51: Chapter 51 Evacuation of Expatriates 51: Chapter 51 Evacuation of Expatriates Before leaving, Gao Yang took care of his last affairs in Libya.
He handed over his gun to Abdul and asked Abdul to return it to Bob and Simon.
After taking Glolov’s money, Gao was ready to go home.
Abdul drove a very ordinary car, intending to take Gao to the airport personally.
At that time, Gao didn’t even know how he would get on a plane once he arrived at the airport, let alone how he would get back to Huaxia, since Tripoli didn’t have any direct flights to Huaxia.
Walking the streets of Tripoli, Gao felt that Tripoli and Benghazi seemed to belong to different countries.
Benghazi was in complete chaos, while Tripoli at least appeared to be stable on the surface, looking no different from usual.
After leaving the city area, Gao and his company encountered several checkpoints, but each time Abdul managed to pass through easily, indistinguishable from the locals, speaking the same language, dressed in the same clothes.
If Gao didn’t know Abdul’s background, he would never have thought that Abdul had spent less time in Libya than he had.
After another checkpoint had been cleared, Gao couldn’t help asking, “Abdul, can you tell me what Libya is really like?
Is this country good or bad?
Are the people here good or bad?
To be honest, for me, Libya is just a stopover, but I want to understand more.
You know, I almost died here.”
After a long silence, Abdul finally said in a deep voice, “This country is good, the people here are good too.
They’re hospitable, generous, no matter whether poor or rich, they will treat you with their best hospitality, but all this is under one condition, no war!”
After hearing Abdul’s words, Gao remembered everything he had seen in Libya, the militiamen carrying guns ready for a suicide charge, the robbers who killed without blinking, the angry crowds conglomerating.
With what Gao had seen and heard, it was hard for him to believe Abdul’s words, but Gao knew Abdul wasn’t lying because he understood that war could change too much.
Gao felt it was better to worry about himself.
No matter what Libya was like, he was just a passerby.
Although Libya had changed him, he would not have any impact on Libya.
After a long drive out of the urban area, Gao finally couldn’t contain his curiosity, “Abdul, how exactly do you plan to get me home?”
As before, Abdul simply shrugged and said, “Don’t worry, you’ll definitely make it back.
It’s not time to reveal the mystery yet, I want to give you a surprise.”
Gao gave a wry smile, “Please, I don’t want any surprises.
I just want to know as soon as possible how I can get home.
I’ve heard that the airport has already closed, not allowing any planes to take off, right?
Yet you insist on taking me to the airport, I’m really worried.”
Abdul smiled and said, “Just wait a little longer.
In a few minutes, we’ll arrive at the airport and you’ll understand everything soon.
By the way, do you want to go home as quickly as possible, immediately, right now, or can you wait a bit longer?”
Without hesitation, Gao replied, “Do you even need to ask?
Of course I want to go home as quickly as possible, I don’t want to wait another moment.”
Abdul nodded and said, “Understood.
As you wish, you’ll be going home immediately.”
As Gao and Abdul were talking, they could already see the airport terminal.
Gao didn’t ask any further questions; the airport was in sight, and as Abdul had said, the mystery would soon be unveiled.
Abdul, leading Gao, smoothly passed through two checkpoints and directly entered the terminal building.
As soon as he stepped inside, Gao was absolutely stunned.
The vast terminal was in chaos, packed with foreigners of diverse skin tones and faces.
The whole place was in disarray: some were frantically yelling into phones, others loudly cursing, and there were the cries of children and women.
All of this made Gao want to escape the terminal as quickly as possible.
The giant flight information display showed that all flights were grounded.
Gao felt it was impossible for him to leave from this airport.
Gao frowned and said, “Abdul, I don’t think I can leave from here.
Is there something you’ve got wrong?”
Abdul sighed, gestured around the chaotic crowd, and said, “Look at these people.
Do you notice anything?”
Gao glanced around and shook his head, “Apart from all being foreigners, I haven’t noticed anything else.”
Abdul smiled and said, “You need to improve your observational skills.
Look carefully, there are people from all over the world here, Indians and Pakistanis the most, then Europeans.
But have you noticed any Huaxia people?”
With Abdul’s prompt, Gao then realized that indeed, as Abdul had said, he didn’t see many East Asian faces in the cluttered terminal, and while he spotted a few faces similar to his, those people spoke Korean or Japanese – not a single one was speaking Chinese.
