Chapter 237: Dark Shadow
“This is… A Group… we… people…”
The Blue Team continued using electronic interference, so Gao Zhong Dui’s voice was intermittent and unclear.
But that didn’t matter anymore. Hearing Gao Zhong Dui’s voice meant A Group hadn’t been wiped out by Lei Keming like in the original plot.
Thinking of how Lei Keming had used intensive artillery strikes against them this time, how many people from A Group could “survive” under such circumstances was unknown.
In Chang Ning’s estimation, having half survive would be burning incense to the gods.
Based on the number of losses, rounding up, Chang Ning found that the Lone Wolf had lost nearly half its people this time, and that was in the best case.
If calculated that way, Chang Ning’s laborious persuasion of Geng Jihui and Gao Zhong Dui had led to a final result no different from the original plot—the Lone Wolf was left with only a small team.
“It seems there are still survivors in A Group, but we can’t worry about A Group now. Everything can wait until we break out of the encirclement.”
Chang Ning said.
It wasn’t that Chang Ning didn’t want to discuss with Gao Zhong Dui’s side, but the electronic interference was too strong. Even if he sent the message, whether they could receive it was questionable.
It was better to get out first and then find a way to make contact.
“Together or…?” Lao Pao stopped Chang Ning and asked.
Collective action or splitting up each going their own way both had advantages, but the disadvantages were also obvious. It depended on Chang Ning’s choice; he was now the commander of this small team.
“Everyone split up and head out. After it’s over, find a way back to the Wolf Den directly.”
Now that the exercise had progressed this far, Chang Ning had gotten a sense of it: the Red and Blue Sides had wins and losses, and a decisive battle was likely next.
By then, all means would be used; it would come down to who couldn’t hold out and collapsed first.
To deal with external threats, one must first stabilize the interior. They, the little bugs hopping around in the Blue Team heartland, would inevitably face intense cleanup.
By then, those encircling and suppressing them wouldn’t be just this few. Though Chang Ning didn’t know how many were capturing them now, the situation would certainly be dozens of times more severe.
Since it was hopeless, why stay and fight hard?
The Lone Wolf’s merits in the exercise were obvious to the Red Team leadership. Though B Group was newly formed, they hadn’t performed poorly.
So Chang Ning thought it was time for them to go back. If they all fought to the end here, what if the Wolf Head needed the Lone Wolf again?
No one objected to Chang Ning’s order. The training they received in the Wolf Fang was the same, so others could see the situation as clearly as he could.
Withdrawing now was indeed the best choice.
Seeing no one raised different opinions, Chang Ning ordered everyone to split up and act.
The forest was very large, so the Blue Team would surely divide troops to catch them.
The night and the grass everywhere were natural cover for Chang Ning and the others. Unless surrounded by more than ten Blue Team soldiers, they could stealthily slip out safely if careful.
The hardest part was the armored troops on the outside. It was easy to guess that outside was now sealed tight by them.
Getting out wouldn’t be easy.
After the others chose directions and disappeared into the night, Chang Ning hugged his gun and slowly vanished into the jungle.
“Strange, can this group fly or burrow underground?
Except for the two eliminated at the start, we haven’t encountered any others up to now.”
A Blue Team private holding a wooden stick and occasionally whipping the meadow was quietly complaining to the Squad Leader.
The south had many vipers; being bitten wasn’t a joke. The wooden stick in the private’s hand was for beating the grass to scare snakes.
Hearing the private’s complaint, the Squad Leader sneered: “Whether they can fly, I don’t know, but I’ve heard their stealth and camouflage skills are top-notch, able to pass for real.”
“Real or fake? How real?”
The private clearly didn’t believe it, thinking the Squad Leader was scaring him again.
It was still 2006, unlike more than a decade later when the internet was developed; people could search online for a vague image of what special forces soldiers were like.
“How real?”
Seeing the private didn’t believe him, the Squad Leader said nothing more.
Unless they actually saw it, words were useless, so the Squad Leader didn’t waste his saliva.
The Squad Leader stopped midway, and due to his usual authority, he didn’t dare ask. The little private was anxious inside.
For some reason, the non-commissioned officer and private gradually separated from the others while walking, about 50 or 60 meters apart.
In the forest at night, with that distance, normally it was fine, but here they could barely see the flashing lights in each other’s hands, depending on whether the surrounding trees and weeds were sparse.
“We’re going back!”
Perhaps sensing something off around them, or feeling they shouldn’t stray too far from the main unit, the Squad Leader decided to return the way they came.
“Okay.”
The new recruit private wasn’t as alert as the Squad Leader, but he had his own understanding of barracks survival rules: whatever the Squad Leader said, he did.
If the Squad Leader said chase chickens, he absolutely wouldn’t chase dogs.
Chang Ning hadn’t planned to act, but seeing two people separate from the others and head his way.
Even if he didn’t act, that soldier’s wooden stick would eventually hit him, leading to discovery. Better to strike first.
“Damn!”
Chang Ning was ready to pounce, but the targets were quite vigilant and turned back.
He felt like a monkey being played.
“Never mind, two opponents are hard to handle.”
It wasn’t that Chang Ning lacked confidence to knock them out; mainly, he could only impersonate one Blue Team soldier. If the other vanished inexplicably, the numbers wouldn’t match, and the Blue Team would investigate.
Then he would be exposed.
Chang Ning had stopped, but suddenly a change occurred.
A black shadow leaped up from ten meters to Chang Ning’s side, its mid-air pose graceful, like a cheetah launching an attack.
Daring to attack at this time, it could only be the Lone Wolf Commando Unit still in the forest.
“Who the hell is this? Didn’t they see there are two opponents!” Chang Ning cursed inwardly.
Since his comrade had acted, Chang Ning couldn’t just watch from the side.
So, facing the surprised gaze of whichever comrade it was, he kicked down the private preparing to counterattack with the stick and disarmed him.
Clearly, the comrade who suddenly acted was startled by Chang Ning; he hadn’t noticed Chang Ning lurking nearby.
“Please follow the exercise rules…
Sigh~ forget it.”
Chang Ning looked at the terrified private beneath him, clearly badly scared. Who knew if the guy would shout once he released his hand over the mouth?
To be safe, Chang Ning knocked out the private beneath him.
Compared to the private, his Squad Leader was much calmer.
After seeing the armband on the non-commissioned officer in front of him, Chang Ning felt fate was unpredictable.
