Mercenary I am the king

Chapter 988 Sandstorm Escalates
Just as Song Heping's team was struggling to survive in the desert, the scene he had predicted was unfolding in an even more tragic way dozens of kilometers behind them.

SBS Special Operations Commander Lieutenant Colonel Adams and his elite GNA pursuers also stumbled into the escalating super sandstorm.

Initially, relying on their large number of vehicles and superior equipment, they attempted to forcibly pursue them.

But when the dust concentration reaches a critical point, when the fine sand completely clogs the filter, and when the gale blows an armored vehicle weighing nearly ten tons swaying uncontrollably, disaster strikes.

Reports of engine failures spread like wildfire across the radio channels, instantly drowning out the commander's orders.

"Alpha 1 shuts down!"

"Bravo 2 stalled! Unable to restart!"

"Command vehicle! Command vehicle has lost power!"

……

The massive convoy of thousands of people was paralyzed in the eye of the sandstorm in a very short time, as if frozen in place.

Chaos erupted instantly.

Without the protection of vehicles, the soldiers were exposed to the raging sandstorm.

The sand swept across like shrapnel, blinding people and making it hard to stand.

The massive sand wall moved, swallowing up the field of vision and the sense of direction.

"Hold your ground! Find cover to avoid the sandstorm!"

Captain Dorn's voice roared over the radio, but the signal was severely hampered by the sandstorm and remained intermittent.

Panic spread like wildfire.

Most GNA soldiers are temporarily recruited, and their discipline is far inferior to that of top-tier special forces like the SBS.

In desperate situations where there is no command or protection, the instinct for survival overrides discipline.

Some people tried to find shelter on foot, but disappeared without a trace in the swirling yellow sand within a few steps.

Even more terrifying are the moving sand dunes and quicksand traps.

Several vehicles that tried to move got stuck in the deep sand and were quickly buried.

Some soldiers who were hiding under vehicles were buried alive by suddenly collapsing sand dunes or moving vehicles.

The piercing screams and desperate cries were torn apart by the gale and vanished in an instant.

Sandstorms have become the fairest yet cruelest harvesters.

"Don't panic! Stay together and follow your superiors!"

Captain Dorn attempts to control the situation.

But he soon realized that everything he had done was in vain.

The scene of thousands of people in chaos was beyond the control of a few SBS members. Moreover, in such an environment of yellow sand and howling wind, words would be swallowed up by the wind before they could travel more than ten meters.

When the time came, Captain Dorn had no choice but to give up the struggle and organize his squad to take shelter from the sandstorm on their own.

With their superior discipline and survival skills, SBS members were able to maintain small groups and find shelter on rocks or leeward slopes.

However, the GNA forces suffered heavy losses, with countless soldiers getting separated from their units, suffocating to death from being buried in the sandstorm, or being injured and unable to move in the chaos.

Looking at the hellish scene before him and listening to the chaotic cries for help and reports over the radio, Lieutenant Colonel Yarif, the GNA's highest-ranking on-site commander, turned ashen-faced.

Pursuit?

It's a miracle that I've managed to save my own life and gather the remaining troops.

Song Heping's small unit seemed to have merged into the sandstorm itself, leaving no trace.

Almost at the same time, in the strategic surveillance room of MI6 headquarters on the banks of the Thames in London, the atmosphere was heavy.

On the huge screen, the images transmitted back by the reconnaissance satellite that had just passed overhead were no longer clear images of desert terrain and vehicle heat sources.

The screen showed only an endless, violently churning, brownish-yellow vortex. The sandstorm was so large that it completely obscured all details of the earth's surface.

Infrared imaging also fails because the temperature across the entire surface is homogenized by the thick layer of dust.

"Sir, latest overhead image. The dust storm is covering a larger area than expected, with zero visibility in the central area. No ground targets can be identified, including SBS beacons and the Song Heping convoy signal we previously marked."

The analyst's voice carried a hint of helplessness.

Technical lead Selena stood in front of the screen, her brow furrowed.

Her exquisite makeup couldn't hide the worry in her eyes.

"Zoom in on the edge of the storm and try to look for any unusual heat sources or signs of movement."

"Tried it, sir. No useful information. The sandstorm is too strong, completely drowning out the signal."

The analyst shook his head.

Selena remained silent for a moment.

Where is the final SBS report located?

"The coordinates reported before losing contact at the edge of the storm's center are about 15 kilometers away from the last observed location of Song Heping's convoy. However, at present... it is impossible to determine the exact status and movement of both parties."

The analyst pulled up a map, and the two flashing red dots were quickly swallowed up by the yellow shadows representing the sandstorm.

Selina took a deep breath.

The sandstorm was like a giant curtain, obscuring all vision and all schemes.

Song Heping and his team, along with SBS and the GNA armed forces, all vanished into the chaos. The situation spiraled completely out of control, becoming increasingly unpredictable and confusing.

“Continue to monitor the situation and report any changes immediately. At the same time, contact our resources in Tripoli to obtain surface weather reports and information on GNA developments.”

In the direction of the desert city.

This important military town on the edge of the Sahara was also shrouded in sandstorms, though not nearly as intense as those deep in the desert. Saif stood by the window of the temporary command post, looking at the dim, yellowish world outside and listening to the howling wind battering the windowpane; his face was so grim it seemed to drip water.

He had just arrived here with 10,000 of GNA's main forces, ready to join the pursuit as the second echelon, completely crush that audacious mercenary squad, and kill that damned "Ghost" Song Heping as ordered by Ms. M.

However, the news from the front lines enraged him.

"What? Adams is missing? The vanguard of thousands suffered heavy losses in the sandstorm, and all their vehicles were paralyzed?"

Saif roared into the phone, "Useless! A bunch of useless trash! They can't even capture a two-hundred-man remnant army!"

