Seven pickup trucks!
This news was exhilarating.
"Mark the locations of the vehicles and personnel."
Petrovsky ordered.
Quickly, a brief battlefield map was shared to every team mber's terminal through the data link.
The seven pickup trucks were parked in a roughly loose formation, nine ard individuals, with three near the entrance at the upper reaches of the valley, two chatting in the middle of the convoy, one standing guard near the downstream position, and three by a simple small campfire beside a pickup truck.
"The ideal firing range."
Petrovsky snorted coldly and then began deploynt, "Listen, we need to be fast, be quiet. 'Iron Hamr', 'Hawkeye', you're responsible for the three at the upper entrance." 'Cold Blade', 'Hunter', you take the high ground, prioritize any attempt to use communication devices or heavy weapons, and monitor the overall picture. 'Thunder God', 'Angel', those two in the middle are yours. 'Silver', 'Frost', take out the three by the fire. Song and I will handle the downstream sentry. Everyone uses suppressed weapons, attack synchronously. I'll count down three, two, one, and fire simultaneously. Ensure targets lose the ability to act and speak instantly. Understand?"
"Understood!"
The channel was filled with a low, uniform response.
The operation quickly unfolded.
The team moved like precise gears shing, silently and efficiently maneuvering into attack position.
Song Heping and Petrovsky crouched low, taking advantage of rocks and shrubs as cover, approaching the downstream sentry holding an AK-47 and yawning occasionally, like two hunting cheetahs without a sound.
Hunter and the deputy team leader and sniper 'Cold Blade' Dmitry lay prone like a rock on a high point overlooking the entire valley, their sniper rifles already set up, crosshairs firmly locked onto an ard leader in the center of the convoy with a walkie-talkie on his belt.
The others also positioned quickly, all locking onto their targets.
An extre tranquility filled the air, with only the faint whimper of the morning wind blowing through the Gobi.
In the valley, the ard individuals were unaware, perhaps still discussing the battle in Mannier Valley, or complaining about the morning chill.
A few minutes later, Petrovsky issued a clear command over the channel: "Three... two... one... execute!"
"Pfft, pfft, pfft——"
"Pfft, pfft——"
"Pfft——"
"Pfft——"
A burst of dense yet extrely faint sounds tore through the morning silence, the sound of multiple suppressed rifles and pistols firing simultaneously, almost drowned out by the wind.
In the view of night vision and optical scopes, targets jolted almost simultaneously.
The downstream sentry had a small hole appear on his forehead, falling backwards without a sound.
The three ard n at the upstream entrance, two were precisely headshot, while 'Iron Hamr' covered the mouth of one from behind, a military knife flashing into his heart.
The two chatting in the middle were taken down instantly by crossfire from the flanks.
The three by the fire, one had just picked up a piece of flatbread when bullets pierced their bodies from different angles, the one attempting to reach for the rifle leaning on the pickup truck was shot in the back of the head by Hunter from afar as his hand rose.
The entire clearing process, from the first barely audible gunshot to the last target falling, lasted no more than five seconds.
Nine ard individuals, unable to even let out a proper scream, were all taken care of.
The scene was so clean and swift it was almost jaw-dropping.
"Targets cleared. Area secure."
Deputy team leader 'Cold Blade' confird calmly.
Team mbers erged quickly from hiding, forming a tactical formation as they swiftly entered the valley, gun muzzles vigilantly pointed at potential hiding spots beneath vehicle chassis or in shadows, conducting the final sweep and confirmation.
"Check the vehicles for fuel, condition. Gather usable supplies, especially weapons, ammunition, and fuel."
Petrovsky ordered.
Song Heping quickly walked to a Toyota Hilux pickup that appeared to be in decent condition, opened the door, and found the key left in the ignition.
He checked the fuel gauge, more than half a tank.
He nodded to Petrovsky: "This vehicle is fine."
The other team mbers also swiftly assessed the vehicles' conditions, ultimately selecting the three pickups with the most fuel and in the best condition.
"Drain the fuel tanks of the other trucks and consolidate it into these three. Collect as much fuel and drinking water as you can find," Petrovsky added.
The team imdiately dragged the bodies behind rocks for simple concealnt, cleared any obvious traces of battle, while gathering useful supplies.
Soon, the three pickups were refueled, carrying extra barrels of fuel and so food and water.
"Get in! Let's move!"
Petrovsky waved a hand at all the team mbers.
The engines roared lowly, breaking the silence of the valley.
The three pickups, loaded with "Ghost", drove out of the dried-up valley, onto the barren dirt road leading to Kubai Town, kicking up a trail of dust.
The vehicles sped along the bumpy dirt road, leaving the Gunei Mountain Area far behind. In the eastern sky, the rising sun burst forth, spreading golden light over the barren earth, dispelling the cold and bloodshed of the night.
Song Heping sat in the passenger seat of the lead vehicle, driven by an SSO team mber.
He glanced back to ensure no one was following, then retrieved a dismantled satellite phone from his backpack.
Outside the interference zone, the phone's indicator light had returned to normal.
He took a deep breath and dialed a complex string of numbers.
After a short wait tone, the call connected, and a steady, familiar voice speaking Chinese was heard on the other end: "Old squad leader, out?"
"Yeah, out," Song Heping said in a deep voice.
"How are you guys, any injuries?"
This was Jiang Feng's main concern.
"No injuries, we've successfully exited the combat zone, currently on our way to Kubai Town. If all goes well, expected to reach the designated rendezvous point in about an hour," Song Heping concisely reported.
