King Of War: Starting with Arms Dealer

Tom Reed's farm isn't as remote as Joe Ga made it out to be…

Through the small town south of the farm, following the road north, on the eastern side of the road are vacation farms and resorts scattered across the mountain terrain, while the western side is the Coastal Range. Heading about a dozen kilometers north of the farm's location, there's another small town.

Calling it remote would be an exaggeration, but it is a fact that the population along this route is sparse.

In the mountain range referred to by 'Poison Wolf,' there's a river that flows directly into a lagoon by the sea. If the enemy really uses a rubber dinghy to escape into the lagoon and then heads out to the open sea by boat, it truly would be impossible to track them.

However, seeing this kind of terrain actually put Joe Ga at ease, because such a challenging landscape was relatively advantageous for his side.

The terrain would effectively neutralize the enemy's numerical advantage, giving his team plenty of space to attack.

That's right, Joe never thought about 'defense'—it's always been about the 'attack.'

Were it not for Aaron's safety being a concern, Joe would have considered striking the two squads directly when they regrouped.

This situation wasn't bad either. Jungle warfare wasn't much of a problem for veteran teams like Team A and Team C, who were well-honed in tropical rainforest combat.

They weren't familiar with plateau forests, but the enemy clearly wasn't either!

And the advantage of this kind of terrain was that as long as they penetrated the forests, even if they used some unconventional weapons, they could escape to Tom Reed's farm before external law enforcement could react.

As long as they weren't caught in the act, Tom Reed—the lucky father-in-law—could figure out a way to cover for him.

The Reed family's influence in Oregon was enough that Rashiri and his group, even at this juncture, were still pleading for his help without daring to resort to hardball tactics. That spoke volumes.

The problem was, Rashiri's people had no understanding of the relationship between Joe and Grace. They still thought Joe was some scumbag who had abandoned her, which gave them a misplaced sense of opportunity.

They had no idea that after Joe recognized little George Brayden Reed as his own child, Tom Reed owed Joe a tremendous favor.

As Joe studied the map while smacking his lips, the battle-hardened intent he exuded caught Ronnie's attention, leaving him slightly bewildered.

It was the first time Ronnie had seen such an immensely wealthy boss act so aggressive about combat, as if the danger ahead wasn't a trap but an exhilarating theme park.

Thinking about it, Ronnie frowned and said, "Am I understanding this right? We're scouting the route ahead not to avoid the enemy, but to attack them?"

When Ronnie blurted it out, everyone froze for a moment…

Yeah, wasn't security work supposed to involve avoiding enemies and ensuring the boss's safety?

But after working with Joe for so long, everyone present seemed to have forgotten this point.

Spotting enemies, tracking them, and taking them out had become second nature.

Noticing Dorian's hesitant look beside him, Joe smiled and said, "We've always been accustomed to confronting enemies head-on. Running isn't our style.

Sure, bypassing the enemy might ensure a safe meeting with Tom Reed, but we'd still be facing their attacks in subsequent encounters. The security pressure would multiply geometrically due to the surrounding complications.

No need for that, and besides, we don't have the manpower!

I'm not skilled in dealing with overly complex situations, but I'm damn good at handling battles like this."

With that, Joe patted Dorian's shoulder, stood up, and grinned, "Guys, let me tell you a secret to success…

Always tackle problems in a way you're good at!

Maximize your strengths, use controllable forces to establish your baseline, and then push for breakthroughs.

'Taking shortcuts' can be a nice extra, but it can never replace 'delivering in a crisis'!

I've made it here because I always find the right enemies, and I never back down from the fights I need to take."

Hearing Joe's words, Dorian let out a lamenting sigh and said, "Boss, Dragon Gecko is definitely going to kill me…

But you're right, running isn't our style.

Shit, I'm gonna pack extra 'Broad Swords.' Once we finish off these guys, let's wrap this up quickly and get back to Sangha Town.

Boss, that's where the real action is. If you're itching to fight, let's go there.

With a bunch of old monsters around, Dragon Gecko wouldn't even dare to put on a stern face."

As he spoke, Dorian glanced at his watch and said, "FUCK, I need to get ready. Doesn't matter who the enemy is; we'll rip them to pieces…"

Ayu, rare as it was, echoed Dorian's sentiment. She stood up and said, "I'm going too. I can carry more gear. Once all the enemies are dead, the boss will be safe."

'Poison Wolf' rose with a slight nod and said, "P.B. has the best logistics soldiers in the world. We won't lose."

He turned to Thompson and added, "Forget about buying tickets, arrange for a private jet. We need to bring our own weapons.

