Great Power Reclamation

Chapter 3003 The first mission

The atmosphere in the briefing room deep inside the base was so heavy it could be squeezed out of you.

The cold metal walls reflected the pale blue light, illuminating seven young faces that were already showing signs of resolve.

Ye Shan stood in front of the holographic projection map, his posture as straight as a pine tree and his eyes as sharp as an eagle.

On the screen behind him, a vast, lush primeval rainforest in the southwestern border region—codenamed "Ghost Zone"—was displayed.

"Stand up!" the officer on duty shouted in a low voice.

Han Ye, Zhuoma, and the other four team members—Wang Lei, the scout codenamed "Lynx"; Zhao Jian, the demolition expert codenamed "Viper"; Li Dazhu, the gunner codenamed "Grizzly"; and Liu Xiao, the communications and medic codenamed "Nightingale"—stood ramrod straight.

They had just finished a year and a half of inhuman special training. Their training uniforms still carried the smell of dust and sweat from the training ground, but their eyes were different. They were full of the sharpness of newborn calves and the desire for their first real combat, mixed with a trace of barely perceptible tension.

Ye Shan's gaze slowly swept over everyone, finally settling on Han Ye and Zhuoma for a moment. His eyes were complex, showing concern, scrutiny, but more than anything, an undeniable authority.

"Sit down." Ye Shan's voice was deep and penetrating. "Mission briefing, Top Secret 'Candle Dragon'."

"'Candle Dragon'..." Han Ye murmured to himself. This was one of the highest crisis level code names, meaning that the mission area was extremely dangerous, the target was vicious, and the intelligence might be subject to significant changes.

He felt his heart clench suddenly, and he subconsciously glanced at Zhuoma beside him.

Droma's profile appeared unusually calm under the dim blue light, except that her knuckles were slightly white as she rested her hands on her knees.

“Target: ‘Vulture’, former ‘Dark Blade’ member.”

Ye Shan switched the projection, and a photo of a middle-aged man with a sinister face and fierce eyes appeared. "Defector, carrying the core data storage unit of our new generation of individual soldier exoskeleton system 'Zheng'."

The importance of 'Zheng' is self-evident, isn't it? It can elevate our individual combat capabilities by a generation.

The projection switched again, displaying a concept diagram of the "Zheng" system and some horrifying test data.

The team members held their breath. They had all heard about this project from internal documents, but they never expected that the core data would be at risk of being leaked.

"'Vulture' is extremely cunning and familiar with our operational patterns and tracking techniques. He infiltrated 'Ghost Zone' seventy-two hours ago, intending to cross the border and sell data to a representative of the foreign power 'Blackwater.' Our mission..."

Ye Shan's voice was resolute: "Intercept 'Vulture' before he meets up with his backup, and reclaim the data storage unit. If necessary, eliminate him on the spot."

The words "eliminate on the spot" pierced everyone's eardrums like icicles. Countless simulations had been conducted during training, but when it actually became a mission command, the heavy, life-or-death pressure instantly permeated the air.

"Intelligence indicates that 'Vulture' is not alone. He may have hired a private armed group called 'Hyena' that operates in the area, consisting of about ten to fifteen well-equipped and ruthless individuals."

Hayama pointed to a flashing red dot on the map. "This is the last location where the 'Vulture' was captured by satellite, located on the edge of 'Snake Valley' in the heart of the 'Ghost Zone'."

"We will conduct a high-altitude low-opening (HALO) parachute jump at LZ-7, 50 kilometers southwest of 'Snake Valley', in three hours."

HALO! Han Ye took a deep breath. This is one of the riskiest infiltration methods in special operations: parachuting from 10,000 meters high and opening the parachute at low altitude to avoid radar detection.

They practiced countless times on simulators, but the real darkness, complex terrain, unknown air currents... every factor could be fatal.

“Remember,” Ye Shan’s gaze swept across the room again, lingering especially on the faces of the newlyweds:

"This is not training. The bullets are real, the enemies are real, and the death is real. You are a team, and everyone's life is in the hands of their teammates. Trust me, trust your training, and trust your comrades."

"Mission codename: 'Broken Claw'! Is that clear?"

"Understood, sir!" the seven men roared in unison, their voices echoing in the closed briefing room.

The roar of the transport plane shut out everything from the outside world. Inside the cabin, only the eerie green glow of the indicator lights and the heavy breathing of the team members could be heard.

