Fatal Strike: Mercenary Road of Gunfire Ranger
Chapter 168 Unlucky Ghost

Chapter 168: Chapter 168 Unlucky Ghost

Sergei was taken aback. He wasn’t an idiot; Mountain Eagle’s reminder made him abruptly realize that he seemed to have become a sacrificial pawn...

Snowden’s layover at Moscow Airport was big news within the Great Russia Intelligence Department, and he was well aware of how many people from Russia Security Department were at the airport.

Now that a man carrying important documents had experienced an assassination attempt getting off a plane, and those people from the Security Department didn’t show any reaction, it meant they had been prepared for this, and now, Snowden was probably already being relocated.

The airport was in chaos because of Snowden, and the Russian side, in order to ensure the security of their immigration area, allowing Snowden entry was justified.

And to let Snowden enter, they would have to offer him temporary refuge.

At this point, agents from the Russia Security Department could contact Snowden naturally...

Sergei didn’t know that Snowden had been taken away by Blood Fox, nor was he aware that this incident wasn’t led by the Security Department.

However, he guessed the most important part for himself, which is that he and Selena had become expendable in the process.

Looking at Mountain Eagle following Selena as she left, Sergei thought about the Assassins locked in the immigration detention room, and with gritted teeth, he strode toward the detention room.

He needed to confirm his suspicions...

Without the collaboration of a mole, those Assassins, who looked pretty average, wouldn’t have been able to get on the plane, let alone get hold of a knife at the airport.

Sergei had his basic self-respect, and having somewhat guessed the outcome, he felt as if he had let go of some of his concerns.

But if he couldn’t get a clear picture of the entire incident, its causes, and details, he really couldn’t forgive himself.

It felt like studying hard for 12 years, only to find out you’ve been attending a vocational school.

To be worthy of his past hard work and patience, he had to prove his capability; otherwise, no matter the outcome, it would be deserved.

Selena also embraced similar thoughts, and she had in fact been maintaining communication with Sergei via radio all along.

After listening to Sergei’s judgment on the situation, Selena’s heart sank...

But at the same time, this also strengthened her determination to find out the truth. Accordingly, her attitude towards Mountain Eagle softened as well.

Selena, driving the car, glanced at Mountain Eagle who was resting with his arms folded and eyes closed. Hesitating for a moment, she suddenly said, "I’m sorry..."

Mountain Eagle opened his eyes, looked at Selena’s profile with a smirk, and said, "You’ve apologized before. I don’t mind digesting a bit more repentance, but the premise is that this ’apology’ is unconditional."

Selena pursed her lips slightly and nodded, "I’m sorry for my earlier mistakes, my apology to you is unconditional, but I still hope you can tell me everything you know."

Mountain Eagle listened and nodded slightly, "First answer me a question...

Why have you been watching me since the moment you boarded the plane?

Although I’m decent looking, I’m not the suspicious-looking kind. Why are you dead set on keeping an eye on me?"

After hearing this, Selena frowned slightly and said, "Because a mentor told me there would be a very dangerous person on the plane, and it’s a Chinese..."

Mountain Eagle frowned and said, "Did your mentor also say that after you screw up, he will cover for you?"

Selena was stunned for a moment, then shook her head and said, "No, she’s just a retired personnel..."

Now, whenever Mountain Eagle heard the term ’retired personnel,’ he felt a headache coming on. Blood Fox seemed to be cultivating some ability in him, always hinting at things unclearly, always trying to make him figure it out himself.

Selena and Sergei, the two ’useful’ people referred to by Blood Fox, whether they were deliberately arranged by him, or he took advantage of the situation, Mountain Eagle found it hard to differentiate.

Looking at Selena’s complex expression, Mountain Eagle thought for a while and said, "Did your mentor warn you in advance about your current situation?"

Selena’s expression suddenly stiffened, and then she nodded slightly, "She warned me that tasks which seem simple when handed down to the unwanted only mean one thing: someone needs a scapegoat.

I didn’t take her advice, so she gave me some hints..."

Mountain Eagle responded with resignation, "How can a retired personnel get a passenger list and profiles?

Did your mentor call someone, and then this so-called ’dangerous mission’ came about?"

Selena was startled, then suddenly pulled over to the side of the road, looked into Mountain Eagle’s eyes, and said, "So my information wasn’t wrong?"

Mountain Eagle scoffed and said, "Look at your current situation and then listen to what you’re saying...

Your so-called mentor is misleading you, and you are acting like an overwhelmed rookie."

After a few seconds of silence, Selena shook her head, "No, she wouldn’t deceive me. There must be something I’ve overlooked."

Looking into Mountain Eagle’s eyes, Selena said, "What exactly is your purpose in coming to Moscow?"

