Chapter 35: 35 Hu Lang, Dragon Gecko, Devil Bird
My code name is tied to my business and can't be changed, but yours can, and Hyena is not a very nice code name."
After listening, Karman nodded in understanding and said, "I've had many nicknames, most of which I don't like because they are always related to death.
But when I was young and fighting in Uganda, there was a White Ghost Mercenary who called me 'Dragon Gecko' because I was good at using poison arrows and at the same time skilled in tracking."
Joe Ga was stunned for a moment and then realized that this so-called 'Dragon Gecko' must be the Komodo dragon or the Komodo monitor.
This greedy creature would bite its prey and then keep following them until the prey is nearly dead from the infection of the bacteria in their teeth, then they would move in to eat the prey alive.
Karman certainly had never seen a Komodo dragon, let alone understood it, but if this nickname was given by someone else, then it was clear that the past Karman had shown not only skill in tracking during battles but also extreme ferocity.
Given Karman seemed not particularly keen on nicknames related to death, Joe Ga explained the nature of the Komodo dragon with a smile and then added, "If you don't like it, we can find another one; I think 'Black Panther,' 'Cheetah,' something like that would suit you."
When Karman heard this, he shook his head with a wry smile and said, "No need, it's fate's choice, 'Dragon Gecko' is fine; they kill to fill their stomachs, and so do I."
Joe Ga could feel a hint of Karman's resignation, this old guy moved from being reticent to willing to communicate with him, which showed he was not the kind of heartless killer.
In fact, Karman was smarter than most people in Africa, he understood the value of life, but reality forced him to choose fighting, and this fight had lasted for over twenty years and seemed to continue indefinitely.
Not sure what to say, Joe Ga changed the subject, looking at Nis and asking, "What about you? Do you have a 'nickname'?"
Nis seemed to be touched by some memories, her voice a bit low as she said, "I used to have a spotter partner who was also a woman and very optimistic.
She called me 'Devil Bird' because I would recite scriptures when the fight got intense.
She said it was like a 'death knell'!"
Seeing her demeanor, Joe Ga knew that the spotter's fate was not good.
Unexpectedly, asking about nicknames brought up so many issues. Joe Ga shook his head and waved his hands to draw their attention, then said with a smile, "I am your boss, but in fact, our company currently has only three people, so in my view, you are my startup partners.
Forget the past and we must look forward. I have a rough idea of 'happiness' in my mind, so I've set a goal for myself.
I hope you also have goals and aspirations, and then we can work together hand in hand and help each other.
We may not become the most successful team, but we can become the most humane, the happiest team."
......
Two days later, in the morning, on the desert outside the valley.
Two military vehicles full of weapons were parked far away in the desert, and Joe Ga stopped his pickup truck about 800 meters from the valley entrance, seriously aiming a laser sight on top of a rocket launcher, directing Karman in adjusting the launcher's elevation.
Joe Ga had already test-fired a few rockets yesterday, and the actual effect wasn't as exaggerated as depicted in the movies, but for them at the moment, it was definitely sufficient.
The explosive bomb's warhead contained 4 kg of explosive material, which, in combination with shrapnel, can effectively kill within a 30-meter radius.
The thing is, it's not possible to set the detonation mode, which would be far more deadly if we could set it to airburst mode.
Since Joe Ga had brought explosive bombs and was worried that the shrapnel wouldn't be enough to shake the rock walls, he prepared two volleys for the cliff sides flanking the valley entrance.
After diligently adjusting for a while, Joe Ga pulled a remote with wires attached from the back seat and handed it to an excited Karman, saying, "Your turn, this thing is definitely more thrilling than fireworks."
Karman excitedly wiped his hands on his body before taking the launcher with some nervousness.
Joe Ga signaled him not to be too excited and pointed to a switch on the launcher, saying, "Flip up for single shot, down for continuous, middle to turn it off, and the red button is for firing. Try a test shot for accuracy first."
When he saw Karman flip the switch to single shot, Joe Ga gave a nod and a thumbs up, then took out a pair of earplugs and inserted them into his ears before waving his hand heavily and shouting, "Fire!"
Karman pressed the launch button forcefully, and a blast of heat erupted from the B-8 rocket pod, sending a rocket flying out, hitting the rock face on the left side of the valley entrance 800 meters away accurately.
Following a thunderous explosion, a huge amount of rubble fell from the rock face.
Joe Ga could feel a blast of heat rushing toward him even from in front of the engine, and Karman, who was merely standing at the side of the driver's seat using the rear door as cover, was directly hit by the wind and sand stirred up by the rocket.
Spitting out the sand in his mouth with "ptui, ptui, ptui," Karman, showing his bright white teeth, excitedly said, "That's the effect I want, really satisfying."
Joe Ga didn't hear him clearly, but he gave Karman a thumbs up and shouted, "Continuous fire, fire all the rockets at once!"
Karman nodded vigorously, flipped the switch to continuous fire, then hunkered down inside the driver's seat and pressed the launch button hard.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."
Within 5 seconds, all the remaining 19 80mm rockets in the pod were unleashed, causing a succession of explosions on the valley entrance's rock face.
After the smoke cleared, the seemingly sturdy weathered rock face showed signs of collapse. Even 800 meters away and wearing earplugs, Joe Ga could hear the crisp sound of the rocks breaking.
Perhaps in about ten more minutes, the valley entrance would be buried. However, Joe Ga didn't want to wait. He waved his hand at Karman to signal him to drive to the other side, then recalibrated the direction of another rocket pod to let Nis, who was equally curious, follow the same procedure and launch 20 rockets.
With a series of explosions, the rock walls at the entrance of the valley finally gave way and began collapsing extensively.
The collapse extended nearly 40 meters into the valley passage, as a massive amount of boulders fell, completely sealing off the valley passage.
Colonel Ka had indeed been thoughtful when choosing the location for the secret base; it was far from any water source and the local people never came near it.
The surroundings were all desert and mountain ranges, with concealed terrain, and there were no passable roads on the mountains. It was unrealistic for anyone to climb over and inspect.
Now, let alone walking in, even a rock climbing champion without breaking a leg several times wouldn't be able to reach inside the munitions depot.
Nis looked at the extensive rock collapse she had caused and asked Joe Ga, somewhat puzzled, "How do you plan to get in there in the future?"
Joe Ga spread his hands, smiling, and said, "Once I sell this batch of munitions, I'll buy a helicopter with 2 million dollars. Once I learn how to fly, we'll be able to get in there anytime.
It's certainly troublesome, but safety is most important, right?"