Chapter 13: The Truth of That Year

In truth, even if Xu Qiang hadn’t asked, Lin Fan had already intended to tell him. Among the four legendary bonds forged in the fires of adversity—fighting side by side, sharing a classroom, consorting with women, and splitting the spoils—none was stronger than that of comrades-in-arms. Yet Lin Fan and Xu Qiang were more than just comrades; they were brothers. Besides, back at Hong Tianxiong’s villa, Fujino Ichiro had already revealed Lin Fan’s identity, so Lin Fan saw no need to keep it from Xu Qiang any longer.

When Fujino Ichiro exposed Lin Fan as the renowned leader of the Dragon Soul Mercenaries during the confrontation at Hong Tianxiong’s villa, Xu Qiang had believed it instantly. In his heart, his captain was capable of anything. Now, hearing Lin Fan confirm it himself, Xu Qiang was even more excited, though a trace of disappointment lingered inside him. His excitement came from the knowledge that they would once again fight side by side, but the disappointment stemmed from the four years he hadn’t been able to accompany Lin Fan, feeling as though his own life had stood still.

...

After several rounds of drinks, Lin Fan felt the haze of intoxication—not because his tolerance was poor, but because he wanted to drink himself into a stupor tonight. He had reunited with Xu Qiang, a brother he hadn’t seen in four years. Xu Qiang’s face was flushed, his words tinged with the scent of alcohol. He looked at Lin Fan and finally voiced the question that had long weighed on his heart: “Boss, why is it that after you escaped back then, you didn’t return to Falcon, but instead chose to stay with Dragon Soul?” Earlier, during their conversation, Lin Fan had already told Xu Qiang he was no longer with Falcon, and certainly not their captain. If Xu Qiang really wanted to address him, he should call him “Boss,” just like the members of Dragon Soul...

From the moment Lin Fan saw Xu Qiang, he’d suspected this question would come, but he hadn’t expected it so soon. For a moment, Lin Fan held his glass, frozen in place, unsure how to answer.

Falcon—a legendary unit, ranked alongside the US Navy SEALs and the British SAS as one of the world’s three greatest special operations forces. Every member was capable of taking on ten foes at once; compared to them, ordinary police officers were like children facing adults.

How could he explain? Should he say he didn’t like military life, that he didn’t like Falcon? Or that he hated being a soldier? Every reason he conjured, he dismissed just as quickly. If even he couldn’t convince himself, how could Xu Qiang possibly believe him? Did he really have to tell him the truth?

Honestly, Lin Fan feared that if Xu Qiang learned the truth, he might not be able to bear it. Ever since Falcon’s inception, its legend had never waned. Whenever the nation faced problems too difficult to resolve, Falcon was called upon, taking on the role of national guardians. Xu Qiang joined Falcon, just like Lin Fan, as a teenager, instilled from childhood with a fervent love for country and party. If he learned that the mission all those years ago was abandoned by their own nation, who knew what Xu Qiang might do?

“Boss? Boss, what are you thinking about?” Seeing Lin Fan lost in thought, Xu Qiang hiccupped and asked.

Lin Fan glanced at him, then downed his drink in one gulp. “Why didn’t you return to Falcon?” Unwilling to answer directly, Lin Fan deflected the question, hoping to hear Xu Qiang’s thoughts before deciding whether to reveal the truth.

“Boss, after we completed that mission and were hunted by the Americans, the nation cut off contact with us right then. I’ve always suspected it wasn’t a coincidence, but that the country abandoned us to avoid direct conflict with the US,” Xu Qiang said, setting his glass down and leaning back on the couch, gazing up at the ceiling with a sense of loss.

Lin Fan hadn’t expected his brother to have already pieced together the events of that year. Watching Xu Qiang now, Lin Fan saw a reflection of his own younger self.

Yes, as a member of Falcon, Xu Qiang was prepared to sacrifice himself for his country. But when the moment actually arrived, he realized he was only human after all, and the nation’s abandonment was something he couldn’t quite accept. That was why, after returning to China, he never went back to Falcon—he simply didn’t know how to face it all.

Four years ago, after being brought into Dragon Soul, Lin Fan had secretly used their resources to investigate the matter. Just as Xu Qiang had guessed, the nation had indeed abandoned them back then. Learning the truth, Lin Fan’s pain had been no less than Xu Qiang’s now. He would spend hours staring blankly at the sky or locking himself away, unwilling to see anyone. In the end, he chose to stay with Dragon Soul, to remain in Africa rather than return to Falcon—or even to China itself.

“Heh, four years apart and you’ve gotten smarter,” Lin Fan said with a raised glass and a slight smile.

“Boss, don’t mock me. Me, smart? Hardly,” Xu Qiang replied, lifting his own glass with self-deprecation. Seeing that Lin Fan wasn’t as surprised as he’d expected, Xu Qiang realized his boss must have known the truth all along.

Little did Xu Qiang know, Lin Fan had been far more devastated when he first learned the truth. What hurt Lin Fan the most was that his own uncle—Lin Haotian, the highest commander of Falcon—had chosen to side with the nation and abandon him.

Lighting a cigarette, Lin Fan said quietly, “Qiangzi, I’ve known about this for a long time. Let the past be the past. If the country hadn’t abandoned us back then, we’d probably still be running missions across the globe. Where would we find this freedom we have now?” Whether speaking to Xu Qiang or to himself, it was hard to tell.

There was one thing Lin Fan didn’t say: He was determined to make the nation regret its decision, no matter what...

In truth, the country already had some regrets. When Lin Fan joined Dragon Soul, word got back immediately, but they chose to turn a blind eye. A few years later, Lin Fan took command of Dragon Soul, and under his leadership, it grew so powerful that even Chinese government agencies abroad needed Dragon Soul’s assistance to conduct their affairs. Though Lin Fan always instructed Dragon Soul to cooperate as much as possible, he himself never met with the government’s envoys. There was even an occasion when his own uncle, Lin Haotian, came to see him in person, only to be turned away with the excuse of being busy.

“Boss, I just can’t get over it,” Xu Qiang said, eyes red with emotion.

Indeed, for anyone, such a betrayal would not be easily forgotten.

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