The battle ended quickly. Everyone cleaned the battlefield, but there weren't many usable weapons and ammunition left. The previous massive explosion not only killed people with its shockwave, but it also damaged weapons, causing many bombs to detonate sympathetically. Luo Zheng looked at the corpses scattered all over; those on the outer areas were better, having died from bleeding from their orifices due to the shock. In the explosion's core area, there was hardly a complete body to be found, especially those who had grenades detonated on them, their bodies were blasted to shreds by the grenades, shredded flesh everywhere, truly horrific.
Luo Zheng and others were accustod to life and death, yet they were all shocked by this hell-like scene. It was terrifying. As for those they rescued, who had never witnessed such a large scene in their life, many couldn't help but squat down and vomit. Fortunately, no one mocked them; they simply let themselves vomit. Embarrassed or not, it didn't matter.
"This team is all equipped with Sam Country standard gear. The weapons are good. Unfortunately, none from the blast area are usable. Most grenades blew up sympathetically, but the ones on the outskirts are still usable, enough for us to change a batch." Ghost Hand ca up at a run, saying.
"Then swap them all out. We should also keep so in reserve. Bury the excess ones; we might need them in the future. We'll be leaving in five minutes," Luo Zheng said gravely.
"Understood." Ghost Hand replied as he hurriedly left.
"How far are the enemy ground forces from us?" Luo Zheng asked.
"They are expected to arrive in about three hours, close to a thousand n," Lan Xing quickly reminded.
"Three hours?" Luo Zheng calculated the distance and ti silently, then said in a deep voice, "It seems our danger isn't over yet. These bastards are persistent. We wiped out one of their squads, so the enemy won't know how many of us there are. They'll probably assu we have reinforcents, which might slow down their pursuit."
"That's one way to look at it, but once they ambush the scene, they'll figure out the truth. By then, they'll speed up the pursuit. With injured in tow, you won't be able to move quickly. They might catch up by afternoon," Hong ihua reminded.
"Yes, it seems we need to split the forces," Luo Zheng said gravely.
"Splitting forces is one way, but it will make you more vulnerable, especially with Sam Country's satellite surveillance overhead. Splitting forces will be detected, and Yue Country will know as well. What if they only chase the injured?" Hong ihua reminded.
"That's also my concern. It seems we can only split when we're close to the border, taking advantage of the ti gap. Alright, monitor the enemy's situation constantly and inform promptly," Luo Zheng whispered, surveying the scene. The battlefield had been mostly cleaned up, with excess firearms and ammunition buried in foxholes, camouflaged on top. Whether it can fool the enemy will depend on luck.
The team quickly regrouped, with the injured from the mountainside joining them. Everyone began a forced march eastward. Despite being exhausted, having won a victory lifted their spirits, and they moved swiftly. Along the way, everyone occasionally stole glances at Luo Zheng, eyes filled with fervent admiration. To orchestrate such a devastating trap against nearly a hundred Special Forces was unheard of.
After two hours of forced march, Ghost Hand, scouting ahead, discovered a cave behind a waterfall, a naturally ford cavity. Though slightly damp and cold, it was spacious enough to hide dozens of people. The waterfall concealed the entrance completely, making discovery impossible unless reached inside. Luo Zheng inspected the cave and imdiately agreed to take shelter there.
The injured quickly concealed themselves in the cave. Luo Zheng instructed Ghost Hand and Snow Leopard to continue leading the group forward, creating the illusion of a moving force. They looped around to reach the riverbank, traveling downstream, then found a dense wooded area to co ashore. Circling back through the trees, they erased all tracks and gathered plenty of dry reeds. By the ti they returned to the cave, two hours had passed.
Once Luo Zheng confird that Lan Xing hadn't detected the team's maneuvering, he estimated that Sam Country's satellite likely didn't either, silently letting out a sigh of relief. Nevertheless, he instructed Mountain Eagle and a small team to set an ambush near the waterfall to monitor the situation, just in case. Everyone else rested in the cave, cleaning wounds with fresh water and reapplying dicine and bandages.
An hour later, Mountain Eagle, on lookout outside, reported a situation. Luo Zheng grabbed his gun and dashed out of the cave, hiding under the waterfall and peering outside. He saw a swarm of enemy troops advancing in a search formation, crossing the small river and following tracks they had previously left behind. It was an imnse swarm, its number unknown.
Luo Zheng's expression slightly changed. He had heard there were nearly a thousand troops in pursuit, yet hearing numbers didn't relay the scale of a thousand-strong force until he saw it. His eyes flashed with determination, gripping his gun tightly. Seeing that no one suspected the waterfall area, he let out a silent sigh of relief.
"It seems we haven't been discovered," Lan Xue said softly, stepping out to observe the distant retreating enemies.
"Yes," Luo Zheng replied with a hint of awe, "We'll rest here and move again tonight."
"That's wise, avoiding enemy satellite detection. By the way, one of the wounded has a high fever. We don't have dicine and must treat it promptly, or it could beco serious," Lan Xue worriedly said.
"I'll gather so herbs," Luo Zheng said, his expression turning serious. Observing keenly, he soon found so herbs in a shady area, expressing joy and said, "Have everyone drink plenty of water. The waterfall water here can be purified with disinfection pills we brought. Drinking more will help suppress the fever to so extent. Once the enemy passes, I'll gather herbs. It's manageable. Go reassure everyone while I keep an eye here."
"Alright." Lan Xue acknowledged Luo Zheng's expertise with herbs and went inside.
About half an hour later, once the enemies had all passed, Luo Zheng erged from behind the waterfall and headed towards the shady underbrush. Nearby the pond, he discovered quite a few salamanders, shouting with delight, "Ghost Hand, co out and catch so salamanders for everyone to eat. I'll gather the herbs."
"Got it." ca the reply from Ghost Hand in the cave, who imdiately rushed out with two others.
In the shady area, Luo Zheng found so herbs and even caught a water snake, which he took back to the cave, tossing the snake to the others. He mixed the herbs in a specific ratio, kneaded them into a paste, and applied it to the patients' foreheads, saying, "Hold on to it. I assure you, you'll be fine in half an hour."
"Thank you, Commander." Expressing gratitude, the patient said.
"Why thank ? We are all one." Luo Zheng laughed and asked, maintaining as mild a tone as possible, "Do you have family at ho?" to distract the patient's attention.
"A wife and a two-year-old daughter, perhaps four by now. I wonder how they are," the patient replied with a smile, his eyes alight with longing.
"They must have received news of your miraculous return. Believe , they are eagerly waiting for you to return," Luo Zheng comforted. His gaze swept over everyone, earnestly stating, "And all of you, your families should know too. Commanders in the major military districts know too, and they've sent troops to et us. We must hold on, not to disappoint our families' expectations. Let's rest a bit, then travel again tonight. You know the reasons without explaining."
"Thank you, Commander." Everyone acknowledged the aning behind the words, gratitude evident in their expressions, their tired eyes emanating newfound vitality.
Note: Happy holidays everyone, enjoy the read. Old Wolf writes daily during the National Day seven-day break to ensure everyone has sothing to read when bored out. Rember to vote or gift so monthly tickets as a small incentive for Old Wolf.
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