What!?
Gu Ji originally thought that completing the ultimate goal meant clearing the game, but unexpectedly, another hidden objective appeared.
"It seems the side mission is a necessary prerequisite to unlock the hidden mission."
He mumbled to himself but couldn't quite understand the meaning of "finding the golden truth." The system didn't provide any explanation or clues.
Such a riddle master.
"Jamie is out, let's go take a look!"
Upon seeing Jamie, Jillian hurriedly pulled Gu Ji to catch up, as if fearing he might run off.
"What kind of nonsense is this!"
"We want to get out!"
"Damn it! I need to leave this damned place with my daughter right now!"
...
At the airport lobby entrance, many domestic and international passengers were passionately arguing with the soldiers guarding the door.
Following the military medic stretcher to the vicinity, Gu Ji and Jillian were stopped by soldiers: "The airport shooting has not yet been fully investigated. Until the military announces the crisis is resolved, no one except the injured can leave the airport."
Upon hearing this, Jamie on the stretcher raised his head weakly and said, "Don't worry about me, handle the important matters first!"
The underlying message of his words was clearly reminding Jillian not to forget the photos.
"Okay, once the lockdown is lifted we'll visit you at the hospital."
Jillian watched as Jamie was wheeled away by the military medic, and just as the crowd cleared a path, her gaze sharpened as if she'd spotted something, quickly pulling out her phone to snap several photos.
"What are you taking pictures of?"
"Nothing."
Unexpectedly, Jillian's eyes seemed somewhat evasive.
Gu Ji subtly squinted but didn't press further.
His intuition told him that if he wanted to complete the hidden mission, it must start with this "Jillian Foster."
Another twenty minutes passed.
A large number of soldiers began to retreat from the second floor of the airport. Strangely, apart from the few terrorists previously shot dead, Gu Ji didn't notice any new bodies or hear anyone had been captured.
Could it be the government troops haven't found Cohen?
That shouldn't be the case, it's been over half an hour since the military surrounded the airport...
Just as he was pondering the reason, the airport duty manager and Felsen among other federal police, surrounded by several government soldiers, came walking toward them.
The leading black officer had a slightly chubby figure with a baby face, but his gaze carried inherent authority.
Unlike ordinary soldiers, his shoulder patch was embroidered with gold wheat and sword insignia, suggesting an unusual status.
"Mr. Neifer, these two are the heroes who saved Laird Airport."
The mixed-race manager eagerly approached Gu Ji and Jillian, introducing them obsequiously.
Upon hearing the title of Colonel, Jillian's expression instantly turned tense, seemingly worried her mission would be discovered by the military.
On the contrary, Gu Ji remained calm and inscrutable.
Nefid sized the two up with surprise and excitement, he proactively extended his hand and smiled: "Thank you very much for your help, I am Char Nefid, the Colonel in charge of the Addis Ababa Defense Government Army Combat Regiment investigating the Laird Airport shooting incident. May I know your..."
"Jillian, United States."
"Jiang Songyuan, South Korea."
"From hero countries!" Nefid shook hands vigorously, with his baby-faced look, he appeared sincere and genuine when smiling, "On behalf of the Ethiopian government, I express my heartfelt thanks in advance!"
The duty manager clapped in coordination with the atmosphere but was interrupted by Gu Ji:
"Mr. Neifer, thank you for your compliments. I have a question I'd like to ask."
Nefid paused, "Feel free to ask."
"I previously reported to your soldiers about a terrorist's whereabouts. This person always wore a black hood and should be the mastermind behind this airport attack. His last known position was the restroom at the international boarding gate on the second floor. I suspect he hid in the airport ventilation ducts. Was anything found?"
Before Nefid could respond, Felsen next to him shook his head: "I also informed the combat regiment soldiers about this, but unfortunately, there was no discovery, he probably escaped in advance."
Nefid pursed his lips, suddenly adopted a stern expression and turned to his adjacent subordinate: "Take a few people to the airport ventilation ducts, search thoroughly!"
"Yes!"
The subordinate responded swiftly and proceeded to leave.
"Rest assured, as long as this person is at the airport, absolutely won't escape!"
Nefid patted Gu Ji's shoulder and returned to his genuine smile, "Since that's the case, you don't need to stay at the airport anymore, quickly retrieve your belongings, and follow me to the command center to recount the entire process of the shooting incident, facilitating our further investigation."
"I have no belongings."
Gu Ji shook his head, while Jillian ran to the police office where equipment was previously organized, retrieving two backpacks.
Nefid arranged for two subordinates to assist with carrying them, then led them out of the hall.
Outside the terminal, the afternoon sun was still glaring, plenty of troop carriers and ambulances were parked in the open space, soldiers standing guard every five steps formed an impenetrable ring around the entire airport, including civilian aircraft on the runway and the control tower.
Nefid arrived at a light armored vehicle in olive green.
The black driver inside was smoking, but upon seeing the Colonel, he hurriedly extinguished the cigarette with his hand, got out, and saluted: "Hello, Colonel!"
