Chapter 392: New Bolivia (Part 1) (Patreon)

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It seemed like they could sense that it was an ominous night. After nightfall in La Paz, the sky was filled with dark clouds, and even the air seemed to carry a sense of oppressive discomfort.

Yuri reluctantly put on his bulletproof vest and glanced at his swollen belly. He took a drag from his cigar in silence.

Compared to most civilian agents in the CIA, who had transitioned from the military, Yuri still had some combat abilities.

Well, just a little.

In fact, ever since he was promoted to a senior agent responsible for handling stolen goods for the CIA, he had been away from the front lines for a long time.

Especially in the past six months, Yuri had been living a life of luxury and indulgence in Rio de Janeiro. Although it wasn't as extravagant as the legends, it was not far off.

Now, the six-pack abs that could still be vaguely seen on his lower abdomen had turned into a lump, and his belly had grown two sizes larger than before.

If tonight's matter wasn't so important, Yuri, who was afraid of death, wouldn't even want to appear on the battlefield.

"...Boss, we're ready!"

A tall and muscular African mercenary walked over. His name was Dibham, a Brazilian of African descent. His ancestors were likely black slaves brought to Brazil during the Age of Discovery. However, unlike the recent pure-blooded African immigrants, his skin had changed from pitch black to brown.

Yuri and his team were currently in an abandoned military base arranged by Colonel Numar, about 85 kilometers away from downtown La Paz.

Since the order from Forerunner came suddenly, most of the mercenaries in the camp were already asleep. When they were suddenly awakened and informed of the impending mutiny, these former veterans who had served in different countries behaved poorly.

It took nearly two hours just to get dressed, organize their equipment, and assemble.

However, Yuri didn't pay much attention to it. Forerunner had taken on the most difficult targets in the mutiny. If they still failed, they would be worse than trash.

Flicking the ash from his cigar, Yuri looked at the assembled mercenaries in the camp. Under the dim lights, they still looked somewhat presentable.

Narrowing his eyes with satisfaction, he nodded at his trusted subordinate, "Dibham, well done!"

Racial discrimination wasn't limited to a specific country. It existed in almost any country on Earth, and it was even worse in Western countries.

Although Brazil's economy had been declining in recent years, it was still a dominant force in South America. As the country's main controllers, the white population harbored inherent discrimination against other ethnic groups.

People like Dibham, who were of African descent, didn't have it easy either. In his early years, he had joined the military to make a living. After failing to transfer to the police force after his discharge, he had to return to his hometown—the slums of Rio de Janeiro—and earn a living by working at the docks.

For Dibham, a person with limited education and no connections, a security company was a decent way out, especially considering the higher salary offered by Yuri compared to other security companies.

Initially, many people, including Dibham, joined Yuri's company for the benefits. Although many of those recruited by Yuri realized that something was amiss after receiving his money, what could they do after realizing it?

They would train their physical fitness, go for runs, shoot guns, enjoy good food and drinks every day, and receive higher salaries than many office workers in Rio de Janeiro. Only a fool would leave.

Even when he later mobilized personnel from the security company, claiming to have received a commission and disguising them as mutineering soldiers to participate in a coup in a neighboring country, many people volunteered to join.

There was nothing that money couldn't blind.

Regardless of the success or failure of the mission, everyone would immediately receive a resettlement fee of $20,000. If the coup succeeded, they would receive an additional $30,000. And the target was Bolivia, a country with one of the weakest military forces in South America.

This also explained how Yuri managed to get his subordinates. He snapped his fingers, and two subordinates immediately focused two spotlights on him.

Yuri instantly felt numerous eyes looking at him. He didn't show any signs of nervousness. He threw his cigar on the ground and took hold of a microphone with one hand while raising a brand-new AK-74 rifle with the other, a malicious smile on his face.

