Chapter 133: Infiltrating in Disguise

Kano City was the birthplace of Azarias’s rise to power, and as such, he had turned it into his primary stronghold. Security checkpoints, searches, fortifications, and guard posts were everywhere. The armed rebels stationed at every post were heavily armed with live ammunition, ready to open fire at the slightest provocation. Nearby, a row of wooden stakes stood tall, each displaying a corpse subjected to public hanging. Dian Jiang sat gloomily in a corner and remarked, "Those bodies belong to the Nili Republic’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the spokesperson for the press, the Minister of Education, and other high-ranking officials. It’s nothing more than a warning."

Qin Yang nodded and continued his observation. The people coming and going included not only Nili locals but also foreigners, who appeared to be merchants looking to acquire gemstones for greater profit. Transport trucks loaded with weapons could be seen entering constantly. Every person was subjected to strict searches, and there were hidden sentries in every corner; it was so tight that not even a mosquito could slip through.

"We need to go undercover," Qin Yang said, lowering his binoculars.

It was clear that Nili was determined to stand against China, so entering as Chinese citizens would be like walking into the tiger's den. The group carefully retreated and rented a house in a nearby inn. After checking the room for surveillance devices and confirming it was clear, Qin Yang ordered, "Tang Li, Zhou Kehai, Dou Bo, Wei Dao, go out and patrol. If you encounter any scouts, eliminate them immediately."

"Understood."

"Tan Long, Zhao Wu, you two guard the entrance. Do not allow anyone to enter."

"Understood."

Once the orders were given, the group pushed a large table together and spread out a sheet of white paper. Qin Yang drew the defensive layout around Kano City, incorporating the terrain he had observed and the memories he had extracted from the rebel lieutenant they had killed earlier. He also sketched out some of the city's internal layout; while not perfectly detailed, it was enough for the team to analyze.

"It will be very difficult to infiltrate," Yang Guang frowned, his tone grave. "The enemy's defenses are too dense. It is almost impossible for us to pass through layer by layer safely."

"Indeed. If I’m not mistaken, the person who designed this defense plan is Leo Sur, the famous 'Bloodhound' of Africa," Dian Jiang added. "This guy has an incredible eye for counter-reconnaissance and counter-espionage. Trying to sneak in is practically suicide. While we can hide weapons in our bags to bypass machine scanners, we cannot avoid physical searches by humans."

"Disguise," Qin Yang said calmly. "This city is Azarias’s base; weapons are available everywhere inside. We need to go in undercover."

"But what happens after we enter? How will we locate the three hostages? Azarias considers them as good as ammunition," Xie Chengyang asked. "We need to scout their location and guard situation. Furthermore, we must devise a strategy to rescue them safely. There are only thirteen hours left until the transaction with the terrorists, and the time is extremely tight."

Xie Chengyang’s words highlighted the immense pressure they were under.

They needed to scout where the hostages were being held, the equipment of their guards, and the defensive setup. The thought made everyone’s expression turn heavy. If Azarias dared to trade with terrorists, then those three must be under the tightest possible protection. Go up against an army of ten thousand in a city? Even with all his pride, Qin Yang wasn't arrogant enough to attempt that.

"How about we wait for the trade, then kill the terrorists and seize the hostages? Dealing with a hundred or so people is much better than taking on an army of ten thousand," Yang Guang suggested calmly. "We few can go undercover first to scout the situation. If possible, we can blend into the terrorist group, launch an attack from the inside and outside, and wipe them all out in one go."

"Good. Let’s do that." Qin Yang nodded.

He looked at the others and said, "Xie Chengyang, Yang Guang, Xu Lai, Zhu Wu, and I will disguise ourselves as Middle Easterners and enter Kano unarmed." As he spoke, Qin Yang pulled a mobile phone from his bag and added, "I will keep in touch with you at all times to inform you of the terrorists' route. You set up an ambush along the way. It’s settled."

