"Oh! Dudarev and his crew are pulling out of Afghanistan! The Americans could show up here any minute, so we better get out of this area too!" Colonel Hank Han said, sounding urgent.
"Wait, Dudarev's retreating?! Is he done with his arms and opium business?" Shawn Young asked, looking surprised.
"Oh, Dudarev doesn't need to mess with guns or opium anymore—he's got enough cash to live like a king for the rest of his life!" Han replied with a grin.
"Really? How's that work?" Shawn pressed, still curious.
"Back in that little village, those Delta Force guys figured out they'd been sold out and left behind. So after they ran out of ammo, they surrendered fast. Thanks to our help, Dudarev managed to snag a few surviving Delta Force members! That's bragging rights for years! If he uses the right channels to hit up the Americans for ransom, they'll have to pay big to get their boys back. Otherwise, Dudarev hands them over to the Jihadists! Heh—those extremists love their beheading videos, and if they send one to Al Jazeera, the media circus will be wild! The Americans are gonna bleed cash this time! Honestly, I've got to hand it to Dudarev—living life on the razor's edge is pretty damn thrilling!" Han said, sounding almost jealous.
"So that's the deal, huh? Should we be leaving with Dudarev's group then?" Shawn asked.
Han shook his head. "Nope, we're taking a different route. The value of Black Eye and these documents is way higher than those captured Delta Force guys. As long as we're in Afghanistan, the Americans won't let up. And Dudarev might be friendly now, but he's a greedy arms dealer—he doesn't know what we're really here for. If he finds out we're carrying something this valuable, who knows what he'll do! Out here, besides the Americans, Dudarev's got the most pull. If he decides to come after us, we're toast! So we need a new way out!"
"Fair point! So what's our exit plan?" Shawn asked, eager to know.
"We helped a bunch of folks in the tribal area, so now the Afghans are treating us pretty well. Major Akram's working out the details right now. The tribal folks will hook us up with some wheels and send a few people to travel with us. Next stop: Peshawar, Pakistan!" Han said, sounding optimistic.
"Wait, the tribal area has wheels? Like, cars?" Shawn asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Nope, donkeys! Afghan donkeys! And donkey carts!" Han replied, trying not to laugh.
"Uh—donkeys?! We're riding donkeys all the way to Pakistan? How far is that?" Shawn blurted out, totally stunned.
"You don't get it! In Afghanistan, donkeys are a strategic asset—sometimes even more useful than Humvees! It's all mountains here, so military vehicles can't get through, but Afghan donkeys are built for this terrain and climate. Only Afghan donkeys can handle it! So the tribal folks will give us a whole team of donkeys. We'll disguise ourselves as locals, wrap our heads in turbans, and cover our faces. Out here, besides the tribal folks, the most likely people you'll bump into are US troops. But most of our route is in tribal territory, so with their protection and guidance, we'll have a much smoother and safer trip out of Afghanistan!" Han explained, sounding like a tour guide.
"Makes sense! Let's do it. I just want to get back home ASAP." After just a day and a half of nonstop violence, death, and terrifying high-tech weapons, Shawn Young found himself missing the peaceful life in China more than ever.
"Yeah, we'll leave as soon as Akram gets back!" Han waved, leading everyone down the hillside path to wait. Soon, Major Akram returned with several Afghans, bringing a few donkeys and donkey carts loaded with Arab goods. Black Eye was hidden in a cart with just a few air holes for breathing.
An Afghan spoke to Major Akram in Arabic, and Akram turned to the group and said in Chinese, "My friends, if you've got any phones or devices that can be tracked, turn them off now. US satellites are watching this area 24/7, and any phone signal can be picked up by their military satellites. Their system even has keyword alerts—if you mention military terms or sensitive names, their computers will sound the alarm."
Shawn Young asked, "So if the Americans spot something like this, especially at night, what do they do?"
Major Akram replied, "The Americans don't usually send people right away, but they'll send the Air Force. In no time, a Global Hawk drone will be launched from the airbase—their sensors and radar can easily find the signal target even in the dark, then they'll use infrared flares to destroy it!"
Shawn Young sighed, "So the Americans just kill people based on unconfirmed info? What about international law and humanitarian spirit?"
Major Akram shook his head. "Sigh! The Americans are invaders—they don't care about humanitarian spirit. In Afghanistan, US troops kill without any restrictions. If they think you're a threat, they'll attack without hesitation. Even if they kill the wrong person, they just make the sign of the cross. Sometimes, to capture a ruined building, they'll call in bombers to flatten it, no matter if there are civilians inside. It's almost routine here!"
Shawn Young was speechless. Now he truly saw America's ruthless dominance as the world's top power, and felt deep sympathy for the suffering Afghan people—even though he couldn't help. He sighed, admiring the courage of the Jihadists fighting US troops with primitive weapons.
Haha! Happy New Year, everyone! Now that the Afghanistan mission is wrapping up, the story's about to take a wild new turn! Keep supporting Codex of Ascension—there are even crazier adventures ahead!