Chapter 1971 The Price Of Power (1)
Yun Lintian didn't answer the question right away. Instead, he asked, "Who is your current superior?"
"It's General Song Wanjun," Yang Zicheng replied with a puzzled expression.
"Old Man Song is still working?" Yun Lintian was slightly surprised.
"Yes. He is about to retire this year," Yang Zicheng explained. "Why did you ask this?"
"Since you've been working under Old Man Song, do you know he tried to recruit me to the army many times?" Yun Lintian inquired.
"I've heard about it," Yang Zicheng responded.
"Do you know why I refused him?" Yun Lintian asked further.
"I don't know," Yang Zicheng admitted. "Freedom, I guess?"
He was aware of Yun Lintian's astonishing record on the battlefield. He also felt it would be a pity for Yun Lintian to be a mercenary instead of joining the army.
"Freedom is one thing," Yun Lintian nodded slightly. "Let me ask you another question. What would you do if Old Man Song ordered you to attack me?"
Yang Zicheng's brow furrowed deeply at the question. He pondered momentarily before truthfully answering, "I would do it. A military order cannot be disobeyed."
"Do you see the difference between you, a soldier, and a killer here?" Yun Lintian inquired with a faint smile.
Yang Zicheng opened his mouth, speechless. In a way, the line between soldier and killer seemed almost nonexistent. Both eliminated targets to complete missions.
"The difference is, a soldier has a license to kill," Yun Lintian explained calmly. "Their actions can be disguised under the guise of national security. However, to me, they are simply sanctioned killers."
Yang Zicheng frowned in disagreement. "You're wrong. We do everything to protect the country's interests."
"Killers also act in their employers' interests," Yun Lintian countered with a faint smile. "More importantly, they have the option to refuse a mission, unlike you."
"Even if your superior orders the elimination of children deemed terrorists, you'd be forced to comply, facing punishment for refusal."
Yang Zicheng fell silent, unable to refute the truth in Yun Lintian's words.
"Why are you bringing this up?" he inquired, confused. It didn't seem relevant to their plan against the Zhu family.
Lynn couldn't help but interject. "He's implying Zhu Tianlong will soon send troops to attack him."
Yang Ningchang shot him a cold glare. "Don't even think about it. Understood?"
Yang Zicheng shuddered. "I'm a man of honor, sister. Don't go throwing accusations."
Yang Ningchang scoffed. "I'll be watching you."
Yang Zicheng's shoulders slumped in defeat. His dreams were dashed before they even took flight.
"Let's head back," Yun Lintian said, preparing to leave.
"Is there anything I can do, brother-in-law?" Yang Zicheng asked attentively.
"Just tell Old Man Song I apologize for the inconvenience," Yun Lintian said with a playful smile. "He'll have to bear with it for a while."
He then waved his hand, vanishing with Lynn and Yang Ningchang in a blink.
This finally explained to Yang Zicheng how Yun Lintian and Lynn had bypassed the manor's security.
Taking a deep breath, he muttered worriedly, "I hope the leader's heart can handle this."
***
"Hello, we're here for maintenance. This is our permit." A strong man in safety gear approached a security guard at the community where Yun Lintian's villa was.
The security guard scrutinized the permit before glancing at the man and the others in the van. He returned the document and said, "Alright, you're good to go, brother."
"Thanks, brother. Have a good day," the strong man replied with a smile before climbing back into the van and driving off.
Watching the van disappear into the community, the security guard sighed and returned to his post.
Inside the van, the atmosphere turned serious. "What's the situation?" the strong man asked solemnly.
"The target's villa is isolated," the middle-aged man on the passenger seat responded, his finger hovering over a laptop displaying a 3D model of Yun Lintian's villa. "It's surrounded by a park and lake. We can attack from the front or back."
The strong man considered this for a moment. "Let's go straight for the bomb," he decided.
The middle-aged man nodded. "We have enough to level the entire villa."
"Excellent. Let's move out," the strong man said, quietly parking the van a short distance from Yun Lintian's villa.
"Here we go," Yun Lintian spoke inside the villa, his spiritual sense observing everything unfold.