Canyon 16

"It's not what you think." Derasa shook her head gently, her eyes slightly red. "My mother has been gone for many years. My father's cancer was in its late stages, and he didn't have much time left. He planned to end his own life to join my mother."

Upon hearing this, the restaurant on the top floor of the watchtower instantly fell silent.

Rosen listened in silence. Late-stage cancer, no matter which country it is in, is a countdown to death. No amount of empty talk seems to make it seem pale and powerless.

He hesitated for a long time before saying, "Then you can go back and spend the last days with him. There's only about a month left until Valentine's Day."

Derasa shook his head again, his tone full of helplessness and resignation: "I can't leave. My identity was exposed while I was on a mission in Belarus, and my superiors ordered me to disappear for a year."

Disappearing for a year means running to this godforsaken place? Jason Bourne disappeared so much that even the CIA couldn't find him.

"So, he just dumped you in this godforsaken canyon to guard the tower?"

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Delasa noticed that his tone was off and looked up at him with a puzzled expression.

Rosen paused for a few seconds, then slowly said, "I found some remaining records at the bottom of the canyon. None of the guards who came to guard the canyon have ever been able to leave."

Derasar's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief: "Impossible! Over the years, at least a hundred guards have come and gone to guard this canyon in rotation. How could no one have left?"

"It's true, they all stayed here."

Derasa was filled with confusion: "How could this be... Our mission agreement only has a one-year term? If everyone stayed, where did they all go?"

Instead of answering directly, Rosen changed the subject, "Let's put that aside for now. How much is your reward for this tower defense mission?"

De Lasa blurted out, "400 million euros! But only a down payment of 40 euros has been made so far. The remaining balance will be settled after the one-year mission is completed."

After hearing the number, Rosen felt nothing but utter absurdity.

This scam is practically a high-end telecom fraud template, and the price is outrageously high.

Pay 400 million euros to hire someone to guard a canyon in the wilderness for a year?

If word got out that such a windfall was happening, mercenaries and veterans all over the world would be scrambling to get their hands on it.

Although the initial reward of 40 yuan does seem like a lot, enough for an ordinary person to live a carefree life for many years.

But if this money is earned at the cost of one's life, then the cost-effectiveness is far too low.

It's worth noting that in Europe, the compensation for elite combat personnel in high-risk positions can normally exceed 100 million euros.

As for those war dogs and cheap mercenaries at the bottom, they are worthless and cannot be included.

At this moment, Rosen's eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing through the deep night outside the window and landing on the watchtower on the other side of the canyon.

Two figures were standing in the dim light of the watchtower opposite.

One of them was wearing a heavy camouflage combat uniform and had a huge backpack on his back.

Rosen strode onto the terrace, adjusted the photoelectric observation device fixed to the ground, and looked towards the other side of the canyon.

Li Wei has arrived. This guy is also an ace sniper. He was hired by Black Lake Corporation to recuperate in this canyon because of severe post-war PTSD.

Derasa, still reeling from the earlier impact, saw Rosen staring at the opposite side through the observation device. "What are you looking at? You still haven't told me where those guards went!"

Rosen looked away. "The sentry tower on the other side is about to be repositioned."

"Where? Let me see!" Delosa's curiosity was piqued, and he leaned closer to the observation device to stare at the other side.

Rosen stepped aside to make room, his tone tinged with a hint of wistfulness: "Looks like that black guy guarding the tower is in for some trouble."

After reading the report, Derasa saw that two people had indeed arrived, presumably for the handover. Hearing Rosen's words, she said thoughtfully, "You said he's going to be in trouble, just like those guards who never leave, right?"

"That's right." Rosen nodded slightly. "The records left at the bottom of the valley say that every tower keeper is secretly disposed of when their mission is over and they are rotated out. They believe that only the dead can keep the secret forever."

Upon hearing this, Delasa's expression turned grim.

This seemingly easy and high-paying tower guard job was personally recommended by her most trusted superior. Only now did she realize that she hadn't been assigned to hide from trouble at all; she had clearly been betrayed by her superior.

Deras remained silent for a long time, his fingertips growing slightly cold. Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, "Then I'll go down to the bottom of the valley with you tomorrow. I have to see for myself what's going on."

Rosen shook his head slightly again. He didn't want to take Delasa down with him, otherwise how could he take the mother away?

"The dangers at the bottom of the valley are far greater than you can imagine, and I may not be able to protect you. If you want to verify whether what I'm saying is true, you don't need to go down to the bottom. Tomorrow, when that black guard leaves, quietly follow him, and you'll see the result."

After listening to Rosen's words, Delasa nodded slightly. Just as he was about to say that he would have to get up early tomorrow, at that moment...

Boom—!

A muffled explosion came from the valley floor directly below the watchtower.

Rosen instinctively peered down into the valley, but at that moment, thick fog surged deep within the canyon, the gray mist enveloping the entire valley floor. He couldn't see the explosion at all, not even a glimmer of fire. The entire area below looked as deathly still as usual.

"Looks like something couldn't resist coming up for some fresh air."

"Was it the bomb you planted at the bottom of the valley that was triggered?"

"That's right." Rosen shrugged. "If these hollow men are planning to come up and take a look tonight, then we're going to have to blow it up again."

He had barely finished speaking!

Boom! Boom!

Two more explosions came from the bottom of the valley, this time much clearer than before.

The guards on the other side of the canyon also heard the commotion immediately. Two figures quickly ran into the watchtower and ran up the steps to the top of the watchtower.

Rosen was also curious about what it would be like for the hollow people to climb the cliff together, so he immediately instructed Delasa, "You stay up here and keep watch, I'll go down and check the situation."

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and ran straight to the stairs. He grabbed the steel pipe in the middle of the stairwell with both hands, loosened his grip slightly, and used gravity to quickly slide down to the bottom of the watchtower.

Upon arriving at the armory at the bottom of the tower, Rosen quickly put on his protective combat suit and helmet.

He then took out a time-traveling machine equipped with pumpkin bombs and threw it directly into the canyon.

The aircraft was in freefall and fell, but the Phalanx CIWS on the watchtower was not triggered.