Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 1153 This road is blocked

Time ticked by, and with each second came an increase in risk.

Petrovsky's gaze darted back and forth between routes A, B, and C on the map. Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, "There's no better option! Switch to route C!"

He picked up the radio: "Attention all vehicles, we have entered a highly dangerous area and may encounter the enemy at any time. Maintain maximum vigilance, increase the distance between vehicles to 300 meters, and advance under alternating cover! 'Eagle Eye,' deploy the drone to monitor key nodes within 3 kilometers ahead of the convoy's flanks and rear, as well as Route C, especially mountain passes and valley entrances. Report any heat signals or unusual dust immediately!"

"Captain, the drone's battery might not be enough..."

Hawkeye seemed a little embarrassed.

After all, they weren't using large or medium-sized drones, but rather small reconnaissance drones commonly used by small teams. These drones relied on batteries, had a short flight time, and needed to reserve some power for operational support after reaching Latamila village.

After flying all the way, it seems the drone ran out of power when it reached the target area.

"Then unleash it at a crucial point!"

Petrovsky was adamant.

"Yes, boss!"

"Hawkeye" can only obey unconditionally.

The order was given, and the convoy drew a sharp and heavy arc in the vast night, resolutely leaving the relatively "comfortable" flat land and plunging into the more desolate, rugged mountainous area, which seemed to have been forgotten by civilization since ancient times.

From this moment on, they are like a pack of lone wolves who have wandered into a minefield. Every step they take could trigger a death trap, and every moment could lead to a head-on collision with the enemy who is tracking them down.

"Major, I have a suggestion. Could we skip Route C and head directly to Latamila Village instead, without changing routes?"

In the darkness, Song Heping offered his opinion like an observer sitting in a corner.

"Not changing routes?"

Petrovsky didn't understand.

The squad may have been exposed, and both the Kold's forces and 1515 have noticed the presence of their squad.

Song Heping actually told him not to change his course?
crazy?

"You mean, continue with route A?"

“Yes.” Song Heping was very certain: “Let’s follow the route we initially planned.”

Everyone was stunned.

The car fell silent again.

After a long silence, Petrovsky finally said, "Song, this is a secret operation, not a gamble. We're being watched. Going back the way we came is suicide, like running into the arms of the Kold'd forces!"

“We’re going to ram them,” Song Heping said. “They’re coming right at us…”

"Alright, enough with the nonsense." Petrovsky seemed a bit annoyed and unwilling to listen to Song Heping's analysis of his advice: "I'm the commander, listen to me! After the mission is completed, when it comes to the withdrawal into Iligor territory, you'll have the final say!"

Seeing this, Song Heping fell silent.

Russians can be arrogant and stubborn at times.

Arguing with them is pointless.

This reminded him of the cook.

When I first met the chef, he had the same bad temper. But after countless things proved me right, he finally submitted to me completely.

fine……

Even if someone teaches you a thousand times, you still won't get it.

Practice teaches people; they will learn it in no time.

He winked at the hunter and made a gesture.

The hunter immediately understood.

Song Heping meant—be extra careful, don't go and die with them!

Three Typhoon-class mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles, panting heavily, plunged headlong into Route C.

This so-called "road" is more like a hideous scar left after the earth was torn apart, covered with sharp-edged gravel, bottomless erosion gullies, and rock ridges that have been polished by wind and sand into blades.

Although the Typhoon K armored vehicle is known for its excellent off-road capabilities, it had to groan in pain at this moment.

The heavy vehicle bounced and swayed violently on the rough ground, as if it might fall apart at any moment. The tires crushed the loose gravel, making a teeth-grinding screeching sound, and every now and then, fist-sized stones were sent flying, hitting the chassis with a dull thud.

Inside the vehicle, the team members had already fastened their seat belts and were gripping the fixed objects around them tightly with both hands, but their bodies were still swaying uncontrollably from side to side, as if their internal organs had shifted.

