"What time are they leaving? They've been stationed here for a couple of hours," Elena asked, her brow furrowed in thought.
They had been waiting for the right moment to steal the Heather family's hoarded products, but the mercenaries assigned to move the goods were too busy playing and chatting, seemingly oblivious to their task.
"I think they're waiting for someone," Ethan replied, peering through the telescope.
A few minutes later, a sleek sports car pulled up behind the truck. The leader of the mercenaries stepped forward to meet the person in the car.
"Boss, we're ready to move the items along with the guns and seafood products," he reported.
"Good. I have to pick up my cousin, so I won't be able to follow you. Just make sure you take the path as discussed. I'll meet you at the port later. The items must be shipped tonight to City G," Troy Heather instructed, his tone serious.
"Yes, sir," the lead mercenary affirmed.
Unbeknownst to them, someone had rigged their truck with a tracker and audio listening tools. With this information, Ethan quickly mapped out their plan according to the mercenaries' destination: the nearest port.
"Wife, they will pass by this location. There's a mini forest along this path. This will be our chance. Let's prepare some traps," he said.
They drove to the path and stopped near the mini forest.
"How are we going to handle them? There are 15 trucks, and each truck has two armed people. It would be unwise to barge in," Elena pointed out, her mind racing with possibilities.
Actually, Elena could handle them all. Not to brag, but she was a master of kung fu back in the apocalypse. Now that she had been exercising, her coordination and technique were well-defined. With the space around her, she could finally put up a good fight.
But Ethan had no idea of her skills; he thought of her as a harmless bunny and was blessed to dream of the incoming future.
Fighting? Don't kid around me; my wife is as soft as cotton. She definitely couldn't fight.
"Well, we can put a sharp object on the road to stop the trucks from moving, and then I'll take them out one by one," Ethan said confidently.
Elena frowned at his plan. What does 'I' mean? Does he want to act alone?
"What do you mean, infiltrating alone? No way," she disagreed firmly.
Ethan raised his brows, surprised.
Did his wife want to fight on the frontline?
"Be good. This will be done in just a couple of minutes. Just stay in the hidden bushes and give me updates on each person's movements," he said, trying to reassure her.
Elena shook her head. "We don't need that old tactic. When they stop in a secluded area, bait them. Don't fight them individually; Just give me enough time to infiltrate each truck. Then I'll store the goods in the Southern Inventory."
Ethan felt a knot of worry tighten in his stomach. He wanted to decline her strategy, fearing for her safety, but Elena spoke again before he could voice his concerns.
"You have to trust me. This is just the beginning. When the apocalypse begins, this operation will be pretty normal."
Her tone shifted to seriousness. "I know we're still bound by laws, but if our life is in jeopardy, don't hesitate to kill them. Remember, they are Heather's people."
Killing them will do such good deeds. When the apocalypse descends, they will rampage and commit hideous crimes. Eradicating them means cleaning up some trash earlier.
Hearing the cold determination in her voice puzzled Ethan.
What did the dream do to my beloved wife?
"Fine, I'll trust you this time," he relented, though unease lingered. "But if things go wrong, enter Paradise immediately. Remember, if you get hurt, this will be the last operation you will join with me."
Elena glared at him, her eyes fierce.
What do you mean? You want me to become a vase waiting for your arrival whenever you have a dangerous mission? No way.
"No way. I know you care for me, but injuries are normal, especially in the upcoming apocalypse, and I will try my best not to get hurt," she defended her stance, her resolve unyielding.
A silence enveloped them, but after a moment, Ethan pulled her into a tight embrace and poured out his overwhelming feelings.
"Wife, I'm scared. I am so scared that something will happen to you. You mean the world to me," he said, his voice trembling. He looked at Elena with a serious expression.
"I will burn this world if there's no 'YOU' in it anymore."
Elena was not one to cry; she had long since set aside tears in the harsh reality of the apocalypse. Yet tonight, as memories of their past life flooded back, she couldn't help but shed a few.
She recalled the time she had been seriously injured by the people in the criminal base. Ethan had been furious, and in his rage, he had massacred everyone, leaving no one alive.
Oh, Ethan, how did I deserve you? In my past lives, I must have saved the whole universe to have you by my side.
She hugged him tightly, her voice softening. "Let's work this out, okay?"
Hearing her surrender tone, Ethan replied gently, "Wife, I can't promise to change easily, especially when your safety is at stake. But I'll try my best to consider your opinions."
Even though I really don't like putting your life at risk.
Elena, her determination unwavering, said, "I will prove to you today, so that you won't have to doubt me any longer."
Ethan then nodded.
"Let's begin preparations. We'll put explosives here to distract them—one on this side and the other on that side so they'll be divided," Elena said, pointing to the area. She continued, "You'll position yourself on the right side so they'll see you immediately. Just run around this corner, and when they start firing, hide in Paradise."
Ethan nodded, trusting his wife's plan. He was eager to see how well she could execute her strategy. "Okay, I think out of 30 people, I might distract 20 of them, leaving 10 for you. Can you handle that?"
"No worries," Elena replied confidently.
After finalizing their plan, they settled in to wait for the mercenaries to arrive.