Chapter 146: The Objective of This Operation (1)
Kang Chan quickly dashed forward, and, on his signal, Seok Kang-Ho followed after him. They shouldn’t come into contact with the enemy here, but in combat and operations, death always came to people when they least expected it.
Kang Chan went around the left of the rock obscuring their view, and Seok Kang-Ho rushed along the right. Behind it, they found the two sentries sticking close with their rifles aimed and ready to be fired.
Soldiers tense enough could accidentally commit friendly fire when approached without warning. Hence, Kang Chan intentionally let his steps be heard, which made one of the sentries turn around.
Kang Chan and Seok Kang-Ho swiftly darted next to the soldier, who then gestured to his eyes with his index and middle finger, then pointed beyond the grass.
Kang Chan didn’t spot anything out of the ordinary, but in cases like these, it was best to trust the judgment of his subordinates. They were surrounded by rocks and cold winds in this mountainous terrain. Trees like evergreens, which could only grow tall in certain places, were also all around them.
The soldier had pointed to a location twenty meters ahead. They couldn’t talk since it could be heard from this distance.
Kang Chan gave Dayeru a knowing look. With his rifle aimed and ready, Kang Chan crouched down and began advancing toward the location. Seok Kang-Ho assumed the same stance and followed after him.
Every time the wind brushed past their cheeks and the sunlight shone through the trees, they felt a tingling sensation that made their hair stand on end.
Haah. Haah.?
There was no doubt about it. It was someone’s breathing.
Kang Chan and Seok Kang-Ho were currently standing on a downhill slope. If they came any closer, the enemies could spot Kang Chan and Seok Kang-Ho’s heads.
They descended carefully as a team. Half a step ahead, Kang Chan took charge of guarding their front, and Seok Kang-Ho covered their flanks from behind.
Kang Chan was slowly turning the barrel of his gun from side to side when a cold shiver suddenly ran down his spine.
Thump. Thump.?
Kang Chan rammed into Seok Kang-Ho.
Crash! Pew! Pew!
A bullet bounced on the dirt behind where Seok Kang-Ho had just been standing and rebounded somewhere in their surroundings.
A sniper had just shot at them. Kang Chan and Seok Kang-Ho crawled on the ground before getting up and running under the cover of rocks and trees.
Pew! Bang! Pow!
The dirt flew into the air, and chunks of trees shattered around them. With a whoosh, they leaped to where the other soldiers, who were lying on the ground.
Huff. Huff.
Just now, they had come extremely close to death. They weren’t simply being shot at, either. The sniper had let loose a barrage of bullets on purpose.
Kang Chan examined the mountain opposite them. There was a sniper somewhere on it, ready to shoot them from approximately two kilometers away.
If the wind hadn’t blown or if Kang Chan was a second late in pushing Seok Kang-Ho to safety, one of them would definitely be dead by now. The sentries could have been killed as well if he didn’t call for a regroup.
Crackle.?
“Choi Jong-Il, keep an eye on all the areas where snipers could be lying in wait. Cha Dong-Gyun, we have an enemy about twenty meters ahead. We are likely already surrounded, so reposition the soldiers accordingly,” Kang Chan commanded.
Crackle.?
“Understood, sir.”
Huff. Huff.
The sniper aside, one of their enemies was currently just twenty meters away from them. They were likely assigning a sniper to the narrow path to gain control of it when they spotted Kang-Chan’s sentries.
Should we head back the way we came?
Kang Chan shook his head.
Crackle.?
“Lee Doo-Hee, can your bullets reach the mountain in front of us from where I was?” Kang Chan asked.
Crackle.
“Yes, sir,” Lee Doo-Hee replied.
Kang Chan quickly scanned his flanks.
Crackle.?
“Choi Jong-Il, there may be a sniper above the area or enemies around us. Check your surroundings,” Kang Chan instructed.
Crackle.?
“Understood, sir,” Choi Jong-Il replied.
Seok Kang-Ho glanced at Kang Chan.
‘Do you think we’re surrounded, Cap?’
Kang Chan gave a brief nod.
The radio crackled again.
“I can shoot that far, but I can only reach about one and a half kilometers if the target is uphill. I’ll only be half as accurate as well,” Lee Doo-Hee reported back.
