American comics: I am full of martial virtues and I love to be kind to others.

“Storms come suddenly in the Arctic Ocean,” the old hunter Amak told them, “and the ice there is unstable and could break at any moment. You must bring enough warm clothing and emergency food.”

Lisa checked the medical kit. "I've prepared frostbite medication and a thermal blanket, but in that environment, any external injury could be fatal."

Mark discovered a problem while inspecting the weapons: "Some precision instruments may malfunction at extremely low temperatures. I need to perform special antifreeze treatment on the sniper rifles."

Jack was also worried about the explosives: "The explosives are much less effective at low temperatures, so I have to adjust the formula and detonation time."

Although nervous, Emily insisted on participating. "I'm the only one who's seen the experimental equipment. If you encounter complex scientific equipment, you might need my help."

Six hours later, a massive twin-rotor helicopter landed at Barrow Airport. The Chinook was even larger than Lynn had imagined, its rotors kicking up a cloud of dust that blotted out the sun. Two Canadian Air Force pilots stepped out of the cabin.

The lead pilot was a 38-year-old major named James McDonald, who had 15 years of experience flying in polar regions.

“Friends from the FBI,” McDonald said in fluent English, “I am Major James McDonald. Our mission is to get you safely to the target area, but I must warn you that the weather in the Arctic Ocean is extremely harsh, and blizzards could occur at any time.”

“We are ready,” Lynn replied. “Major, are you familiar with Arctic Station Two?”

McDonald nodded. "It's a Russian research station, built on a large ice floe. The platform is very sturdy, but the surrounding environment is extremely dangerous. Recent satellite images show unusual activity there, possibly some kind of large-scale experiment."

The team began loading equipment. In addition to standard gear, they also carried specialized polar survival supplies: insulated tents, portable heaters, high-energy food, and emergency beacons.

“Remember, in that environment, any small mistake can be fatal,” McDonald reminded him again. “Hypothermia, disorientation, or falling into icy water can all take a life within minutes.”

After takeoff, the helicopter flew north over the last piece of land in Alaska and entered the Arctic Ocean. Through the porthole, we could see the endless sea ice below, shimmering in the sunlight. Occasionally, we could see cracks and open water, reminding us that we were not standing on solid ground.

"One hour to reach the target area," McDonnell reported via intercom. "There are storm clouds ahead; turbulence may be possible."

Sure enough, the helicopter soon began to shake violently. The wind and snow outside intensified, and visibility dropped sharply. Even inside the cabin, the power of the Arctic storm could be felt.

“Detective,” David said, pointing to the GPS device, “we’re approaching the target, but the electronic equipment is starting to jam.”

Lynn looked down through the porthole and could vaguely make out the outlines of several buildings, as well as some antennas and chimneys, through the wind and snow. Arctic Station 2 was larger than he had imagined, occupying a huge ice platform.

“Prepare for landing,” McDonald said, “but I can only stay here for ten minutes; fuel won’t allow for a longer wait.”

The helicopter landed about one kilometer from the research station. The moment the hatch opened, a biting wind rushed in, the temperature so low it was hard to breathe. The wind speed was at least eighty kilometers per hour, carrying fine ice particles that felt like countless sharp knives piercing the skin.

"Get off the plane!" McDonald shouted, his voice almost drowned out by the wind.

The team quickly disembarked and unloaded their equipment. In this environment, every movement became extremely difficult; the heavy cold-weather suits restricted their mobility, and the extremely low temperatures made the metal equipment fragile.

“I’ll be back for you in ten minutes,” McDonald said over the radio. “In case of emergency, call immediately using the beacon.”

After the helicopter took off, the team was plunged into an unprecedented sense of loneliness. Apart from the howling wind and the occasional crash of ice, there was nothing else to hear. On this white wasteland, they appeared so small.

“Maintain formation,” Lynn commanded over the radio. “Mark, you’re on guard. Michael, follow me. The rest of you, protect Emily.”