Everyone stared wide-eyed, peering intently through night vision goggles or observation windows at the perilous darkness outside.

Song Heping stared intently at the rugged tablet computer lying on his lap, its screen displaying downloaded offline satellite maps.

His brow furrowed deeper. The map showed that they needed to cross a narrow, V-shaped valley about five kilometers ahead, which was the relatively quickest route through this rugged mountain range.

However, according to the caption, the map data was updated six months ago.

In Syria, six months is enough for the terrain to be completely changed by the war.

"Major, we are about to reach the 'Canyon No. 1' passage."

Song Heping looked at Petrovsky and said in a serious tone, "The map data is outdated, and we need to be highly vigilant. I suggest 'Eagle Eye' prioritize scouting the situation at the valley entrance."

"it is good."

Petrovsky, however, did not offer any rebuttal this time.

"Eagle Eye, deploy the drone to scan the entrance to Canyon 1 and the surrounding highlands. Watch for unusual heat sources, reflections, or any traces of man-made structures."

"Understood, boss."

"Hawkeye" Alexei's voice responded.

Soon, a slight buzzing sound came from the top of the lead vehicle, and a small quadcopter drone, like a bat in the dark, silently took off and flew quickly into the darkness ahead.

The convoy slowed further, almost crawling.

The tires carefully choose their landing points to avoid sinking into soft sand or being punctured by sharp rocks.

The vehicle was silent except for the deep rumble of the engine, the noise of the tires rolling over the ground, and the occasional, hushed reports from the drone operator.

"The drone has arrived over the valley entrance...visibility is average, with slight dust...scanning in progress...no obvious heat source signal detected...wait!"

Alexei's voice suddenly paused, then quickened: "On the high ground to the left of the valley entrance, at an altitude of approximately +50 meters, an irregular pile of scattered rocks has been discovered, suspected to be artificial camouflage! Zoom in on the image... metallic reflection detected! Repeat, metallic reflection points detected! Suspected... suspected trigger wire or observation equipment for an improvised explosive device (IED)!"

Everyone's hearts were in their throats.

"Can you determine if it was recently deployed?" Petrovsky immediately asked.

“It’s impossible to determine precisely, but the way the stones are piled up differs from the surrounding natural weathering patterns. I suggest keeping your distance,” Alexei replied.

"Halt the convoy!" Petrovsky ordered decisively. "Keep the engines running! All vehicles, prepare for battle!"

The three Typhoon trucks screeched to a halt, their lights all extinguished, like lurking beasts hidden in the shadows of the rocks.

The team members quickly checked their weapons, pulled back the bolts, and nervously peered through the firing ports at the dark valley ahead, which looked like the gaping mouth of a giant beast.

"Song, what do you think?" Petrovsky asked Song Heping.

Song Heping stared at the image transmitted back by the drone. The reflective spot looked like the eye of a demon, gleaming ominously in the darkness.

"The presence of IEDs means there's a possibility of an ambush. Even without an ambush, clearing mines or going around them would take a lot of time, and the sound of the explosions would reveal our exact location like a lighthouse. This canyon... we can't go any further."

His fingers swiped rapidly across the tablet, searching for alternative routes.

"I'll say it again, let's go back to Route A..."

"Route A?" Petrovsky looked displeased. "There are only three hours until dawn. If we take that route and encounter the Kold's forces, and then get chased by 1515, we'll be sandwiched in the middle!"

“I know the risks, but…”

Before Song Heping could finish speaking, "Hawkeye" Alexei's voice rang out again, his tone tinged with surprise.

"Boss! The drone has detected more anomalies about one kilometer deep in the canyon! A large amount of rubble is blocking the passage, it looks... like a landslide caused by recent blasting! The passage is completely sealed off!"

Outdated satellite images are indeed misleading! Intense armed conflict has altered the terrain here.

That IED was probably just a warning device to prevent anyone from trying to clear the landslide.

The last vestige of hope was completely shattered.

　Asking for a monthly ticket! Asking for a monthly ticket!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)