<h4>Chapter 1679: Chapter 1680: The Two Finally Face Each Other</h4>


    "I’ll handle this mission myself; it should take about a day toplete," Coelho said.


    Her words caught everyone present by surprise. Ma Kelun smiled and said, "You are the second-inmand and haven’t been on a mission for years. Let your subordinates handle this one."


    "Yes, it’s better to let your team do it," Xu Ke added, standing there.


    Coelho waved her hand dismissively, "Stop talking. It’s precisely because I haven’t done a mission in so long that I want to relive that feeling now."


    From Coelho’s expression, it was clear that she had made up her mind.


    Moreover, her group was almost assembled and just waiting to depart with her.


    In truth, Coelho’s influence wasn’t small. As the second-inmand, she had been quietly strengthening her power.


    When Ma Kelun saw the assembled team, even he was shocked, not expecting Coelho to have grown so formidable without anyone noticing.


    "Alright, take care on the road and return soon," Ma Kelun said.


    Coelho looked at Ma Kelun and could see that his concern didn’t seem like a joke. At that moment, her heart suddenly moved.


    After all, they had been working together for years, and she had long been Ma Kelun’s secret lover.


    To say there were no feelings would be a lie.


    At that moment, Coelho suddenly felt touched; perhaps Ma Kelun genuinely cared for her.


    "Be careful on the road," Xu Ke said.


    His face was indifferent. Compared to Ma Kelun, she believed more that Ma Kelun was sincere towards her.


    "Don’t worry, I’m fine," Coelho said, then turned to Meng Hu and said, "Commander Meng, thank you for the mission. When I return, I won’t forget your kindness."


    Meng Hu smiled lightly and said, "No problem, we will have more opportunities to cooperate in the future."


    "I hope so. Goodbye," Coelho said, then walked outside.


    When she reached the door, she suddenly felt reluctant, and she turned back to look at Ma Kelun.


    Only to see Ma Kelun watching her with a hint of reluctance in his eyes, and when she turned her head back, Ma Kelun nodded and smiled faintly.


    Coelho finally steeled herself and turned to leave.


    She had her ns; now that she had brought her team out, she waspletely free of the leader’s control.


    She could take her brothers and leave right now and start her own mercenary group.


    But Coelho felt unwilling; after all, she had contributed significantly to the current scale of Clover.


    If she left now, wouldn’t it be benefiting Xu Ke and Ma Kelun?


    She now led the team away, nning that after shepleted her mission, she would return with her people and take down Ma Kelun.


    But thinking of the way Ma Kelun looked at her just now, she felt a pang of unwillingness.


    "Ma Kelun, don’t me me for being ruthless; me yourself for trusting the wrong person," Coelho took a deep breath as she spoke on the road.


    She had already nned with Xu Ke. When she returned, she would team up with Xu Ke and take action.


    Ma Kelun stood by the window, watching Coelho leave, and it was clear he had regret in his eyes.


    "Leader, stop looking. She’s gone far away," Meng Hu said, sitting there.


    Ma Kelun did not turn back; he stood there with his hands behind his back, seemingly deep in thought.


    At this moment, Xu Ke came over to the sofa, sat down, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it in one gulp.


    The room suddenly fell silent; no one spoke, and the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.


    Ma Kelun came over, sat on the sofa, and handed his cup to Xu Ke, gesturing for him to refill it.


    Xu Ke paused for a moment, then shook his head and smiled as he refilled Ma Kelun’s cup.


    There was a sense of sadness on Ma Kelun’s face. He looked up at Xu Ke, "How long have you been following me?"


    Xu Ke poured himself more tea and drank it leisurely. He looked up with a sneer, "Five years."


    Ma Kelun sighed, leaning back on the sofa, "Five years have passed so quickly, in the blink of an eye."


    Xu Ke ignored Ma Kelun’s words and simply sat there quietly drinking tea.


    This sensation felt quitefortable to him. Previously, in front of Ma Kelun, he was like a servant.


    Sitting there at leisure with a cup of tea had once been a luxury.


    But today, there he was, sitting openly, and the leader seemed not to mind.


    "Aren’t you curious?" Xu Ke drank a ss of water, then put the ss down and looked at Ma Kelun.


    Ma Kelun just smiled, "What’s so strange about it? It seems normal to me."


    "I’m your bodyguard, now sitting as your equal. How do you feel about that?" Xu Ke stared directly into his eyes.


    Ma Kelun shook his head with augh, "You are more than just my bodyguard; you are the third-inmand. You have the right to sit as an equal to me."


    "You..." Xu Ke suddenly felt the urge to cough up blood.


    Though he was the third-inmand, he had always served by Ma Kelun’s side. Now that Ma Kelun showed no gratitude, it was hard for him to ept.


    "You are the third-inmand with the right to seek your own interests. Otherwise, I would have thought you preferred being a bodyguard," Ma Kelun said.


    Xu Ke was so furious that he gritted his teeth, but he managed to swallow his anger and said, "Leader, things havee to this point; let me be frank with you."


    After draining the tea in front of him, he mmed the cup onto the table, "Leader, leave the mercenary world."


    His words left both Ma Kelun and Meng Hu sitting to the side momentarily stunned.


    "Leave the mercenary world, and I’ll give you a sum of money. You can go wherever you please, but you won’t appear in this city," Xu Ke said.


    Ma Kelun paused, thenughed heartily, "Xu Ke, you n to betray me?"


    Xu Ke didn’t avoid Ma Kelun’s gaze, ring at him as he said, "Yes, since you made me the third-inmand, you haven’t secured your position as the leader."


    "Don’t forget, you got to where you are today because of me. Without me, you’d still be a small-time hoodlum on the streets," Ma Kelun said, somewhat agitated.


    "Yes, you gave me opportunities, and I’m grateful. But having followed you for so many years, I’ve repaid that debt many times over. Without me by your side, you’d have been dead long ago," Xu Ke said, also somewhat agitated.


    Meng Hu sat in the center on the sofa, calmly observing everything as if it was all under his control.


    "Should I step out?" Meng Hu asked.


    Though he said this, he didn’t move from his spot, eager to witness the chaos within Clover.


    Ma Kelun and Xu Ke ignored Meng Hu, treating him as thin air.


    "I’ve been with you for so long, and have you ever truly considered me?" Xu Ke said, a bit emotionally.


    Ma Kelun just snorted coldly without saying a word, eventually raising his head to look at Xu Ke, "Turn back before it’s toote."