Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 1170 The golden cicada escapes from its shell
Inside the crevice, the hunter expressionlessly pulled back the bolt, ejected the scalding hot cartridge case, caught it gently, and then put it into his pocket.

After doing all this, he slithered back to his hiding place like a snake.

He is not greedy.

Greed will kill you.

Like the most patient hunter, he only occasionally pulls the trigger to maintain the chaotic balance of the battlefield and ensure that this blood feast does not end prematurely.

An hour passed amidst the deafening roar of gunfire and the symphony of death.

The eastern horizon was already faintly tinged with a grayish-white hue, almost imperceptible.

The darkest hour of the night is about to pass.

Song Heping glanced at his watch and then listened carefully to the sounds outside.

The frequency of A-10 attacks appeared to be decreasing, but the sounds of firefights on the ground remained intense, albeit more sparse and intense. Both sides were clearly paying a heavy price and were exhausted.

He turned to Major Petrovsky, his voice low and clear: "Major, it's almost time. They've been fighting for over an hour, and whoever they are, is now exhausted and their attention is completely drawn to the other side."

Petrovsky quickly asked, "What's your opinion?"

"Break through. Now is the best time."

Song Heping pointed eastward.

"We are positioned on the flank and rear of the 1515 armed attack direction. In order to wipe out the Americans, Omar has concentrated his main forces on the west and north. The east is his flank and rear, where his forces are inevitably weak and his attention is focused on the battle at the front. Breaking out now is probably our best chance."

He paused, then continued his analysis: "After fighting for so long, the American troops and local militias in the Koldeid-controlled area must have gone mad. They will definitely do everything they can to rescue the 'Razor' team, or deploy a large number of troops to defend their own controlled areas and prevent the 1515 militia from expanding their gains. And the attention of the 1515 militia throughout northeastern Syria will inevitably be drawn to the huge meat grinder that is the Mannier Valley."

He concluded with a crucial assessment: "I believe that Latamila's defenses are currently at an unprecedented level of vulnerability. If we launch a surprise attack on Latamila before the Kolds, Americans, and the 1515 faction realize what's happening, the probability of success is likely to be much higher than you previously estimated."

Petrovsky listened quietly, his eyes revealing boundless agreement.

Tonight's plan to lure people into a trap in the Mannier Valley is truly killing two birds with one stone!
I agree with you.

Petrovsky slowly stood up and stretched his body, which had become stiff from maintaining one posture for so long.

"Brothers, check your equipment immediately, take all personal belongings, and leave no trace. In five minutes, proceed east according to the second evacuation plan, heading towards the designated rendezvous point on the outskirts of Kubai Town. Maintain absolute silence; do not engage in firefight unless absolutely necessary."

The SSO members began a final check of their weapons, ammunition, night vision goggle batteries, and water supply.

Their movements were swift and orderly, without the slightest sign of panic.

Five minutes later, this special forces team of only a dozen or so people, which had stirred up the entire battlefield situation, silently slipped out from a more concealed exit behind the rock crevice, like melting snow on the plateau, and quickly disappeared into the denser darkness and complex terrain on the eastern side of the basin.

The hustle and bustle of the Mannier Valley and the firelight were quickly left behind in the mountains. Song Heping, Major Petrovsky, and the entire SSO team plunged into the darkness on the eastern side of the basin.

The route to the east is equally difficult, as it is no longer a hilly area filled with jagged rocks, dry riverbeds, and low shrubs.

The undulating terrain provides excellent cover for stealth, but it also greatly depletes physical strength.

"Maintain formation, ten meters apart. 'Iron Hammer' goes forward fifty meters to scout, and 'Shadow' brings up the rear to clear away any traces."

Petrovsky skillfully began to arrange the marching formation.

Song Heping was positioned in the middle of the group, near the front, running alongside Petrovsky.

His senses were heightened to their limit, his ears filtering the sound of the wind and the faint distant gunfire, trying to catch any unusual noises nearby.

Scan every corner of your field of vision; any unnatural reflection or movement could indicate danger.

They did not choose a straight route eastward, but instead, based on prior reconnaissance and map reading, they proceeded along the edge of a relatively hidden valley.

This allows one to conceal their figure by taking advantage of the drop in elevation along the riverbank, while avoiding revealing their silhouette on the ridgeline.

After traveling about a kilometer, "Iron Hammer" Volkov's voice came through the channel: "Boss, two armed sentries at the two o'clock position ahead, on the edge of the slope, suspected to be the outer perimeter guard of 1515. We can't get around them, I suggest we eliminate them."

The team stopped instantly, and everyone crouched or lay down, using the terrain as cover, with their guns naturally pointed in the direction of the threat.

Petrovsky and Song Heping exchanged a glance.

Song Heping nodded slightly, tacitly agreeing to let him command the battle.

“Confirm the number of targets, their location, and the surrounding environment,” Petrovsky whispered.

"There are only two people, about five meters apart, using a large rock as a makeshift observation post, facing the valley and with their backs to our approach route. They are relaxed and talking in hushed tones," Volkov quickly reported.

"Volkov, Sergei, you two approach from the left. Dmitry, you take charge of one of them. Make sure everything is done silently, without making too much noise."