"...I won't waste any more words. Today, we are here because we were hired to participate in a coup that will determine the fate of a country... You should consider yourselves lucky because I am your boss, and I lack everything except weapons and dollars... Of course, I also consider myself very fortunate because my boss just informed me... that tonight's mutiny will undoubtedly be successful. Another force will also participate in the coup, so besides taking over the parliament building, national television station, Ministry of the Interior, airport, and train station, we won't need to engage in much combat..."

Inside the military camp, there was a clamor and noise.

Yuri impatiently made a cold hum, "Quiet..."

Only a few people knew about Forerunner's existence among his subordinates, and the majority of them still didn't know who they were working for.

Yuri couldn't be bothered to explain, so he scanned the gradually quieting mercenaries with his gaze and finally focused on the dozens of military trucks and infantry fighting vehicles parked beside the camp. He waved the hand holding the weapon forward.

"According to the revised plan, move out!"

...

The noisy military camp concealed many things.

Forerunner activated its optical stealth device and stood indifferently amidst the camp, towering over the others.

Controlling Bolivia was an important part of the master's plan. Once they gained control here, it would signify the beginning of Sun Cheng's expansion on this intelligent planet called Earth.

Therefore, the first step must not have any mistakes.

The mutiny had to succeed!

As Yuri announced the start of the operation, infantry fighting vehicles and military trucks that had been transported from various channels quickly left the abandoned camp and headed towards downtown La Paz.

Forerunner didn't rush to set off. He imitated his master in every way possible and, after changing into his new mechanical body, his alternate form was not the typical ground vehicles preferred by Decepticon and Autobot warriors who liked close combat, but an aerial form like Sun Cheng.

Although it wasn't yet time for him and Yuri to meet as agreed upon four hours later, Yuri and his team had to depart early.

Colonel Numar had deliberately chosen this remote abandoned base to settle the mercenaries to avoid exposure. While it reduced the possibility of exposure, it also increased the marching distance.

After waiting directly in the base for over half an hour and calculating the distance Yuri and his team would travel, Forerunner knew it was time for him to set off.

The shimmering light on his body flickered slightly. After deactivating the optical stealth device, he adjusted the target direction toward the satellites in the sky. Suddenly, he took a small step back and underwent a dazzling transformation in the air, rising tens of meters high. A sleek and graceful conventional delta-wing aircraft, the Phantom F-1D, emitted fiery jets and quickly ascended into the sky above ten thousand meters.

The Phantom F-1D was a third-generation fighter jet (new variant) developed and improved by France's Dassault. This was the alternate form chosen by Forerunner after changing into his new mechanical body.

The reason for choosing it was that there was no other choice. Both Decepticons and Autobots needed to conduct comprehensive scans of reference targets before determining their alternate forms and modeling their bodies through reconfiguration.

Unfortunately, the United States regarded Latin America as its backyard and vigorously suppressed the military forces of Central and South American countries. Advanced fourth-generation jets, apart from Chile and Venezuela (both using F-16s), were not equipped by any other country.

Brazil had initially considered purchasing Mirage 2000 from France but the deal was sabotaged by the United States. They ended up buying the cheaper third-generation Phantom F-1D.

Flying in the high sky above ten thousand meters, Forerunner enjoyed the howling wind brushing past his mechanical body. He increased his speed, immediately entering supersonic cruise.

Due to the Phantom F-1D's design, he consumed much more energy and faced greater resistance during supersonic flight compared to Sun Cheng.

However, this was only for the purpose of making good time. As he saw the lights of the bustling La Paz city area becoming faintly visible, he quickly ended the cruise and began reducing his speed and altitude.

Bolivia was one of the weakest military countries on the South American continent.

Since its founding, it had been involved in wars with almost all its neighboring countries. As a result, it had been suppressed by its neighbors, especially Chile and Paraguay, with military exercises conducted every year with guns pointing directly at Bolivia.

The lack of access to the sea for mineral exports, inconvenient transportation due to the highland terrain, underdeveloped tourism industry, and various other internal and external factors had led to limited military funding for Bolivia. After the majority of the budget was used to pay soldiers' salaries and subsidies, there was hardly any money left to purchase advanced equipment beyond scavenging around the world.

