158: Chapter 158 Departure, Sightseeing

A desert village in Africa.

On the ground, the subdued militants were gathered and kept under guard. The unconscious special forces members and the 12 Dragon Country compatriots had already been carried onto the ship-borne helicopters by the medical staff of The 18th Escort Task Force. The medical staff were checking vital signs while rapidly injecting antidotes, busy dispersing the residual ether in their bodies.

Two snipers stood to the side, their eyes occasionally glancing toward the red and gold armor in the center of the village, their gazes filled with awe and curiosity.

The Commander approached quickly with several officers and soldiers. He stopped in front of the armor, gave a salute, and said:

"Thank you, Your Excellency, for your rescue. Our personnel have all been received. Dragon Country will never forget this kindness! Might Your Excellency reveal yourself so that we may thank you in person?"

The armor remained motionless. After a few seconds of silence, the cold electronic synthesized voice rang out again:

"No need for thanks. We shall meet again."

As soon as the words fell, the thrusters at the feet of the armor ignited instantly. With a hum, the red and gold figure soared into the sky, streaking toward the horizon with a dazzling trail of light. Its speed increased rapidly, becoming a small dot in just a few seconds before completely disappearing above the desert, leaving only a faint sound of airflow and a ground full of shocked officers and soldiers.

"My god, that speed is too fast! It didn't even leave a shadow!"

A young soldier couldn't help but exclaim.

The Commander looked in the direction where the armor had disappeared, shook his head gently, and said in a heavy tone:

"Regardless of who is behind that armor, they are our benefactor. Alright, next we must put all our effort into escorting our compatriots and special forces members back home. We must ensure everything goes perfectly!"

"Yes, sir!"

Everyone responded in unison and quickly turned back to their subsequent duties.

Several hours later, inside a private manor in Magic City.

Beside the helicopter landing pad deep within the manor, a red and gold figure slowly descended with a low whistling sound of breaking air. The moment it landed, the ground trembled slightly; it was precisely the mark 3 iron man armor returning from Africa.

The armor's faceplate slowly opened, revealing Chen Mo's sharp-featured face. He rubbed his somewhat aching shoulders.

Then, he raised his hand and pressed a button on the armor. The armor instantly disassembled, with pieces of alloy plating contracting and folding in an orderly fashion, finally turning into a compact metal briefcase that landed in his hand.

After putting the case away, Chen Mo looked up and saw Su Yingxue standing by the terrace not far away. She was wearing a cream-colored knit sweater, her long hair draped over her shoulders, with a gentle smile on her face as she stood there quietly watching him.

When Chen Mo walked up to the terrace.

"You're back."

Su Yingxue spoke with a smile.

Chen Mo smiled and waved at her, saying in a doting tone:

"Yeah, I'm back. Did I keep you waiting long?"

"No, I just got back not long ago myself."

Su Yingxue shook her head, her gaze falling on Chen Mo. She looked him over carefully and said:

"Your complexion doesn't look great. Are you very tired?"

"I'm alright, just a bit of traveling. It's nothing."

Chen Mo said with a smile:

"By the way, I see your complexion has improved a lot lately. Your health should be completely recovered, right?"

Su Yingxue nodded, her smile deepening:

"Mhm, I've been well for a while. It's all thanks to you looking after me; otherwise, I wouldn't have recovered so quickly."

"That's good."

Chen Mo said:

"Since you're feeling better, how about I take you out tomorrow? Staying in the manor all the time is stifling. Let's go to a place with beautiful scenery and relax your mind and body."

Su Yingxue's eyes lit up, filled with surprise, and she said:

"Really? That would be great! I'm about to go stir-crazy; anywhere is fine!"

Looking at Su Yingxue, who was as happy as a child, Chen Mo said:

"Don't worry, I promise to take you to a wonderful place. I definitely won't let you down."

"I believe you."

Su Yingxue said with a smile.

Early the next morning, Chen Mo took Su Yingxue to Magic City's Hongqiao Airport.

They soon boarded a private jet through the VIP channel.

"Where are we going? Can you tell me now?"

Su Yingxue sat on the sofa of the private jet, looking at Chen Mo curiously.

Chen Mo sat beside her and said with a smile:

"What's the rush? You'll know when we get there. I guarantee it'll be a surprise."

Su Yingxue pursed her lips but didn't press further. She simply leaned back on the sofa, looking at the blue sky and white clouds outside the window, her face full of anticipation.

The plane headed south, passing through layers of clouds. After flying for about three hours, it finally landed slowly at the Xishuangbanna Gasa International Airport in Yunnan.

Just as they stepped out of the cabin, a warm and humid breeze brushed against their faces, carrying a faint scent of flowers and the fresh fragrance of vegetation. It was completely different from the dry cold of Magic City, making one relax instantly.

It was already December, and Xishuangbanna was still in the dry season. The weather was clear and the sun was bright but not scorching, with the temperature around 20 degrees Celsius.

Outside the airport, lush tropical plants were everywhere—tall oil palms, straight betel nut trees, and all sorts of exotic flowers and plants whose names they couldn't call out. The foliage was dense and verdant, teeming with life everywhere.

"Wow, it's so beautiful here!"

Su Yingxue couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. She let go of Chen Mo's hand and walked quickly to a cluster of flowers nearby. Looking at the multicolored blossoms, her eyes were full of joy:

"Is this Xishuangbanna? It's even prettier than I imagined!"

Chen Mo smiled and followed her, standing by her side. Seeing how happy she was, he felt happy as well:

"How about it? I didn't lie to you, did I? The scenery here is beautiful, the climate is great, and it's perfect for relaxing."

"No, not at all! This is such a wonderful surprise!"

Su Yingxue turned back with a face full of smiles and said:

"Look at these flowers and these trees; they're completely different from back home. It's so special."

Then, the two of them walked toward an off-road vehicle parked by the roadside that had been arranged in advance.

The driver was a local Dai person, wearing traditional dai people clothing with a black turban wrapped around his head. With a simple and honest smile on his face, he greeted them warmly as they approached:

"Welcome to Xishuangbanna, bosses. Please get in. I'll take you to the city, and you can see the scenery of our Dai countryside along the way."

"Thank you for the trouble."

Chen Mo nodded with a smile and then helped Su Yingxue into the car.