After confirming the location of the "Hunter" organization's lair, Song Heping did not rush to take action.
He knew that each step must be cautious and precise, although he had the capability to imdiately contact the US Army and have them dispatch F-15 fighters already deployed nearby to drop Ground Penetrating Bombs for a bombardnt, doing so would allow the more than ten snipers who had left the underground fortifications to slip through the net.
What he wanted was a complete victory, to annihilate the "Hunter" organization once and for all, leaving no threats behind.
It was precisely eleven o'clock at night when, as per the prearranged plan, the US forces tasked with attacking the western side of Mosul City began to gradually withdraw from the district.
As the troops withdrew, the gunfire within the city gradually dwindled until it fell silent.
At this ti, inside a building in section J of Mosul, Abu was receiving reports from his subordinates through a walkie-talkie.
"Leader, the enemy has retreated."
The voice of his subordinate ca through with a hint of surprise and confusion.
Abu also felt unexpected upon hearing the news.
He had originally thought the US Army's night attack was due to the urgency of the situation, especially since the "Hunter" organization's battles with the US Army had already continued for nearly a week. The enemy had struggled to advance during the day without progress, so launching a night attack didn't seem odd.
However, for them to withdraw so quickly was beyond his expectations.
Abu checked the ti; it had only been an hour since he received the news of the US Army's attack.
The US Army had used the force of three battalions with overwhelming montum, yet they had rapidly retreated soon after they began the operation.
This made Abu feel puzzled and angry.
"Cowards!" he sneered in his heart, his hatred growing more intense.
He vividly rembered the beginning of the "Illigo Freedom" operation, where the governnt army quickly collapsed, and most troops surrendered en masse.
Those generals didn't even have the courage to engage directly with the US Army.
US Army advance teams and secret agents from the intelligence departnt carried large amounts of cash into Illiguo, negotiating with local garrisons as they went.
In the face of money, the generals, who should have held their ground until the end, one after another chose to surrender.
Greedy and cowardly, they feared the power of the US Army and were seduced by money.
However, now it seed that the coalition forces led by the US Army were not unbeatable. The battle for Mosul had already lasted for over half a year, yet the "Hunter" organization still held their positions and had not been completely conquered.
This proved that their previous failures were more due to a loss of nerve rather than the US Army's invincibility.
"Everyone go back and rest," Abu showed concern for his subordinates: "They may co again tomorrow, and we need to be fully energized to deal with them."
He was acutely aware of the cruelty and ruthlessness of war, and thus cherished every opportunity to rest even more. After ending the call, Abu climbed up from his hidden position and put aside his homade camouflage suit.
He did not wish to return to the underground fortification to rest, as the air there was suffocating, almost as if within a tomb.
Abu sat on the floor, leaning against the fence, drinking water, and gazing at the pitch-black night sky.
He spread out his homade ghillie suit, intending to use it as a sleeping mat.
The ghillie suit, made out of raincoats and fabric strips, was color-treated to blend with the surrounding environnt.
In urban ruins, wearing it made it easy to conceal oneself. Unless thermal imaging devices were used, it was difficult for the naked eye to discern.
Boom—
Just as Abu was preparing to lie down and rest, a huge explosion suddenly sounded from a distance. A fireball rose from the direction of the city center, shooting up into the sky.
Abu stood dumbfounded in place, even forgetting to cry out. Because the location where the fireball had risen was Rashim District, the very direction where the "Hunter" underground facilities were!
"What happened!?"
Abu's water bottle fell to the ground, splashing water stains all over the floor.
…
"Success!"
Inside a building near Rashim District, Mist excitedly punched the air in celebration.
He had witnessed the entire explosion process through his binoculars, his heart filled with the joy of victory.
Everything had gone so perfectly, just twenty minutes ago, the snipers who had left returned to the underground facility, vanishing at the entrance of the sewer observed by the scope.
Song Heping imdiately ordered Mist to contact the Air Force. After brief communication, two US Army F-15 fighters on standby near Mosul quickly adjusted their course toward the target.
The navigation system had already marked the precise target coordinates and flight path, ensuring that the bomb would hit its target accurately.
It took less than fifteen minutes for the F-15 fighters to arrive over Mosul City.
Lead plane number one initiated the attack, using a laser to lock on to the entrance location and inputted the coordinates into the guidance system of the GBU-28 ground penetrating bomb.
Afterwards, the pilot decisively dropped the bomb.
The GBU-28, with its hefty weight, plumted quickly, its forward fins and control rudders constantly adjusting angles to ensure the bomb would hit the target precisely.
Ultimately, the 2.3-ton bomb, as though it had eyes, pierced straight through the entrance of the "Hunter" headquarters.
The bomb didn't explode imdiately but continued to penetrate deeper underground, searching for a more suitable detonation point.
The blast wave from the impact knocked the sentries at the door to the ground; they climbed out of the dust, dazed and terrified, staring at the hole created by the penetrating bomb not far away.
Boom—
Before they could understand what had happened, the two poor fellows were reduced to ashes in the high-temperature, high-pressure blast.
