Chapter 25: Engaging The Enemy
Mountain stream, the creek water rushed by, Xiao Zhuang scooped up clear stream water to wash his face.
He wore a red jacket on his upper body, jeans on his lower body, a baseball cap on his head, sneakers on his feet, and carried a backpack, looking like he was out for tourism.
After washing his face, he scooped up water to drink again; the clear, cold stream water was very refreshing.
“Stop the car!”
Gao Zhong Dui in the car spotted Xiao Zhuang by the stream; this was now a military restricted area, and a civilian suddenly appearing was obviously suspicious, impossible not to arouse doubt.
Xiao Zhuang didn’t notice, and an iron tower-like figure suddenly appeared right behind him.
Looking at the reflection in the water, he froze; it was a soldier wearing a black beret and camouflage uniform.
‘It’s Gao Zhong Dui, who was with the leader, Miao Lian’s old comrade!’
Xiao Zhuang recognized him as Gao Zhong Dui.
Before Zhuang Yan could react, whoosh! Over a dozen agile Blue Team special forces soldiers surrounded Xiao Zhuang from all directions; they pulled the safety on their 95-style assault rifles, all aimed at Xiao Zhuang standing by the stream.
Xiao Zhuang froze in place, not daring to move, afraid of stimulating them and getting himself eliminated—his mission wasn’t done yet!
Gao Zhong Dui said, “Stand up, turn around slowly, put your hands where we can see them!”
Xiao Zhuang did as told and turned around slowly.
Seeing it was a young man, Gao Zhong Dui said coldly, “What are you doing here?”
“I’m a student.”
Looking at the young man before him, Gao Zhong Dui felt like he had seen him somewhere before.
“A student? I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere.”
Hearing this, Xiao Zhuang’s heart tightened. He had indeed met Gao Zhong Dui before; luckily, his face was painted with camouflage oil paint at the time, and Gao Zhong Dui’s attention was on Chang Ning, or he would have been done for.
“I have a very common face; lots of people say I look familiar.”
Xiao Zhuang talked nonsense, praying in his heart that Gao Zhong Dui wouldn’t recognize him.
Gao Zhong Dui looked suspiciously at the suspicious person before him: “What are you doing running here?”
Xiao Zhuang: “I’m an adventurer; I came exploring with classmates but got lost.”
Gao Zhong Dui: “Which school are you from?”
Xiao Zhuang: “Drama Academy.”
Gao Zhong Dui: “Do you have your student ID?”
“Yes.” Xiao Zhuang rummaged in his bag and pulled out his student ID.
Gao Zhong Dui took it and examined it closely: “Drama Academy, Directing Department? You’re a future big director?”
After searching Xiao Zhuang’s backpack and finding no contraband, Gao Zhong Dui, afraid he had no travel money, kindly stuffed some cash into his hand.
“Get out of here quick! There’s a military operation here; it’s a restricted area! The mountains are sealed off; who knows how you got in!”
“Got it.”
Xiao Zhuang hurriedly agreed, turned, and left; the special forces soldiers watched him go.
Pretending to be calm as he rounded the hillside, Xiao Zhuang finally plopped down in the grass, panting heavily, his heart pounding. He could swear this was the most thrilling thing since his enlistment.
“Get in the car, grab him!”
Delayed a bit by Xiao Zhuang, Gao Zhong Dui was really afraid of losing the target again.
In the jungle, the squad leaders gathered around Chen Guotao listening to him explain the next mission. Among the group of non-commissioned officers, Chang Ning’s private rank stood out starkly, like a husky mixed into a wolf pack.
“Did you all hear any sound?”
Chang Ning spoke up; he vaguely heard an engine sound and asked the others uncertainly.
“Sound?”
The three squad leaders and Chen Guotao stopped discussing and listened carefully to the surroundings.
“No sound at all; Chang Ning, you must have misheard.”
Lao Pao explained for Chang Ning.
Chang Ning wanted to say he misheard, but unfortunately not. That car engine sound was getting louder; clearly, a vehicle was approaching them.
This was Blue Team’s heartland; the people coming definitely weren’t their Red Team.
“Platoon Leader, you and the squad leaders discuss first; I’ll stand vigilance for you. Whatever arrangement you make, just tell me later.”
“Alright, go ahead.”
Chen Guotao thought for a moment and agreed to Chang Ning’s suggestion.
Chang Ning really knew nothing about troop deployments now; Chen Guotao figured he couldn’t contribute much here anyway.
Since Chang Ning’s marksmanship was good, let him act as sentry.
After separating from Chen Guotao and the others, Chang Ning found a tall, thick tree with dense branches and leaves. Like a monkey, he agilely climbed up, found a comfortable spot, set up his 85-style sniper rifle on his back, and activated the optical sight.
Following the sound, Chang Ning soon spotted two mountain off-road vehicles speeding toward their position; the uniforms they wore were different from theirs—clearly Blue Team special forces.
“Chen Pai, Blue Team pursuers are approaching us fast; their clothes are different from ours—probably Blue Team special forces!”
“What!”
Chang Ning’s alert made everyone break out in cold sweat, while also feeling somewhat relieved.
Luckily Chang Ning spotted them early, or they would have been surrounded.
“Everyone on vigilance, prepare to fight! Chang Ning, free play for you; I won’t restrict you.”
Chang Ning: “Yes!”
Running wasn’t possible now; two legs couldn’t outrun four wheels. Everyone knew Chang Ning’s shooting level; if he were commanding, it might lower his efficiency, which wouldn’t be good.
In the emergency, Chen Guotao showed the caliber expected of a military command academy graduate, issuing a series of orders rapidly from his mouth.
The comrades, having lived together day and night, had high tacit understanding; soon a simple position was set up.
No matter the place, special forces fighting positional warfare was very disadvantageous; their attributes didn’t suit it.
Chen Guotao clearly thought of this before ordering it; blindly retreating would be no different from suicide.
Of course, their chances of retreating now were zero; this was Blue Team’s heartland—once they engaged, if they couldn’t take out this Blue Team special forces unit, they’d just wait to be surrounded by reinforcements.
“Bang!”
A crisp gunshot rang out from the tree; Chang Ning fired the first shot, smoothly eliminating the driver special forces soldier, then quickly came down from the tree. Once the firefight started, staying in the tree would end badly.
Old Ma the squad leader’s notebook said that once sides engaged, the most important thing was finding cover. Clearly, a tree wasn’t good cover; without a ghillie suit, he’d be exposed easily.
“They’ve spotted us! Miao Lang, take out that sniper!”
“Understood!”
With a comrade eliminated, the other special forces soldiers immediately jumped from the vehicle and used the off-road vehicles to form a position.
After Chang Ning fired, Chen Guotao and the others targeted the off-road vehicles with suppressive fire, not giving Gao Zhong Dui and them any chance to raise their heads.
Hearing Gao Zhong Dui’s order, Miao Lang jumped from the vehicle and quickly vanished into the jungle; he had to find a suitable distance position in the shortest time and locate Red Team’s sniper.
“40 Fire!”
Gao Zhong Dui wouldn’t accept being pinned down by firepower like this, unable even to raise his head. If word got out, where would he put his face—mainly, Wolf Fang Special Forces Detachment would lose face too, which he couldn’t tolerate.
So he dragged 40 Fire off the vehicle and fired a rocket at Chen Guotao and their position.
Chang Ning saw it all, but what use was that—a rocket still exploded at their position, taking out several comrades.
“So fierce!”
Just as Chang Ning was about to return a rocket to Gao Zhong Dui, he suddenly felt his hair stand on end.