Kang Chan gritted his teeth. If they lingered and wasted time here for too long, they could be completely surrounded and have all their escape routes cut off.
Crackle.?
“Cha Dong-Gyun, once you hear gunshots, take five men with you to secure higher grounds. Make sure no bullets come flying over our heads no matter what happens,” Kang Chan directed.
Crackle.?
“Leave it to me, sir,” Cha Dong-Gyun responded.
Damn it!
Crackle.?
“Kwak Cheol-Ho, once Cha Dong-Gyun secures a better position, take five men with you to cover the rear. Move only when Cha Dong-Gyun is ready,” Kang Chan commanded.
Crackle.?
“Yes, sir,” Kwak Cheol-Ho replied.
Crackle.?
“Choi Jong-Il, Seok Kang-Ho, and I will be advancing. If something happens, head to point Alpha and inform everyone about it.”
Crackle.?
“Yes, sir,” Choi Jong-Il replied.
Kang Chan then turned back to the two soldiers standing guard. “If the sniper starts shooting at us again, provide cover fire.”
The soldiers quickly nodded. Kang Chan tapped the soldiers’ helmets twice.
Crackle.?
“Lee Doo-Hee, there will be bullets coming from a sniper upfront. Try to pinpoint or at least get an idea of their location, then begin firing back. Don’t let the sniper just shoot at us in comfort, got it?”
Kang Chan thought that if Cha Dong-Gyun haphazardly went to secure a more uphill position without any backup, he would be an easy target for the sniper.
Kang Chan glanced at Seok Kang-Ho. They would proceed forward and divert the sniper’s attention so Cha Dong-Gyun wouldn’t be compromised.
One, two…! Whoosh!
They were already aware of the enemies’ presence now, so it wouldn’t be a surprise anymore. Kang Chan kept himself as concealed as possible from the opposite mountain as he bolted behind the trees.
Pew! Pew! Pow! Bang! Bang!
Bullets furiously raced at them from the other mountain. At the same time, retaliatory fire erupted from their side.
The sentries he had assigned to their front earlier had mentioned enemies up ahead.
Sticking to the trees as closely as he could, Kang Chan aimed down the slope.
Pew! Pew! Bang!
Bullets came flying at him from below. The trees above his head exploded, scattering so much dust in the air that he was almost blinded.
Huff. Huff. Huff. Huff.?
Pow! Pow! Pow!
Seok Kang-Ho had hunched over to keep as close to the ground as he could. They were exposed to the sniper above and the enemies below.
Pew! Bam!
The moment the trees behind them cracked, Kang Chan noticed two sparks from where the gunshots were coming from. Those soldiers had most likely been assigned to protect their sniper.
If this situation kept up, Seok Kang-Ho would die.
“Daye!” Kang Chan shouted as he threw himself toward the downhill slope.
With his legs spread like a frog, he braced himself as much as he could and straightened his back. However, leaves began to give the moment he aimed where he saw the sparks, causing his body to slide downward.
“Fuck!” Seok Kang-Ho stiffly exclaimed.
Pew! Pew! Pew! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunshots consecutively echoed throughout the mountain.
Kang Chan had hoped it was a plain downhill slope. However, after his quick ten-meter descent, he came across a small cliff with a two-meter drop.
At this rate, he would be nothing more than easy target practice.
Kang Chan decided to release the strength from his legs, which he had been using to brace himself. As a result, his speed increased as he rustled down the slope. He was soon launched into the air and over the cliff.
Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew! Crash!
He fired four bullets before crashing heavily onto the ground with a splat. The wind was knocked out of him at the moment of impact, but he couldn’t waste any time. He crawled on the ground like a madman and made his way to the opposite hill.
Pew! Pew! Pew! Pew!
Seok Kang-Ho had stood upright to return fire, providing Kang Chan some cover.
Pew! Pew! Pew!
The sniper’s shot bounced off of the ground.
Pow!
The tree that Seok Kang-Ho had been relying on exploded.
“Haaa!” Kang Chan could finally breathe again. Gritting his teeth, he climbed up to where the sparks were coming from earlier.
Seeing Kang Chan move, Seok Kang-Ho quickly got back down to hide.
It was a smokescreen.
The two enemies who had covered themselves in mesh and hid under dirt and leaves were now lying dead with holes in their foreheads.
