Before his departure, Theodore carried Steve in his arms for a long time, saying many things to him.


    "Stevie, I''m so sorry. If anything were to happen to Daddy, I can''t take care of you anymore. I know I should be doing that and that I shouldn''t be so selfish, but I can''t help it. I have to go save Mommy. If I don''te back, you must listen to Grandpa and Grandma. They will take care of you."


    Theodore kissed his cheek.


    "I left you many videos, enough tost you till you turn 18. Remember to watch one every year on your birthday. I want you to know that I''ll remember you forever."


    He started tearing up.


    "I''m sorry, Daddy needs to go. I''ll protect myself and your mommy as best as I can. We''ll definitely find a way back home."


    Theodore put Steve back into his cot.


    "Dada......." Steve leaned against the edge of the cot and blinked innocently at Theodore.


    "I''m sorry. Daddy''s leaving." He nted a final kiss on Steve''s cheek and left, his heart breaking.


    Steve plopped onto the mattress and started wailing, "Dada...!"


    Theodore set off with a bunch of men.


    Veloso and Blencalgo weren''t neighboring countries and he first had to transit at Caltary.


    Christopher leveraged his political influence to negotiate with people in Caltary to allow them in and infiltrate Veloso through them.


    Their agreement came on one condition, which was that if Theodore''s operation failed and things were to blow up, Caltary would im ignorance that people from Blencalgo snuck into Caltary in disguise and would hold them ountable for it.


    His request was reasonable. It was natural for each country to consider its own interests.


    Their help was sufficient, as long as they could enter Caltary.


    Theodore and his men arrived at the base they previously agreed on, which was along the borders between Caltary and Veloso. The terrain was rough and studded with wild vegetation. Rolling hills surrounded them, the aura of death hanging heavily around them.


    Theodore instructed his team members to build a temporary base at the borders.


    The team in charge ofmunicationsid out all their high-techmunication gadgets and started to establish a steady connection. The intelligence and reconnaissance team stationed themselves at the border, surveying the situation there and ensuring that all was safe.


    The one receiving them in Veloso had given them a map of the underground passageway, Sebastian''s address, as well as a blueprint of his vi.


    A car would await them at the end of the tunnel and send them to a spot two kilometers away from Sebastian''s vi, where they would get off and go on foot. If they seeded, they would meet at the agreed time. The car would drive them back to the borders.


    This tunnel was dug during the war and had been abandoned for many years, hidden deep in the dense forest and mountains. The terrain wasplex, like a maze, and it was easy to get lost inside.


    An urate map was necessary as a guide, otherwise, getting out of the tunnel would prove an impossible endeavor.


    Before entering the tunnel, Theodore and his team members synched their watches.


    It was 9.10 pm.


    "After entering the tunnel, we have to


    keep moving without stopping. We


    can''t retreat or stop. We have to move fast because once anything goes wrong, we might very well get wiped out. Remember, the main goal this time is rescue. Retreat


    immediately once we do that. Don''t go looking for a fight. If everything goes smoothly, we''ll be back before people in Veloso get out of their beds," Theodore said.


    The men dressed in ck military uniforms stood in a row like an iron-d wall and replied in unison, "Yes, sir."


    They were a group of well-trained mercenaries indeed.


    Theodore went on, "Time for a final check of your weapons andmunication devices."


    Veloso had a strict ban on the inte and electricity at night, and there would be no signal. The screens of their panoramic electronic map would be pitch ck. All who entered the country would find their electronicmunication devices unusable.


    The satellitemunication devices Theodore and his team were


    ve out


    equipped with allowed them tomunicate even in ces inte coverage. They werepact and portable, and allowed them tomunicate when installed on their bulletproof


    helmets.


    After the check was done, Theodore led the way and entered the tunnel, his men following right behind him.


    The tunnel was winding and narrow, dark and very wet. They had to rely on the torches attached to their helmets as they carefully followed Theodore, cautiously observing their surroundings just in case anything were to happen.


    If they followed the map, it would be a walking distance of about five kilometers through the tunnel. Although it wasn''t a long distance, the tunnel was only slightly more than one meter tall. Everyone had to bend over, which added to their burden.


    They walked on quietly, staying alert at every moment.


    Suddenly, they found two corpses on the floor, one bigger than the other. The bodies had long rotted away, indicating that they had probably died a long time ago. The clothes still hanging on their corpses looked like those of Veloso residents.


    They probably wanted to flee the country through the passageway but lost their way and ended up dying there.


    If it weren''t for the harsh living conditions in Veloso, why would they try to flee at the expense of their lives? Despite their most valiant efforts, they still failed.


    Although this tunnel was dangerous,


    vel


    it was the safest ce for Theodore. No one was guarding the ce except for some asional patrollers. Above them were mountain ranges with steep and rugged terrains while they were in an underground maze. It was a natural cover for them.


    nds along the border, on the other hand, were guarded by tall electric fences and military forces.


    No one would think about sneaking into Veloso through the borders. Only Veloso residents would want to escape through them. The tall electric fences weren''t a defense against foreigners, but to prevent their countrymen from fleeing.


    Buildings and houses in Veloso often experienced ckouts due to power outages, and people had to endure the pitch-ck darkness at night. Yet the electric fences along the border never seemed to run out of power.


    The men strode past the corpses and continued on their way. It was strenuous to crouch and walk, and their foreheads were beaded with sweat in no time.


    To make things worse, the air was limited in the tunnel. It was getting harder to breathe.