Foster father

06

Carter Vaughan had spent three days recovering in a small village. His physical condition was excellent, and with the best medicine brought by Job, even though the local doctor wasn’t very skilled, he had managed to stabilize his injuries.

On the third day, the person sent to pick them up arrived.

Oliver stood in Carter Vaughan's room, watching a Hummer approach from the village's entrance. Job waved at them from a distance, and the vehicle stopped in the yard. A massive, muscular man and a woman with deep brown skin jumped out. The white man was in his thirties, with a sturdy build, similar to Job. However, the woman was something entirely different. Oliver had never seen anyone as alluring and enchanting as her before.

She wore a black, tight-fitting tank top and shorts that barely covered her thighs. Her towering chest, slim waist, and long, toned legs exuded an untamed beauty as she moved with graceful steps, radiating an irresistible wildness and charm. The villagers were left speechless as they stared at her.

Job greeted her warmly. "Perl, you guys are here."

She flipped her long, dark hair, her deep, captivating eyes sparkling. "Where is he?" she asked Job.

Job pointed to the grass hut in front of them. "Inside."

Perl pulled a massive metal box from the vehicle, one that looked to weigh at least fifty pounds, and effortlessly slung it over her shoulder as she walked into the house.

The child looked up at her in awe.

Perl frowned as she noticed the child, assuming he was one of the villagers' kids, but didn’t pay much attention. If she hadn’t been looking carefully, she wouldn’t have noticed the difference between Vietnamese and Burmese children.

Carter Vaughan sat up in bed. "Perl."

The moment she saw him, a softness appeared on her face. She walked to his bed, cupped his face gently, and kissed his lips. "I was so worried about you."

Carter smiled. "I’m not going to die."

She patted his cheek, then opened the metal box, which was filled with medical equipment and medicine. "Let me treat you a bit, then we’ll head out. The boss is waiting for you."

Perl was the chief medic of their mercenary group, and due to both her incredible beauty and exceptional skill, she held a very high position in the team.

She carefully reopened the wound the local doctor had poorly treated, re-bandaged it, and gave him some nutrients intravenously.

After lunch, Job and the other white guy, Koski, planned to help Carter Vaughan into the vehicle to head back to their temporary base.

But Carter didn’t want to be treated like a helpless invalid. He still had one good leg, and since they were well-fed, rested, and taken care of, he could walk on his own.

Job left a generous sum of money with the villagers and had them prepare food and water for the trip.

Although Oliver didn’t understand their language, he could tell they were about to leave, so he stuck closely by Carter Vaughan’s side.

Carter took two steps before he remembered the child at his feet. He stopped and looked down at him.

Perl also looked curiously at the child.

Job, standing behind her, explained, "He’s a street find, just like him. He's Vietnamese."

Perl blinked and whispered, "Do all Vietnamese kids look this cute?"

Job shrugged. "I haven’t seen many, but…"

He smiled charmingly. "I’m sure all Amazonian women are as stunning as you."

Perl chuckled, playfully ruffled his short beard, and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

The child looked up at Carter Vaughan. "Uncle, where are you going?"

"I’m going wherever I want. It’s none of your business. Stop following me."

The child widened his eyes. "Are you going to leave me here?"

“There’s food, water, and people here. I’m not taking you back. Figure it out yourself,” Carter Vaughan snapped.

The child threw his arms around his leg, knowing that Carter Vaughan was serious. The fear of being abandoned filled his little heart. "Uncle, don’t leave me. I don’t want to stay here."

The villagers’ language was completely foreign to him, and he didn’t want to stay there. He didn’t want to be left behind!

Carter Vaughan tapped his leg with his cane in warning. "Let go."

"No! Please don’t leave me, Uncle. Take me with you. I don’t understand what they’re saying. I’m scared, Uncle. Please, take me with you," the child sobbed, his face drenched in tears, looking pitiful.

Perl asked Job, "Isn’t he attached to Carter Vaughan?"

"Probably. I can’t understand what he’s saying, but it looks pretty sad."

Carter Vaughan coldly retorted, "Why should I take you? You’re just a burden. You’re useless to me."

"Uncle—please take me with you, don’t leave me here," the child trembled uncontrollably, his fear of abandonment overwhelming him. Though terrified of Carter Vaughan, he felt a strong sense of dependence on him since he was the only one who could communicate with him. If Carter Vaughan left him behind, he knew he’d never see his parents again. So, he clung to Carter Vaughan’s leg, refusing to let go, no matter how harshly he was threatened.

Job said, "Isn’t he desperate to leave? Poor thing."

"We’re not a charity, why should we care?" Carter Vaughan replied coldly.

Even though the child didn’t understand their words, he could sense from Carter Vaughan’s tone that he was being dismissed. He clung to Carter Vaughan’s leg like a lifeline, refusing to let go.

He cried loudly, his small face turning red as he sobbed uncontrollably.

The other three members of the mercenary group stood aside, watching the scene. They were curious to see how Carter Vaughan would handle this.

Carter Vaughan looked at the child crying while clinging to his leg, and for a brief moment, he had a flashback. The child’s image seemed to overlap with his own from years ago.

Over a decade ago, he was also wandering the fine line between life and death, brought into this bloody world by his father. Although he still lived on that edge, he was now strong enough to control his own fate.

But this child’s future was in someone else’s hands. He might never have the chance to grow strong enough to make his own life-and-death decisions.

So, should he give the child that chance?

Carter Vaughan hesitated.

He looked at the child and asked, "Do you want to come with me?"

The child was sobbing so hard he could hardly breathe. When he heard Carter Vaughan’s question, he immediately nodded.

Carter smiled cruelly. "If you really want to come with me, I’ll take you. But I won’t take you home. From now on, you’ll live by my rules. Maybe staying in this village would be a better life for you." He paused. "Do you still want to come?"

The child hesitated only for a second before nodding again. He didn’t know what kind of future awaited him, but he knew that if he stayed in this remote village, he would never leave.

Carter Vaughan snorted. "Then get in the car."

He climbed into the vehicle first. The child struggled to climb in, then curled up into his arms, wiping his tears and sneakily looking at the other mercenaries. His face was red from crying, and he looked especially pitiful.

The three mercenaries exchanged glances.

Without orders, they had no right to interfere with the actions of other team members. Whether or not Carter Vaughan should take the child was something their leader would have to decide. They weren’t about to offer their opinions.

No one could have predicted that this impulsive decision by Carter Vaughan would have such a profound impact on them and everyone in the mercenary group.