Chapter 257: Certainty Set In (2)
Chapter 257: Certainty Set In (2)
Vroom! Clank! Clank!
Noises from the soldiers running out of their respective barracks and the engines of vehicles starting filled the base.
The commander continued, “Consider this as thanks for saving us! It’s our fault for getting ourselves in a situation where we’d need saving in the first place, but it’s still about time we get our revenge on the insurgents for attacking us!”
Kang Chan nodded.
“Thank you!” With a determined expression, the commander turned around to send his men outside. “Go! Go! Go! Move! Move!”
The woman who had fallen on the ground pushed herself up and ran out of the base. They couldn’t possibly stop her from going with them.
Kang Chan turned around as another group of soldiers stood in attention in front of him. It was the Spetsnaz blocking his way this time, also armed to the teeth.
“We’ll go with you,” Andrei said.
Did all these sons of bitches take drugs?
“We’re under Director Vasili’s orders,” he continued.
“Why should I follow his orders?” Kang Chan shot back.
“Please, monsieur Kang.”
Kang Chan looked into Andrei’s eyes. Despite being the commander of the Spetsnaz, Andrei still bowed down to him in front of his men. He didn’t know why the fucker was acting this way, but ignoring him would be as insulting as spitting on someone bowing their head to him.
“Then get moving!” Kang Chan shouted.
“Thanks!”
Andrei turned around and headed out of the base. The Spetsnaz followed behind him.
Damn it! Why does everything keep getting out of hand?
He and his men were only going over to knock down an insurgent group, but South Korea’s special forces team, France’s Foreign Legion’s special forces team, the Spetsnaz, and even the Green Berets were all going with him.
Forget the insurgents. They had enough military might to overthrow most regimes.
Vrrooom! Vroom!
As soon as Kang Chan got in one of the vehicles, they all simultaneously started moving.
He glared at the UN command center as they drove off. The UN had mobilized government forces and even the Red Cross to address the African tribes’ problems, yet not even one of them had come out to see what was going on despite all the commotion.
Rattle! Rattle!
The Humvee made its way through the unpaved ground.
Kang Chan found something weird about this situation, but it wasn’t important right now. He raised his hand on his helmet.
Chk.
“It’s the God of Blackfield. I’m assigning codename Bravo to the Foreign Legion, Charlie to the Green Berets, and Delta to the Spetsnaz.”
The army interpreters for South Korea, the United States, and Russia quickly passed on what Kang Chan said in French into their respective native languages.
Chk.
Kang Chan continued, “This is a tribal war. We do not have permission to engage, but we have to prioritize the tribe’s safety anyway.”
Choi Jong-Il glanced at Cha Dong-Gyun.
Unlike yesterday, the world-famous special forces teams chose to fall under South Korea’s command themselves today. Hence, it was only natural that South Korea’s special forces team was Team Alpha, which symbolized command.
Rattle! Rattle!
Chk.
“Cha Dong-Gyun! Secure the access road as soon as we get there,” Kang Chan ordered.
Chk.
“Yes, sir,” Cha Dong-Gyun firmly responded from one of the speeding trucks that were leaving clouds of dust in their trail. He didn’t want to ruin things by dawdling in situations like this.
The sun had almost set. If one were to look at it from the side, it would seem as if it was flying alongside the vehicles.
The French team was to the left of the South Korean team, the American team to their right, and the Spetsnaz behind them. They looked as if they were escorting the South Korean team.
At their current speed, it would take them twenty minutes to reach their destination.
Kang Chan glared ahead of him, his eyes as intense as the blazing sun.
He had a lot of questions. He could understand the American team’s reason for going with them. But why did Vasili order Andrei to obey him? Moreover, not one person from the UN\'s command center showed up even though their troops were rushing out of the base without permission.
Rattle! Rattle! Rattle!
The Humvee roughly shook, seemingly telling Kang Chan to focus on the task at hand for now.
Fine! I’ll rescue the tribe first!
Having made up his mind, he scanned their surroundings.
The woman sitting at the back was suffering from motion sickness, which was quite understandable since the vehicle kept swerving, rattling and vibrating like crazy.
The blood that had dripped from her curly hair and the dried-up tears on her face made her look like a mess, but she still seemed full of hope.
