"It was I who hired him! You have no right to stop !"
Facing the enraged Nicholas, Maria seed to completely ignore him, like a rebellious girl, breaking the heart of an old father.
"I'm doing this for your own good! He's the target being hunted, not you! You can return to Europe right away if you leave him."
Nicholas was still desperately trying to persuade his daughter.
For so many years, he could handle everything, except his own daughter.
This underground emperor of Eastern Europe felt a deep sense of defeat.
"I've decided, I'm not going with you, I'm staying here."
Maria coldly stared at Nicholas, unwavering.
The female doctor looked at her father, not as a blood relative, but as an enemy.
Tension filled the air, even the barking of wild dogs in the distant woods sounded particularly harsh.
"Do you want to take drastic asures?!"
There was a hint of threat in Nicholas's tone.
"Father, don't you understand?"
Maria's voice was low and determined, with an undeniable firmness.
"This isn't about Song Heping, or about you and . It's about those innocent villagers. They need our protection, and I will stay until they safely reach Ethiopia."
"You're simply mad! Did studying dicine make you forget everything else!? My God!"
Nicholas's face turned livid, veins bulging on his forehead.
He stepped forward abruptly, bringing his face close to his daughter's, speaking through clenched teeth, "You've gone mad! The Mossad and 'Satan' team are already on their way! They won't spare Song Heping, or anyone connected to him! Do you think you're being a hero? You're throwing your life away!"
Maria did not back down, eting her father's gaze with a cold smile at the corner of her mouth. "Throwing my life away? Father, have you forgotten what you told back then? When mother died, I begged you to co ho. And what did you tell ? You told to die! The further the better! And now you're unhappy that I'm ready to die, my dear father!?"
Nicholas's hand trembled slightly, and the veins on his temple throbbed.
He could feel his blood pressure rising, so he took a deep breath, trying to suppress his anger and anxiety.
The mistakes of the past were finally coming back to him.
After adjusting his emotions, Nicholas spoke as gently as he could, "Maria, listen to , this is not a ga. You know the thods of the Mossad, they won't give you any chances. The 'Satan' team is even crazier, they will tear you all apart! It's not too late, co with now!"
"No." Maria's response was crisp and firm, without any hesitation. She looked towards Song Heping.
Jiang Feng was dressing Song Heping's wounds.
Maria's eyes grew even more resolute.
"I won't leave them. Song has done too much for these villagers, I can't let him face all this alone. If you truly care about , then stay and fight with us."
Nicholas's expression froze as if he had been hit by a heavy punch.
A glimpse of pain and helplessness flashed in his eyes, and his voice turned hoarse, "You... you're forcing my hand."
"I'm not forcing you, father." Maria's voice softened a bit but remained firm.
"I'm only doing what I believe is right. You can choose to leave, but I won't."
Nicholas fell silent, his gaze passed over Maria, to the desolate swamps and forests in the distance.
The wind blew through the treetops, clouds drifted in to obscure the moon.
Everything seed to foreshadow the approaching storm.
He knew that the mistakes of the past, today, must be repaid.
"Alright." He finally spoke, his voice low and weary.
"If you insist on staying, then I won't leave either. But I warn you, Maria, this fight won't be easy. The Mossad and the 'Satan' team won't give us any breathing space."
Gratitude flickered in Maria's eyes but was quickly replaced by determination. "I know, father. But we won't back down."
Nicholas nodded, turned, and walked towards the helicopter parked in the distance.
Maria watched her father's back, her heart welling up with complex emotions.
She hated this man.
Hated him deeply.
But seeing his aged face and lonely figure, her heart inexplicably ached slightly.
"Wait, Mr. Nicholas!"
Song Heping suddenly spoke up.
He called out to Nicholas.
"What?"
There was a murderous glint in Nicholas's single eye.
He didn't like Song Heping at all.
This guy brought danger to his daughter.
And it seed his daughter...
The old father was sensitive.
The frustration of seeing sothing hard-earned taken away from him.
"Kid, you better protect my daughter well, or I'll be one of the ones hunting you."
Watching the enraged Nicholas, Song Heping almost laughed aloud.
This one-eyed man...
Did he think he wanted to take on this business?
"Mr. Nicholas, you can take your daughter away, I completely agree."
Both Nicholas and Maria were astonished.
Nicholas thought Song Heping would cling to Maria, staying with her to drag him into being their shield.
Maria also didn't expect that the man she was willing to follow to Ethiopia, hoping to leverage her father's protection, would refuse her help!
"What did you say?!"
"What did you say?!"
Father and daughter almost spoke in unison.
"I said, you two leave together on the helicopter, or Mr. Nicholas, you personally escort your daughter to Ethiopia. I'll leave with my people, and we go our separate ways."
He turned to Maria.
"Dr. Maria, thank you for saving my friend's life. I think you understand my situation and identity. Your father is right, I am indeed hunted by the Mossad, the CIA, and the 'Satan' team. Being with is the most dangerous, it will only bring trouble upon you. Go with your father, that's the wise choice."
"Song..."
Maria just wanted to speak but was interrupted by Song Heping again.
"Just go, don't follow . Think about it. Moving around with just a few of us is much more flexible than having to protect you all. Understand? If you follow , you'll only drag down. I've already been shot a few tis, please, just go and leave alone, would you, please?"
Song Heping filled his tone with disdain and sarcasm.
"I can't stand your saintly syndro. Just die on your own, why drag down with you? Now your dad is here, great. Go with your dad! Don't burden anymore, okay?!"
Maria stood still, listening to Song Heping's scolding and disdain, her eyes suddenly reddened, tears falling down, then she covered her mouth and turned to run away.
Watching Maria leave, Song Heping finally breathed a sigh of relief.
There was one thing he didn't lie about.
Taking Maria and two hundred villagers would indeed spell his doom sooner or later.
Nicholas was stunned for a long ti, then suddenly gave Song Heping a thumbs-up, "Kid, good job. I owe you one. If you survive this, co find in Eastern Europe. Whatever you want to do, I can cover you there."
Seeing his overly confident manner, Song Heping mocked, "Yeah, I want to take down your President, can you help?"
"What?!"
Nicholas hadn't recovered from the shock yet, and Song Heping had already left with his n, disappearing into the distant woods.
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