"Of course not."

David said firmly.

"My mother told me that when we have our own pharmaceutical factory, we will distribute cheap medicines to all patients who need them. The poor will not only receive bread but also jobs, medical care, housing, and education..."

Looking at the enthusiastic David, Jose did not refute but asked with interest

"Including the Cubans?"

"Of course, not just the Cubans..."

David tried to paint a picture of the world he envisioned, where they would unite all oppressed people across the globe, overthrow corporate and dictatorial government rule, achieve shared education, free healthcare, and ensure no one goes hungry...

His words revealed a youthful naivety, but his feelings were so sincere and his beliefs so fervent.

David truly believed that through their efforts, the world would become a better place, and all difficulties seemed so easily defeated in the eyes of the young.

But Jose just listened quietly, without saying a word.

Years of setbacks had nearly led him to give up, and the hopeless future left everyone here in despair.

But surrender was impossible, because those drug traffickers would never spare those who had taken up arms against them.

Idealism and reality had never been contrasted so starkly.

And in the house behind them, the skinny man who had argued with Jose hesitated for a moment before retrieving a finger-sized electronic device from under his wooden bed and pressing it.

Watching the device's red light faintly glow, the man slumped to the ground, as large drops of sweat fell from his body. After a few minutes, he stood up as if relieved of all burdens.

He had never felt so light, as this hellish life was finally about to end.

As the sun gradually set, the encampment in the forest also began to darken.

The leaves rustled in the sea breeze, and the campfire lit by the young guerrilla soldiers became their only light in the pitch-black night.

Gloria and her companions brought food, though it was just dry flatbread and sugar cubes made from synthetic starch, to these people who usually relied on insects, wild fruits, and preserves, it was a rare delicacy.

Gloria also gave each of them some vitamins to alleviate their symptoms of malnutrition.

The camp experienced a long-lost joy, as some of the youth soldiers danced the dances taught by their parents in front of the campfire to thank these outsiders.

Despite their clumsy movements, it was the only thing they could display.

Their happiness made them focus on the present exchange, ignoring some oddities.

The man who had argued with Jose during the day used the excuse of going to the bathroom to slip into the forest and disappear.

The expert had been paying attention to the situation in the camp. From the moment he arrived, he had been trying to memorize everyone's faces, without even having time to check the forums.

Killer Demon sat down next to him and said

"The time and place have been set. The attack will be at 1:00 am the day after tomorrow, and the landing point is at Swine Bay."

"Military Technology will use three floating ships to carry landing craft, circling overnight to the near shore to drop them off. At that time, Sword Saint will lead 150 veteran players and equipment to land here, then seize the temporary airport a dozen kilometers away, to gain the opportunity for subsequent transport and support of troops and materials."

"Sounds a bit unreliable."

The expert scoffed.

"Not even an air force to support us? Military Technology is too stingy."

At least help us bomb some military strongholds around the airport to disrupt the enemy's command system, right?

Especially since New America declared war on Cuba, drug traffickers everywhere have heightened their vigilance. Relying solely on players to land and capture the airport won't be easy.

"The contract says Military Technology will only ensure air dominance within a ten-kilometer radius of the landing point, bombing support costs extra."

This prompted the expert to complain more

"They're only focused on money, even talking about it at this time."

He could already imagine how players would haggle with Military Technology's flying squad in the future.

"Talking about money isn't bad."

However, Killer Demon expressed a different attitude

"Having an opportunity to negotiate is better than none. As long as it's something that can be bought with money, it's not expensive."

After scanning the surroundings, he asked

"Have you noticed anything strange?"

It was just off-the-cuff remark

Yet the expert nodded

"I have, the man named Cato is missing. He said he went to the bathroom but has been gone for over ten minutes."

"This person argued with Jose during the day about us, seems quite unfriendly towards us."

"But I had No. 7 Changjiang on watch, if anyone tries to sneak out he'd inform me immediately, unless..."

The expert's words were cut off as a thunderous explosion erupted throughout the camp.

The fiery explosion instantly engulfed a hut, and the youth soldier closest to it was blown away, hitting a pile of rocks, life or death unknown.

Soon, more shells began raining down onto the camp like raindrops, the intense explosions terrifying everyone in the guerrilla force.

The crowd that had just been laughing plunged into chaos.

Some people were blown into pieces by the shells falling from the sky, some squatted on the ground holding their heads, screaming.

But it wasn't over yet, shortly after the first round of shelling ended, rapid, piercing gunfire erupted in the woods, turning several fleeing youth soldiers into sieves.

The drug traffickers' forces surrounded them.

Fortunately, the players with Gloria were well-trained, pulling her away from the targets of bombardment at the first sound of gunfire.

But unfortunately, David and Jose sat together, opposite Gloria and her group.

Under the cover of artillery, she could only see her son being dragged away by Jose.

She had never regretted so much why she hadn't forced David back to Night City.