Indonesia, consisting of approximately 17,508 islands, is part of the Malay Archipelago and the largest archipelagic country in the world, spanning across Asia and Oceania. It's also known as the "Thousand Islands Country."
Despite the numerous islands, many are uninhabited and deserted, and due to Indonesia's weak national power, even the government is largely unaware of the conditions on many of these islands.
Moreover, the complex terrain and unknown maritime conditions have turned many of Indonesia's islands and seas into havens for criminal organizations. Here, not only do pirates gather, but there are also other dark organizations.
On this particular night, the clouds obscured the moon's light, and the strong sea breeze ravaged the surface of the ocean, causing the trees on a nondescript deserted island to sway incessantly. The rustling leaves created a constant, eerie sound, and the hooting of owls in the pitch-black forest made the atmosphere quite unsettling.
As the saying goes, on a dark and windy night, it is the time for murder and arson!
In the middle of the island, on the side of a small hill, a candlelight could be seen. There were some houses, and at the hillside, there was a natural cave with two men in black standing guard at the entrance.
At that moment, several wooden boats quietly approached the island. As they neared, they slowed down and docked. The first person to jump off the foremost boat was wearing a half-face mask with a snake pattern.
Following him, people started to disembark from the other boats, moving swiftly and dispersing around, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.
A man standing to the left of the masked man said, "Cobra, is this where the Viper Organization's headquarters is?"
"Yes, this is the place. Proceed according to the plan!" The masked man, known as Cobra, responded, and then he headed towards the hillside.
As Cobra moved, the rest of the group, like shadowy nocturnal creatures, quickly followed him through the forest, closely trailing him to the hillside.
Soon, Cobra reached the entrance of the cave.
"Crack!"
As Cobra stepped on a dry twig, it made a sharp sound that echoed in the silent wilderness.
"Who's there!" The guard at the cave entrance shouted loudly and aimed his gun towards Cobra's direction.
Cobra replied in a deep voice, "Cobra!"
As soon as Cobra emerged from the darkness, the guards, though somewhat relieved, remained vigilant. One of the guards asked in a strange language, "!@#¥#*"
"*@#%¥..."
Cobra immediately responded.
After the secret code was exchanged, the two guards holstered their guns, stood upright, and respectfully bowed to Cobra, saying, "Elder Nine, please! The leader and the other elders are already here!"
"Hmm!"
Cobra grunted in acknowledgment and then strode into the cave.
Though the entrance was small, the interior of the cave had been reinforced and expanded. Once inside, it was spacious and well-guarded, with patrols along the way. Cobra walked straight to the top and opened a door.
As the door creaked open, everyone inside turned to look. Upon seeing Cobra, many sharp eyes scrutinized him. His exposed half-face remained expressionless as he walked directly to the empty seat at the end of the long table.
At the long table, including the masked man, there were a total of ten people, all wearing masks, creating an aura of mystery.
At this moment, the man sitting at the head of the table, wearing a pure black mask, said in a deep voice, "Alright, everyone is here. I now announce that the semi-annual meeting is starting."
"Leader, I have handled a total of 172 missions so far, and all have been completed successfully, with no failures! No one has survived past three days!" The man with the tiger-stripe mask, sitting to the left of the black-masked leader, reported in a rough voice. The content of his report was chilling—172 missions, all successful, with no one surviving, meaning at least 172 lives had been lost.
While he spoke, his voice was the only sound in the room, and everyone else listened quietly.
"Leader, my department..."
After the tiger-stripe masked man finished, the person sitting to the right of the black-masked leader immediately took over and continued reporting.
"Leader..."
...
"Bang bang bang..."
As everyone was reporting, a sudden loud noise from outside interrupted them, causing all the reporters to stop and their faces to change.
However, just a second later, a series of dense gunshots erupted. Everyone's expression changed, and they all stood up, drawing their guns.
At this moment, the leader in the black mask suddenly turned his gaze towards Cobra, who had been the last to enter. Cobra's eyes remained emotionless, but suddenly, he took a quick step, hiding behind the Eight Elder.
Just as he took cover, the black-masked leader pulled one of his subordinates in front of him.
There was a "click," followed by a loud explosion. The meeting table shattered into pieces, and with screams and cries, everyone around the table was thrown into the air by the violent shockwave.
