The shaking seemed as though it could shake a person apart.
Chen Xiaolian woke up from his half-sleeping state and subconsciously moved into a different position.
The leather cushion seat that he was sitting on was riddled with holes and the sponge inside them had long since become unusable. By sticking his hand in, he was able to feel the metal inside it.
It may be possible to sit on this seat for a few minutes. However, sitting on it for hours on this bumpy ride could probably cut a person’s life in half.
As for Chen Xiaolian, he had been sitting here through this bumpy ride for at least three hours.
This was a small type of propeller airplane. Its fuselage was extremely shabby and the sound made by its engine resembled a patient suffering from bronchitis. Sitting inside the airplane made him anxious. He feared that the engine might suddenly go off without any warning.
The outer surface of the fuselage had mostly fallen. Some places were patched up with strips of iron.
Most concerning of all was the pilot in the cockpit who reeked of alcohol. He had a wine flask in one hand and would occasionally take a sip from the flask.
Chen Xiaolian who was seated in the back could smell the strong scent of the alcohol.
“Jack! How much longer will it take?” Chen Xiaolian got up and looked at his wristwatch. “You said before that it will only take three hours. Three hours is up!”
Pilot Jack turned his head around and grinned, exposing two gold teeth. Then, he replied loudly. “Soon! Just now we encountered a bit of air turbulence. Just relax, my dear customer. Although my airplane is a bit old, it can still go on!”
The pilot, old Jack was someone Chen Xiaolian had found in a small town east of Nigeria.
As for whether his real name was actually Jack… Hell knows!
Nigeria was a country rich in mineral deposits and mines, it also played host to many small… err, ‘private airlines’.
These fellows were smugglers, traffickers or connected to something illegal.
The Western powers had been extending their powers and competing within Africa for decades, leaving behind a great deal of mess around Africa. This Jack was without question on of those messes that was left behind.
This fellow claimed that he had once been a mercenary or a member of some famous foreign organization.
While Chen Xiaolian felt that this fellow was most likely boasting, that was not the important point.
The important point was that he had an airplane!
Even if the airplane was something that should have been sent to be scrapped.
Jack was someone who had lived in Nigeria for a long time and specialized in offering services to some Westerners. He was the type of people who lived in the underbelly of society and was able to offer a solution for almost anything.
Women, firearms, diamonds, smuggling… he can do anything.
Naturally, flying the airplane was his main trade.
Many travellers who came to Africa hoping to find gold would employ him for his airplane and use it to seek mineral veins. That or… conduct some smuggling activities.
Chen Xiaolian had managed to contact old Jack through a middleman in Abuja. As for that middleman, he was introduced to Chen Xiaolian by Father Qiao.
Only Hell knows how Father Qiao could have so much influence in Africa – Chen Xiaolian had chosen to put that question aside for now.
However, old Jack proved very useful. After Chen Xiaolian handed him two rolls of oily green bills, old Jack obediently helped Chen Xiaolian with many problems.
He had given him provisions and even half a box of firearms.
Only Heaven knows where this fellow had dug out those firearms from. The butt part of one of the AK47 had fallen off and replaced with wood. When opening fire with it, it will get jammed a little after just one hail of bullets.
According to old Jack, it was still sufficient to scare people off.
This was simply the standard on this side of Africa, any better was not possible.
This fellow must have smuggled firearms before!
Chen Xiaolian speculated.
Other than transporting him and giving him supplies, Jack had also given Chen Xiaolian something extremely important!
A map of Kombia!
This was a very rare item!
Zayad had done no small harm to Kombia. The entirety of the national government served as nothing more than an ornament. Naturally, there was no such thing as a cultural or education department. Since Zayad took power in 1999, in the 15 plus years since then, not a single map was printed out!
It was uncertain where Jack had gotten hold of this map.
According to old Jack, Kombia’s airspace was open to the rest of the world.
Because the country had no air force! It had no ability to defend against aerial forces… there were only two armed helicopters in the entire country. And those two happened to be Zayad’s personal transports.
Thus… the skies of Kombia was unguarded.
When Chen Xiaolian told old Jack that he wanted to go to Kombia, old Jack had looked at him with the face used to look at someone marching to his or her deaths.
Mm, although Chen Xiaolian had put on some makeup on his face and smeared himself with some paint, he still had a rather tender looking face.
Old Jack had told Chen Xiaolian that if he wanted to find gold, it was best for him to go to Congo or Gabon. As for Kombia…
“That is a Godforsaken place. There is nothing but mud and sand there,” old Jack had told Chen Xiaolian. “In the past two decades, countless people had gone looking for mineral veins there. About a decade ago, the French and Germans had gone there twice. They said they found a vein only for it to turn out to be a mistake. Thus, going to Kombia became a joke for those who come to Africa. That place is piss poor to the point where even arms dealers are unwilling to go. Zayad is so poor, he can’t even afford to buy firearms. Not to mention, he is also a stingy fellow.”
Chen Xiaolian understood the truth in his words.
No matter how good of a product you have, it would be pointless if your customer do not have sufficient purchasing power.
