Do the enemies still have snipers?

Kang Chan quickly glared at where he had killed the enemies’ snipers.

No, I doubt it. If they did, their advance wouldn’t be this noisy.

The effective range of an RPG-7 was about three hundred meters, and its maximum range was five hundred meters. If the rebels attacked them with an RPG-7—a weapon so cheap it was also known as ‘the cannon for the poor’—Kang Chan and his men would be able to fend them off at least to a certain extent.

Badum-badum. Badum-badum.

What the fuck is this?! It’s not like I have angina! Why is my heart going crazy when it won’t even tell me what’s about to happen?

Gritting his teeth, Kang Chan looked around him again.

He wanted to protect his men—no, he had to.

Before he could, though, he had to figure out their enemies’ objectives and figure out why they were hiding and staying quiet.

Kang Chan examined the direction that the enemies had come from. Deep in the forest, they were keeping him and his men surrounded.

Goddamn it!

“Daye! On me!” Kang Chan called and then headed to Montechelle. Dayeru followed him, rifle clanking.

“We’re going down the mountain to break through the enemy’s encirclement! Hurry!” Kang Chan ordered his men.

The command came out of nowhere, but they were special forces soldiers. Moreover, they had worked together numerous times.

As soon as the order was issued, Éiric and Mazani sprang into action. The others urgently stood up and followed suit.

“Éiric! Cover our rear! Mazani! Let’s go!” Kang Chan jumped down the mountain.

Swoosh! Rustle! Clatter!

Mazani and, unexpectedly, Dayeru followed suit.

Even though they were making a lot of noise, the enemies didn’t respond.

The soldiers in Kang Chan’s unit knew what he was capable of better than anyone else. Hence, they didn’t hesitate to throw themselves down the mountain as if they were jumping into a body of water.

Swoosh! Rustle! Swish! Thud! Plop! Rustle!

As Kang Chan had worried, the enemies finally counterattacked, breaking the stillness of the night.

Pew!

As they rolled and skidded down the mountain, the top of the ridge that Kang Chan had been at exploded.

Pew! Boom! Pew! Boom!

The enemies had begun bombarding their location with mortars, raining down shells on them.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Whoosh!

Rocks and twigs scratched the soldiers’ shins, hamstrings, and waists as they sprinted.

Boom!

Dirt soared into the air and fell back down on Kang Chan and the others.

Thud!

Kang Chan roughly slammed down the mountain. As the others followed him, the enemies began rushing toward them.

Ratatatatat! Bang! Ratatatatat! Thudududud!

Kang Chan couldn’t breathe. He felt as if he had been hit in the side.

Ratatatat! Boom!

The throat and body of one of his men exploded into pieces.

Bang! Bang!

At this rate, they were all going to die. Somebody had to stop this onslaught.

Kang Chan swung his rifle to the front.

“

Allāhu Akbar!

” the rebels yelled. Right after, they charged toward Kang Chan and his men with AK-47s and large, glinting knives.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Kang Chan didn’t know where or how he got wounded, but he couldn’t breathe properly. Still, despite feeling so out of breath that his eyeballs were going to pop out, he kept returning fire anyway.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Ratatatat! Thud! Ratatatat!

A large number of rebels were rushing toward them. There were so many that killing some of the ones leading the charge didn’t seem to make any difference.

The other soldiers also started to return fire.

Bang! Bang! Ratatatatatat!

Amid the gunfight, an enemy appeared right in front of Kang Chan. His knife glinted under the moonlight.

Swish!

Wasting time turning and aiming at the man would get them all killed. Hence, Kang Chan unsheathed his bayonet and stood up.

“Urgh!”

Dayeru groaned as he charged straight at another enemy from next to Kang Chan.

Swoosh! Slit! Shick! Shick!

Kang Chan avoided his opponent’s attack and cut the latter’s side open. He then stabbed him in the neck twice.

“

Argh!

”

Stab! Stab! Swoosh!

Meanwhile, Dayeru grabbed his enemy by the arm that was holding the knife. He then deeply slit his enemy’s throat.

However, he fought just one enemy for too long. Another rebel managed to cut him in the area right above his waist.

Kang Chan targeted the same enemy, preventing Dayeru from getting backstabbed. Fortunately, the other soldiers kept returning fire, slightly improving the situation.

Ratatatatatat! Bang!

Kang Chan and Dayeru were in a tangled mess. Moreover, as the others continued to trade blows both in front and behind them, another soldier was blasted into pieces.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Swish!

Kang Chan took out his pistol and pulled the trigger, quickly eliminating the hostiles around him. Meanwhile, Dayeru was still stabbing his opponents with his bayonet while yelling as if he had gone insane.

With no rebels left around Kang Chan and his men, the rebels in the distance began shooting at them.

Swoosh!

“Get down, you stupid fucker!” Kang Chan immediately pushed Dayeru aside with his shoulder.