Crackle.?
“We’re in position,” Cha Dong-Gyun said over the radio.
Kang Chan picked up the pace. Unlike where Seok Kang-Ho was, it was difficult to shoot from Kang Chan’s position.
Crackle.?
“Lee Doo-Hee, give me the sniper’s approximate location,” Kang Chan requested.
Crackle.?
“The sniper is thirty degrees up and sixty meters away from me,” Lee Doo-Hee replied.
Crackle.
“Seok Kang-Ho, take charge of the slope,” Kang Chan commanded.
Crackle.
“Got it, Cap,” Seok Kang-Ho replied.
No other enemies showed themselves despite this level of engagement, which could only mean that this location wasn’t their main target. They were simply unlucky enough to come across Kang Chan’s team while they were preparing for an ambush. However, since they were most likely carrying radios, Kang Chan had to take down the sniper before their main forces arrived.
Kang Chan looked down at his knee. He was undoubtedly bleeding, but his military uniform wasn’t torn. When he began checking the path up, the radio crackled again.
“This is Kwak Cheol-Ho, sir. We have spotted enemies approaching from behind,” Kwak Cheol-Ho said grimly.
Crackle.?
“Cha Dong-Gyun, do you have eyes on the enemy?” Kang Chan asked.
Crackle.
“I will be exposed to the sniper if I check the rear, sir,” Cha Dong-Gyun said.
Damn it!
Kang Chan once again glanced at where the sniper would likely be.
Crackle.?
“Choi Jong-Il, send more men to the rear. Kwak Cheol-Ho, hold the enemy back for ten minutes,” Kang Chan commanded.
Crackle.?
“Yes, sir,” Choi Jong-Il and Kwak Cheol-Ho responded at the same time.
Kang Chan slung his rifle over his right shoulder and climbed up the mountain. It wasn’t hard to go back up because the rocks and trees hid him from view. However, considering most sniper teams consisted of two people, there was no predicting when more bullets would come flying at him again.
Crackle.?
“The enemy is approaching from the left as well,” Cha Dong-Gyun spoke over the radio just as Kang Chan held onto a rock and pulled himself up. It was difficult to use the radio in his current position.
Daye! Come through for me!
Crackle.
“This is Seok Kang-Ho. Assess the situation and return fire accordingly,” Seok Kang-Ho ordered when Kang Chan didn’t reply.
Kang Chan continued to climb as he surveyed the area above.
They were surrounded. How did this happen? Where did things go wrong?
Despite his growing curiosity, he had to focus on eliminating the enemy sniper and plant their own snipers in their position.
“Hegh,?hegh,?hegh,?hegh.”
Because he was trying not to make any noise, his breathing unintentionally sounded like an excited pervert’s.
Rustle.
At the sound of falling gravel, Kang Chan pressed his body tightly against the rock. There was something up above.
Pew! Pew! P-Pew! Pew! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Gunshots came from where the soldiers were. Kang Chan leaned his head forward a little to look up.
Crackle.?
“Cap, there’s an enemy soldier above you. Turn to the right,” Seok Kang-Ho radioed.
Kang Chan twisted to the right and continued climbing up. The gunshots made it easier to hide his footsteps and breathing.
Crackle.?
“About ten meters higher from where you are,” Seok Kang-Ho said.
It would be nice if Kang Chan could provide assistance now, but he still had some ways to go. Moreover, he was in a far different situation now.
The sound of gunfire made him feel hurried, but he kept calm, steadily aimed his rifle, and slowly climbed the mountain.
Huff. Huff.?
Not long after, he saw a small path between the rocks and the mountain. The sniper was probably targeting the soldiers because he could hear consecutive rounds being shot.
One, two…!
Kang Chan leaped toward the narrow path, finding a team of two snipers, as he had expected.
The enemy sentry whipped around in surprise, but Kang Chan had already opened fire.
Pew! Thud! Pew! Thud!
The enemy fell to his back with a bullet in his forehead. Meanwhile, the sniper fell forward with a bullet in his neck. It was as if he just fell asleep.
Crackle.?
“The snipers have been eliminated. Choi Jong-Il, send a sniper and two soldiers here,” Kang Chan ordered.
Crackle.?
“Cancel the two soldiers. I’ll send a couple of my men over,” Seok Kang-Ho said.
