After giving the important instructions, Song Heping took out the satellite phone and dialed Ferrari's number.
"Ferrari, it's ."
"Song—"
The background noise carried slight wind sounds and static in the phone's receiver.
"Why are you calling ?"
Song Heping asked, "Where are the SAM-6s located?"
Ferrari looked at the rcenaries in front of him pulling camouflage nets over the missile systems, near the woods on the outskirts of Wuse, a hundred kiloters away, and loudly replied to Song Heping: "Both systems are hidden in caves, 5 kiloters north of the canyon on the border, and the radars are currently on silent mode."
He wiped the dust off his glasses.
"The operators are veterans I brought from Darfur, absolutely reliable."
Song Heping pulled out the Mad Dog combat knife from his backpack and stuck it into the ground.
"If the F-15E mounts a jamming package, it's definitely the AN/ALQ-128 electronic warfare package. This thing jams frequencies in the X-band, aning the SAM-6's 1S91 radar needs to switch to a frequency-hopping mode."
He used the Mad Dog combat knife to draw a simple diagram in the dirt.
Ferrari whistled: "You're using a relic from the sixties to go against fourth-generation jets?"
"Rember, you don't need to actually shoot them down, but you must aim the fire-control radar at them, lock them, and make them aware they're locked by ground radar!"
"What? Not shooting?" Ferrari asked, puzzled.
"Not shooting, just scaring," Song Heping's lips curled slightly: "Just make the pilots hesitate for ten minutes, and it'll be enough for us to take care of the Green Berets."
In the distance, an engine roar approached, as a military truck disguised as a civilian vehicle entered the temporary camp, kicking up a cloud of red dust.
Jiang Feng jumped out of the driver's cabin, walked quickly towards them, holding a stack of aerial reconnaissance photos.
"The latest situation on the rebel frontline." Jiang Feng spread out the photos, clearly showing MLC positions and defenses.
The governnt army will launch a feigned attack tomorrow morning at five, and will follow your plan to start 'retreating' three hours later."
"Once the governnt army retreats, if the MLC forces begin to pursue..." Song Heping carefully checked the photos, his finger stopping at a weak point in the defense, "That's the breakthrough point.
Jiang Feng, your strike team must penetrate the battle line imdiately after it breaks, move into enemy territory within thirty minutes, and find the MLC frontline command and locate Colonel Kandar."
"Already prepared."
Jiang Feng patted and pointed to a drone operator behind him.
"We've brought three imitation 'Big Crow' UAVs from dostic production, able to locate any command post within dozens of kiloters."
Hunter suddenly stood up from the ground, pointing to the eastern side of the canyon: "Tripwire mines need to be placed there to prevent them from climbing and breaking through from the side."
He gestured tactical hand signs, "Use the M18A1 Claymore, equipped with wireless remote modules, can manually control the detonation timing."
Song Heping nodded appreciatively: "Very good. Set up two more machine gun groups, crossfire coverage at the canyon's exit, make sure not a single one escapes."
He checked the ti, "Everyone must complete all preparations tonight. Two days from now, by this ti, we'll either be at a victory feast drinking champagne, or—"
"Or blown to pieces by the F-15E."
Ferrari grinned, showing his tidy teeth.
"I choose the forr."
The night fall brought a tense atmosphere to the camp.
The soldiers silently checked their equipnt, the tallic clicks of disassembling and assembling firearms sounding incessantly. Song Heping sat alone in the command tent, with the tactical map spread out before him, red and blue arrows intertwined like a chessboard.
Hunter walked in with two cups of coffee, placing one at the edge of the map.
"Ferrari just reported, the SAM-6 is completely adjusted and can enter battle readiness at any mont."
Song Heping took the coffee, the steam creating a white mist in the cold desert night.
"Jenson Claude, commander of the Fifth Special Operations Group, rank of major, excels in mountain warfare, with nurous successful command experiences in Afghan, Iraq."
He opened a file.
"Arrogant, confident, habitual in following established patterns."
"Sounds like a standard Green Beret officer." Hunter sips the coffee.
"That standard will be his downfall."
