Chapter: 2622

Charlie Wade smiled and said, “From what I know, the government forces and the opposition are fighting very closely. The government is low on money, food, weapons, and ammunition. Their training has probably been poor for a long time. Because of this, they only have a few soldiers to protect you. I think they won’t be very effective, especially since you are just unarmed students. If something goes wrong, your chances of escaping are slim.”

He Zhiqiu replied hesitantly, “I don’t think it’s that serious…”

Charlie Wade chuckled and said, “That’s just your opinion. If something happens, it won’t matter how you feel about it.”

Then he remembered something and added, “I heard that mercenaries are popular in dangerous places like the Middle East. You could hire well-equipped and trained mercenaries to keep you safe, which would make you safer.”

He Zhiqiu looked embarrassed and said, “The cost of hiring mercenaries is too high. We checked with a company in the U.S. called Blackwater. In Syria, they charge about two thousand dollars a day per mercenary. This doesn’t even include weapons and equipment. Ammunition costs extra too. If we want them to have vehicles, the price gets even higher. Our budget is already tight, so we can’t afford mercenaries.”

Charlie Wade smiled again and said, “See? The twenty million dollars I just promised you is very important!”

“All you have to do is help me when you get back home, and I can give your team that money.”

“If a mercenary costs two thousand dollars a day, your team can hire twenty of them for just forty thousand dollars a day,” he explained. “Even if your team stays there for six months, that adds up to six million dollars. If you rent some armored vehicles too, you won’t even touch the ten million dollar budget.”

He continued, “With the remaining ten million dollars, you can invest in the filming. You’ll have the best cameras and aerial equipment. If conflicts arise, we can hire armed mercenaries with AK-47s. We could even rent a U.S. armed helicopter to get stunning aerial shots. Those images would amaze the world!”

He Zhiqiu looked intrigued but hesitated. “What you’re saying makes sense, but… when we set out, we agreed to stick together no matter what. If I leave now, it goes against that promise…”

Charlie Wade smiled and replied, “Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. Think of it like a group of friends driving a broken car through the desert. They’ve run out of gas and are stuck in the middle of nowhere. You can’t just sit in the car and wait; someone needs to go find fuel to help everyone survive.”

He added, “Even if that person leaves the group, they could return with enough gas, better vehicles, and supplies to help everyone move forward more easily and safely. Doesn’t that sound like a smart choice? It would really boost the chances of survival for those who remain.”

“Security,” he said. “I think you should talk it over with your friends. I’m sure they will agree that this is a great deal!”