Old Jack had probably thought that he was a rookie arms dealer who wanted to go try his luck in Kombia.
As for the airplane, it was clear that old Jack had personally modified it. He had installed two external fuel tanks to extend its flight distance.
Even so, after entering Kombia airspace, old Jack was unable to continue moving forward.
He needed to preserve a sufficient amount of fuel to return.
He was unwilling to land in Kombia!
Firstly, there was no airport there. Secondly, he simply did not have the guts to do so!
According to old Jack, that place was a den of thieves.
It was a poverty-stricken place.
After Zayad had usurped power over a decade ago, he did not exactly bothered managing the country.
Although he was said to be the President, he had in fact only maintained control over the capital city of Kabuka and the surrounding areas. The other places were left unattended.
His subordinates in the National Defence Force were all a bunch of bandits. Those black bastards were so poor they would rob anything.
If old Jack were to land there, he would likely not make it back home.
Old Jack continued by saying that the most famous joke in Kombia was: Three years ago, their own national forces had robbed their own nation’s Minister of the Interior.
All those soldiers have guns and no one but Zayad would be able to restrain them.
As long as you carry something of worth upon you, as long as they carry guns in their hands, they are the wolves and you are the sheep.
Thus, the route old Jack had suggested to Chen Xiaolian was…
“We’re close!”
In the cockpit, old Jack drank the last drop of wine and belched out loudly, exhaling air that reeked of alcohol.
Chen Xiaolian moved into the cockpit, stumbling on an empty wine flask that was on the floor of the cockpit.
Old Jack pointed at the window and said, “You can parachute down in front.”
“Good!” Chen Xiaolian shouted.
Old Jack grinned and continued, “Remember my words! After parachuting down, walk up the road and don’t go into the forest. Go southeast and find a town called Nayeh… there is a fellow called Duyan in that town that you can look for to help you. He is the only guide that I know of.
“If you are lucky enough, he might be able to get you a car.
“Of course, that is only if you are lucky.
“I haven’t seen him in years, so maybe he is already dead. But perhaps he is still alive and still doing this business. But that would all depend on your luck.”
“What if I can’t find Duyan? What if he is already dead?” Chen Xiaolian asked loudly.
“Then pray! Ask God what to do! Ha ha ha ha!” Old Jack laughed out maniacally.
When getting ready to parachute down, old Jack tossed two parachute bags to Chen Xiaolian.
“Why two?”
“These items are over 10 years old. Only God knows if they still work or not! Take an extra one with you! If both of them can’t work, then…”
“Then pray and ask God, right?”
“That’s right, ha ha ha ha!!!”
Chen Xiaolian put on the parachute bag and slung his luggage over him. When he opened the door of the airplane, the intense winds buffeted him until he was unable to open his eyes.
Seeing how the world seemed as though it was shaking, Chen Xiaolian muttered to himself: F**k!
He jumped!
…
The intense winds howled and Chen Xiaolian spread open his arms in an effort to maintain his balance.
This was not his first time parachuting. Truth be told, he was someone who liked to travel around and had skydived twice before when he was travelling overseas.
Who knows if God really exists or if his prayers had been effective. However, his parachute bag opened up smoothly.
Chen Xiaolian had deviated slightly from his intended landing spot. However, it was generally a smooth one. The only issue was his buttocks hitting a stone when landing, bringing him a moment of pain.
Raising his head, he watched as old Jack’s airplane flew past. Not caring if he could see him or not, Chen Xiaolian waved to the sky before turning around. After having gotten his bearings, he walked forward.
Most of the supplies old Jack bought for him had been stuffed into his Storage Watch. Chen Xiaolian wore military boots, camouflage clothing and a hat. His face was smeared with paint and he pulled out a machete with one hand before striding toward the southeast.
Two hours later, he checked the map and found the place.
It was the little town known as Nayeh that old Jack had mentioned.
To Chen Xiaolian’s frustration…
He did not find the one old Jack mentioned, Duyan.
Instead…
The entirety of the little town was no more! It had been razed to the ground!
Observing the ruins before him, it was clear to him that a huge fire had broken out.
Houses were burnt, leaving only charred ruins in their wake.
Several wooden frames stood at the entrance of the town and over 10 corpses were nailed upon them. Most of the corpses have dried up and were lacking arms and legs. Clearly, those had been eaten away by some wild beasts.
No one had come here for at least several months!
That was Chen Xiaolian’s judgement.
Forcing down the feeling of nausea, Chen Xiaolian stepped forward into the little town.
Half an hour later, he found Duyan’s house.
It was a repair shop.
He did not find Duyan. However, Chen Xiaolian did find his car.
It was a jeep. But, it had been set ablaze and all that was left of it was its metal frame and wheel.
Chen Xiaolian smiled bitterly.
Thankfully, he had the map. Chen Xiaolian found a clean spot to sit on and checked the map to regain his bearings once more.
Next, he summoned out a jeep from his Storage Watch. Getting into the jeep, he drove to the southeast.
Chen Xiaolian who was in the car grumbled, “I hate Africa!”