Gao Yang exclaimed in surprise, “What’s going on here?”
Abdul sighed and said, “Follow me, and you’ll understand soon enough.”
Leading Gao Yang through the jostling crowd, Abdul made his way to a corner of the terminal, then pointed and said, “There are your compatriots; you can go over there, and then you’ll be able to leave with them.”
In a corner, around four to five hundred people were gathered, standing or sitting.
They all looked disheveled, but not a single one was crying.
Unlike the other foreigners who wore panic or bewilderment on their faces, these people looked composed and orderly.
Gao Yang saw familiar skin tones and heard familiar languages.
He immediately knew that these people gathered together were from Huaxia just like himself.
The calm waiting of the Huaxia People, in stark contrast to the desperation of people from other nations, did not escape Gao Yang’s notice.
He saw many foreigners, children in tow, desperately pleading just outside the corner where the Huaxia People gathered.
A few Huaxia People standing outside wore helpless expressions as they refused, with Gao Yang overhearing them say the most common phrase, “We’re sorry, but we can only prioritize the evacuation of Huaxia People.
Regardless of whether you offer money or not, we cannot help you.”
“What’s all this about?”
Abdul sighed again and explained, “I thought America would be the first to evacuate its citizens, but surprisingly, it was Huaxia that acted first, with the fastest response and the greatest strength.
Maybe other countries will evacuate too, but who knows what this place will look like by the time their planes arrive.
Do you understand now?
You’re in time for the evacuation.
I don’t know what you think of your government, but I must say, you’re lucky this time.
At least you don’t have to wait and suffer like the other foreigners here.
And I hear Huaxia has sent military planes.
On a military plane, you can fly directly back home.”
Gao Yang felt a tearful sensation, proud to be a Huaxia person, regardless of how it had been before or how Huaxia appeared at other times.
But at least at this moment, he felt proud.
He shook hands with Abdul and said, “Thank you.
Honestly, I didn’t expect to leave like this, but I have to say, you’ve really given me quite a surprise.”
Abdul smiled and asked, “What do you plan to do now?”
“Obviously, I’m heading to the Huaxia People’s gathering area to wait for evacuation.
Without a passport, there shouldn’t be a problem with the evacuation, right?
What else can I do?”
Abdul shook his head, “No, no, that way, you might end up in Egypt, Tunisia, or even Italy first.
That’s too slow.
As far as I know, a military flight will be arriving soon.
If you want to be on the first plane home and fly directly to Huaxia, then listen to me—I’ll get you home as quickly as possible.”
Gao Yang hesitated, “Isn’t that not right?
Everyone is eager to leave; I’d rather just queue up honestly.
I’ll get back sooner or later anyway.”
Abdul shook his head, “No, I promised you that I would get you home right away, and you shall get home right away.
Stand still, don’t move, and just bear with it.
It won’t hurt much.”
Gao Yang asked in alarm, “It won’t hurt much?
What are you going to do?”
Without a word, Abdul waved his hand, and suddenly there was a small knife in it that seemed to appear out of nowhere.
Abdul grabbed Gao Yang and slashed a long cut across his chest with his other hand.
As blood swiftly soaked his chest, Gao Yang cried out in horror, “What are you doing?”
With a slight smile, Abdul put the knife away and said, “I’m getting you home, don’t worry.
Your wound is very shallow; you won’t even need to treat it, and the bleeding will stop quickly.
Now that you look so frightening, let’s hurry.”
After speaking, Abdul pulled Gao Yang and ran to the gathering area of the Huaxia People, yelling as he ran, “Help us, help him!
He’s been attacked by thugs, and he’s seriously injured!”
Looking at his own terrifying appearance, Gao Yang felt a chill.
His clothes had a huge tear from the left shoulder to the right rib, exposing the wound on his body through the rent.
The blood had completely soaked his upper body, making it seem perilously severe, but only Gao Yang knew that his wound was actually very shallow.
Abdul continued to drag Gao Yang all the way to the edge of the Huaxia People’s gathering area.
Two Huaxia Men in suits stepped forward to meet them urgently.
Seeing Gao Yang’s wound, both men sharply inhaled, and one of them exclaimed, “What happened, what’s going on here!”
Abdul shouted, “We were attacked by thugs, his injuries are severe, can’t you see?
He’s Huaxia, you need to get him out of here quickly.”