The explosion ripped and buckled the ground as if a ferocious monster was about to burst forth from the earth. The entire underground facility shook precariously from the shockwave of the explosion, and finally collapsed with a thunderous crash.
The light from the explosion broke through the ground, taking with it dust and chunks of corpses, shooting into the sky and turning the night red with blood.
Song Heping did not witness the explosion himself; he sat aside, quietly watching Mist dance around excitedly.
He had never doubted the precision of the US Army's Air Force.
If one were to say the "Illigo Freedom" operation was a huge success, then the contributions of the US Air Force were undoubtedly indispensable. Destroying such an underground facility was a piece of cake for those veteran pilots.
Boom—
Within just thirty seconds after the first bomb exploded, a second GBU-28 ground penetrating bomb followed closely, striking a spot about 100 ters away from the first explosion site with precision.
Flas rose up once again, and the already bombed ground underwent another severe collapse, a large area of the district's surface sinking into the underground.
Even from five hundred ters away, Mist and Song Heping could profoundly feel the violent shaking of buildings, as if they had experienced a minor earthquake.
This ti, Song Heping finally stood up and walked to the window, looking out towards the target location.
The original entrance had vanished without a trace.
The buildings surrounding the entrance had all collapsed, leaving a scene of chaos.
Within an area the size of a full football field, the ground had caved in significantly.
"Alas..."
Song Heping couldn't help but let out a sigh.
He had hoped that the power of the GBU-28 could be reduced to minimize the impact on the surrounding areas, but as it seed now, the explosive yield was still not to be underestimated.
If one were to estimate based on this power, there would likely be very few mbers of the "Hunter" organization hiding underground who could have survived.
"Song, you did well."
Mist gave him a thumbs up.
However, Song Heping felt no excitent at all.
The cruelty of modern warfare far exceeded his imagination.
"Hmm."
He responded to Mist indifferently.
In his heart, he began to think that perhaps dealing in arms was a more secure choice.
Even the most powerful individuals could hardly escape death in the face of a bomb's might.
"GHOST calling Eagle's Nest."
"Go ahead."
"Strike precise, both bombs hit the underground works successfully, Rashim Street is now in ruins, assessnt result is Grade A."
"Received. We are awaiting the assessnt results from aerial observation."
"Request to initiate Plan C."
"Rest assured, we will make a decision after we get the assessnt results. GHOST, please continue to stay hidden and wait for further instructions (MARK)."
"OVER."
"Song, they are doing the assessnt." Having ended the call, Mist walked up to Song Heping and said in a grave voice, "We need to stay here until daybreak. If all goes well, the forces outside the city will launch a full-scale assault co daylight."
"Hmm."
Song Heping noticed figures beginning to appear one by one around the distant district.
And their numbers were increasing.
The entire city of Mosul seed to be shrouded in a tense and eerie atmosphere.
He heard the roar of engines.
So he walked to another window and cautiously lifted the curtain to look out.
The once quiet streets were now abuzz with extraordinary noise.
Loud crowds were rushing towards the site of the explosion.
He noticed that all of them were carrying weapons.
Clearly, the Ard Organization, having learned of the attack on the "Hunter" headquarters, had co in droves to reinforce.
"We have nowhere to go now."
Song Heping said solemnly, "The explosion has undoubtedly stirred up a hornet's nest, and I estimate that before it gets light, this area will be surrounded by people from the Ard Organization, making it impossible for us to escape."
Mist replied, "As long as they don't discover us hiding here, let them be. Without the assistance of the 'Hunters', the dayti clearing operation should proceed smoothly."
Song Heping nodded thoughtfully, but a vague unease nagged at him.
He couldn't quite put his finger on the specific cause of it.
It seed that everything could only be settled at daybreak.
If the US Army troops could successfully advance to the city center, the operation would essentially be declared a success.
According to the original plan, Song Heping and Mist would then join up with Mira and the three of them would withdraw with the advancing troops.
While Song Heping and the others were silently waiting in the building for evacuation, Abu quietly climbed to the rooftop of a building in the city and once again donned his ghillie suit.
As a top-tier sniper, he demonstrated extraordinary emotional control.
Upon learning that almost all of his subordinates had been wiped out, he did not show much emotion.
Two high-yield Ground Penetrating Bombs had turned everything to nothingness.
The underground works had now beco a silent tomb, burying all life within it.
Abu had no intention of returning to headquarters to check the situation.
Because he knew well that going back would be of no help.
As a sniper, he was not a healer who saved lives.
Even if a healer were present, it would likely be too late to do anything.
He decided to wait here until dawn.
This position was excellent.
If there was no assistance from the "Hunters", the allied forces' clearing operation the next day would definitely be overwhelmingly successful.
And he would beco the person who would cause them the greatest trouble.
Abu was well aware that Mosul was indefensible.
Since it was destined to fall, he had to make a big move before leaving.
If the allied commanders believed that the "Hunter" organization was completely wiped out, that would be the perfect ti for him to strike.
This place was close to the city center, where he would quietly wait for the big fish to take the bait.
User Comments
0 comments from readers