Conrad walked into the bar without looking back.
"This guy is always like this."
Samuel looked toward the door and shook his head helplessly. "I'll go get him."
It was only the first day of the mission, and Samuel didn't want the situation in the team to become too tense.
Logan turned to look at Josh, who seemed completely indifferent to what was happening. He remained motionless, arms crossed over his chest, with an expression of absolute indifference.
Logan thought for a moment, then stopped Samuel just as he was about to enter the bar. "I'll go."
Samuel was startled, then looked at Logan with concern. "With his personality, he won't listen to you." He knew that Conrad was so irritable that day because Logan had taken his leader position. Going in to get him wouldn't just fail to bring him out, it might even escalate the situation...
But Logan ignored him, pushed the tavern door open, and stepped inside.
The bar was dimly lit, and many people were gathered, drinking beer and chatting quietly.
Conrad was sitting alone at the bar. He seemed to know the bartender. He was already halfway through his drink and was whispering something to him.
Logan walked up to Conrad and sat down, motioning with his finger. "Hey, a drink, friend." Conrad looked at Logan, but said nothing. He simply turned slightly and continued drinking.
The bartender also handed Logan a large glass of beer.
Logan looked at Conrad and raised his glass. "Finish this and come back with me. This place is too chaotic. We must ensure the safety of the goods!"
He knew that Conrad wanted access to the Lawrence family, but Logan wasn't interested. He just wanted to complete the mission quickly and collect his pay.
After saying this, Logan raised his glass and drank the beer in one gulp.
"Old man, what are you worried about? I've been running this route for three years, and there has never been an incident with the cargo I've escorted!" Conrad snapped at Logan with a snort. He had no idea what was wrong with Chris for letting a sixty-year-old coward be their leader.
If something went wrong, he would probably die of fear from the gunshots!
Logan didn't want to respond to Conrad's dismissive attitude. Years of running taught him to avoid complications.
"I just want to complete the mission fast, get the money, and leave."
Logan made it clear that he wouldn't stay long in that supposed leader position and would leave once the mission was completed, hoping to appease Conrad's grudge.
However, Logan's concession only increased Conrad's disdain.
Conrad took another sip of his drink and snorted: "If you want money, follow my rules and get a good night's sleep here!"
Logan looked at him coldly, his expression growing colder.
Simply tolerating him didn't seem to change this arrogant man, so when necessary, he would have to resort to force!
"I'll give you three seconds to decide," Logan began to count. "One..."
Conrad, far from fearing Logan's menacing look, showed a playful expression, counting along defiantly for him. "Two, three, four, five, six..."
BANG!
Before Conrad could finish counting, a steel-hard fist struck him.
The intense pain on his face turned Conrad's countdown into a scream. He fell backward, smashing his wine glass on the floor.
"I am the leader of this mission. Control your temper and follow my instructions. This is just a warning. I don't want it to happen again!"
Logan looked coldly at Conrad and then lowered his fist.
"Damn it! Old man, how dare you blindside me!"
Conrad stood up, his vision blurred by the sudden blow. He felt moisture under his lips, and touching his mouth, his palm was stained with blood.
He stared fiercely at Logan; his huge figure made him look like a furious grizzly bear.
He didn't attribute the surprise attack to Logan's strength, but to his own recklessness. In a fair fight, the old man would have been no match for him!
He clenched his fists and raised his hands to hit Logan. The bulging muscles on his arms showed that he was putting all his strength into that punch. A normal sixty-year-old man would have had little chance of resisting it.
Conrad was clearly enraged by Logan's surprise attack. Fueled by alcohol, his eyes were full of fury!
With a whistle!
Logan gave the mercenary no room. He reached out, grabbing Conrad's arm as if it were a vise, and with a magnificent shoulder toss, he sent Conrad crashing into the nearby table.
BANG!
The table instantly shattered, splintering the wood.
The tavern fell into complete silence instantly. Everyone looked on stunned to see that Logan, who appeared to be sixty years old, managed to throw the guy meters away.
The bartender was also stunned for a moment, his face darkening as he shouted: "Fight outside! Fighting is forbidden in this bar!"
Simultaneously, several young men armed with clubs rushed out from the back and surrounded Logan.