With that final decision, everyone understood that the initial strategy for the operation had been set. The next step was the disguise. Tang Li was the most skilled at camouflage; according to him, he had once been a top-tier agent for the Ministry of State Security and was highly proficient in such technical work. After buying various odds and ends from nearby shops and spending about three hours working, five living, breathing Middle Eastern men stood before the group. Qin Yang looked at himself in the mirror: high bridge of the nose, blue eyes, dark blonde hair, a plaid shirt, simple trousers, and a cloth wrap on his head—a quintessential Middle Easterner. The others were the same.

Tang Li cautioned, "Remember, you are now merchants from Palestine. Do not leak your true identity under any circumstances. As for your names, just make them up; they wouldn't understand anyway. Once you are in the city, pay close attention to their customs. Do not try to disrupt their traditions, or you will be despised and driven out by everyone. Also, try not to get wet, so you don't ruin your makeup. If your identity is exposed, that bastard Azarias will definitely use the most brutal methods to deal with you."

"Got it," Qin Yang nodded. "You all be ready to set up the ambush. We're heading out."

Leaving the inn, Qin Yang wore sunglasses as they headed toward the city. They hadn't walked far before several armed rebels approached with guns pointed directly at them. Qin Yang quickly pulled a stack of US dollars from his pocket and spoke incessantly in the Nili language, "We are merchants from the Middle East, here for business. I hope you gentlemen can make an exception."

"Very good." The leader took the money, satisfied, and stuffed it into his pocket. "However, a search is still mandatory. Search them."

The armed rebels stepped forward and patted them down repeatedly. Aside from a basic mobile phone found on Qin Yang, there was nothing else—mostly wallets. Although they took some of the cash, they left the rest. The five of them were capable of absolute calm when necessary, so they maintained a composed, cooperative demeanor during the search.

"Alright, go on in." After confirming there was nothing suspicious, the rebel leader waved them through.

Qin Yang and the others crossed the blockade and entered the city. They hadn't taken two steps, however, before several doctors in white coats approached to give them a check-up. Qin Yang sneered inwardly; it seemed Azarias was truly planning to launch a plague attack against the remnants of the government army, and to ensure his own territory remained unaffected, he was taking every precaution.

After being cleared by the doctors, the five were allowed to proceed.

Kano City was filled with all sorts of people from around the world, but Asians were very rare, as Azarias seemed to have a prejudice against yellow skin. Military trucks filled with armed rebels in camouflage drove past from time to time. The local residents in the city would applaud when they saw them, or face dire consequences. Armed men walked by frequently, dressed in a motley, chaotic assortment of clothes—much like the rebels in movies who had no money but had guns—swaggering through the streets with AKs. Based on the memories he had absorbed, Qin Yang knew these were the so-called police of Kano City.

But when the time came, they would also charge into the battlefield.

Walking through the cluttered streets, the group saw vendors selling all sorts of goods; in one shop, they could even see rows of weapons and ammunition.

After asking a passerby, the group arrived at the best hotel in Kano City.

"Best" was a relative term—it was high-end for this area, but would have been considered disgraceful elsewhere. The walls still exuded the scent of gunpowder, and there were unwashed bloodstains in some corners. However, upon entering, the group was pleasantly surprised to find that the interior decoration was quite decent, meeting at least a star-rated standard.

"How many high-end suites do you have left?" Qin Yang asked, enjoying the rare blast of air conditioning as he placed a stack of cash on the counter.

The clerk checked the ledger and said, "There are two left."

"We'll take them all," Qin Yang said with a wave. "We might stay a few days; it’s nice and cool in here."

The clerk quickly booked the rooms and led them to the fourth floor. To Qin Yang and his team's surprise, most of the rooms on the floor were empty. Confused, he pulled out a banknote, slipped it to the clerk, and asked, "Why are these rooms empty? You just said you only had two left."

"This place was reserved by General Azarias long ago for his honored guests," the clerk whispered after taking the money.

Qin Yang felt a surge of joy and nodded in satisfaction.

Once they reached the room and the clerk had left, Yang Guang walked over, excited. "It looks like blending into the terrorist group won't be much of a problem after all. It seems Azarias places great importance on them."

"We just need to find the right opportunity to take out five of the enemies and take their places."