Song Heping did not turn his head; his gaze remained fixed on the vast and brutal land.
"I know."
His voice was deep and firm.
"What we need now is ti and space; the Aricans do too. They're also thinking about getting through the current crisis. By the ti the 1515 Ard is eliminated, it will probably be the day they turn against us. Before that, we must prepare ourselves."
Saying this, he finally slowly turned around.
"As for Thunder Defense, hm—"
He snorted coldly and said, "These formidable outsiders won't stay here for long; there are plenty of ways to make them leave."
Two days after the agreent was reached, southeast flank of Hulmatu, a relatively open yet tactically critical hilly area.
On the map, this is marked as "Area 4," which controls an auxiliary route leading to Mosul and several scattered small villages nearby, with an open view, serving as an important forward outpost in the southeastern direction of Hulmatu.
Originally, the militia of the "Liberation Forces" led by Samir had set up a forward observation post here and maintained routine patrols.
The afternoon sky was washed blue, with only a few thin clouds.
Suddenly, the distant hum of rotor blades broke the land's tranquility.
The sound quickly grew louder, like the rumble of thunder before a storm rolling across the sky.
Soon, two UH-60 "Black Hawk" helicopters painted in tan desert camouflage swept in with an almost provocative and flaunting posture, skimming the edge of Hulmatu City.
They flew very low, the strong airflow wildly stirring up earth's sand and dust, engulfing the edge of the city in a yellow haze, making the already dilapidated buildings seem cloaked in a sandstorm.
So clothes hung out to dry were blown away, pedestrians on the streets hurried to cover their faces and hide, children scread in fear.
The helicopters showed no intention of slowing down to find the optimal landing spot, directly landing in a rough manner on an area roughly leveled beforehand by the "Liberation Forces," originally intended for vehicle maneuvers.
Before the rotors had completely stopped spinning, the cabin door was violently pulled open.
The first to leap down were two vanguards holding M4A1 carbines, their movents swift as cheetahs. They imdiately spread out after landing, holding their guns on alert, their sharp eyes quickly scanning the surrounding 360-degree environnt through expensive Oakley tactical goggles.
Following that, more fully ard personnel filed out.
About thirty of them, uniformly dressed in the latest MultiCam desert combat uniform, modular tactical vests covered with ceramic plates front and back, equipped with holographic sights, tactical lights, laser pointers, and high-capacity magazines on their M4A1/SOPMOD carbines.
Their helts were lightweight high-cut style, convenient for wearing advanced noise-canceling headphones, with most of them wearing sand protection masks or goggles, exuding an "elite" aura.
These individuals, once off the helicopter, quickly and efficiently spread out with little need for orders.
Group A personnel quickly spread out, occupying several high points and critical junctions around the open space, establishing a simple yet highly professional circular defense periter.
Group B personnel began quickly unloading tal equipnt boxes and communication devices bearing the Thunder Defense's lightning logo from the helicopter cabin.
Group C personnel worked in pairs, holding range finders and tablets, started surveying the surrounding terrain, quietly communicating, marking potential sniper positions and fire points.
The entire process was seamless, showing a high degree of tactical proficiency and coordinated cooperation, a true display of troops experienced in strict training and combat grinding.
Finally, the leading man jumped down from the helicopter.
He stood nearly 1.9 ters tall, robust as a bear standing on its hind legs.
His crew cut was so short that the bluish scalp was clearly visible.
This guy had a thick neck, his camouflage sleeves roughly rolled up to his elbows, revealing iron-like muscles, dense body hair, and a clear anchor with trident tattoo — a near-hint of his background in forr Navy Special Forces.
He wore Ray-Ban sunglasses, leisurely chewing gum, and despite the glasses, his blatant disdain was palpable.
This person was none other than Derek Sanders, forr senior sergeant of the Seal Team, and onsite leader of Thunder Defense's operation.
"Phew—"
Sanders exhaled mint-flavored breath, muttering in English with a heavy nasal tone to his deputy carrying a reinforced tablet:
"So this is the legendary Hulmatu? Damn, it's even more rundown and primitive than described in the intelligence briefing. I truly doubt if those Pentagon civilians are planning with twenty-year-old maps."
His voice wasn't small, entirely unrestrained, clearly reaching the ears of the "Liberation Forces" militian who had just arrived nearby.
Almost simultaneously as the helicopter landed, three battered pickup trucks, with mottled paint and crudely welded steel plates, rushed in with roaring engines, braked hard a hundred ters from the landing site.
About a dozen ard personnel "clattered" off the trucks.
Their attire varied; so wore mismatched digital desert camo, others simply wore civilian clothes with tactical vests over them, mainly holding various old models of AK series rifles with severely worn foregrips.
They were the "Liberation Forces" militia team under Samir, responsible for daily vigilance and patrol in this area.
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