The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress

Chapter 1073: Chapter 1073 Luke’s Plan

No matter how hard they listened, they couldn’t pick out any unfamiliar sound from their surroundings. Even so, Dave didn’t move from his position. Until he was certain there was no enemy nearby, staying still was the safest option.

He was confident he hadn’t missed any of the markers he’d checked, unless the enemy had already deciphered their meaning. Worse, the one guiding them here might not have been the scout he’d sent out at all, but an enemy leading them straight into a trap.

The thought made Dave’s spine stiffen as his gaze swept the area again. He kept the team in complete radio silence. He wasn’t taking chances.

If the enemy had already gotten hold of one of their comms, it would be the end of them. Every move, every decision would be exposed, and they’d be dancing in the enemy’s palm without even realizing it.

Dave refused to let that happen.

The observant soldiers behind him noticed the subtle changes in Dave’s demeanor and kept silent, following his cues. They stayed low in the grass, carefully setting the stretcher on the ground, all the while holding their guns tightly. If Dave signaled, they would take action immediately.

By now, the captain had lost consciousness, lying quietly on the stretcher. They couldn’t expect him to stand or help; they could only secure the area while ensuring he remained safe. Even Luke, at the rear, stayed alert.

At the forefront, Dave scanned the surroundings once more, making sure he hadn’t missed any spot where the scout might have left the next marker. No matter how thoroughly he searched, there was nothing. The scout was nowhere to be found either.

If the scout hadn’t left a marker, he should have been close by. If he was close, it might mean he had noticed something or was investigating, but his absence suggested anything was possible. The uncertainty gnawed at Dave’s mind, sending it spiraling through countless speculations and worst-case scenarios.

"What now?!" Dave muttered under his breath, signaling for everyone to stand down. He moved forward slowly, scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger. Every step was deliberate; he checked the ground for hidden wires or landmines, mindful of how Leo’s convoy had been ambushed before.

The enemy could easily repeat the same tactic, and Dave wasn’t even certain whether they wanted him and his team dead or alive; everything he had assumed so far was just speculation.

As Dave advanced cautiously, Luke broke formation and reached him in a few quick strides. He grabbed Dave by the shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.

"What do you think you’re doing?" Luke snarled, his eyes sharp with warning.

"We can’t stay in one place for long," Dave said, his voice firm as he met Luke’s gaze. "If we do, the enemy will easily pinpoint our location. Worse, if this is exactly the trap they planned for us, then we’re already in a tiger’s mouth. All the more reason to move as soon as possible. But since we don’t know whether the path ahead is safe, I need to check... If the scout is just ahead, that’s good. If not... we’re in serious trouble."

He spoke openly, trusting Luke like a brother; there was no reason to hide his thoughts. And he was right: staying put would be far more dangerous. No matter what happened to the scout he had sent ahead, Dave needed answers. If the scout had fallen into enemy hands, they needed a plan to retrieve him. If not, he needed to know what the scout had discovered so far.

"Then let’s go together," Luke said, his brow furrowed, as if he wouldn’t accept no for an answer. "That way, we can watch each other’s backs. If you get caught alone, who would even know? Who would save you?"

His reasoning was sound, and Dave couldn’t find a reason to disagree.

"But what about the team?" Dave asked, voicing his concern.

"We can just let them stay here on high alert," Luke said firmly. "They’re an elite squad; it wouldn’t be easy to take them down. If it weren’t for the ambush earlier, they wouldn’t have suffered any casualties at all. And even then, the fact that they came out alive only proves how skilled they are. Let’s give them more credit and stop babysitting them."

He spoke this way to make sure Dave stopped worrying over every little detail. He knew Dave was trying to shoulder everything himself, forgetting that his soldiers were the elite of the elite and more than capable of taking care of themselves.

Realizing this, Dave paused for a moment. He saw that he had been too tense, too focused on safety, cradling his soldiers in his mind and forgetting that they were an elite unit, capable of surviving even the harshest conditions of war. This small matter was something they could handle on their own, even without him and Luke watching over them.

Acknowledging that, he nodded and gave a hand signal to the rest of the soldiers. Then, he and Luke disappeared from view, as they weaved silently through the tall grass. They moved in rhythm with the swaying blades, letting the wind carry their steps so no one would notice the movement in the tall grass and risk alerting any enemies that might be lying in wait.

As Dave and Luke moved in unison with the swaying grass, they stayed alert, listening for the slightest sound like footsteps, rustling, or even the faintest sign of breathing, to ensure no enemies were hiding nearby.

Carefully, they made their way to the edge of the tall grass. There they saw, crouching not far ahead, was the scout, eyes fixed on something in the distance. Seeing him alive and focused meant he had anticipated that someone would notice the missing marker five meters back and investigate.

He had positioned himself in a more noticeable place once people came out of the tall grass as he monitored the area ahead, expecting some of his people to come, but he never expected that the people coming were actually the bigshots themselves.

When the scout finally heard movement behind him, he didn’t immediately react. But as soon as he recognized the figures approaching, which were Dave and Luke, the two bigshots, his surprise was so intense it felt like his soul might leave his body.

"Young —" the scout began to call out, but Dave quickly raised a finger to his lips, signaling him to stay silent. Realizing his mistake, the scout immediately clasped a hand over his mouth and gestured for Dave and Luke to come and take cover behind the bushes.

Dave and Luke moved carefully, matching his position, communicating only through hand signals as they silently joined him in hiding.

"What’s the situation?" Dave asked, signaling with his hands to the scout. The scout pointed ahead, and Dave followed the gesture.

Up ahead was the enemy, who had set up a checkpoint on the hidden road leading to the abandoned site where they planned to intercept the smuggled weapons from the Northern Faction. It was clear the enemy had anticipated Luke and Dave’s plan; they had already closed off this route, cutting off the expected exit.

But what about Team Two and Team Three? It was possible their plans had changed. The two groups, who were supposed to support Team One and secure the exit vehicle, might have taken an alternative route or workaround to complete their missions. If that were the case, the operation would be far from easy.

"Holy shit, they’re bringing out hunting dogs..." Dave muttered under his breath as he spotted several enemies leading out a leashed hound, a torn scrap of clothing clenched in one man’s hand.

Luke followed his gaze, his expression darkening. The presence of a tracking dog made the situation far worse. Once the hound caught a scent, there would be nowhere left to hide.

"We don’t have a choice," Luke said grimly. "We push through and fight our way out."

Dave didn’t answer immediately, his eyes still locked on the checkpoint. "If we engage them head-on," he said at last, voice low, "we’ll alert everyone else in the area."

"It doesn’t matter," Luke said calmly. "Even if we don’t move, they’ll find us sooner or later. So instead, we make ourselves the bait."

He glanced toward the checkpoint before continuing. "While all eyes are on us, Team Three can hijack an exit vehicle, and Team Two will have the space they need to circle around and provide backup. Since we’re drawing the attention, the bigger the commotion we make, the better."

A faint, grim smile tugged at his lips. "The enemy will think we’ve been cornered and are forcing our way out. And because all the high-value targets are with us, they’ll naturally focus their forces here, opening up paths elsewhere without even realizing it."

Dave fell silent, weighing the plan carefully. Risky... but sound.

After weighing the pros and cons, Dave finally nodded. Luke’s plan was risky, but it was the only option they had left.