"Understood. We are on the outskirts of Kubai Town, coordinates XXX, XXX at an abandoned vehicle repair shop set as a temporary safe point. Naxin and his 'Sand Fox' team are also here. The situation here is quite interesting, the defense of Kubai Town is more vacant than expected. Most of the Kurd local forces have been deployed towards Mannier. Co over at ease!"
"Understood. Maintaining radio silence, won't contact until arrival."
"Received. Stay safe and vigilant."
"Understood."
After ending the communication, Song Heping relayed the situation to Petrovsky.
The Major nodded and signaled the driver to speed up.
Having escaped the interference zone, Petrovsky also used the squad's long-distance communication equipnt to reestablish contact with the Russian Army Command.
After reporting the situation, he received authorization from the command and the promise of limited air support if needed at a "critical mont."
This undoubtedly added an extra layer of security to the upcoming operation.
Everything seed to be getting better.
The bad luck dissipated, and good fortune seed to be arriving.
An hour's drive passed in silence and vigilance.
The squad avoided the main roads, constantly traveling through the wilderness and secondary roads. Occasionally, they encountered scattered refugees or local herders, but there were no incidents.
When the low, bullet-ridden, earth-toned buildings of Kubai Town appeared on the horizon, it was already close to nine in the morning.
The sun beca scorching, the surroundings brightened, and everyone imdiately put on camouflage, removing conspicuous items like helts. They replaced them with headscarves and added robes taken from dead bodies over their camouflage gear. Standing in the 1515 Ard Organization's pickups, from a distance, they looked like a group of 1515 terrorists.
According to the coordinates provided by Jiang Feng, the three pickups didn't head straight into town but instead circled to about three kiloters northwest of it, in an area with severe wind-eroded landforms.
Among massive, maze-like wind-eroded rock pillars and collapsed building ruins, they found the abandoned vehicle repair shop.
The main building of the repair shop was half-collapsed, leaving only rusted steel fras and broken concrete slabs.
The yard was littered with the skeletons and parts of scrapped cars, all covered in thick sand.
Petrovsky signaled to stop and observe from a high ground five hundred ters away from the repair shop.
"Cold Blade, find a vantage point and monitor the repair shop and surrounding area."
"'Signal,' launch the drone to reconnoiter the flanks and rear."
"Everyone else, keep the vehicles running, ready to retreat or assault at any mont."
With the orders given, the squad once again entered a state of combat readiness.
Song Heping carefully observed the ruins through his binoculars.
The surroundings were eerily silent, with only the sound of the wind howling through the crevices in the rocks.
There were no signs of any people, nor any noise.
Yet beneath this deathly silence, there might be lurking deadly traps or awaiting allies.
Ti passed second by second.
Cold Blade's voice finally ca through: "Inside the repair shop, behind the collapsed wall at the southeast corner, there's a faint glint, possibly observation equipnt. No signs of other personnel activity."
Was it Jiang Feng and his team?
Or a trap?
Petrovsky looked at Song Heping. Song Heping pondered for a mont, then said, "Send the signal. Use the thod we agreed upon."
Petrovsky nodded and gestured to the driver.
The driver understood and rhythmically honked three tis, paused for two seconds, then honked twice more.
This was one of the prearranged contact signals.
After the signal was sent, the repair shop remained silent.
After a full minute, just when everyone's nerves were stretched to the limit, a rusted, reddish iron sheet was slowly pushed open at the spot in the southeast corner of the repair shop where "Cold Blade" reported a glint.
A figure appeared behind a gap in the sheet. He was dressed in a common local brown robe with a headscarf, his face weathered, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's.
He raised his right hand, made a strange gesture — bending his index finger and thumb into a circle while the other three fingers remained straight, held it in the air for three seconds, then put it down.
Song Heping's heart suddenly jumped.
It was that gesture!
The secret signal agreed upon with Jiang Feng!
He imdiately nodded to Petrovsky to confirm.
Petrovsky ordered, "Lead vehicle, slowly approach the repair shop entrance, remaining vehicles stay alert and provide cover."
The lead vehicle, carrying Song Heping, slowly started, moving towards the long-missing gate of the repair shop at a speed slightly faster than walking.
As they drew closer, Song Heping could see the person who made the gesture more clearly.
Though disguised, the familiar physique and eyes were unmistakably Jiang Feng!
The vehicle stopped at the entrance of the repair shop.
Song Heping opened the car door but did not imdiately get out, his eyes warily scanning the courtyard.
Jiang Feng fully erged from his cover, followed by five or six others, all similarly dressed as locals but with a sharpness and vigilance in their movents that belied ordinary ard personnel.
One of them lifted his robe, revealing an AK-103 assault rifle slung across his chest, unmistakably Naxin, the leader of the Persian "Sand Fox" team.
Seeing Song Heping, both n were excited and ran over.
"Mr. Song!"
"Old Squad Leader!"
"Get out, stay alert."
Petrovsky commanded over the channel.
The SSO mbers swiftly yet orderly disembarked, quickly establishing a defensive periter using the vehicles and surrounding ruins.
"How are your preparations?"
After eting up, Song Heping got straight to the point.
"Everything I requested, is it ready?"
"Everything's arranged as you instructed, ready to move," Jiang Feng's face was full of confidence. "We've also moved over ten thousand soldiers close to the border, hiding away. With your command, we can even attack across the border. No matter if it's the 1515 Ard or the Kurd people, if needed, we'll send them to Hell!"
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