Ethan scanned the area around them, trying to see what this mercenaries are up to.
He looked at the tents pitched expertly, supplies neatly stacked, and a fire pit smoldering with remnants of last night’s meal.
It was clear they were prepared for a long stay.
His mind races with questions, but he keeps his face neutral, void of expression.
After a few seconds of waiting, the commander showed himself.
Ethan studied him closely, noting that this man was dangerous.
Marcus felt a chill run down his spine as he saw the police officer carry himself; he was sharp and cold.
"Officer, may I ask why you’re looking for me?"
Ethan narrowed his eyes at the mercenaries, his voice icy. "A well-trained mercenaries camping in this village—what’s your business here?"
Marcus held his ground and replied calmly, "We’re here for annual exercises. Our mercenary group conducts various training sessions for the new recruits."
"Do you think we’re fools? This area has been off-limits for a month. Who let you in?"
Marcus smirked, amusement flickering in his eyes.
Did this officer really think he could intimidate them? Who did he think he was? He doesn’t need to be afraid with the Heather family backing him.
"We submitted a proper application to use this area as a training ground. Legit paperwork, in case you missed it."
Marcus nodded to his team. One of them quickly grabbed a binder and flipped it open, revealing the certification.
"Here it is. Let’s head into the tent first. We can discuss everything in private."
Ethan stepped in, followed by his two Lieutenants. Afther sitting down, Ethan pulled out the certification, checking it closely.
"May I know the officer’s name?"
"You can call me Ethan."
After a short silence, Ethan ordered Lieutenant Oslo to contact the higher-ups and find out who had signed the certification.
He wanted to know the identities of the mercenaries and, at the same time, their government backer.
"Officer Ethan, if there’s nothing else, we’d like to start our training." Marcus calmly said, hinting that they were busy, so he should leave now.
"Who said so? We just getting started." Ethan replied calmly.
"Oh! Then you can ask us anything."
"How long have you been here?"
"Almost three weeks."
"Did you encounter anything strange in the past three weeks?"
"Not particularly, just the gunfire incident a while ago."
"Have you been aware that there’s a police operation in this area?"
"No. We just recently knew because of the incident."
Ethan inquired about their stay in the village while waiting for Lieutenant Oslo’s feedback.
After several minutes of probing, Ethan concluded they really didn’t know the operation. But their training here felt off, like they were hiding something more.
First, they claimed it was their first time in this village for training.
Second, this village has no dangerous terrain, which is unsuitable for training.
Lastly, the absence of significant mountains means wild animals are seldom encountered, which can be a downside for mercenaries needing to train in dangerous situations.
Without the thrill of encountering wildlife, they might miss out on simulating a more unpredictable battlefield experience.
This is also why he knows the higher-ups are lying when they claim wild animals massacred the criminals.
Lieutenant Oslo returned with news. He quickly revealed that General Wang signed the certification, supported by the Heather family.
After hearing the news, he glanced at the mercenary’s smug face. Ethan couldn’t figure out where their confidence was coming from.
The Heather family? Tsk! That old man looks like a good person in nice clothes, but his smile hides something sinister.
"So you’re tied to the Heather family by contract? So they’re the ones who set up this meeting, rather I mean... this training?"
"I don’t think I need to answer that, officer. If there’s nothing else, let’s end this," Marcus said, his tone sharp and defensive.
Ethan didn’t press further but planned to file sanctions against them. This operation was supposed to be confidential, yet they let people in without telling them. It put him in a foul mood.
Ethan was about to leave when a woman blocked his path.
His voice was cold as he said, "Move."
Trixie was in a daze the moment she saw Ethan. Suddenly, she remembered her grandfather’s words in mind: This man has a bright future.
She had seen his pictures in his dashing military uniform and felt he was just her type.
His grandfather sought a marriage alliance for her, but he turned them down coldly, offering no explanation.
Upon seeing him up close, her heart raced; she knew she wanted this man. After they finished talking, she mustered her courage and shyly introduced herself.
"Hello, Officer I am ..."
Before she could complete her sentence, Ethan interrupted her, knowing this woman was up to no good, and said bluntly.
Oslo couldn’t help but smirk as he watched. Another woman caught in the chief’s charm, he thought. But this beauty was out of luck—he was already happily married.
Trixie stood frozen, hurt by his cold reply. She gazed at him, disappointment etched on her face, tears welling in her eyes.
Ethan didn’t even glance her way as he walked out, leaving her behind without looking back.
Petrified, Trixie stared at Ethan’s back, silently vowing he would be hers
Marcus watched in disbelief as Trixie’s usual bravado crumbled. Gone was the bratty, headstrong girl who bossed everyone around. The way she conducted herself now was totally unheard of.
Oslo, seeing his chief cool expression, couldn’t help but laugh a little.
Upon leaving the camp, Lieutenant Xander receives a call from his team, saying another incident happened in the south area.
Xander quickly relayed the news to Ethan, and they left in a rush.