I don't know if the enemy is as dangerous as you've described, but I do know this: since joining P.B., we've never lost in firepower.

It's a forest out there—give me enough firepower, and I'll make sure the enemy bleeds."

Cautious Thompson finally got fired up completely. He nodded and said, "No problem. I'll arrange for a private jet that doesn't ask questions to get you to Oregon State."

Ronnie struggled to fit into P.B.'s atmosphere. It was nothing like the mercenary group he imagined.

The boss was a warmonger, and everyone under him seemed infected by it, brimming with unbelievable morale and determination.

Feeling isolated, Ronnie hesitated for a moment before shuffling over to Jack Heinz, who was also leaning against a wall. He said, "This mission's purpose isn't what I expected. Let's team up…"

As he spoke, Ronnie glanced at Jack Heinz, who gave a slight nod of agreement, and then at the hyperactive 'Bone Crusher' pacing around like a maniac. He asked with a frown, "Have you ever dealt with this kind of situation? In my impression, even Delta Force folks weren't this trigger-happy…

I have to understand their mindset, or I don't think I'll be able to blend in."

Jack Heinz froze for a moment, then gave a bitter smile and said, "Then you're asking the wrong guy. I haven't blended in either, and I don't intend to.

But I can give you a hint…

The core members of P.B. mostly think they're fighting against 'evil.'

For us, being 'trigger-happy' is often just the start of PDST.

Because getting trigger-happy means becoming uncontrollable, and the consequences of us losing control are severe.

But for them, being 'trigger-happy' is a reflection of their courage and conviction.

And the reason is simple: they believe their boss will always point them at the right enemy!

This company has more lunatics than you can count, but they've never done anything that crossed their boss's moral boundaries, simply because they always have the right enemies."

Hearing this, Ronnie nodded slightly. A team driven by honor would display this kind of behavior, and it was natural for such a team's character to gravitate toward its leader's personality.

This wasn't surprising, but it also meant the team's weaknesses would be obvious!

Even so, Ronnie had to admit, teams like this were far more inspiring than America's mechanically synchronized, assembly-line-driven Special Ops Command structure.

Looking at the expressionless Jack Heinz, Ronnie asked curiously, "Why don't you want to integrate into this team? From my experience, soldiers dream of teams like this."

Jack Heinz looked at Ronnie and replied calmly, "Because Hu Lang burned my old man to ashes with a thermobaric bomb.

I spent my whole life rebelling against my old man, but he was still…"

Ronnie froze for a moment, unsure what to say. He patted Jack's shoulder and said, "I don't know how to comfort you, but I've realized what makes the boss better than most…

If it were me, I'd never let you anywhere near me."

Jack Heinz didn't meet Ronnie's puzzled gaze. He looked down and said, "He saved my life. Twice. Maybe three times. And he let me keep my last shred of dignity as a soldier…"

As the two spoke, 'Bone Crusher' rushed over, grabbed Jack Heinz, and shouted, "Come on, Jack, let's get our gear. I want to grab enough weapons and go kill something…

I'm sick of babysitting those chicken-livered recruits. Lately, I've been wanting to snap their necks. Now's my chance…"

Looking at 'Bone Crusher's' frenzied expression, Jack shrugged at Ronnie and said, "You see, P.B. easily attracts lunatics like him and gives them a purpose."

Shaking free of 'Bone Crusher's' massive hand, Jack turned to Ronnie and said, "What weapons do you usually use?

I'm an Assault Soldier; 'Bone Crusher' is a machine gunner…"

Ronnie glanced at 'Bone Crusher's' burly frame, nodded, and gave a shy smile. "I can be a marksman, switching between sniper and assault roles."

Ronnie noticed Jack hesitating to speak, so he added with a laugh, "I approached you, so you're the leader now.

The 'Super J' who led two squads to break out of an enemy encirclement in Aqionghan can be trusted."

Hearing his old army nickname, Jack froze, nodded, then shook his head, saying, "The past isn't worth talking about. Let's go and figure out what we need together."

Ronnie, ever the chameleon, seemed to get along with anyone. Smiling warmly, he remarked, "I heard P.B.'s body armor has been blessed. I need to get myself one."

Jack nodded in agreement. "It's the best I've seen. Definitely get one.

There will be snow in the Oregon High Plateau forests in November, so remember to stay warm and bring snow camouflage."

As everyone rushed en masse to the equipment room, a burly Russian man knocked on the conference room door and said to Joe Ga, "Boss, there are a few people outside. They say they're delivering something to you."

Joe Ga grinned when he heard this and said, "I have to call Maguire and thank him…

Their efficiency is truly top-notch!"