Chapter 544: The Crimson Threat

"What did you say?"

In the command room, Hou Yi splashed water on his face, took Zhao Haishen's spot, and personally sat in charge of the command.

We thought the surprises were already plenty, but we didn't expect Bai Yuan to bring another bombshell.

Gabriel is the soul of the French Foreign Legion, truly the army's chief instructor.

Someone like that cherishes his reputation, so how could he let his son become a mercenary and join a series of illegal crimes?

Zhao Haishen lowered his voice at the side: "Perhaps he doesn't know anything about this at all? Or maybe this guy has nothing to do with him, just wants to use a name to seek protection, who knows?"

Hou Yi was pondering which possibility was more likely when Bai Yuan asked again: "Brigade Commander, we still can't verify the opponent's true identity; should we interrogate them using the previous methods?"

Hou Yi: "You just said both mercenaries showed a strong willingness to cooperate?"

Bai Yuan nodded: "Yes. One of them is named Tamer, a Georgian freelance mercenary; according to him, he was tricked by an information dealer into coming to Southeast Asia, his daily pay was only three hundred dollars, and the drug dealer who hired him owed him three days' wages."

"He says he knows where a nearby island hides drugs, and is willing to disclose all the intelligence the upstream drug factory knows, even wanting to take a gun and kill those drug dealers himself."

"Of course, that's just his side of the story; it could be compliance and cooperation to survive and lessen punishment."

Hou Yi lifted his teacup, took a sip, and asked Zhao Haishen: "What's your opinion?"

Zhao Haishen cleared his throat, but Zheng Chengfeng cut in before he could speak.

"I think we can first survey the nearby island to see if, as he says, there really is hidden drug stock."

"If there is, at least it proves he isn't lying entirely; the information he provided still has some credibility and can be used as a reference."

"As for truth or falsehood… the Anti‑Narcotics Headquarters and its detachment will send people to scout in advance, and after confirming, will discuss the next steps."

Zhao Haishen stared wide‑eyed and said, "You just said everything I was going to say!"

Zheng Chengfeng simply ignored him, treating him as if he were air.

Hou Yi: "Bai Yuan, did you hear that?"

Bai Yuan hummed: "Then first interrogate them separately; prevent the two from colluding, which also ensures the consistency and completeness of the intelligence."

Hou Yi added: "Alright. As for the guy named Valentin, treat him as a regular mercenary for now; there's no need to verify anything with his father yet."

"Regardless of truth or falsehood, it won't affect our judgment or his personal punishment."

"If he violates laws and regulations, when it comes to sentencing, he'll just go to prison, go to prison."

"Zheng, Brigade Commander, any other additions?"

Zheng Chengfeng shook his head, indicating to proceed just like that.

After finishing his report and returning, Bai Yuan pushed the door open and saw a scene so eye‑burning that his gooseflesh fell to the floor.

He saw the two who were previously unharmed now stripped completely naked.

Lu Yang tightly bound them together, frantically taking photos with his phone, occasionally offering professional guidance.

"Face to face, hold tighter."

"Smile naturally, imagine you're taking wedding photos, that's the feeling."

"Be a bit ambiguous, a bit gentle; Tamer, right, he's shy, so you take the initiative."

"Don't be shy, you're both grown men, nothing to be embarrassed about; another close‑up, yes, like that…"

Lu Yang's flash went "click click click" nonstop, and Bai Yuan's eyes nearly popped out.

He never dreamed that after stepping out to make a call, the room would turn into a performance‑art show?

The two special‑forces guards responsible for watch also stuck their heads in, looking extremely shocked, instantly feeling filthy and unclean.

Bai Yuan's eyes twitched as he asked, "What are you doing?"

Lu Yang, without turning his head, replied, "Taking photos."

"I'm asking why you have to bind them like that for photos and stuff something in their mouths!"

"Good question. Doing this is to break their mental defenses; for straight men, this kind of psychological attack is more direct than physical, so later when we debrief they won't babble."