"Bang bang bang..."
As the shockwave threw Cobra into the air, he quickly drew two handguns and fired rapidly, aiming at their heads.
"It's you!"
In the instant, the other elders all fell into pools of blood. Cobra, having been protected by the Tiger-Stripe Masked Elder, narrowly escaped harm. The black-masked leader's eyes glinted with cold light as he fired rapidly at Cobra.
But Cobra was well-prepared and did not answer. Instead, he found cover and continued shooting.
"Bang bang..."
...
Many of the guards inside the cave, upon hearing the gunfire from outside, began to rush out. However, the subsequent explosion from deeper inside stunned all the guards, momentarily leaving them confused about where to go.
Despite this, the leader was more important, and many guards tried to rush back inside to engage the attackers.
Unfortunately, the attackers had chosen the perfect timing. They quickly breached the cave, forcing the guards to stop and fight.
The enemies seemed to be elite forces with highly advanced weapons and a thorough understanding of their tactics. The guards quickly fell into a disadvantageous position.
Soon, all the guards were eliminated. When Cobra's allies arrived at the meeting room, they saw Cobra, with a bloodied three-pronged military dagger pointed at him, surrounded by bodies strewn across the floor.
Looking at the lifeless black-masked man, Cobra felt a complex mix of emotions. After three years of meticulous planning and careful scheming, he had finally seized this opportunity to wipe out the Viper Organization.
"Finally avenged!"
Cobra murmured to himself.
"Cobra, congratulations!"
The person who came in to lead the others said with a smile. He was genuinely pleased for Cobra.
He knew that their team, built from scratch by Cobra, had always had one mission: to eliminate the Viper Organization and help Cobra get his revenge.
This goal was never concealed by Cobra, and they didn't mind. After all, without Cobra, there would be no them. It could be said that Cobra had recreated them all, and their brotherhood was forged through blood and fire. Even now, if Cobra were to ask them to die, they would do so without hesitation.
"Thank you, brothers. Are you all here?"
Cobra took off his mask, revealing a very ordinary face. He smiled slightly and asked softly.
"Everyone's here! Not a single person is missing!"
"Good, I can rest assured."
Cobra sighed with relief and said.
The leader, sensing something amiss, noticed that his initial joy for Cobra had turned to concern. He asked, "Cobra, what's wrong? Is it that…"
"Yes, the great revenge is accomplished, and my wish is fulfilled. It's time for me to retire."
The man known as Cobra said.
"Big Brother, if you leave, what will we do?" The leader became anxious and dropped the codename, trying to use this call to make Cobra reconsider.
Cobra did not answer. Instead, he took out a yellowed photograph from his pocket. The photo showed a family of four: parents, an eleven or twelve-year-old boy, and a baby in swaddling clothes.
Next, he took out a more recent photo, featuring a slender young woman. Although it was clearly a candid shot, it still captured the young woman's stunning beauty.
Looking at these two photos, Cobra's eyes became distant, as if lost in thought.
Seeing Cobra's demeanor, the leader, who had intended to persuade him further, found himself unable to speak. He could only sigh and lower his head.
After a long silence.
"Big Brother, you've been tense for so many years. You must be tired. Just take a good rest for a while. I'm sure you'll come to a decision. Please don't forget, you still have a group of brothers who rely on you. We'll wait for you at the old place, forever!"
The leader sighed and said. He knew Cobra's character and, understanding it, chose not to persist but to let him take time to think, hoping he would come to his own conclusion.
After saying this, the leader and his brothers, with complicated expressions, walked out. Cobra watched them leave, even when they were about to leave his sight. His lips moved, but he ultimately remained silent.
The departing leader shook his head and walked away from Cobra's sight.
When Cobra reached the seaside, only a solitary wooden boat remained. The other boats had long disappeared into the vast ocean.
Standing by the sea, the salty breeze ruffling his hair, the clouds seemed to scatter, revealing a bright and clear moon.
Looking up at the moon, Cobra murmured to himself, "Dad, Mom, I've avenged the enemies who destroyed our family. I've found my sister as well. Don't worry, I will take good care of her."
He touched the recent single photograph in his pocket, then stepped onto the wooden boat and began to row towards the distant horizon.
"Xiaoqin, I'm coming to find you..."