Mercenaries, I Will Be King Chapter 227 - 194 Determining the Target

Abu was in his own room, wiping his beloved sniper rifle.

Today, during the day, he fired eight shots.

None of the bullets missed their mark, claiming the lives of eight US Army dogs.

He never repeated a shot at the sa target. Once he shot, he collected his rifle and left.

Because he never missed.

At least, that was the record so far.

However, compared to so ti ago, his daily average of hunting targets was decreasing.

The US Army officers had begun to smarten up; none with any rank dared to leave their armored vehicles lightly.

Among the eight targets he shot today, only three were officers, and they didn't seem to hold high ranks.

He rembered that on the first day of the new US Army operation in Mosul, he had sniped a colonel.

In the past few days, he hadn't seen a single colonel.

At this thought, his gaze suddenly shifted to the side.

There was a photo on the table.

In the photo was a young man.

Abu sighed.

That was his apprentice, Osail.

Also the most talented sniper he had ever trained.

It's just a pity he was still too young.

This ti in Mosul, the US Army deployed Special Forces.

He didn't know which unit.

But considering that they could kill Osail from almost fifteen hundred ters away, it was definitely a master.

In the end, Osail's lack of experience was fatal.

He had repeatedly ntioned that it was best for a sniper to change positions imdiately after firing.

Against ordinary foes, perhaps it wasn't necessary to move.

But if the opponent was a master, one could be in mortal danger.

Facts proved he was right.

After shooting a US soldier, Osail had not left imdiately, and then the bullet from the enemy sniper finally found him.

Abu had no ti for grief; the war was still ongoing.

Looking at the offensive in these past few days, it seed the US Army's operation was likely to face an end again.

Abu had no intention to hold out to the death in Mosul.

After all, it was a city isolated and alone.

It couldn't be defended.

The number of brothers in the city was dwindling.

In such a place, it was impossible to recruit fresh blood for replenishnt.

Last night, several key leaders had discussed that after the US Army's offensive was over, everyone would scatter and leave the city.

Although the US Army surrounded the area, as long as one's personal information was not in their hands, one could put down the gun, put on a robe, and imdiately beco a civilian.

After that, maybe go to Turkey, perhaps to Siria.

It didn't matter where, as long as it wasn't Persia.

"Leader."

Soone entered the door hastily, looking sowhat anxious.

"What's the matter so late?" Abu looked at his subordinate with puzzlent, "Has an enemy infiltration squad co in?"

Two nights ago, a small US Army Special Forces team had infiltrated Zone E, engaged in a firefight with the defenders there, and was eventually extracted by helicopter.

They had likely infiltrated to take advantageous positions before the battle the next day.

It could almost be certain they were targeting them, the snipers.

Not giving up today?

"Not an infiltration group. The US Army has begun an attack from the east; they have sent a large number of troops, probably the strength of three battalions, and planes have also bombed us. Their progress is very rapid, and they've already reached Zone D."

"What's going on today?"

A series of question marks rose in Abu's mind.

The US Army has always been very cautious, not launching attacks at night, always clearing the city during the day.

Did they take the wrong dication today?

"Gather our n imdiately, organize five sniper teams to head over, and bring night-vision equipnt. They likely think they can't take it during the day and want to take advantage at night using the superiority of night-vision equipnt. We must put on a good show for them, dissuading them from the idea of attacking at night. In two days, we're leaving. Before that, we have to keep them from setting foot in Mosul!"

"Yes, I'll notify them right away..."

...

"Soone's coming out."

Mist called out excitedly in a low voice in front of the observation lens.

Song Heping walked to the window, lifted his MK18 carbine, and aid the scope at the sewer entrance.

Indeed, he saw two pickup trucks driving out, quickly disappearing into the night sky, heading east.

"That tunnel must be very spacious, to actually hide pickup trucks. They must have modified that water pipe."

Song He beca even more certain that it must be a hiding spot.

But he did not know if it was the "Hunter" organization's lair, and how many people might be inside.

"Mist, contact your command center, request the footage from the MQ-1 drone, have it watch those two pickup trucks, take so high-resolution photos, and send them here. We need to see if the people in the vehicles are all snipers carrying sniper rifles!"

"Okay!"

Mist imdiately started calling the command center.

"GHOST calling Eagle's Nest. GHOST calling Eagle's Nest."

"Eagle's Nest hears you, go ahead."

"Two pickup trucks just left the target site heading east. It looks like Plan A is in effect. Request to capture and monitor them, obtain high-resolution photos. We need to know if the individuals on the trucks are snipers carrying sniper rifles."

"Understood, please wait."

The command center went silent.

Mist returned to the observation lens and glanced at the entrance to the underground facility.

It had quieted down again, with only two guards remaining.

"I hope your judgnt isn't wrong..." he murmured.

Song Heping remained silent.

There was nothing to be done now.

But he was actually quite tense inside.

If I've miscalculated, trouble is sure to be imnse.