Bai Yuan covered his face with his hand, genuinely unable to watch: "Hold tighter; after you're done shooting, I'll come back."

As Bai Yuan turned to leave, the two mercenaries kept wailing "woo woo woo" at him, begging him to act and end this nightmare.

Lu Yang shut the door and sneered at them: "Don't waste your effort; from the moment you set foot in Longguo's waters, your lives no longer belong to you."

"Cooperate obediently and tell everything you know; you might get leniency. Otherwise, the outcome is not only a dead end but also disgrace and ruin."

"Especially you, Valentin."

"Wuwu??"

Valentin stared, not understanding.

Lu Yang lifted his phone and sent him several close‑ups: "If these photos appear at your father's workplace, or in the inboxes and phones of your friends, family, relatives, aunts and uncles, how do you think that would turn out?"

Valentin's veins bulged, his eyes reddened, and he struggled wildly.

Tamer, bound with him, was suffering terribly, the rope choking him painfully.

Lu Yang simply opened the recording, trimmed the ends and shot another segment, then chuckled wickedly: "Thanks for the new restricted‑level material!"

Valentin was so angry his seven orifices seemed to smoke, wishing he could eat his flesh and drink his blood; he had grown up under his father's and brothers' wings, never allowed to do anything he wanted.

Back then, his father taught him the most: you haven't yet seen society's dangers, you have no idea what the outside world is like.

Now, Valentin finally sees it.

He also finally understood why his father wouldn't let him enlist, nor permit him to quit mercenary work.

He only wanted to rebel, to inherit the Gauthier family's generational military glory in another way, but never imagined being humiliated like this in Longguo, possibly bringing shame to his clan.

Lu Yang saw the seething hatred in his eyes, knew he had much to say; so he first slapped him twice, jolting him awake, then removed the rag stuffed in his mouth.

Valentin's head buzzed, with a slight ringing in his ears.

He angrily demanded, "You, what exactly are you doing? I already said I'm willing to cooperate!"

Lu Yang made a shushing gesture: "I want you to do an extra little favor."

"Dream on!"

Lu Yang swung a slap and accidentally hit two.

Tamuer said miserably: "I agree, I'll agree for him."

Lu Yang, getting straight to the point, said: "Later, help me get some foreign military equipment from the black market—weapons and firearms—and bring them back."

"What do you need these for?"

Tamuer didn't understand: "Could it be that you Longguo soldiers aren't issued weapons when you serve?"

Lu Yang: "You don't need to know this."

Tamuer said: "No problem, this isn't difficult for me; as long as the money is there, even if you want tanks, I'll find a way to get them."

Lu Yang laughed: "The main problem is we have no money."

Tamuer: "......"

He had a "motherfucker" to say, not knowing whether to speak it.

Valentin gritted his teeth: "If you let me go, I can get it for you right away!"

Lu Yang shook his finger: "First, you're mercenaries and you've broken the law; even if you don't die, prison is certain."

"But if you cooperate actively, provide useful intelligence leads, and help us take down that bunch of damned drug dealers in one swoop."

"Perhaps after a year or so in jail you'll be released; then you'll be deported and regain your freedom."

"Get me those things, and I'll delete the photos; otherwise you won't be able to stay in the mercenary circle."

"I doubt anyone would hire a pair of homosexuals for a mission; I've even given this a catchy name: 【Mercenary Gate】."

Their teeth were on the verge of breaking, anger burning them.

If the guy in front of them were just a mercenary like them, that would be fine!

How could someone so despicable, vicious, and lacking any moral scruples be a regular soldier?

You know, the mercenary world is both large and small.

Usually, aside from fighting, missions, and bounties, they love nothing more than bragging in bars.

Once these photos leak, they'll be instantly disgraced, their careers ruined, and they'll become the industry's biggest laughingstock.

Walking around with a gun and being pointed at everywhere is unbearable—worse than being randomly gunned down on the battlefield.

No wonder they say Longguo is a mercenary's forbidden zone; this time I've truly seen it!