Everyone was doing a final check of their equipment: assault rifles with silencers, full magazines, grenades, smoke grenades, flashbangs, first aid kits, individual rations, water purifiers... and most importantly, the small tracking/jamming device that comes with the "Zheng" system (used to locate and disable data units).

Han Ye touched his chest pocket, where Zhuoma had secretly slipped him a small piece of dried tsampa wrapped in a clean cloth before he set off.

He looked at Zhuoma, who was closing her eyes as if taking a nap. But Han Ye knew that she was using her own unique way to calm her mind, communicate with the unseen world, and pray for blessings.

Ye Shan's voice came through the internal communication channel: "Five minutes to prepare! Check your parachutes! Remember the landing point coordinates. If you deviate more than one kilometer, head towards the assembly point on your own! Good luck!"

The tail hatch slowly opened, and a violent gust of air rushed in, making it impossible to open one's eyes. Below lay boundless darkness, like the gaping maw of a colossal beast.

"Jump! Jump! Jump!"

Ye Shan was the first to leap from the plane, his figure instantly swallowed by the darkness. He was followed by "Lynx" Wang Lei, "Grizzly" Li Dazhu…

Han Ye took a deep breath of the icy, bone-chilling air, nodded vigorously in Zhuoma's direction, and leaped into the vast night sky.

A feeling of weightlessness washed over me instantly, and the wind howled in my ears. Below me stretched a dark green forest, shimmering like a surging undercurrent in the thin moonlight.

He strictly followed the training requirements, kept his body stable, and kept his eyes fixed on the altimeter.

Six thousand... five thousand... four thousand...

His heart was pounding wildly in his chest, and all the blood seemed to rush to his head. He forced himself to calm down, recalling every technical detail.

1500 meters! Open the parachute!
With a muffled "thump," the parachute deployed successfully, and the immense pull lifted him sharply upwards. His descent slowed dramatically, giving him a chance to look around.

In the darkness, a few umbrellas bloomed not far away.

However, accidents always happen at the most unexpected moments.

A strong, unexpected downdraft suddenly struck, and Han Ye felt like a leaf being violently pulled downwards!

"Damn it!" He frantically manipulated the parachute lines, trying to escape the turbulence, but with little success. The trees on the ground grew rapidly, like demonic claws!
"boom!"

A violent impact struck; he felt as if he had broken several tree branches. A sharp pain shot through his back and legs before he crashed heavily onto the thick layer of fallen leaves. His parachute became entangled in the dense canopy, leaving him hanging upside down in mid-air!
A wave of dizziness washed over him, and Han Ye coughed up several breaths, trying to clear his head. He drew his umbrella knife, cut the umbrella lines, and fell to the ground in a disheveled state.

"Cough cough..." He struggled to get up and immediately checked his equipment.

Fortunately, the main weapon and most of the equipment were intact, but the communicator seemed to have malfunctioned during the impact, and there was only a harsh electrical noise in the headset.

He tried calling out: "Falcon One (Ye Shan), this is Chick Seven (Han Ye), respond if you hear me! Chick Seven calling any team members!"

There was no response. Only the deathly hum of electricity and the chirping of unknown insects from the depths of the forest.

He was separated from his group! And he had strayed from the planned landing point! In this treacherous primeval jungle, being alone often meant death. A chill ran down his spine. He forced himself to calm down, recalling Ye Shan's teachings: Survival first, finding teammates second, completing the mission third.

He checked his weapons, turned on the tactical flashlight on his rifle, and the faint beam of light cut through the limited space in the dense vegetation. He had to determine his location and then move towards the rendezvous point.

Just then, a very faint rustling sound, different from the sound of natural wind, came from the bushes to the left.

Han Ye immediately turned off his flashlight, held his breath, and curled up behind the aerial roots of a huge banyan tree, pointing his gun at the source of the sound.

It wasn't an animal! The voice had a deliberately slowed, tentative rhythm.

His palms began to sweat, and his index finger lightly touched the trigger. In the darkness, he could only hear his own heart pounding like a drum.

The rustling sound stopped. The other party had clearly noticed something was wrong.

Time seemed to stand still. Every second felt like an eternity.

suddenly!

"call out!"

A faint, almost negligible whooshing sound! It was the sound of a gun with a silencer attached!
The bullet grazed the aerial roots of the banyan tree where Han Ye was hiding, and struck the trunk behind him with a muffled thud.

