young officer, although not old, had a pair of green eyes that looked up and down at Lin Xiaoman like a sinister and cunning wild wolf, his fingers constantly rubbing against the bolt of his gun...

Shi Yi's heart was pounding, jumping to her throat. It was her first mission, and she didn't expect to encounter such a dangerous situation.

"Go."

After a while, she heard the officer say in a hoarse voice, and at the same time, the cold muzzle finally lowered.

Lin Xiaoman felt her whole body relax, thanked them repeatedly, and then quickly rolled up the car window. However, just as the window was about to close, a loud shout suddenly came from outside—

"Serum!"

Shi Yi didn't know what this meant, but Chen Mo's heart trembled immediately. He knew this was the local language for "serum."

"Oh no, they've discovered the serum in the car!"

The next second, gunshots rang out suddenly. At the same time, Chen Mo almost instinctively lunged toward the freezer box beside him, shielding the box of antiviral serum with his body.

"Doctor Chen!" Shi Yi's heart jolted violently.

A huge force slammed into Chen Mo's shoulder, Chen Mo's body lowered, and his face turned pale. Fortunately, he was wearing a bulletproof vest, and the bullet didn't shoot into his body.

"I, I'm fine, hurry up and go! Drive!" Chen Mo said while gasping for air, his tone firm and commanding.

Chen Mo knew their identities had been exposed, which was equivalent to being doctors helping the Sozali government. Not only would this box of serum not be kept, but these people wouldn't let them live either!

"Keep your heads down!"

Lin Xiaoman shouted, and then stepped on the brake.

The off-road vehicle made a "boom" sound, rushing forward like a roaring giant beast. The soldiers in front were immediately knocked flying, their bodies drawing an arc in the sky before hitting the ground and remaining motionless.

"Hit the target, do it!"

The leading officer shouted, and seven or eight soldiers immediately aimed their guns and chased after them. Bullets rained down on the off-road vehicle like countless fireworks exploding suddenly. Fortunately, the off-road vehicle's body was also bulletproof, otherwise the three people in the car would have long since become sieves.

"Hold on tight!"

Lin Xiaoman gritted her teeth and stepped on the accelerator to the end. Chen Mo and Shi Yi buried their heads under the seats, not daring to move. The car rushed forward for hundreds of meters at lightning speed, but the next second, the car body tilted, and the entire carriage sank into the soil without warning.

*Boom, boom, boom*—

Lin Xiaoman turned the key, trying to start the engine several times, but the off-road vehicle only made a "buzzing" sound, and the heavy smell of gasoline permeated the air, but the car body wouldn't move at all.

"Damn! The tire was shot!"

Lin Xiaoman gritted her teeth and slammed the steering wheel.

Shi Yi was still squatting under the seat, her heart beating violently. She carefully raised her head to look, and in the reflection of the rearview mirror, the rebels had already caught up, about six or seven of them, with dark muzzles aimed in her direction.

"What should we do?" 【3

A massive sense of dread pressed down like a tidal wave, and a trace of trembling stained Shi Yi's voice.

"You two stay here and don't move."

Just then, Chen Mo's calm and composed voice came from beside her.

He slowly rose to his feet, cradling the freezer box containing the serum in his arms. "I'll go out and draw them away. Once we've gone far enough, you two look for an opportunity to escape. No matter what, just stay alive."

"Dr. Chen, no!"

Shi Yi's heart trembled. She knew Chen Mo intended to trade his own life for their chance to escape, but she did not want to accept such an opportunity!

"Dr. Chen, don't go! Even if we die, we should die together!"

Lin Xiaoman shouted loudly. She turned to look at Chen Mo's silhouette, her eyes bloodshot, tears swirling in her eye sockets.

Chen Mo smiled faintly.

"Silly girl, what nonsense are you talking about! Xiaoman, you must take good care of Xiao Yi, and you two act according to the situation. Don't worry, I have the serum in my hands; they won't open fire easily."

As he spoke, he took a deep breath, his expression turned stern, and then he opened the car door without hesitation.