The once-bustling streets were now empty, the ruined walls a testant to the cruelty of war. Buildings were bombed beyond recognition, with rubble and stones scattered across the streets. Children stood beside piles of debris, watching vehicles co and go, their eyes revealing fear and confusion.
Many of them might have lost relatives and hos in the war, forced to face war and life alone at a tender age.
Adults rummaged through ruins, searching for anything still usable, even a plank or an unshattered kettle.
In the war, these were few of the possessions left to the people of Illiguo.
The sky was shrouded in dark clouds, gloom pervading the surroundings, with gun smoke concealing the blue sky, as if foretelling an impending storm.
Occasionally, attack planes flew low overhead, like swallows darting into the distance. Approaching their targets, they spat streams of fire from their wings, leaving streaks in the air and the deafening sound of explosions echoing in the distance, rumbling as they resounded unceasingly.
Guided by their GPS, the off-road vehicles entered the neighborhood, everyone taut with nerves, safety catches off, weapons in hand.
The scent of gun smoke perated the streets, the air laden with the sll of death.
Now and then, a few passersby in ragged clothes and gaunt faces would rush past, their heads bowed, not daring to glance at the heavily ard rcenary convoy, their steps quick as they sought hope amidst the ruins.
By the ti they reached near Warrior Camp, night had finally fallen, the city growing even more silent and dark.
Surrounding was pitch black, no lights to be seen.
When Warrior Camp finally ca into view in the distance, it was the only place nearby with electricity, encircled fully by HESCO bastion walls.
Also known as modern gabion boxes, these were made of sh-coated galvanized steel with polypropylene interiors. Their large openings were like big pouches, which turned into thick walls once filled with earth using a shovel loader. This was the type of defensive system commonly used by the US Army in Illiguo when establishing camps.
There were watchtowers on each corner of the camp, searchlights scouring the wilderness outside the periter. The lights, like lost souls in a doomsday inferno, and the mounted machine guns atop the towers along with the Arican soldiers on duty served as reminders that the war was ongoing.
When the off-road vehicles reached the entrance of Warrior Camp, a Bradley mounted with a machine gun at the gate was already aid at Song Heping and his group.
The US Army unit stationed here was a chanized infantry battalion which had set up a blast corridor entrance, which had to be passed through to enter the camp. They had also established two checkpoints, one before and one after the corridor, the soldiers as vigilant as if facing imminent danger.
Song Heping noticed two trucks by the road at the camp entrance, burned down to their chassis—remnants of so failed suicidal attack, it seed. The soldiers, presumably frightened by previous explosions, regarded everyone as potential ard insurgents.
Following the soldiers' instructions, everyone disembarked and presented their docunts and paperwork.
After a thorough check, soldiers ca to inspect the vehicles. Only after they were sure there were no hazardous explosives did they signal 'OK' to the gunner operating the machine gun on the Bradley.
Just getting through the entrance procedures took a good fifteen minutes. Inside the camp, a multitude of tents and prefab barracks t their eyes, Arican soldiers visible everywhere, standing guard or maintaining their vehicles.
The camp wasn't small, and shortly after entering, they saw a road sign indicating directions to different areas within the camp.
Warrior Camp was divided into five sections, A, B, C, D, and E. A, B, and C were quarters for combat troops; D was the logistics and storage area; and E was a mixed zone, housing the command elents, ss halls, and shops—and indeed, there were shops, all operated by the long-established AAFES company.
Where there were US forces, there were these military-industrial complex enterprises.
Like remoras on sharks, they attached themselves to the vast war machine that is the US Army, which was engaged in conflicts of interest worldwide. They thrived by feeding off the remnants the giant left behind.
Following Colonel Curtis's orders, Song Heping's first task was to find the highest authority in the camp—Lieutenant Colonel Mandres.
The Lieutenant Colonel was of German descent with a stern, unsmiling face. When Song found him in the command tent, the man didn't look pleased.
"Why have you co at this ti?"
His question left Song Heping unsure of how to respond.
The latest check-in ti was before six o'clock tomorrow evening.
Song Heping checked his watch.
The ti was 6:30 in the evening.
Which ant a full day ahead of schedule.
But since when was being early a bad thing?
"We set off in the morning and didn't dare to delay,"
Song Heping had thought that Lieutenant Colonel Mandres was annoyed that he and his n arrived too late.
But unexpectedly, the lieutenant colonel pointed to an electronic alarm clock on the table and said, "It's dinnerti now! No one can take you to the barracks tent, so here's what you'll do: fend for yourselves tonight and co to Ronny tomorrow to collect your camp access pass and al card."
He pointed outside, jabbing his finger to the left.
"Her tent is just to the left of the entrance, and she's in charge of these procedures."
After speaking, he picked up a pen and quickly signed the docunts.
"Take this to Ronny tomorrow."
Having said this, he stood up, picked up his hat, put it on, and then called out to Song Heping and his crew, "The ss hall is open, go eat sothing. After you're done, I'll have soone take you to where you can spend the night."
Song Heping realized that his arrival had disrupted the commander's dinner ti...
Although his mind was racing with frustrations, he still said thanks, then turned to the cooks and said, "Let's go, let's have dinner."
The group followed Mandres out of the command tent towards the direction of the ss hall.
The ss hall looked quite large, made of simple plywood construction. AAFES's services were quite in place, with little colorful lights hung all around—twinkling with a bit of Arican charm. The walls of the prefab were also adorned with various Arican-style graffiti, which had a flavor of their own.
"You don't have al cards tonight, so you'll need to pay for your own als with a card, just for tonight. After you get your cards tomorrow, you'll be able to eat for free, but if you want better food or to buy so other tasty treats, you'll still have to pay out of pocket. There's a convenience store inside with vending machines..."
He hadn't finished speaking yet.
Suddenly, Song Heping heard a strange hissing sound in the air.
He shouted, "Artillery attack!"
Then, he grabbed Samir beside him and dropped to the ground as quickly as he could.
Boom—
Just two or three seconds after everyone had hit the deck, a violent explosion ensued. A huge fireball rose from the ss hall thirty ters away; the blast wave lifted the roof and so panels, which fell around like rain.
pitter-patter—
Sothing landed in front of Song Heping, less than a ter from his head.
He took a closer look and his scalp tingled.
It was a leg.
A leg cut off below the knee.
The lower leg...
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