The voice of the frontline commander came through the phone in a panic: "General, the sandstorm is enormous! Unprecedented! Our vehicles can't hold up, and the soldiers are doomed if they're exposed! Lieutenant Colonel Yarif and the others are probably... in grave danger. We dare not leave the city now; the sandstorm is intensifying, visibility is less than 100 meters, going out is suicide!"

Saif slammed the microphone onto the landline. He walked to the map, looked at the small dot representing the Kultan Oasis, and then glanced at the raging sandstorm outside the window.

An army of ten thousand was pinned to the desert city by a sudden sandstorm, unable to move an inch.

His target, that small team, disappeared into the depths of the sandstorm.

Time is passing; the other side may be approaching the oasis, or it may have already been swallowed up by the sandstorm.

Either outcome left him feeling an out-of-control anger and a sense of powerlessness.

"Order the troops to stand by in the desert city! Fortify the defenses! Send several reconnaissance teams to the edge of the sandstorm's center; I need to know the situation inside! Notify me immediately if there are any signs that the sandstorm is weakening!"

Saif gritted his teeth and gave the order. All he could do now was wait and pray that the sandstorm would complete the extermination mission for him.

While Saif waited anxiously in the desert city and MI6 in London stared at blurry satellite images, Song Heping's team was undergoing a hellish ordeal.

The sandstorm not only failed to subside, but instead became even more violent. The wind force reached an astonishing level, and the sand grains it whipped up were no longer "bullets," but rather "cannonballs."

The stretcher team carrying the "hunter" was blown over several times by the strong winds. The team members used their bodies to hold the stretcher down, thus preventing the wounded from being swept away by the sandstorm.

People kept falling down, only to be pulled back up with difficulty by the ropes.

Drinking water has become incredibly precious, but every time you drink it, you risk getting a mouthful of sand.

Many people have dry, cracked, and bleeding lips, and their throats feel like they are on fire.

Just when the team was on the verge of collapse, and many people had moved their feet mechanically and numbly, almost giving up hope, "Wrench," who was scouting ahead, suddenly roared with all his might, his voice piercing through the sandstorm: "Boss! There's something ahead!"

Song Heping perked up and squeezed his way to the front of the line with difficulty.

Sure enough, the hurricane that had been tearing them apart seemed to have a slight gap in its flow. Visibility miraculously recovered to twenty or thirty meters.

He looked in the direction the "wrench" was pointing.

On the edge of the churning sand curtain, a huge, strangely shaped black outline could be vaguely seen! They were not continuous sand dunes, but... weathered rocks!

"It's a rocky area! A sheltered spot! Quickly! Everyone! Destination: rocky area! Speed ​​up!"

Song Heping's voice was distorted by excitement and hoarseness, but it was like a shot of adrenaline injected into the dying team.

Driven by the will to survive, the team unleashed their last ounce of strength, stumbling and staggering towards the brown rocks that had miraculously appeared amidst the sandstorm.

Only when you get closer can you see that this is a sizable area of ​​weathered rock.

Over millions of years, wind and sand erosion has sculpted the massive rock into honeycomb-like holes, deep cracks, and jagged, leeward surfaces.

"Quick! Find a low-lying, sheltered crevice in the rocks! Prioritize the treatment of the wounded!"

Song Heping commanded with composure.

Like travelers who have discovered an oasis, the team members frantically searched for shelter in the rocks.

They squeezed into the huge rock crevice, huddled in the recessed rock hollow, and used the protruding rock to shield themselves from the fierce wind.

Although the sandstorm still seeped in through every crack, making it impossible to open one's eyes, it was like paradise compared to the devastating chaos outside.

Song Heping personally directed the placement of the "hunter" and the seriously wounded in the deepest, most sheltered stone cave, and used sand-proof cloth and everything else he could find to block the air inlets.

The others also quickly used the terrain and their equipment to reinforce their makeshift shelters.

When the last team member found shelter and collapsed onto the cold rocks, panting with exhaustion, the sandstorm outside seemed to roar even more deafeningly, as if to prove Song Heping's wisdom in choosing this place.

The gale whipped up even larger sand waves than before, which crashed violently against the outer edge of the rocky area, producing a dull and terrifying roar.

The entire rocky area seemed to be trembling slightly. Sand and gravel cascaded down from the top of the rock like a waterfall.

But all those sheltered by the rocks felt was the residual force of the wind being torn apart.

With their backs against the hard, cold rocks, listening to the apocalyptic roar outside, they felt a surge of relief, a sense of exhaustion, as if they had survived a catastrophe.

The sandstorm was still lingering, making people cough incessantly, but at least for the time being, they wouldn't be blown away or buried alive.

Song Heping leaned against a hollow in a huge rock, pulled off his mask, and greedily inhaled several breaths of the relatively "clean" but still dusty air.

He wiped the sand off his face, revealing tired yet sharp, eagle-like eyes, as he scanned his teammates who were panting, coughing, and checking on each other in the crevices and hollows of the rocks.

Although the two hundred-plus people were in a sorry state and exhausted, their core strength remained intact.

"Take a headcount! Check the wounded! Conserve water! Wait for the storm to pass!"

His voice sounded particularly steady and powerful against the backdrop of the rocks.

They are safe for now.

In this ancient, weathered rock fortress deep in the Sahara, they found a chance to catch their breath.

Outside, the sandstorm that swallowed the heavens and earth, and the pursuers trapped by it, became their most unexpected barrier at this moment.

Song Heping looked out at the despairing yellowish-brown hue rolling outside the cave, a cold smile curving his lips.

This desperate journey of fighting against heaven, earth, and man is far from over.

The Kurtan Oasis, their last hope, still awaits them on the other side of the storm.

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

　　
　
(End of this chapter)