“Quite fated indeed,” Xiao Churan nodded, “I’ve lived in Jinling for years and never bumped into anyone I know on the local subway, let alone abroad. Yet here you are, running into acquaintances one after another. That’s definitely fate.”
Ye Chen gave a sheepish laugh and said nothing.
As the staff were busy preparing for Tawana’s arrival, Ye Chen and Xiao Churan strolled along the beach back to their overwater villa.
Xiao Changkun and Ma Lan, staying next door, hadn’t returned yet. As Ye Chen was about to enter, he saw the door of the villa opposite open, and Hamid stepped out, waving at him, “Brother Ye, got a moment to chat?”
Ye Chen nodded, “Sure.”
He turned to Xiao Churan, “Darling, you go in first. I’ll have a quick chat with this mate.”
Xiao Churan nodded slightly and entered the villa.
Hamid approached Ye Chen and said quietly, “Brother, can we talk privately?”
The area was filled with standalone overwater villas, offering good privacy, but speaking outside risked being overheard.
So, they walked a fair distance before Ye Chen asked, “Mate, what’s up?”
Hamid said, “Brother, I’ve booked a flight for early the day after tomorrow. I’m heading back, taking the seaplane from Baima Island to Malé at midnight, then flying to Beirut, Lebanon.”
Ye Chen asked, “Is this your original plan or a last-minute decision?”
“Last-minute,” Hamid sighed, “I was planning to rest here for a while, but after our chat at the restaurant this evening, I’ve been feeling uneasy, a bit nervous, so I decided to head back early. I wanted to leave tomorrow, but my two wives heard that international superstar Tawana Swift is arriving tomorrow and insisted on staying to meet her, take a photo, and get an autograph. I had no choice but to change it to the day after.”
He added with a hint of melancholy, “I was hoping to catch up with you properly, brother, but it’ll have to wait until next time.”
Ye Chen said, “No worries, mate. Go take care of business. In the meantime, try reaching out to some fringe opposition groups and lay some groundwork. It’s always good to be prepared.”
Suddenly, Ye Chen remembered something and asked, “Do you recall when I helped you fend off the Wanlong Temple attack?”
“Of course!” Hamid said excitedly, “Every strategy you gave was spot-on, digging reverse-slope tunnels, building fortifications, setting up hidden bunkers, creating a crossfire network, drone reconnaissance, we crushed those well-trained Wanlong Temple soldiers! Thinking about it still gets my blood pumping!”
Ye Chen said, “I want to remind you about drones. Back then, I told you to make good use of them for reconnaissance, small, agile, and hard to detect. But in the past two years, the stalemate in Eastern Europe has led to new drone uses, mostly for carrying small bombs for low-altitude bombing or kamikaze attacks. I suggest you stockpile a large number of drones, aim for 100,000. If the enemy launches a full-scale attack, drones could be a game-changer!”
“Absolutely,” Hamid nodded in agreement, “I’ve read reports about that. They’re powerful, cheap, and hard to defend against.”
Ye Chen added, “You should also prepare to counter drones. Look into advanced radar systems. You may not stop them entirely, but early detection can prevent precise strikes on your heavy equipment or a decapitation attack against you.”
“No problem!” Hamid’s face grew serious, recognizing the danger, “I’ll have my team reinforce drone defenses at permanent fortifications and tunnel entrances.”
Ye Chen continued, “Make routine drone patrols a priority, tightly monitoring personnel and equipment movements within a 50-kilometer radius of your base. Also, prepare an escape plan. If the situation becomes dire, find a way to get out alive and come to China. I’ll ensure your safety.”
Hamid grew nervous, “Brother, is the situation that grim? My base is years of my blood and sweat, and you’ve invested so much money and new infrastructure. If I abandon it, it’ll all go to those bastards!”
Ye Chen shook his head, “Mate, think big picture. When it’s a matter of life and death, nothing is worth clinging to except life itself.”
Noticing Hamid’s tension, Ye Chen smiled, “But it may not come to that. It’s just about being thoroughly prepared. Your region is full of variables, anything could happen.”
Hamid bit his lip, nodded firmly, and said, “Alright! I’ll follow your advice!”