A cold glint flickered in Song Heping's eyes.
"If the intelligence from the British is accurate, following his thinking inertia, he will definitely take this canyon—the shortest route, terrain familiar, aligning with Special Forces rapid penetration doctrine."
He drew a winding line on the map with a red pen.
"We'll be waiting for him right here."
Outside the tent, a full moon rose into the sky, illuminating the Gugula Valley like daylight. The shadow of the rock walls stretched like warriors in ambush.
In the distance, a desert fox shrieked and was quickly scattered by the night wind.
Early the next morning at four, in Western Nasir, at the frontline combat zone.
The Nasir governnt army's T-72 tanks ford a straight column, the roar of diesel engines deafening.
Infantry followed behind the armored vehicles, gun barrels glinting in the dawn sunlight.
At six o'clock sharp, three red signal flares shot into the sky, signaling the start of artillery preparation.
Twenty kiloters away, Jiang Feng's strike team was already in position.
He heard the artillery through the personal radio and imdiately instructed the UAV operator to deploy the Huaqiang North-made imitation 'Big Crow' UAV.
The 'Big Crow' screeched like a mating bird, diving into the sky, quickly transmitting real-ti images—the MLC frontline positions were covered by the artillery, soldiers scrabbling into shelters.
"A group in position."
"B group in position."
The reports from various groups arrived in the headset one after another.
Jiang Feng inspected the magazine of his AKM assault rifle, the rounds chambered.
Beside him, the observer was adjusting the thermal imaging unit, the screen showing clear heat signatures of the enemy command center 800 ters away.
"Rember, once the battle line starts moving, that's our cue for rapid penetration, the action must be swift, cross the firing line before their subsequent forces arrive!"
Jiang Feng spoke into the radio, "Our goal after entering occupied territory is to quickly locate the MLC frontline command post, ideally within 30 kiloters behind the firing line, once found launch an attack from different directions, but rember, we're not here for hard fighting, it's about creating confusion, making them believe they are surrounded."
Three hours later, exactly as planned, the governnt army began to 'retreat'.
Tanks turned around and deliberately kicked up a massive dust cloud, infantry abandoned a few helts and empty ammo boxes, creating a convincingly frantic retreat scene.
MLC's Colonel Kandar indeed fell for the trap.
The frontline radio communications intercepted by Jiang Feng's team—"All units pursue! Advance towards the capital! God is with us!"
The battle line quickly stretched out, creating a gap.
Jiang Feng imdiately led the strike team to penetrate from the flanks, twelve teammates ghosted through the conflict zone, penetrating deep into enemy territory.
Simultaneously, Song Heping's main force was already ambushed on both sides of Gugula Canyon.
Hunter lay on the eastern vantage point, his Barrett M82A1 sniper rifle poised in the crevices, the .50 BMG rounds glinting like brass in the sunlight.
He whispered through the headset: "Clear sight, wind from northwest, speed 3 ters per second. Weather is good."
At the canyon bottom, the engineer team led by Collins had set up IEDs and trip mines, their wires hair-thin and nearly invisible in the sunlight.
Song Heping hid in a natural cave on the western side, a portable tactical terminal before him, receiving real-ti updates from various fronts.
"Jiang Feng reports: MLC command post found, coordinates confird, organized multi-point attack."
"Drone reconnaissance: Green Berets detachnt has left base, moving towards the canyon, estimated arrival in 90 minutes."
ssages scrolled across the screen.
Song Heping adjusted his tactical headset: "Ferrari, SAM-6 ready but maintain radar silence, await my command. Hunter, confirm all firepower positions are set."
"Machine gun group in position."
"Sniper in position."
"Detonation team ready."
"Rocket launcher group ready."
Confirmation voices gradually filled the headset.
He took a deep breath, desert's dry air filling his lungs.
Everything was ready, now only waiting for the prey to enter the trap.
The weather was good, Song Heping looked up at the already bright and clear blue sky, a cold smile on his lips.
Major Jenson Claude could never have imagined that the 'insignificant rcenaries' he dismissed had already prepared the perfect grave for him.
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