Nefid gestured with his hand to relax them, turning back with a smile: "The conditions are simple, you'll have to bear with sitting in the back!"
The black driver quickly ran to the rear of the vehicle, opening the door to the armored compartment.
Inside, it was indeed very basic. Besides the symmetrical bench-style seats on both sides and a tungsten filament lamp on the ceiling, there was nothing else.
Gu Ji pushed himself off the tail of the car and jumped in, reaching back to pull Jillian up. "Careful," he said.
Jillian nodded, and then two guards followed behind.
Once the rear door closed, the car lit up with orange-yellow light. The iron plate facing the driver's cabin clicked and a small window was pulled open. Through the window, Mr. Neifer smiled and said, "It's a half-hour ride, you can take a good rest!"
After speaking, he closed the small window again.
Gu Ji and Jillian sat opposite each other, with the two guards sitting beside them. Their Type 56 submachine guns stood silently by their sides. The four of them exchanged glances in silence, creating a temporarily awkward scene.
"How long have you been in the military?"
Perhaps trying to ease the atmosphere, Gu Ji finally spoke after a long silence, asking the black soldier next to him.
The soldier, who seemed no older than twenty-five or six, had eyes that spoke of a weathered experience, indicating he'd seen many battles. Hearing Gu Ji's question, he shivered slightly before replying in an official tone, "Eight years."
"So you joined the army before you were even an adult?"
"Yes."
"That's tough, huh..."
Listening to Gu Ji's "awkward small talk," Jillian turned and started a conversation with the soldier next to her. The four of them chatted off and on.
Suddenly, the armored vehicle veered onto some rough terrain, its wheels hitting a pothole. The whole vehicle shook violently to the right, throwing the four of them together.
A sudden change occurred.
In an instant, a glimmer of silver light flashed in Gu Ji's hand, stabbing fiercely into the throat of the young black soldier beside him. It was a dining fork. Splat, a fountain of blood shot out, spraying onto the face of the other soldier.
"Colonel! He..."
The other soldier barely had time to lift his Type 56 rifle before Jillian tackled him to the ground.
"Ugh..."
The young soldier's eyes widened, filled with disbelief, as blood foamed at the corners of his mouth.
Click!
A sound came from the small window connected to the driver's cabin.
In a flash, Gu Ji grabbed the young soldier's shoulder, pushing him toward the iron plate of the driver's cabin, just blocking off the small window that was being pulled open, bang bang!
Two handgun shots were fired through the iron plate.
The young soldier arched his back, his body twitching twice, the weathered look in his eyes fading, as his body went limp.
Gu Ji quickly snatched the Type 56 rifle from his hands. Leaning his back against the body, he flicked off the safety with his right hand and shouted, "Get down!"
Hearing the command, Jillian lifted her head and quickly rolled aside.
Click, click, click!
As the other soldier's body became exposed, Gu Ji decisively pulled the trigger. The bullets pierced through his side, sending blood spraying out in a swirl like a blossom.
"Finish him off!"
Uttering the words, Gu Ji turned like a hungry tiger, kicked the body aside, and thrust the gun barrel through the small window, pulling the trigger wildly once again.
In an instant, gunfire roared in the cabin, a noise so sharp it hurt the ears.
But before it could last more than a few seconds, the vehicle suddenly swung, tipping violently to the side and rolling uncontrollably to the right. The massive inertia pressed Gu Ji, Jillian, and the bodies of the two soldiers against the right door.
Bang!
The vehicle flipped over, the steel plate hitting the ground, denting inward upon impact, then wobbling before flipping completely upside down with a loud crash!!
"Ugh... ah..."
Gu Ji pushed himself off the ground, shaking his head. He felt a cold, wet sensation trickling down his temple from his forehead, his vision swirling and blurring, covered in dust. In the dim light of the vehicle, he quickly locked onto the small window leading to the driver's cabin.
He grabbed the Type 56 rifle in his hands, crouched, and continued shooting madly at the window.
The copper-gold shells hopped out of the ejection port, bouncing off the metal door of the armored vehicle with a crisp "ding ding" sound.
Until the moment the angle cut into the window.
Gu Ji saw two bodies covered in blood.
The driver.
And.
Colonel Nefid.
"Hiss..."
Behind him, Jillian clutched her head in pain, moaning. Seeing Gu Ji aiming at the window with his gun but not firing, she suddenly snapped awake, "Dead?"
"Dead."
"Do you know you killed a colonel?"
"I know."
Gu Ji's voice was calm as he turned and sat against the iron plate, wiping his forehead, his hand covered in blood. "Didn't you also join in on the attack?"
"That was because you gave me a signal!"
Jillian grumbled irritably. Earlier, when she had nearly been killed handling the terrorists in the terminal, it was Gu Ji who grabbed her at the crucial moment and shouted "Careful." So when he repeated the gesture and words while boarding the vehicle, it seemed particularly deliberate.
But she still couldn't understand why Gu Ji dared to kill a colonel from the government forces. "Why did you suddenly attack?"
"And why were you secretly taking pictures of the terrorists?"