Petrovsky issued the purge order.

The two SSO members who were called out immediately separated from the team and silently sneaked to the left side under the cover of the riverbank and bushes.

Meanwhile, the vice-captain and sniper, Detmeri, immediately went to find a large rock, where he found the best firing position and set up his VSS silenced sniper rifle.

Only a faint electrical hum could be heard in the communication channel.

A few seconds later, the hunter's voice rang out again: "'Hammer' in position..." "'Frost' in position..."

"Three, two, one... Let's go!"

puff--

The first shot was fired from the silenced sniper rifle in the hand of sniper Dmitry.

An armed man was chatting and laughing with his comrade opposite him, raising his hands and waving them a few times. Before he could lower his hands, his head suddenly exploded.

Snapped--

Blood blinded his accomplice on the other side, leaving the latter completely bewildered and utterly unaware of what had happened.

"Iron Hammer" and "Frost," who had approached to within 20 meters of each other, stood up almost simultaneously. One of them held a pistol with a silencer, while the other held an assault rifle.

The goal of a duo is to shoot from different angles simultaneously. Even if one of them misses, it is impossible for both of them to miss at the same time.

puff-

Puff puff--

After a series of short bursts and rapid single shots, the bewildered unlucky guy shuddered violently and collapsed to the ground, barely struggling.

The whole process was breathtakingly fast.

"Target cleared. Safe."

"Iron Hammer" Volkov confirmed.

"Well done! Keep it up, everyone!"

The team restarted and quickly traversed the area.

As Song Heping passed the two rocks, he glanced at the two corpses lying on the ground. Both of them had been shot in the head, the method clean and efficient, without even sounding any alarm.

The professionalism of the SSO team members is evident.

This little incident reminded everyone that they were not yet completely out of danger.

Omar wasn't stupid; he deployed sentries to the flanks and rear of the main attack direction. However, the quality and focus of these sentries were clearly no match for top-tier special forces.

During the rest of their journey, they encountered two more groups of sporadic sentries, both of which were eliminated in the same swift and silent manner.

The SSO members truly deserve to be called the top special forces of the Russian army; they are all exceptional individuals, one in ten thousand. Those poor 1515 sentries are not even scarecrows in their eyes.

As they continued to advance eastward, the sounds of gunfire behind them diminished significantly, eventually becoming barely audible.

The grayish-white tinge in the sky gradually expanded, dispelling the heavy darkness, and the pre-dawn chill made one's face feel numb.

At 5:20 a.m., they finally emerged from the most complex hilly area of ​​the Gunai Mountains and arrived at the edge of a relatively flat Gobi Desert.

Petrovsky signaled for the team to pause and rest behind a sheltered rock.

He took a sip from his water bottle, then looked at Song Heping: "We're out. But we're still at least fifty kilometers from Kubai Town. If we walk, we'll be baked dry in the midday sun, and it'll be too slow; we'll miss our chance."

Song Heping wiped the sweat from his forehead, his gaze sweeping across the desolate Gobi Desert before him, then looking southeast, where the town of Kubai was roughly located.

He pondered for a few seconds before speaking, “Major, we can’t rely on these two legs. The window of opportunity is very short. Once the battle in Mannier Valley is over, regardless of who wins or loses, attention will be readjusted, and they will eventually realize they’ve been tricked. Our risk of exposure will increase dramatically.”

"Your suggestion?"

Petrovsky already had the answer in his mind, but he wanted to hear his Chinese counterpart's specific thoughts.

"Find a car."

Song Heping stated with certainty, "Omar was able to mobilize so many men to besiege the 'Razor' squad, so it's impossible that all his reinforcements came on foot from afar. There must be a temporary vehicle assembly point or forward base set up by the 1515 militia nearby. To quickly deploy troops, they usually use vehicles like pickup trucks adapted to the Gobi Desert terrain. The terrain inside the Manniye Valley is complex, making it difficult for vehicles to penetrate deep, so these vehicles will most likely be parked on the outskirts of the battlefield and guarded by a small number of personnel."

His analysis was clear and logical, conforming to common battlefield logic.

Petrovsky's eyes flashed with approval: "Just as I thought. 'Eagle Eye,' send out the drones to scout, focusing on tire tracks, campfire trails, or gatherings of people. The area is within five kilometers to the southeast."

"clear."

"Hawk Eye" Alexei immediately took off his backpack, quickly took out a PVC box, opened it, and took out a small drone to assemble quickly.

After spending two minutes completing the setup, Alexei tossed the drone into the air, and in the cool morning light, it turned and flew into the distance.

After resting for about fifteen minutes and replenishing their water and energy, the team continued to slowly advance in the direction the hunters had scouted.

Twenty minutes later, "Eagle Eye" issued its first reconnaissance report: "Target spotted. At the 11 o'clock position, about 1.5 kilometers away, there is a flat area with a bend. Seven pickup trucks have been spotted, parked separately. There are nine armed personnel within visual range, scattered and guarding, but they are relaxed in their vigilance. Some of them are making a fire to keep warm. No heavy weapons have been spotted."

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

　　
　
(End of this chapter)