Thud!

Dayeru looked at Kang Chan but quickly returned to his senses.

Bang!

Kang Chan had said this several times, but Dayeru wasn’t stupid. The man quickly pulled out his pistol and continued fighting.

Bang! Thud! Bang! Bang!

The other soldiers also simultaneously shot the nearby enemies.

There was a rhythm in combat. The flow of the battle had changed, with the enemies that had been rushing toward them now being pushed back.

***

A radio operator quickly approached Sharlan.

“The 11th unit’s location was bombarded with mortars, sir.”

Sharlan was surprised. After all, he had been told that they were going to kill Kang Chan and his unit quietly with their snipers.

“Send the 10th unit to help them! Deploy two of our companies that are on standby as reinforcements!” Sharlan ordered.

The radio operator quickly ran off. He looked as though he had received the order that he had been hoping for.

Their enemies had already put their tails between their legs. Hence, Sharlan couldn’t turn a blind eye to the rebels firing mortars at the 11th unit.

‘Why can’t those fuckers just do their fucking jobs!’

Sharlan gritted his teeth.

The Foreign Legion was already having difficulties even finding traces of the red light; they could have even mistaken a cheap incandescent light bulb for the Blackhead. Now, Sharlan had failed this operation all because his people couldn’t complete their missions.

***

Click! Clank!

Kang Chan reloaded his rifle and pistol. He then glared ahead with glinting eyes.

He had lost three of his men, yet he couldn’t even mourn them, let alone tie their hands and feet together. All he could do was place their hands on their chests.

“We’re going to keep cutting through enemy lines,” Kang Chan said.

The enemies had already retreated and hid again. If they bombarded him and his men again, they wouldn’t have anywhere to hide.

“Captain!” a soldier called pitifully, clutching the area above a wound. His knee seemed to have been destroyed by a bullet.

They were all going to die if they stalled here. However, if Kang Chan just left that man here and a mortar was fired toward them again, they wouldn’t even be able to find his remains.

Kang Chan quickly ran toward the wounded soldier and offered his back to him.

“Hurry!” he urged.

The others provided cover fire as he carried the wounded soldier on his back. Everyone’s faces had turned dark from all the dirt and blood.

“Hold on!” he told the wounded soldier.

Clank! Clank!

Kang Chan started to run from the forefront, and the others followed him.

The soldier on his back was clinging to his neck so tightly that it was suffocating him. Though the soldier normally wouldn’t do something like this, his wound and the situation seemed to have shocked him enough to unconsciously hold on as best as he could.

The wounded soldier desperately fought to live, and Kang Chan carried the weight of that desire.

Being able to breathe easily again meant that the strength in the soldier’s arms had disappeared—that he had lost yet another subordinate on African soil.

Ratatatatat! Bang bang bang!

The enemies started to shoot at them again. Not long after, smithen rolled around the ground, screaming. Kang Chan returned fire, and his men quickly followed suit.

Ratatat! Bang! Bang!

Amid the gunfight, a soldier tried to save Smithen, but he ended up getting shot in the back instead. Even if they were wearing a bulletproof vest, it would still be painful enough to make some faint. Moreover, one mistake could get them shot in the waist or head.

Kang Chan frantically covered fire to prevent the enemies from shooting his men. Meanwhile, the waist, legs, throat, and head of the soldier who had been protecting Smithen exploded.

“Argh!”

Smithen hid behind the dead soldier, making it hard to help him.

With the wounded soldier still on his back, Kang Chan squatted down before returning fire.

“

Raaaaah!

”

Yelling like an animal again, Dayeru rushed toward Smithen.

The enemies were behind the ridge that was right in front of them.

Kang Chan took cover behind a dirt hill and tried his best to shoot their enemies.

Shhhhk!

With all his might, Dayeru pulled Smithen by the arm and his back collar, which made the latter yell out in pain.

“

Aaaaaagh!”

“Hurry! We’re pushing forward!” Kang Chan yelled.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Ratatatat!

Kang Chan knew that he wouldn’t be able to hit their enemies since they were behind cover. Nevertheless, he kept shooting at them to stop them from returning fire while he and his men advanced.

“If you need to reload, now’s the time!”

Ratatatatat!

As some of the soldiers provided cover fire, Kang Chan switched magazines while keeping his rifle aimed at their enemies.

In an attempt to take advantage of that moment, a rebel raised his head to shoot Kang Chan. However, a bullet quickly found its way into his forehead.

The wounded soldier’s hold around Kang Chan’s neck was becoming weaker.

“Faster!” Kang Chan ordered.

Still crouching, he continued to advance.

Bang! Bang!

To his surprise, Dayeru carried Smithen on his back and began to run after him.

***

Mahujani could no longer keep a calm expression.

“You have to run away, sir!” a high-ranking rebel with a long beard shouted.