I don’t know how many people we can rescue, but I’ll try my best.
After a while, a ridge blocking their way came into view. The Humvee stopped and Kang Chan got out.
Chk.
“I want all snipers to keep an eye out for anyone with rocket launchers.”
Chk.
“This is Team Bravo. We’re good to go. Over.”
Chk.
“This is Team Charlie. Ready when you are.”
Chk.
“This is Team Delta. Awaiting further instructions.”
Having gotten confirmation from every team, Kang Chan held up his right hand in the air and spun it in a circle twice. He then pointed ahead of him.
Vroom!
The truck that Cha Dong-Gyun was in rushed to the front.
“Colonel!” Kang Chan yelled. “Please secure the entrance with Cha Dong-Gyun!”
“Understood!” Park Chul-Su answered.
Kang Chan got on the back of the Humvee and slung his rifle over his shoulder.
Rattle! Rattle!
Even though the vehicle was shaking, they still had to provide the soldiers who had gone ahead with cover.
Haah. Haah.
If their enemies were hiding up in the mountains, then the truck that Cha Dong-Gyun was in could explode into a ball of fire before they could even think, ‘Oops!’
To Kang Chan, everything seemed to be moving in slow motion—even Lee Doo-Hee turning the wheel, the front part of the Humvee bouncing, and the swaying trees and plants at the ridge.
Haah. Haah.
“Daye! I’m going to run out with Gérard once Cha Dong-Gyun secures the access road!”
“Copy!”
They only had a bit of time left before they reached the ridge.
Chk.
“Gérard! Form an advance party with ten people!”
Chk.
“Roger that.”
Chk.
“You too, Choi Jong-Il!” Kang Chan ordered again.
Chk.
“Yes, sir.”
Cha Dong-Gyun and the soldiers got out of the truck and ran to secure the strategic position uphill.
Chk.
“Team Delta, I want you up the mountain covering us,” Kang Chan commanded. “Team Charlie, cover us from the back.”
As the two teams radioed in determined replies, the Humvee stopped in front of the ridge.
Whoosh! Clank! Clank!
Kang Chan and Seok Kang-Ho got out and charged onward. Gérard and Choi Jong-Il followed behind them with the other soldiers.
Crunch! Crunch! Rustle! Rustle!
The path felt slippery, but Kang Chan didn’t stumble.
They were running with their rifles at the ready. Since anyone in hiding could shoot them while they were running, Kang Chan and Seok Kang-Ho, the ones with the fastest reaction time, brought up the vanguard of their formation.
Haah. Haah.
Kang Chan was breathing so heavily that it would be difficult for him to count his breath. With their surroundings starting to get dark, they would be in real trouble if the rebels had installed boobytraps.
When Kang Chan got to the top of the ridge, he took a couple of steps closer to the downhill slope of the mountain. Dirt rolled down the mountain when he stopped.
Crunch! Crunch!
Dirt scattered as Seok Kang-Ho, Choi Jong-Il, Gérard, and the soldiers following right behind them stopped. They couldn\'t hear anything.
Kang Chan gestured to his flanks with his left hand, and the soldiers quickly hid in either side of him.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
Kang Chan suddenly got goosebumps all over his body and found it difficult to breathe. He had only ever experienced something like this once.
He had to be conscious of his breathing, but still be silent. But in this state, the soldiers that were near him would be hearing how quickly and how hard he was breathing.
What’s going on? Why am I like this?
All Kang Chan could hear was his heart beating, but it sounded as if it was coming from his head.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
The soldiers nervously examined their surroundings. They were running out of time, but since Kang Chan wasn’t moving, all they could do was wait for orders.
Seok Kang-Ho looked at Kang Chan with glinting eyes. He had never seen him acting like this.
Kang Chan was the type to charge in and quickly work through the situation if he found it dangerous. Now, however, it looked like he couldn’t even move an inch.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
Kang Chan’s heart was beating so fast that he felt like blood was rushing to his cheeks.
They’re about to shoot me in the neck like last time! Is this what people call fear?
“Captain!” Seok Kang-Ho called, making Kang Chan turn his head toward him.
‘Daye?’
‘What are you so scared of?’
‘Scared? I’m scared?’
‘You are, aren’t you?’
