Two days later at dusk, in the dense forest on the hillside near the Snow Bear Base Camp.
The setting sun was like blood, dyeing the western sky red with streams of evening clouds scattering, turning the vast snowfield into a golden-red hue. The ground's snowflakes reflected the sunlight, forming a blinding light which, if stared at for long, would cause blindness. The surroundings were silent as ever, as if devoid of life, and there was no sign of any greenery.
Luo Zheng and Lan Xue were imrsed in this environnt, feeling as though they were in a closed ice and snow world. The cold air filled their bodies, sapping their warmth; this icy feeling reminded them they were still alive in the real world. Two days ago, after traveling all the way, they found no place to hide, so they simply made snowboards and skied all the way towards the Snow Bear Base Camp.
Without any burdens, their speed was fast. The journey that originally took three to four days was completed in two thanks to the snowboards. Luo Zheng looked at the familiar Snow Bear Base Camp in disbelief and turned to Lan Xue, softly asking, "Is this really the Snow Bear Base Camp?"
"It should be correct." Lan Xue replied in surprise, then she reacted, smiling wryly, "I suppose it was ruined by Shadow? The buildings were mostly blown up, tents dismantled, and white gauze and bedsheets hung everywhere, indicating quite a few wounded. Just estimating from the wounded visible outside, there could be four to five hundred; it looks more like a field hospital."
"This isn't the main point." Luo Zheng softly said, continuing to gaze towards the base camp, full of suspicion as he said, "The main point is there's basically no one guarding here? Have the combat troops all gone to the front lines?"
"It's possible. To capture us, the enemy might have moved out completely, only leaving the wounded behind, which would make sense. There's radar on top of that large building, a platoon of guards at the doorway; it should be the Snow Bear Command Center. Do you have any plans?" Lan Xue keenly sensed Luo Zheng was about to act.
"Seizing the opportunity is wise." Luo Zheng's face turned solemn as he seriously said, "This is a rare chance; we're weary from the journey here, let's rest a bit and act once it's dark. Can you handle it?"
"I'm fine; just a brief rest will do." Lan Xue replied softly.
"Lean on the backpack and take a nap; I'll keep watch." Luo Zheng whispered. Seeing Lan Xue agreeing, she lay her backpack in the snow, climbed on top, and closed her eyes. Luo Zheng arranged the snow-white cloak over Lan Xue properly, completely concealing her. She blended in as if part of the snow; he steadied himself, ensured everything, and continued observing the Snow Bear Base Camp in the valley while using the Breathing Skill to adjust his body and restore his strength.
Ti passed unknowingly, and night gradually descended. The wounded outside the Snow Bear Base Camp began heading indoors, quietening the vast valley. Luo Zheng looked at the radar-filled building rooftops, with so people patrolling around, but elsewhere, patrols were absent as if the base camp was undefended. Luo Zheng was puzzled; given the cautious and powerful nature of the Snow Bears, it was illogical not to have sent troops to guard the headquarters.
What Luo Zheng didn't know was that the Arctic Bear Country had not dispatched additional troops for support. Nuoqi, focused on capturing them, had diverted all movable forces to the front lines, leaving only a guard platoon at the command center. In Nuoqi's view, Luo Zheng's team was near the border, possibly infiltrating anyti, and unlikely to return to the base camp.
Just then, an ard helicopter ca roaring in. Luo Zheng raised his head in surprise to see a Mi-28N helicopter known as the Night Hunter. After landing, ground personnel quickly moved in for inspection and refueling, while pilots jumped down and headed to the dining area.
Evidently, this was a helicopter refueling stop. Luo Zheng suddenly had an idea, smiled, and patted the still-sleeping Lan Xue. Lan Xue awoke, alertly surveyed her surroundings, then looked at Luo Zheng and softly asked, "What happened? Are we taking action?"
"Yes, take a look at that." Luo Zheng pointed at the helicopter down in the valley.
Lan Xue glanced and, filled with joy, turned to Luo Zheng and said, "You plan to hijack that helicopter to escape?"
"Any issues?" Luo Zheng grinned.
"No issues. The ammo onboard this ard helicopter should suffice for quite a while. Its maximum flight speed is 300 km/hr, with a range of up to 460 km. Flying it straight could get us past the border. However, the enemy isn't foolish; once discovered, they'll dispatch fighter jets, and we'll be dood." Lan Xue eagerly agreed, though doubt crept into her expression as she looked at Luo Zheng, eyes questioning.
"That's manageable; the pilots probably went for a al, so we should find a way to infiltrate it. After hijacking, we'll bomb the command center. Without command systems, distinguishing friend from foe would be hard. Even knowing it's hijacked, they'll be helpless. There are similar helicopters around, as long as we seize the chance to escape." Luo Zheng proposed.
"Great idea, let's do it. Destroying the enemy's command center would be satisfying; it's manned by rare technical personnel and commanders. Before leaving, it's quite worth catching a big fish." Lan Xue agreed wholeheartedly, excitedly smiling.
"I'm not too familiar with that thing; can you handle it?" Luo Zheng asked, sowhat embarrassed.
"No problem; I'll pilot the main controls, you manage the co-pilot seat. I've especially trained for this, and have no issues flying it. Just follow my instructions when the ti cos." Lan Xue assured, smiling.
"Alright, it's settled. We'll bury our gear; once we have a helicopter we won't need them. Just take Dragon Tooth." Luo Zheng suggested, and Lan Xue readily agreed. They quickly dug a hole with an engineer shovel, buried their gear, planning to retrieve it later when possible.
Once everything was done, they grabbed Dragon Tooth and climbed forward under night cover, concealed by their snow-white cloaks and the enemy's carelessness. Their crawling speed was fast, reaching the valley before long and sneaking towards the helicopter.
The area around the helicopter was empty, it sat alone on the ground like a hero in an abandoned arena. Luo Zheng and Lan Xue lay still in the snow 200 ters from the helicopter, calmly observing their surroundings. They restrained their killing intent; bodies tense, faces determined like ice.
After waiting two minutes without spotting any danger nor anyone approaching, they were unexpectedly thrilled. Exchanging a glance, they nodded silently, quickly got up, and sprinted towards the helicopter. Upon approaching, they swiftly opened the cabin door, climbed in and seated themselves, exchanging smiles. Neither had imagined things would go so smoothly. This result offered them a glimpse of victory and hope for returning ho.
"Let's begin!" Luo Zheng confidently exclaid, "It's ti to counterattack!"
"Alright!" Lan Xue also laughed excitedly, the fighting spirit intensely surging forth.
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