For example, Bolivia's air force was currently equipped with a few MiG-23s that could fall apart at any moment. The country had only just made a deal with China earlier this year to purchase K-8 trainer aircraft, which would take ten years to be delivered and become the mainstay of the Bolivian Air Force...

Therefore, Forerunner privately felt that his participation in the coup was a serious waste of his reincarnated abilities.

When he was only 17 kilometers away from downtown, he had already descended to an altitude of 4,700 meters. Finally, La Paz's radar reacted, sensing the detection waves shining upon his mechanical body. Forerunner paid no attention to it. In his Phantom F-1 form, he appeared like a fifth-generation fighter jet. Two AS-14 air-to-ground missiles, imported from Russia, slowly extended from the lower belly of his aircraft's fuselage and were quickly moved to launchers underneath the wings.

Before La Paz's anti-aircraft alarm could sound, the missiles, like two fiery serpents, streaked through the dark night. One headed toward the Bo Jun anti-aircraft battery position four kilometers from the presidential residence, while the other flew toward the temporary headquarters of the guard company near the presidential residence.

The immediate explosion and burst of flames awakened the sleeping city. Before it could react, Forerunner, drawing a perfect arc in the air, launched the two AS-14 air-to-ground missiles toward the presidential residence once again.

His mission was to eliminate the new president and ensure the paralysis of the country's administrative system. As for the presidential residence being reduced to ruins, it didn't matter to him.

Confirming the complete devastation of the presidential residence after the two AS-14 air-to-ground missiles turned it into a sea of fire, Forerunner circled above the inferno, made slight corrections in his direction, and turned his head toward the next target.

...

The explosions and the soaring flames were particularly conspicuous in the dark night.

At the same time, on the communication channel of the infantry fighting vehicle where Yuri was located, a cold electronic voice sounded, "The presidential palace has been dealt with. Four air-to-ground missiles have turned it into a sea of fire. No one can survive!"

Yuri knew it was Forerunner. Although he didn't know how Forerunner knew which communication channel he was on, he picked up the radio and responded, "Understood, Your Excellency. Keep up the good work!"

Forerunner didn't answer him, and Yuri wasn't surprised. He gestured for his subordinates to open the reconnaissance hatch of the infantry fighting vehicle, revealing half of his body. He raised a night vision telescope and looked at the explosion and flames dozens of kilometers away in the urban area. A look of intoxication filled his face like a rustic farmer.

"Alright, boys, our battle has begun!"

He quickly retreated into the infantry fighting vehicle, took out a map from one of his subordinates, glanced at it, and raised the radio in his hand.

"Dibham, we'll arrive in the city in a few minutes. According to the previous plan, we will split into two groups... You lead one team to advance towards Parliament and the Ministry of the Interior, quickly seizing control of these two places..."

While he was speaking, two more explosions sounded from the direction of the city. Then, Forerunner's cold voice interrupted his command, resounding once again on the communication channel.

"The police headquarters has been destroyed. I will go and destroy the 732nd Regiment..."

Yuri's voice faltered, and after exchanging glances with his subordinates inside the fighting vehicle, he raised the radio again and spoke slowly.

"...In that case, the first battalion will accompany me to save Colonel Numar... The second battalion will be led by Dibham. I hope we can finish the battle within two hours..."

"Under...stood!"

Dibham's voice came quickly from the other end of the communication, but like Yuri, it was also trembling.

He was one of the few subordinates of Yuri who knew of Forerunner's existence and had met him face to face. However, Yuri had revealed very little about what kind of existence the Decepticons were. He only vaguely mentioned to his trusted subordinates that these extraterrestrial visitors were the true force they were serving.

Tonight, all those who were informed, including Yuri himself, had to reacquaint themselves with the terrifying and powerful force they truly served.

Yes, amidst the burning inferno and continuous explosions in La Paz.

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Next Chapter >>Chapter 393: New Bolivia (Part 2)