Everyone fell into deep thought. With both the enemy situation and terrain unclear, there was simply no way to make a decision. Frustration welled up among the group. They had co this way, through what could be called a narrow escape from death, only to find they were at a loss on how to proceed with the mission itself. Gradually, the cool, damp air from underground t their faces, reviving spirits and calming restless hearts. Their thoughts cleared, and immature ideas began to surface.
"If you ask , we really shouldn't worry too much. We should just react to the situation as it unfolds. Without any intelligence, making plans is aningless. But there's one thing we can use to our advantage. I bet that Arctic Bear and mbers of the Death God Killer will soon be on our tail. They're familiar with this area and must be experts in desert survival. It won't be hard for them to find us. We could sow discord and let them fight among themselves. If we play our cards right, all may not be lost," Luo Zheng suddenly said.
"Turn them against each other?" Lan Xue asked in surprise, and the others all looked toward Luo Zheng, unable to keep up with his fast-moving train of thought.
Luo Zheng didn't imdiately explain himself but fell into contemplation, assessing the feasibility of his plan in his mind. Knowing his habits, the rest waited patiently, not wishing to disturb him, yet a sense of expectation grew within them. After a while, Luo Zheng suddenly spoke up, "We could disguise ourselves as robed figures and infiltrate their ranks. While killing, deliberately say sothing misleading to the enemy in the language of Arctic Bear to sow chaos, and then hide."
"Impersonate Arctic Bear people?" Everyone was taken aback, looking to Luo Zheng. They sensed the plan had a high level of difficulty, yet could not find any flaws. Giving it so thought, they realized that the very phrase he ntioned was both the biggest flaw and the key to their success.
"What should we say? Besides, none of us understand Arctic Bear language," Lan Xue voiced everyone's doubt.
Luo Zheng didn't know what to say either and was inclined to discuss it with the group, but realized everyone was expectantly looking at him. He gave a wry smile, then suddenly rembered sothing he had read about psychology while self-studying in a prison cell on a converted waste aircraft carrier. After mulling it over for a mont, he said, "If Arctic Bear truly has a plot against the Terrorist Organization, they'd be anxious during their operation, which would reflect in their language. They would probably say sothing like 'Hurry up.'"
"That makes so sense. That phrase could arouse suspicion and lead to speculation, but it's not enough," Lan Xue said.
"Exactly, we need to add another line," Ghost Hand agreed.
"Add another line?" Luo Zheng gave a wry smile, thought for a mont, and then continued, "What's the goal of hurrying? A decapitation strike? What do you think, would the Terrorist Organization worry about Arctic Bear suddenly going for a decapitation strike?"
"It's possible. The head of the Terrorist Organization's leader isn't cheap, and politically, it would be a huge advantage for Arctic Bear if they got their hands on it," Lan Xue said.
"We can't just say 'decapitation strike'; it has to be combined with sothing like 'Hurry up.' Could we say this: 'Hurry, don't waste ti catching the big fish'?" Luo Zheng asked.
"Not so good, too direct, and sowhat repetitive," Lan Xue denied, pondering.
Luo Zheng also felt that speaking so directly would leave obvious traces, lacking in concealnt and imagination. He pondered as well, but then Lan Xue suddenly said, "We could say this: 'You're too slow, that million-dollar head is mine.'"
They were all shrewd with abundant combat experience. They grasped a lot of information from Lan Xue's words and suddenly saw the light, all smiling. Luo Zheng said with surprise, "Said like this, combined with the combat scenario, it easily creates the false impression of an achievent through decapitation, making survivors think we're here for the million-dollar head. As for who's worth a million, let them guess, I think it works."
"The terrorist leader will definitely think it's about him upon hearing this news. After all, nobody wants to undervalue themselves, especially significant figures. Moreover, with Arctic Bear traveling all this way, of course, it wouldn't be aid at a minor character. This can easily create an illusion for the leader, leading him to suspect Arctic Bear Country and the Arctic Bear Special Warfare Team. Good and evil have always struggled to coexist, so the chances of successful instigation are great," Ghost Hand chid in.
The others also expressed approval of Lan Xue's suggestion. The next step was just a matter of how to say that sentence, which wasn't difficult. Lan Xue opened the satellite phone, dialed Wu Jin's number, and after getting through, explained the situation. Wu Jin imdiately found soone who spoke Arctic Bear's language, had the ssage translated, and taught everyone.
The ssage wasn't long or complex, and everyone morized it quickly. Wu Jin asked about their current situation. After learning about their plans, he didn't object but reminded them that the liaison they had arranged for had arrived and asked how to make contact. Lan Xue thought for a mont and told them to wait in the village they had once stayed in—through the endless sands and after the battle, Lan Xue didn't want an intelligence officer coming to complicate matters.
After ending the call, everyone continued to rest, practicing the newly learned Arctic Bear phrase until dusk. By staying in the damp underground for a long ti, everyone's body essentially returned to normal. To their pleasant surprise, they found so water had collected beneath the cave they dug. Although it wasn't much, it was very clear and bright. Luo Zheng lowered his water bottle to fill it up, dropped in a Disinfection Pill, waited a while, then took a taste. Finding it sweet and refreshing, he was overjoyed and said, "The water source below is filtered through fine sand, there's no problem, it's drinkable."
One by one, everyone filled their water bottles, disinfected them with Disinfection Pills, and then drank their fill. Afterward, they refilled their bottles. By then, the desert temperature had already dropped. They ca out, covered the cave with cal thorn, sealed it with mud, and sprinkled so West Sand on top to avoid drawing any suspicion.
Having done all this, they shouldered their gear and continued on their way. After about two hours, as the sky gradually darkened, a patch of cacti appeared ahead. Spiny and leafless, they seed quite old, and everyone hurried over with excitent. Using entrenching tools, they dug out the roots of the cacti—thick, juicy, and capable of storing a great deal of water. Rich in minerals, protein, vitamins, and cellulose, these nutrients were like sending charcoal in snowy weather for everyone's current condition. They eagerly started to munch away.
After a while, having feasted to their satisfaction and feeling a significant restoration of energy, everyone was thrilled. They collected the leftover remnants, buried them in a hole, and camouflaged them with fine sand to make sure no traces were left before continuing their journey. With sothing in their stomachs and renewed strength, they found it much easier to walk.
The terrorist organization's secret base was up ahead, and as they got closer to their mission, their spirits soared. They were all so focused that they didn't notice the cold gaze watching them from behind the sand dune.
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