Seeing the look of distress on Echo’s face and her grip on his shirt tightening, Ryan felt a mix of emotions. He knew she was worried about her blood issues and couldn’t ignore the fact that she was injured everywhere.
Ryan furrowed his brows and studied her for a moment before slowly calming down. “Even if there’s a problem, I’ll make sure you live another fifty years.”
Echo looked up at Ryan, locking eyes with his cold yet resolute gaze. There was no doubt there, only certainty. His sharp eyes seemed to demand unconditional trust, as if whatever he promised, he would deliver. She was momentarily taken aback.
Ryan adjusted his hold on Echo, gently patting her shoulder. “I’ll remember this. If you mess up again, don’t blame me for being harsh. Now, get some sleep.”
Echo snapped back to reality, realizing Ryan was giving her a break. She nodded eagerly, smiling as she snuggled into his arms, ready to sleep.
Even though she was in pain and exhausted, and had things on her mind, hearing Ryan promise she’d live for another fifty years took away most of her worries.
With so many people around, it didn’t matter-Ryan carrying her had become routine, so she didn’t care.
Adolph and Hawk exchanged glances, both raising their eyebrows. Ryan was surprisingly generous with Echo. After years in the underworld, anyone who dared to say no to Ryan had to be ready to pay the price, yet here he was, letting Echo off the hook after a scolding.
It was impressive.
It made them wonder who really had the upper hand in the end.
When Adolph noticed Ryan looking at him, he knew their personal talk was over and it was time for business. He straightened his expression; the situation was tense.
“Let your people know to prepare for the shipment at the border,” Ryan said, his tone serious.
Adolph blinked, surprised. “But we don’t have any intel yet, and Cecily hasn’t shown any unusual activity…”
Ryan shot him a cold look. “The only way into this area is by air; they can’t go by land. The air routes are tightly monitored. They only have that one option.”
Suddenly, Adolph slapped his thigh and jumped up. “I’ve been a fool! This is so obvious; why was I even waiting for information? If we can cut them off there, that’s the key to our success!”
With such a large shipment coming into Australia, there were no land routes available-only water or air. Having seen Ryan’s influence on the water, Cecily had to know that using the water route was like handing over the shipment directly to him. The only remaining option was the air route, which was both accessible and convenient for delivery.
Seeing Adolph finally get it, Ryan stood up with sleeping Echo in his arms. “Gather all your resources and open the air routes to the Middle East. We need to make sure the shipment arrives on time.”
Adolph also stood up, and hearing Ryan’s command wiped away any hesitation or worry from his face. Instead, he wore a wry smile. “Ryan, you really know how to put someone in a bind. Flying through that area? It’s impossible. Everyone’s acting independently. To borrow an air route? Good heavens, I don’t have that kind of clout.”
As Ryan walked out with Echo, he replied coolly, “That’s your problem.”
Behind them, Hawk, Bill, and Cobra looked at Adolph with sympathetic expressions.
The situation in the Middle East was so complex; daring to fly through there would take more than just basic skills-it would mean crossing Ryan.
Watching Hawk and Cobra follow Ryan out, Bill raised an eyebrow at Adolph’s pained smile and said quietly, “Mr. Adolph, you’d better train your team well. If they mess up and take Echo again, our boss might make your life even harder.” He grinned widely and followed the others out.
Adolph gave a wry smile and rubbed his nose. It wasn’t his fault Echo decided to sit with his men; he didn’t order it, yet somehow the blame landed on him.
Shaking his head, he took a deep breath, pushing aside other thoughts. If he didn’t handle this job perfectly for Ryan, ruining the Dark family’s reputation and his own, he wouldn’t need Ryan to come after him with a machete-he’d jump into the Pacific himself.
Time flew by faster than expected, and before long, evening had come.
Still, there was no movement.
Cecily was so quiet it seemed like she was just there for sightseeing, not to deliver goods.
But surface appearances and intel weren’t what Ryan and Adolph were focused on anymore. Since they couldn’t intercept the goods early and save time, the final moment would inevitably arrive.
The iceberg beneath the water would soon surface.
If they couldn’t handle things discreetly, they’d have to take it by force. With the Defense Department scanning every area, there was no fear of not finding it.
“Boss, Tiger’s here.”
At 5 a. m., just as the sky turned gray, Tiger arrived with the newly developed serum.
Ryan, sitting on the couch with Echo in his arms, slowly opened his eyes and glanced at the respectful Tiger standing before him.
If it weren’t for the cold look on Tiger’s face, no one would guess he was a long-established figure in the underworld, given his scholarly demeanor.
“Boss, the serum has been delivered.” Tiger glanced at Echo, who was fast asleep in Ryan’s arms, raising an eyebrow slightly as he handed over the medicine.
Ryan gave a cold nod. “Give it to Bill.”
Bill, standing nearby, immediately took it.
Tiger, noticing Echo in Ryan’s arms, asked, “Boss, is she the one…?”
Before Tiger could finish, Adolph’s voice suddenly came through their internal communications. “Ryan, the target’s been spotted.”
“Twelve transport planes, six smaller ones, crossing the Pacific from the southwest,” Adolph’s voice crackled through, a mix of cold professionalism and bloody excitement.
Ryan immediately stood up and ordered, “Let’s go.”
Without a word, Bill and Tiger followed him out.
Several camouflaged military planes sitting on the grass took off, heading towards the Pacific.
The sky was lightening as dawn approached, but the sun still had not risen. The darkness before dawn had just passed, and the sky was a pure, indescribable shade of blue, clearer than the sea itself, with a hint of brightness and a touch of black.
Ryan watched the radar screen, his brow furrowing tightly.
The twelve transport planes likely carried all the arms for this operation. The smaller planes circling them weren’t unfamiliar to outsiders, but Ryan recognized them immediately. They were fighter jets from the shipment he’d sent to the Middle East. Even though they were disguised, there was no fooling his eyes.
“They’re the latest model fighters,” Tiger, piloting the plane, said in a low voice. This batch was developed by his team, and he knew their capabilities inside and out-top of the line.
Suddenly, a brilliant light burst across the sky. Flames roared and erupted, and from a distance, it looked like a massive fireball had exploded, scattering a shower of sparks like fireworks.
Ryan’s expression darkened even more as he realized that the fireball was one of the disguised military planes that had been circling to flank the enemy aircraft. He hadn’t missed how that plane advanced recklessly and entered the combat jets’ range, turning into a fireball in an instant.
Echo, who had been asleep in Ryan’s arms, jolted awake at the loud explosion. She jumped up in confusion, looking around in a daze.
“Ryan, what kind of fighter jet is that? Its range is insane!” Adolph’s voice came through, commanding from another direction.
On the screen, Adolph’s eyes were filled with surprise and a growing seriousness. He knew Ryan’s shipment included fighter jets, but he hadn’t expected them to be this powerful-one shot and they were already down. And to think they were in military-grade aircraft themselves.
“Latest model. You’d better keep your distance,” Ryan replied coldly, his gaze fixed on the radar, his expression just as grim.
Echo, now more alert, looked down at the dazzling flames that had already faded away. She shivered slightly and raised an eyebrow at Adolph on the screen, though inside she couldn’t help but be impressed.
Fighter jets-seriously?
They had just finished a naval battle, and now this standoff in the sky? What exactly was Ryan producing?
In her mind, arms dealers were all about guns and maybe artillery at best. Yesterday she’d heard about warships, and now fighter jets?
It was absurd.
Was this the true face of this international arms dealer?
“Boss, they’re requesting to talk,” Tiger interrupted.