Now that Snowden has obtained legal political asylum, Mountain Eagle candidly said, "I’ve been invited by a mentor to come to Moscow for some peripheral protection work..."

"I’m a cop, after all. This is right up my professional alley!"

Selena’s eyes suddenly widened in disbelief, "Snowden?"

She shook her head and continued, "That’s impossible. Snowden is surrounded by the Security Department’s special agents everywhere, he doesn’t need..."

Before Selena finished speaking, she saw Mountain Eagle’s seemingly amused expression on his face. She realized something was off, but couldn’t quite put her finger on it...

Mountain Eagle himself didn’t really understand, but part of being a leader is to pretend you know everything, even if you don’t.

Then you use certain methods to motivate your subordinates, so even if things don’t work out, you can tell the unlucky guy who handled the task ’it’s your problem,’ then step in to clean up the mess.

Seeing Selena fall silent, Mountain Eagle said with a smile, "It’s difficult for me to explain clearly to you. What you need to do now is to take me to the Four Seasons Hotel, and then try to find that female thief, rather than attempting to find the problem from a higher perspective.

Because you’re responsible for protecting that fat man named Schneider, your next actions should start with Schneider or the documents he lost."

As he spoke, Mountain Eagle looked at Selena, whose expression displayed a lack of confidence, and he said cheerfully, "As a cop who makes a living from solving cases, I’m willing to offer some technical assistance...

Of course, this won’t be free."

Selena frowned and replied, "What do you want? Money?

I don’t have money. Booking a room at the Four Seasons Hotel will max out my credit card."

Mountain Eagle said with a grin, "Booking the room is your way of apologizing to me, that’s non-negotiable.

If you want my help in finding the suspect, in return, you must provide me some convenience using your identity while I provide peripheral cover for Snowden.

Of course, while you provide convenience, you’ll also be able to join me in protecting Snowden, then you’ll have the chance to see clearly what’s really going on."

Saying that, Mountain Eagle extended his hand to Selena, smilingly adding, "Of course, you can also disagree, and remain in the dark forever...

Sometimes ignorance is bliss, especially for intelligence organizations like yours.

Knowing too much isn’t necessarily a good thing for you!"

Mountain Eagle’s seemingly caring words meant something entirely different in Selena’s ears...

Mountain Eagle knew very well how to motivate someone. He easily ignited Selena’s desire to succeed while recasting her current predicament in a different light.

An unresponsive boss, uncertain future, and the case at hand - these issues combined made Selena feel lost, but she was certain about one thing...

No matter what the outcome, she wanted to know what mistakes she had made. Why were those people setting her up to take the fall?

As an agent still with an air of a rookie about her, Selena felt that even if she lost her current job, she had to drag down those who framed her.

Looking at Mountain Eagle’s hand still extended in mid-air, Selena hesitated for a few seconds before grasping it and said, "I understand you want to use my identity at the Intelligence Bureau to coordinate your activities in Moscow...

I can agree to that, but..."

Selena let out a wry smile and continued, "But I also don’t know if my identity will still be valid after dawn tomorrow."

Mountain Eagle responded with a nonchalant wave, "I think you may have judged wrong again...

Besides, whether you’re suspended or not makes no difference to me. I don’t intend to use your identity for anything inappropriate.

The places I’ll be going, I don’t think anyone will really check your identity."

Selena, looking at Mountain Eagle’s smiling eyes, nodded heavily and said, "If you help me find that thief and prove your sincerity, then we have a deal!"

Mountain Eagle nodded slightly and replied, "No problem, you should actually think bigger...

Like why the female thief would choose the Four Seasons Hotel as her base, could it be that it’s a prearranged spot to trade off the documents from that fat Schneider’s possession?

I don’t know the contents of the fat man’s documents, but since they put him in charge of escorting them, they can’t be that important, probably only of some value to Snowden.

The people interested in those documents are probably not many...

Those in the same field or with the same needs know each other best. Only by finding the female thief’s backer can we approximate the mastermind behind Matthias, the assassin at the airport..."

Selena frowned at Mountain Eagle and said, "Even if I find the thieves’ backer, what can I do to him?

He hasn’t gained anything, and as long as he denies any connection to the thief, I have no way to hold him accountable.

My intelligence department doesn’t have law enforcement authority, I..."

"Are you being silly?"

Mountain Eagle looked at Selena’s somewhat resentful expression, amusedly saying, "If someone else has snatched what you wanted, and now a cop comes to ask you about it, would you keep secrets for your competitor?

Although I don’t know their core grievances and conflicts, if it were me, I would definitely want to step on my competitor and create some trouble for them, to facilitate my later actions."

Upon hearing this, Selena suddenly widened her eyes: .........