Chapter: 2646

He Yuanjiang didn’t know Charlie Wade’s plan. When he heard that Charlie intended to use money to solve the problem, he felt a bit relieved. He had originally hoped that the U.S. Embassy could help, but they were very strict and unwilling to negotiate with the opposition.

Now that Charlie was willing to pay the ransom for the U.S. embassy, He Yuanjiang believed that if the core demands were met, the opposition would keep their promises. Gratefully, he said to Charlie, “Charlie, I’m counting on you!”

Charlie smiled and replied, “Uncle He, don’t worry. The plane is about to take off, so I can’t talk long.”

“Okay, I’ll be waiting for your safe return!” He Yuanjiang said quickly before they hung up.

Charlie was already seated on the Concorde. He and Chen Zekai fastened their seat belts after a reminder from the crew. Soon, the plane rushed down the runway and took off into the sky.

The Concorde’s main feature is its speed and altitude, soaring up to an impressive 18,000 meters. Once the aircraft reached a certain height, it entered a supersonic cruise.

Charlie leaned back in his comfortable first-class seat, closing his eyes to rest. Beside him, Chen Zekai seemed excited. He was busy on his phone using the expensive satellite network to communicate while writing and sketching in a small notebook.

Halfway through the flight, Charlie opened his eyes, looked at Chen, and asked, “Old Chen, what are you drawing there?”

Chen Zekai quickly replied, “Master, I got the contact information from the master…”

Charlie Wade spoke with the Lebanese contact and gathered more details about the situation. He was now organizing the resources they needed.

“Is there any new specific information?” Charlie asked Chen Zekai.

“Yes,” Chen replied. “We have identified the location of the opposition’s garrison. It’s in a small mountain town, 80 kilometers north of the Syrian capital. The border between the two countries is open now. Once we reach Lebanon, we can transfer directly to the opposition by helicopter.”

He continued, “However, the opposition is quite strong. According to the Syrian military reports, they have at least two thousand soldiers at this location, all armed with automatic weapons. They also have over a dozen tanks, armored vehicles, and four armed helicopters. If we approach by helicopter, they will likely send one of their helicopters to attack us. It will be difficult to get close.”

Charlie thought for a moment before responding. “Let’s prepare a fixed-wing aircraft instead. I’ll fly over the target and parachute down myself.”

Chen Zekai exclaimed, “Wait… you want to go alone?!”

Charlie smiled and said, “Of course. Can we both go together?”

Chen Zekai quickly clarified, “Master, what I mean is, we should gather a group of foreign support in Lebanon. I’ve asked our contact to reach out to mercenaries, and I’m trying to connect with as many as possible.”

Charlie waved his hand dismissively. “They have two thousand soldiers and heavy weapons. Finding more people won’t help much.”

“Mercenaries,” he said.

“If you want to fight them, you’ll need at least a thousand well-equipped mercenaries. Plus, since the enemy is in a small town, they likely have strong local support. If we add thousands of armed militiamen, we can see why the government forces failed; they underestimated the enemy’s strength and fighting ability.”

“And remember,” he continued, “we’re here to save people, not to destroy the opposition for the Syrian government. If we bring a thousand mercenaries into battle, the hostages could be killed in the crossfire. Even if we defeat the enemy, what good will it do if all the hostages are dead?”

Chen Zekai listened carefully and then asked, “Master, wouldn’t it be more dangerous for you to sneak in alone? And if you do sneak in, how will you rescue the hostages?”