The journey to the research station proved more difficult than anticipated. The ice was riddled with cracks and bulges, requiring careful traversal. Furthermore, the wind and snow severely limited visibility, making it difficult to see even objects a hundred meters away.

“Detective, there’s a problem with my sniper rifle,” Mark reported over the radio. “The scope is fogging up in the cold.”

“My explosives equipment isn’t working properly either,” Jack added. “The electronic detonator is reacting slowly.”

These technical problems made Lynn realize how difficult it was to fight in such an extreme environment. They not only had to face man-made enemies, but also had to contend with the forces of nature.

As the team approached the perimeter of the research station, Lynn suddenly sensed something was amiss. The station was unusually quiet, lacking the activity expected of a normal research facility. Furthermore, the design of some buildings clearly deviated from the standards of conventional research facilities.

"Everyone halt," Lynn ordered. "Something's wrong."

Just then, a strange sound came from the direction of the research station, like the sound of ice cracking, but more rhythmic. Immediately afterwards, several figures appeared from behind the building and moved quickly in their direction.

"Enemy!" Mark immediately raised his rifle, but due to obstructed vision and equipment problems, he was unable to aim accurately.

The figures moved with extraordinary speed, leaving clear tracks in the snow. Even more surprisingly, they seemed completely unaffected by the severe weather, moving as if nothing had happened.

“These aren’t ordinary people,” Michael said over the radio. “They’re incredibly fast.”

Suddenly, a blue beam of light shot from the enemy's direction. Wherever the light passed, the snowflakes on the ground instantly froze into a thick layer of ice. If Jack hadn't pushed Lynn away in time, the attack would have struck him.

“Oh my god, what is that?” Emily exclaimed.

“A mutant,” Lynn realized immediately, “and a mutant who can control ice and snow.”

Another frost attack struck, this time targeting Mark's position. Mark hurriedly dodged, but the attack had a wide range, instantly freezing the area around him. His boots were stuck in the ice, rendering him unable to move.

“Mark is trapped!” Lisa shouted.

Lynn immediately made a decision: "Jack, use explosives to break the ice. David, call for backup. The rest of you, cover!"

However, their combat capabilities were greatly diminished in this environment. The heavy cold-weather suits slowed their movement, the low temperatures caused weapons and equipment to malfunction frequently, and the wind and snow severely restricted visibility.

The enemy was clearly well-adapted to this environment. Besides the ice mutant, several other enemies were rapidly approaching. They wore lightweight white combat suits, making them almost invisible in the snow.

“They have the terrain advantage,” Michael said, “and their equipment is clearly better suited to this environment.”

The ice mutant launched another attack, this time plunging his hands into the snow. Instantly, countless ice spikes appeared within a radius of tens of meters, piercing the team like a spiked trap. "Scatter!" Lynn shouted.

The team barely managed to dodge the attack, but Emily tripped and fell on the sharp ice. Although her heavy winter clothing protected her, the impact temporarily rendered her immobile.

"Emily is injured!" Lisa rushed over immediately to check on her.

Then, another enemy appeared; this mutant seemed to be able to control the blizzard. Under his influence, the already intense blizzard became even more violent, reducing visibility to almost zero.

“I can’t see anything!” Jack shouted over the radio.

In this situation, the squad was completely rendered incapable of fighting. They could not see the enemy's position, could not fire accurately, and could not even determine the positions of their teammates.

“Detective, we must retreat,” Michael advised over the radio. “Continuing to fight under these conditions is suicide.”

Lynn was extremely unwilling, but he knew Michael was right. Given their current environment and equipment, they were simply no match for these mutants adapted to the polar environment.

"Everyone move to the evacuation point," Lynn gave the painful order. "Keep in contact and don't fall behind."

The retreat proved more difficult than anticipated. Under the dual threats of a blizzard and the enemy, the squad advanced almost entirely in the dark. Several times, contact was lost between team members, who had to reorient themselves via radio.