Now that I've arrived here, if the place behind this entrance isn't "Hunter's" lair, I will inevitably be besieged by a multitude of snipers when I retreat.

To be honest, being pursued by a group of snipers in the city is an unpleasant experience.

The original plan was, if this place is confird to be the "Hunter's" lair, we would use a Ground Penetrating Bomb to take them out in one fell swoop.

Then the US Army would seize the opportunity to launch an attack.

Without the snipers, facing those ard personnel stubbornly resisting using buildings, the US Army's chanized forces, with their firepower, air, and armor superiority, could quickly advance to this area and rendezvous with us to confirm the outco.

But if it isn't the case.

It ans the US Army might not be able to get here.

They would be held up by nurous snipers on the periter, and the only option to rescue would likely be to retreat using the SPIE thod, just as I had done the previous night to rescue Vincent and the others.

But no one can guarantee whether any of the three of us would suffer casualties, or even if the rescue would be successful.

"Eagle's Nest calling GHOST, Eagle's Nest calling GHOST."

"GHOST here, go ahead."

"We have obtained clear photos of the enemy's pickup truck; based on technical analysis, most of them on board are snipers."

"Please send it to our team's computer."

"No problem, look out for it."

Soon, the laptop placed on the ground began to flash its indicator light.

After opening it and entering the data link system, the picture started to appear bit by bit.

Since the bandwidth of satellite communication is narrow and the picture is high-resolution, it opened very slowly.

Song Heping stared at the screen, watching the picture gradually co into view.

After a full minute, two-thirds of the picture was revealed.

Thankfully, one could already see the human figures on the pickup truck.

Everyone was holding a gun.

The photo wasn't as clear as those taken with ample light during the day, and a lot of details were lost in night vision mode.

But to an old hand, the shapes of those guns were telltale signs at first glance.

"All SVD sniper rifles!"

Mist pointed to the gun barrels in the picture and began counting.

"This one is, that one too… and this one…"

A squad of ard personnel is usually organized into small teams, and a combat group would, in theory, include professionals of every kind, such as riflen, machine gunners, and snipers, with the occasional rocket launcher bearer.

If they are all carrying sniper rifles, it ans this is no ordinary combat group but several sniper teams mixed together.

"Looks like we haven't got the wrong place; that's 'Hunter's' nest!"

Song Heping returned to his observation scope and took another careful look at the entrance of the underground facility.

"I can almost confirm my judgnt is correct! Reply to the command center, tell them there's no mistake in our judgnt, prepare to execute Plan B, and tell the forces attacking from the east to withdraw first. Their snipers have gone over there; there are at least five sniper teams, a frontal assault would lead to heavy casualties."

"No problem."

Mist imdiately contacted the command center to inform them of the successful reconnaissance and that the initial prediction was correct: this was a sniper's hideout, the "Hunter's" nest.

"When do you plan to take action?"

After ending the call with the command center, Mist couldn't wait to ask Song Heping.

"Once these teams return, we can let the Air Force get to work."

…

Abu had finished assembling his rifle.

He picked up that modified SVD sniper rifle.

He had modified two of these rifles.

One was given to his disciple Osail.

But to deceive the US Special Forces and target bigger prey, he decided to keep that rifle and placed it beside Osail.

As a result, that rifle was traded for a colonel.

He raised the SVD and took a preliminary aim forward.

Suddenly, he felt an intense premonition, a complex urge to kill flooded over him.

In less than two days, it would be ti to evacuate.

The disciple was dead.

This place is ultimately indefensible…

His pupils began to flicker with a light of hatred.

He wanted to kill.

Now!

Abu stood up, quickly put on his gear, picked up his rifle, turned off the light and left the room.

Walking about a hundred ters along the long corridor, the underground passageway was filled with the scent of dry soil.

He had been under the ground for a long ti.

Each ti he went out, he didn't want to co back here.

This place was like a tomb.

The air outside was so refreshing.

At the exit of the passage, two guards saw him and bowed in respect.

"Leader, where are you going?"

"I want to go out and look around."

"Then… we'll accompany you…"

"No need."

Abu waved his hand, refusing his subordinate's offer.

He took a few steps and then turned back to give a command: "Be on alert, the Aricans are probably making a big move today."

"Yes, leader."

Abu ended the conversation and then stepped out of the passageway, alone blending into the profound darkness.

In a distant building, Song Heping was peering through his observation lens at Abu erging from the tunnel entrance.

His gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, with no detail too small to escape his watch.

However, he did not realize that the figure in his lens was the very Mosul Reaper he had been tirelessly pursuing.

To avoid alarming the enemy, he decided to do nothing.

anwhile, Abu, walking alone in the darkness, was also unaware of this.

He hadn't noticed anything unusual around him and didn't know that hundreds of ters away, behind the window of a building, stood the most formidable opponent of his life.

And so, in this mont full of coincidence and the unknown, both of them missed the opportunity for their first encounter.