How on earth was Mahujani supposed to believe that two hundred of his warriors failed to kill twelve people? They even mobilized snipers and mortars!

Mahujani wanted to kill all twelve of his enemies and parade their heads around. However, they had completely foiled his plans.

How do they know about this location?

The high-ranking rebel added, “The special forces team and two companies from the Foreign Legion are approaching from the front. We have to leave, sir!”

“Where should we go?”

Though surprised and flustered, Mahujani still sounded calm. However, his rhythmic cadence had disappeared, making him sound plain.

“We have to avoid the God of Blackfield! There’s no way to stop him, sir!”

Mahujani stood up. He felt unbearably humiliated. Still, right now, all he could do was escape.

Ratatatatat! Bang! Ratatatatat! Thud! Bang!

Hearing gunshots coming from right in front of the cave, the high-ranking rebel headed out of the cave and checked what was going on.

Mahujani was about to go crazy. His opponents had killed almost all of the two hundred rebels that he had deployed.

Contradicting his expression, he hurriedly walked over to the high-ranking official, who was waiting for him.

Bang! Bang! Ratatatat!

The gunshots were all they needed to understand the situation.

***

Every time Kang Chan and his men killed the rebels at the forefront, those behind them took their place and rushed forward. They fought recklessly, as expected of rebels.

Ratatatat! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Every time Kang Chan pulled the trigger, he sent an enemy slamming backward with a bullet in their forehead.

Bang! Bang!

The rest of the rebels ducked in surprise when the other soldiers also returned fire.

“Reloading!” Kang Chan yelled. With his rifle aimed, he switched magazines.

“Mont! Kill the rebels on top of the ridge!” he ordered before rejoining the battle.

Montechelle swung his sniper rifle to the back. He then quickly put it down in front of him and stabilized it with his legs.

Clank!

As Montechelle pulled the breechblock, the enemy on top of the ridge began turning around to run away.

“Mont!” Kang Chan urged.

Bang! Bang! Ratatatatat! Bang!

Soon, they heard the familiar Cheytac gunshot. A figure on top of the ridge fell to the ground.

Clank!

As Montechelle pulled the breechblock for the second time, the other rebels hid behind the ridge.

Ratatatatat!

Kang Chan advanced as if he didn’t know how to stop.

Bang! Bang!

With glinting eyes, Dayeru kept up with Kang Chan. He was fighting as if this wasn’t his first battle.

Ratatatat! Bang! Thud! Ratatatatat!

They advanced for about twenty more meters. Finally, the enemies stopped shooting.

“Haah. Haah. Haah. Haah.”

Breathing heavily, Kang Chan kept an eye on their surroundings. The other soldiers stood their ground, enduring the pain from their wounds.

“Éiric! Secure this area!” Kang Chan ordered. “Mont! Mazani! Daye! On me!”

Kang Chan quickly took point. He didn’t put down the wounded soldier—if the enemies charged at them again, it would be difficult for Éiric to stop them while also taking care of the wounded.

Mazani, Montechelle, and Dayeru—who was still carrying Smithen on his back—followed Kang Chan.

Clank! Clank!

“Urgh!”

Smithen’s groans seemed to be making the difficult walk even harder for them.

Click! Click!

They aimed their rifles in different directions as they advanced. Eventually, they reached a cave.

When Kang Chan glanced at Mazani, Mazani quickly stood to the right of the entrance.

‘One! Two!’

Whoosh! Click! Click!

They searched through the cave, but it was completely empty.

“Haah. Haah.”

With the battle roughly over, Kang Chan headed back out. Only then did he put down the wounded soldier on his back. Finding no enemies nearby, he finally felt slightly at ease. He figured that the wounded soldier would be safe here.

“Mont! Check the enemy you killed earlier!” Kang Chan yelled.

“Oui!”

As Montechelle headed to where he had shot the rebel, Kang Chan looked around. Smithen, who had been groaning nonstop, seemed to have fainted, his head now hung limply.

It seemed Dayeru had also been stabbed. The area below his waist was stained dark with blood.

“Daye.” Kang Chan nodded toward the cave. “Head inside.”

Their mission still wasn’t over, and Kang Chan’s eyes were still glinting ferociously. Hence, Dayeru couldn’t even think of disobeying him.

Clank. Clank.

Dayeru walked into the cave and put down Smithen right in front of the entrance as if he were throwing the man down.

An incandescent lamp kept the cave lit. Apart from it, there was only a table and a small end table with a kettle on it.

As Dayeru looked away from the end table, he noticed a red light flash twice from inside the cave.

Click!

Dayeru aimed his rifle at it in surprise, but it didn’t show up again.

Was that just my imagination?

Smithen still hadn't regained consciousness, and it seemed Kang Chan hadn’t noticed the red light from outside the cave.

With his rifle raised and ready, Dayeru approached the cave wall. However, the red light was no longer anywhere to be found.