The enemy! And their approximate location has been discovered!
Han Ye did not immediately retaliate. He knew that revealing his exact location at this moment would be tantamount to suicide. He carefully discerned the direction from which the gunshot had come and the surrounding sounds.

The other side was cautious and fired only one shot before falling silent again.

We must move! Staying put makes us easy targets.

Like a raccoon dog, Han Ye used the trees and terrain as cover to move silently to the side and rear.

His movements were light and slow, trying to make as little noise as possible. The countless stealth training sessions he had undergone in simulated city and jungle environments came in handy at this moment.

He moved to another patch of bushes and waited quietly.

Sure enough, a few minutes later, a blurry dark figure cautiously peeked out from behind a tree in front, its weapon scanning the area warily.

Moonlight shone through the gaps in the branches and leaves, catching a glimpse of the man's face—a strange face covered in paint and contorted with rage. He was definitely not a teammate! He was a member of "Hyena"!
Han Ye's heart nearly leaped into his throat. This was the first time he had faced a real enemy at such close range, someone who could take his life at any moment.

The impact of a simulated target during training is vastly different from that of a living, breathing person in front of you.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to suppress the churning stomach acid and his slightly trembling hands. Ye Shan's words flashed through his mind:

"To be merciful to the enemy is to be cruel to yourself and your teammates."

It's now!

Just as the "Hyena" team member confirmed that there seemed to be no one ahead and was preparing to continue searching, Han Ye moved!

Like a cheetah that had been poised for a long time, he suddenly leaped out of the bushes, his left hand covering the other person's mouth with lightning speed, while his right hand held a military dagger that precisely and ruthlessly slashed across the other person's throat!

"Uh……"

A short, muffled groan escaped his lips. The other person's body convulsed violently a few times, his eyes filled with disbelief, terror, and despair, before collapsing to the ground, warm blood splattering onto Han Ye's hands and face.

The strong smell of blood instantly filled my nostrils.

Han Ye released his grip, looked at the lifeless body on the ground, felt a churning in his stomach, and almost vomited.

His hands trembled uncontrollably, not from fear, but from the instinctive shock and unease of a life slipping away in his own hands.

He killed someone.

This realization struck him like a hammer blow.

But he had no time to dwell on his emotions. He quickly examined the enemy's equipment and found a rough hand-drawn map and a personal communicator.

Several points were marked on the map, one of which was not far from his estimated location, and another seemed to be a temporary gathering point for the enemy.

He picked up the enemy's communicator, tuned to their channel, and heard intermittent conversations in accented English and some kind of local dialect.

"...The scorpion has lost contact...it might have run into a tough opponent..."

"Keep searching... The boss (referring to the vulture) is pressuring us... We must reach the rendezvous point before dawn..."

Han Ye's heart skipped a beat. It seemed the enemy had also scattered, and "Vulture" was nearby, putting him under immense pressure.

He had to get out of there as soon as possible; the gunshots (albeit silenced) and the smell of blood might attract more enemies.

He suppressed his discomfort, dragged the body to a more secluded thicket, covered it up, wiped the blood from his face, took a few deep breaths, and forced himself to calm down.

The shock of the first killing is gradually being overwhelmed by the instinct for survival and the sense of responsibility for the mission.

He checked his direction and headed in the opposite direction of the enemy's temporary assembly point marked on the map, which was also the direction he had deduced for his own assembly point, before disappearing back into the dark jungle.

Zhuoma's landing went relatively smoothly, and she landed on the edge of a relatively open forest clearing.

With her amazing intuition for direction and terrain honed on the plateau, she quickly determined her location and began to move toward the assembly point.

Her heart remained in suspense, especially after Han Ye's communicator lost signal. That intuition, like a blood connection, made her uneasy.

She moved with extreme caution, like a ghost darting through the forest, her footsteps so light they were almost inaudible.

Her ears picked up on every sound in the forest—the wind, the chirping of insects, the faint sound of a stream in the distance, and… a faint, suppressed gasp.

She stopped immediately, pressed her body against a tree trunk, and scanned the direction from which the sound was coming.

Behind a thicket of ferns, she saw a huddled figure—it was "Grizzly" Li Dazhu!

His left calf was covered in blood and gore, clearly indicating an accident during landing, possibly caused by severe cuts from tree branches or rocks.

Zhuoma did not reveal herself immediately. Instead, she carefully observed her surroundings and, after confirming that there were no ambushes, she approached silently.

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