"Don't worry, I'll pay for the damages. This is just a private matter."
Despite the crowd surrounding him, Logan remained calm, wiping the blood from his fist with a rag from the bar.
"Ahem."
Conrad also got up from the floor, looking at Logan angrily.
For the former mercenary, such an attack caused no real harm. It was simply the humiliation from an old man that inflamed his anger to the core. "I don't need them here! I can handle this myself!" Conrad addressed the group of young men.
Having said that, he looked fiercely at Logan. "Well, old man, since you don't want to live, I won't be polite either. If you dare, I'll see you outside!"
With that, Conrad wiped the blood from his face, turned around, and walked out of the tavern.
To avoid trouble with the tavern, Logan took a hundred dollars from his pocket and threw it onto the bar, paying for the drinks and the table, before also walking out.
If Conrad wanted to misbehave on the next mission, a plate of fists seemed necessary.
Luckily, although his body was not as strong as in his youth, it was still more than enough to deal with a mercenary.
As soon as they left the tavern, Conrad grabbed a steel pipe from the ground, turned without hesitation, and hurled it with all his strength toward Logan's head. Logan's expression remained unchanged. He reached out and gripped the pipe firmly, then, with a sharp tug, yanked it from his hands.
Conrad was stunned, a look of surprise on his face.
He was so confident in his strength that he could break bones with a single blow.
But Logan blocked it with one hand and even snatched the pipe from him!
How could this old man be so strong?
Conrad stared at Logan with wide eyes.
He couldn't believe that a man over fifty could possess so much strength!
"What are you doing!" a sudden roar echoed. Samuel and Josh approached. Seeing the two men facing off and Conrad's bloody face, they realized something was wrong and quickly rushed forward to separate them.
"What happened? How did a fight break out after only a few minutes?"
Samuel snatched the steel pipe from Logan's hand and threw it aside, his face full of worry and surprise.
He could see that Conrad seemed to be at a disadvantage in this conflict.
Logan didn't answer, just looked at him coldly. "I am the leader of this mission. If you act without authorization again, I won't mind leaving you an invalid before we can continue our journey!"
Conrad was clearly still surprised by Logan's strength, but he still refused to admit defeat. He snorted: "Try it if you dare, old man!"
Samuel and Josh, overwhelmed, held them tightly, fearing the conflict would escalate.
"Stop talking!" Samuel tried to dissuade them. This had already happened on the first day of the mission; he couldn't imagine what kind of friction would increase in the coming days.
BANG!
Just as the two men were trying to dissuade Logan and Samuel, a sudden crash occurred.
Everyone was startled and quickly turned to look.
A van parked on the side of the road had a small dent in the back, caused by the black car that had hit it.
"Damn it!"
Samuel and Josh, seeing the bruised rear end, ignored Logan and Conrad and rushed toward it.
This mission wasn't about mediating a dispute; the cargo was paramount!
Logan and Conrad exchanged a look, setting aside their disagreement for a moment, and moved forward together.
"How could you drive the truck? Didn't you see a truck?" Logan shouted at the two men who had emerged from the car.
"We're sorry, we're sorry!" they shouted.
The two men, both of African-American build, repeatedly apologized to Logan and the others after getting out of the car, their voices loaded with an accent that made them seem of Mexican descent.
"Don't worry, we'll pay for the repairs. It was just an accident," said one of the Mexicans, reaching into his pocket as if to take out money, with a sincere expression.
"Sure!" Samuel looked at the back of the truck with a furious face. "The bumper is smashed! The repairs are going to be expensive!"
"Well, don't worry, money is just a small problem."
The two Afro-Mexicans exchanged a smile. Instantly, the Mexican who appeared to be taking out money pulled his hand out of his pocket. In his hand, he didn't hold a bill—he held a shiny black pistol!
BANG!
The Mexican raised the gun and fired without hesitation.
Their expressions suddenly changed. Samuel watched the flash of fire coming from the barrel, his mind instantly blank, unable to react.
On the other hand, Logan felt a tingling on his scalp. His sharp instincts made him react almost unconsciously. He leaped and instantly moved the three people around him.
In an instant, the high-velocity bullet, with a searing flame, almost grazed Logan's back, tearing a hole in his cheap suit.
A clear spot of blood was left on his back.