The ice mutants clearly didn't want them to escape so easily. A massive ice wall suddenly rose in front of them, blocking their path. The ice wall was several meters high and incredibly thick, not something that could be easily destroyed by ordinary explosions.

“Damn it, they’re trying to trap us here,” Jack cursed.

Lynn looked around, searching for a way out. In the snowstorm, he could vaguely see a lower area on his right, which might be a path to bypass the ice wall.

“Follow me,” Lynn said, leading his squad to move to the right.

But the mutants were clearly not going to let them off easily. The blizzard mutants intensified their attacks, the gale-force winds nearly knocking them over. Meanwhile, the ice mutants continuously created icicles and blocks of ice, attempting to halt their advance.

During the attack, Lisa accidentally stepped into a hidden ice hole, and half of her leg sank in. Although her teammates pulled her out in time, her leg was clearly injured.

“I think I have a broken ankle,” Lisa said painfully.

The squad now has two wounded, making the situation even more dire. In this environment, anyone with mobility issues would become a burden on the entire team.

“David, how long until the helicopter arrives?” Lynn asked.

“Five more minutes,” David replied, “but in this weather, it’s a question of whether they can find us accurately.”

Just then, a new threat emerged. The sound of snowmobile engines came from the direction of the research station; the enemy had clearly dispatched mechanized forces to pursue them.

“They have snowmobiles,” Mark reported after observing through his binoculars. “At least three, and they’re approaching rapidly.”

The injured team members had no chance of escaping the pursuit of the snowmobiles. Moreover, the heavy weapons mounted on the snowmobiles had an absolute advantage in such open terrain.

“We need cover,” Lynn said. “Let’s find somewhere to hide.”

They found a relatively large ice mound that could provide some cover. But this cover was very vulnerable to heavy weapons.

The snowmobile quickly reached firing range and began firing at the ice mound. Ice fragments flew everywhere in the explosions, and the cover grew smaller and smaller.

“If this continues, we’ll all be buried here,” Michael said.

Lynn knew he had to make a decision. Although he was very reluctant to retreat, protecting the lives of his team members was the top priority.

“David, activate the emergency beacon immediately,” Lynn ordered. “Tell the helicopter our exact location.”

The emergency beacon emitted a strong signal, standing out like a lighthouse in the blizzard. Soon, they heard the sound of helicopter rotors.

The Chinook helicopter appeared in the blizzard like a savior. Major McDonald took a great risk and lowered the helicopter to a height of only a few meters above the ground.

"Get on board quickly!" the crew shouted as the cabin door opened.

The team began their evacuation, starting with the wounded Emily and Lisa, followed by the rest of the team. Just as Lynn was preparing to board the plane, the ice mutants launched their final attack.

A massive icicle rose from the ground and struck the tail of the helicopter. While it didn't cause fatal damage, it was enough to affect flight stability.

“The tail rotor is damaged,” McDonald reported. “We must leave immediately.”

Lynn was the last to board. The entire ice mound collapsed in the explosion just as his feet left the ice. If they had been a few seconds later, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

The helicopter wobbled as it ascended, moving away from that dangerous place. Looking back through the porthole, the research station could be seen looming in and out of sight amidst the wind and snow, like a giant monster curled up on the ice.

“Detective, this retreat was the right decision,” Michael reassured him. “Continuing to fight under those conditions would have been a pointless death.”

Lynn nodded, but the resentment in his heart was hard to quell. Their first direct confrontation with the enemy had ended in defeat. More importantly, the criminals were continuing their evil experiments.

"How are Lisa and Emily's injuries?" Lynn asked.

After examining her, the onboard medic replied, "Emily only has minor contusions and is fine. Lisa, however, does have a fractured ankle and needs immediate surgery."

Despite her injuries, Emily remained strong. She told Lynn, "Although we failed this time, at least we confirmed their location. And I noticed some important details." (End of Chapter)