At dawn, when the first rays of sunlight fell upon the ancient tropical grasslands, the earth was instantly draped in golden gossar. The joyful animals erged from their dens, cautiously roaming in search of food to sate their hunger for the new day. Birds fluttered through the sky foraging for food, and the once silent grassland suddenly bustled with life—a deceptive cover for the ruthless slaughter that unfolded within the food chain, cold and rciless.
Animals fought daily for sustenance, and soldiers were no different. Perhaps before deploynt, their minds were filled with thoughts of honor, but once on the battlefield, there was only one belief in their hearts: survival. To live, they had to eliminate the enemy.
On a small hillside dotted with a few shrubs, birds played and chirped joyously from ti to ti. In the bushes shaded from the sun at the bottom of the slope, several individuals sat, munching on dry rations and drinking water. Each of them had several canteens hanging from their bodies—it was Luo Zheng and his comrades.
Luo Zheng watched a gray hare cautiously erge from the bushes in front, looking around with ears perked up, as if facing a formidable foe. He glanced at his leftover compressed biscuits and smiled bitterly. Having eaten these compressed biscuits for two days straight was disconcerting. He couldn't help drooling over the sight of the hare, but they couldn't light a fire. Luo Zheng swallowed the last bite of his biscuit, took a large gulp of water, and looked at his companions, saying, "Guys, we need to get moving."
"Don't you want to rest a bit? You haven't slept all night," Lan Xue said with concern.
"It's a minor issue," Luo Zheng replied nonchalantly, waving his hand and looking calmly ahead. That was the location of the Wild Wolf rcenary Group's headquarters. The battle had turned into complete chaos, and no one could predict the next move. Luo Zheng decided to first determine the Wolf King's location. If he wasn't at the headquarters, it would indicate that the Wolf King was not on this grassland and might be hiding and commanding from a base in the desert. Then Luo Zheng could adjust his own plans accordingly.
Without confirming the Wolf King's whereabouts, blindly navigating would only lead to a war of attrition against the Wolf King's n, a loss outweighing the gain. After everyone got ready and looked to Luo Zheng, he pondered for a mont and said in a low voice, "Guys, you've stealthily scouted this area before and are more familiar with the terrain and the situation than I am. I rember you ntioned that there are landmines around the Wolf King Headquarters. Let's stealthily move forward and clear mines as we go. We'll play it by ear once we get there. Mountain Eagle, scout ahead."
"Understood," Mountain Eagle responded, bending at the waist and hurrying on ahead.
After Mountain Eagle advanced three hundred ters, they received confirmation from him that the way was clear, and only then did they proceed forward. Their movents were swift, and under the early morning sun, they each resembled stalking leopards, advancing quickly amidst the uneven terrain.
Half an hour later, an open plain filled with shrubs about a ter high appeared in front of them. In the distance, they could faintly make out a cluster of buildings. Luo Zheng and others concealed themselves in the brush and raised their sniper scopes to observe, adjusting the focus and bringing the targets closer. They saw a group of wooden thatched houses, topped with reeds, but no people in sight.
"We're in front of the Wild Wolf rcenary Group's headquarters now. According to the information we have, the buildings on the surface are just a decoy. They should be operating underground—cooler, safer, and with fewer houses, it's less likely to attract attention," Lan Xue reminded in a hushed voice.
"It makes sense, let's take turns clearing mines. Stay hidden and aim to clear a path before it gets dark; we move at night." Luo Zheng surveyed the area for a bit, made a quick decision, and everyone imdiately dispersed to work—each clearing mines, others on alert for any mishaps.
Luo Zheng scanned the surroundings; the terrain was similar all around, no higher ground to take advantage of, but there were plenty of uneven spots filled with brush, possibly harboring venomous snakes. Luo Zheng did not want any complications when suddenly, he heard a series of anguished roars of wild animals—it was zebras. Surprised, Luo Zheng turned to look back.
In the distance, a river andered past; upstream, it was very close to the Wild Wolf rcenary Group's headquarters, and after making a large bend, it flowed away into the distance. Through the sniper scope, Luo Zheng could vaguely see a herd of zebras by the river, appearing very agitated with no carnivorous predators around. After a while, the zebras scattered and bolted away like mad.
"Eh?" Luo Zheng saw several zebras collapsing on the riverbank, struggling on the ground. With no carnivorous wild animals in sight, it didn't look like they had been attacked. Startled, Luo Zheng suddenly had a thought and whispered, "Could it be that Wolf King has poisoned the river?"
"This is an act against nature, poisoning it, it's not just people who will be affected but animals too, along with the damage to the entire grassland ecosystem. Such unscrupulous thods—if the Wolf King really has done this, he must be desperate. Could it be that the teams are getting the upper hand?" Lan Xue said in a surprised whisper.
"Hard to say. Anything can happen in one night. The teams consist of the most elite warriors from various countries, and most of the pursuers are just ordinary ard fighters. They are fearless but not highly skilled in combat. It's not impossible for the teams to win, though the losses would surely be very heavy," Ghost Hand whispered back quietly.
"It makes sense. The fight ahead is probably going to be even tougher," Luo Zheng pondered with a determined look on his resolute face. After thinking for a mont, he continued, "It looks like Wolf King will deploy his three hundred elite soldiers next. Given his vengeful nature, he definitely won't just let things slide."
"There's no strategic advantage to defend here. Keeping the elite under wraps is like being wrapped in a dumpling—easy pickings. If the elite are deployed, the headquarters will be vulnerable, and that's our opportunity," Lan Xue whispered, her cool gaze filled with eager hope.
"Not sure yet, quick, take cover, soone's coming." Mountain Eagle, who was leading the way and clearing mines, suddenly warned through the earpiece. Everyone promptly dropped to the ground and cautiously peeked out to observe. Sure enough, they spotted a group of about a dozen people erging from the buildings ahead, and quickly darting off in another direction.
"Eh? Could they be reinforcents?" Luo Zheng quietly speculated, his gaze cold as he watched the distant buildings. Then he thought of a plan and couldn't help but smile, although he didn't reveal it just yet. Seeing Lan Xue's curious look, he said, "That must be Wolf King's headquarters. It seems they're getting restless. The international teams are doing well. What are your thoughts on what to do next?"
"The three of us snipers will form a triangle around the buildings up front. Co nightfall, Ghost Hand and Snow Leopard will sneak up and set a fire. With everything dry, one spark and the buildings will be ablaze. Those below will either burn to death or suffocate. If not, they'll co out as live targets. If we can beat them, we'll engage; if not, we'll retreat," Lan Xue calmly laid out her plan, her expression resolutely determined.
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