‘You fucker, what did you just say...?’
Just as Kang Chan was about to give Seok Kang-Ho a mouthful...
Haah. Haah.
Kang Chan could finally hear himself breathing again.
I’m scared? Me? I’m scared of being shot in the neck again?
Pft.
Kang Chan smirked, and Seok Kang-Ho grinned in response.
The path in front of them led down the mountain. If Kang Chan’s instinct was right that snipers were all around them, then they would likely be aiming at Kang Chan and his men from Mount Surdkad.
“Move back! That mountain is suspicious!” Kang Chan ordered.
Kang Chan then quickly assigned the soldiers to their positions.
Haah. Haah.
Chk.
“I want all teams prepared to come across armed hostiles up ahead. Be on the lookout for RPGs or tangos lying in wait on Mount Surdkad .”
He had some of the best teams in the world under his command right now. As soon as he was done issuing orders, he heard the soldiers in the mountain and at the back withdrawing.
They moved behind the tallest point of the ridge.
“Daye! This is probably a trap similar to the one we experienced before! Act accordingly!”
Seok Kang-Ho glared at Mount Surdkad. “Got it.”
“Gérard!” Kang Chan called.
“Oui!”
“Consider this whole situation a trap. Be especially careful of our enemies attacking us from the mountain.”
“Oui!” Gérard answered.
Ta-da-dang! Du-du-du! Ta-dang! Ta-da-da-dang! Du-du-du!
At the same time, they heard loud gunshots coming from the mountain to their left.
Chk.
“This is Team Delta! We’re being ambushed! The tangos are wearing a black military uniform with a black bandana!”
Du-du-du! Du-du-du-du! Ta-da-dang! Ta-dang!
Multiple gunshots echoed in quick succession.
Pew! Bam! Pew! Bam!
At the same time, the dirt in front of Kang Chan splattered into the air.
Ta-dang! Ta-da-dang! Ta-da-dang! Ta-dang!
The French soldiers immediately returned fire, roughly guessing where their enemies were.
Those sons of bitches!
Overexerting themselves, the enemy snipers shot at them even though it would have been better to wait. The distance between them was so huge that just hiding behind the ridge should be enough to keep them safe.
Ta-da-dang! Du-du-du! Du-du-du! Ta-da-dang!
Chk.
“The enemy’s overwhelming us with their numbers! We need backup!” someone from Team Delta radioed in.
Bright flashes could be seen from the left ridge.
Chk.
“Charlie! Support Delta!” Kang Chan ordered.
Chk.
“Copy that!”
After getting an affirmative, Kang Chan approached Gérard.
Pew! Bam!
More bullets hit the ground as he did, sending dirt flying again.
Ta-da-da-dang! Ta-da-da-dang! Ta-da-da-dang!
Gunfire could be heard from all over the mountain. The gunshots that rang out from the ridge that the Spetsnaz was at mixed with the sounds of the French soldiers returning fire.
“Gérard, do you have heavy weaponry?” Kang Chan asked. The enemy fire forced himself to duck right after.
Damn it!
“We have an Igla and a machine gun mounted on the truck.”
“Bring them over.”
“Yes, sir.” Gérard answered. He immediately contacted his men through the radio.
Chk.
“Cha Dong-Gyun!” Kang Chan called. “Our enemies might ambush us from the other side of the battle. I want heavy weaponry ready at that side! Don’t let your guard down, you hear me?!”
Ta-da-dang! Du-du-du! Du-du! Ta-da-dang!
Chk.
“Yes, sir.”
Clank! Clank!
Four French soldiers soon reached them with an M240 and an Igla.
Pew! Bam! Pew! Bam.
With the area now pitch black, Kang Chan could finally see the sparks flying from the bottom half of the mountain more clearly.
“We’re going to advance. If any of you see the snipers, shoot them down!”
“It’s going to be hard to do that with a machine gun,” Someone responded.
“It doesn’t matter! Just stall for a bit and then fire the Igla!”
“Understood.”
This should be enough.
“We’re heading down the mountain and hit our enemies from behind!” Kang Chan ordered.
Although there weren’t any bushes around, they at least had the cover of darkness at their disposal. Their enemies would easily spot them if they had binoculars, but for as long as they didn’t walk in such a stupid way that the snipers could shoot them, their objective was doable.