Crackle.?
“Got it,” Kang Chan replied.
Kang Chan scanned his surroundings from above. The rear was safe now.
Seeing the face of the dead enemy, Kang Chan tilted his head.
Even though it was only natural for special forces to recruit talented individuals from around the world, it was still strange to find a Russian in the SBS.
Sparks continued to fly around him, which made it easy for Kang Chan to locate where the friendly fire was coming from.
With no other gunfire coming from where Kang Chan was, a sniper and two soldiers from their side could safely run up the slope with their rifles slung behind them. When they arrived, Kang Chan realized the two soldiers guarding the sniper were also the ones who served as sentries earlier and discovered the enemies first.
“You stand guard on this side, and you keep your eye below. Don’t miss anything that comes up from down there. If we lose this position, we’re all going to die,” Kang Chan warned.
The soldiers nodded in response. Wasting not a single second longer in the area, Kang Chan left them behind and quickly descended the mountain. Gunshots came from all around him.
Kang Chan seamlessly slid down the mountain and looked again at the face of the enemy whose camouflage had been exposed.
He was starting to get another strange feeling.
It was difficult to climb back up from the direction he fell, so he went around five meters to the right to head up the cliff.
“Are you okay?” Seok Kang-Ho asked.
“Yeah, let’s go,” Kang Chan replied.
Together, they regrouped with the soldiers warily guarding their surroundings. Choi Jong-Il was at the center of their formation.
Kang Chan moved back. There was currently no immediate threat.
“The enemy isn’t moving from behind that sharp rock over there,” Kwak Cheol-Ho said, pointing to the rock he mentioned.
Why isn’t he moving?
Kang Chan nodded and stepped away, pulling out a map.
This is where Lee Doo-Hee is.?
Kang Chan looked back up to glance at the location where Lee Doo-Hee should be.
Cha Dong-Gyun was higher up, and Choi Jong-Il was below him. Meanwhile, the direction that Kang Chan and Kwak Cheol-Ho were covering was…
Damn it!
Kang Chan gritted his teeth and looked behind him. Was the enemy targeting the hill he fell from earlier? Kang Chan stuffed the map back and palmed his forehead. Should they hold out or try to break through?
Seok Kang-Ho, who was next to Kang Chan, grinned widely as his eyes glinted like a deranged person. He was feeling nervous, having guessed the situation with Kang Chan’s expression.
If they endured and held it out here, how long would it take for the Foreign Legion’s special forces team to arrive? They could attempt to break through, but Kang Chan didn’t know how many they were up against.
Crackle.?
“This is Lee Doo-Hee. Enemy spotted seven kilometers from our location.”
Crackle.?
“This is Cha Dong-Gyun. Enemy spotted approximately seven kilometers away from our left as well.”
Kang Chan glanced and smirked at Seok Kang-Ho. Seok Kang-Ho grinned back. The water had already been spilled, so there was no turning back now. Kang Chan pressed the button on his helmet.
Crackle.?
“This is Kang Chan,” he began. The heavy silence was pierced as wind whooshed past them. “The enemy we are facing appears to be the Russian Spetsnaz. As the world’s most formidable special forces team, they require no other introduction.”
Kang Chan noticed the soldiers stiffened like statues.
Crackle.
“Seok Kang-Ho and Cha Dong-Gyun. From now on, your teams will be acting as one. Choi Jong-Il and Kwak Cheol-Ho, your teams will be merging as well. I will be moving alone,” Kang Chan said.
A soldier peeked at Kang Chan, then turned his head toward his assigned position. He still couldn’t seem to understand what Kang Chan meant.
“The South Korean special forces will now start hunting down the Spetsnaz. This is no different from live ammo training. The soldiers going down the mountain are the assassination squad, and the soldiers who’ll be staying behind will be the occupying forces. If the occupying forces fail to keep this area safe, we will all die,” Kang Chan declared.
Kwak Cheol-Ho awkwardly smiled at Kang Chan. He tried to relax, but he couldn’t completely get rid of his nerves.
“You must kill and protect. From now on, our operation’s objective…”
The soldiers turned to focus on Kang Chan.
“... is the elimination of all enemy forces.”
The soldier who had peeked at Kang Chan earlier now looked at him with a dazed expression.
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