Ta-da-dang! Du-du-du! Ta-dang! Ta-da-da-dang! Du-du-du!
Lights were still flashing from the left ridge.
How many people did their enemies send here for them to put up such a fierce fight against the Spetsnaz and the Green Berets?
Kang Chan and his men showed up to this tribal war assuming that they were going to fight insurgents only to be stabbed in the back.
‘You bastards dare try to kill me?’
Haah. Haah.
Kang Chan first made sure that the machine gun and the Igla at the back were ready to go.
Chk.
“This is Team Alpha. We’re going to hit our enemies from behind with Team Bravo.”
Chk.
“Copy that, Team Alpha! We still got a lot of tangos on us.”
After informing his men of his plan, Kang Chan slightly raised his head and immediately ducked down.
PEW! Bam!
Almost at the same time, the enemy snipers immediately shot at him.
Du-du-du-du-du! PEW!
The machine gun blazed up not long after, sending a flurry of bullets toward the mountain, followed by the Igla being fired.
Bam!
Du-du-du-du-du!
“Let’s go!” Kang Chan yelled.
Whoosh!
Kang Chan, Seok Kang-Ho, Gérard, and the other soldiers ran down the ridge while the other teams were providing suppressive fire.
Haah. Haah.
If they went all the way down, they would find themselves exactly where the tribes were. Kang Chan and his men were currently in the part of the mountain that was covered by a large hill, preventing anyone from shooting them.
Chk.
“Team Alpha! The tangos probably belong to the Quds!”[1] a Green Beret radioed in.
The Quds? The mercenary-like special forces that got themselves involved in wars and terrorism with the Arabs after being established in Iraq?
There was no way the Green Berets would mistake the Quds for some other force.
‘Why are those fuckers kicking up a fuss here?’
Kang Chan felt much more relaxed now that he knew who their enemies were.
Haah. Haah.
Kang Chan turned to the opposite direction of where the tribespeople were and headed to where the Spetsnaz’s location. They would soon be in a position to pincer their enemies.
Even though Kang Chan didn’t order them to, Seok Kang-Ho went to his right and Gérard to his left. South Korea and France’s special forces teams spread out as they followed behind them.
The mountain barely had any trees, but it did have good indents that made for good cover for both them and their enemies.
Rustle! Rustle!
Du-du-du-du-du-du!
Hearing the machine gun’s rapid fire, Kang Chan assumed that snipers tried to shoot down the squad they left behind again.
Haah. Haah.
Kang Chan carefully moved forward.
Click! Pew!
Upon closing the distance by fifty more meters, he shot an enemy who was about to take aim.
Du-du-du! Pow-pow-pow! Du-du! Pow!
Bam! Bam!
The hostiles quickly jumped down, getting themselves out of the line of fire. Their quick reflexes and accurate aim were enough to know that they had trained hard for situations like this.
Pew! Pew! Pew! Ta-da-dang! Ta-dang! Ta-da-dang!
In the blink of an eye, as the night fell, another battle erupted.
Du-du-du! Du-du-du-du! Du-du-du!
Every gunshot that echoed helped them pinpoint their enemies’ location. However, their enemies were so skilled that they were quick to hide after returning fire.
Kang Chan smirked.
Still, we’re leagues above you bastards!
Du-du-du!
Pew! Bam!
Kang Chan quickly shot one of the hostiles’ forehead.
Du-du-du-du! Pew! Bam!
After getting behind cover, he pointed his index and middle fingers to the ground and then to his right.
Seok Kang-Ho tapped his chest twice in response, then headed to the right flank with Choi Jong-Il.
Du-du-du-du! Pew! Pew! Ta-da-da-dang! Ta-da-dang!
Catching on to Kang Chan’s plan, the French soldiers immediately provided cover fire.
Click! Pew! Bam! Pew! Bam!
At the same time, Kang Chan shot two more hostiles in the head.
How dare these fucking bastards show up out of nowhere and trick us!
Pew! Bam!
Ta-da-dang! Pow-pow-pow!
Kang Chan and Gérard each took down an enemy with a bullet to the head.
1. The Quds Force is one of five branches of Iran\'s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps specializing in unconventional warfare and military intelligence operations ?