Great Power Reclamation

Chapter 3004 The Thin Line of Life and Death

“Grizzly bear!” she whispered.

Li Dazhu suddenly raised his head, his face pale from blood loss and pain. When he saw it was Zhuoma, a hint of surprise and relief flashed in his eyes. "Zhuoma...it's you."

Zhuoma knelt down and quickly examined his wound. The wound was deep, almost to the bone, and although the bleeding had been temporarily slowed by applying pressure with a first-aid kit, the situation was not optimistic.

"It must be dealt with immediately."

"Zhuoma said in an unquestionable tone. She deftly opened her first-aid kit and took out hemostatic powder, bandages, and splints."

Her movements were practiced and steady, as if she were dealing not with a gruesome wound, but with an object that needed repair.

She first carefully cleaned the wound with clean water, sprinkled hemostatic powder on it, then applied pressure with a bandage, and finally used a splint to immobilize the injured calf.

Throughout the entire process, Li Dazhu gritted his teeth, sweating profusely, but did not utter a sound.

"Thank you, Droma," he said weakly. "I've been a burden to everyone."

Zhuoma shook her head and handed him a water bottle and a small energy bar: "Can you walk? We have to leave here; the smell of blood is unsafe."

Li Dazhu tried to stand up, but his injured leg was unable to bear any weight.

Just then, Zhuoma's ears twitched, and she suddenly raised her hand, signaling for silence.

In the distance, footsteps and faint conversations could be heard, all in accented English!
"There seems to be some movement over here..."

"Search carefully!"

Enemies! And more than one! They're searching in their direction!
Li Dazhu's expression changed, and he whispered, "Zhuoma, you go quickly! Don't worry about me!"

Droma's eyes were resolute, without the slightest hesitation. She quickly surveyed the terrain and pointed to a small, rocky depression not far away, partially obscured by vines: "Go there!"

She helped Li Dazhu, who was much larger than her, and moved with difficulty and speed to the rock crevice, using the surrounding vines and fallen leaves to disguise the entrance as much as possible.

“Listen, no matter what happens, don’t make a sound.” Zhuoma stared into Li Dazhu’s eyes, her tone more serious than ever before.

"What are you going to do?" Li Dazhu asked anxiously.

Zhuoma didn't answer, but simply shoved a grenade into his hand, then picked up his rifle and her own weapon, and darted out like a nimble cat, heading towards the direction the enemy was coming from!
She couldn't leave Li Dazhu to die, nor could she hold out here waiting for reinforcements (communications were cut off, and it was unknown when reinforcements would arrive). The only way out was to take the initiative, using the terrain and the cover of night to eliminate these searching enemies!

She chose a narrow path with steep slopes on both sides, which was ideal for an ambush.

She set up Li Dazhu's rifle on a tree branch, secured the trigger with vines, and created a simple booby trap.

She then hid herself in the dense canopy on the other side, like a spider waiting for its prey.

Soon, three "Hyena" team members appeared on the path in a search formation. They were clearly attracted by the position of Li Dazhu's rifle.

It's now!

Zhuoma pulled the trigger!
"Whoosh!" The rifle equipped with a silencer made a slight sound, and an enemy fell to the ground.

Almost simultaneously, the booby trap was triggered—Li Dazhu's rifle also opened fire, the bullets sweeping towards the other two enemies. Although the accuracy was poor, it successfully caused chaos and suppression!

The remaining two enemies hurriedly sought cover and began firing wildly at the position where the rifles were set up.

Zhuoma, like a true ghost, silently slid down from the treetops, taking advantage of the moment when the enemy's attention was drawn to approach from the side and rear!
"Huh! Huh!"

Two more faint gunshots rang out, almost consecutively.

The two enemies who were unleashing their firepower shuddered and collapsed to the ground.

The battle began and ended in a matter of seconds. Zhuoma executed it like a precise surgical procedure—calm, efficient, and deadly.

She quickly checked the three enemies, confirmed their deaths, retrieved Li Dazhu's rifle, cleaned up any obvious traces she had left, and returned to the rocky crevices.

Looking at Zhuoma, who had returned unharmed, Li Dazhu's eyes were filled with shock and gratitude. For the first time, he had so directly realized how terrifying this usually taciturn Tibetan girl could be on the battlefield.

"Let's go." Zhuoma remained concise, helping him up and quickly leaving the place where they had just experienced a life-or-death battle.

Han Ye trudged through the jungle with difficulty, dodging the occasional enemy patrol squads.

Using the map he obtained from the slain "Hyena" team member and the fragmented information from the communicator, he roughly figured out the enemy's distribution and movements, and kept adjusting his route toward the rendezvous point.

Along the way, he used traps and precise shooting to silently eliminate two lone enemies.

Each kill hardened his heart and chilled his eyes. He was rapidly transforming from a recruit into a warrior.

As dawn broke, a damp morning mist began to rise from the forest.

Just as he was passing through a bamboo forest, he suddenly heard a very faint, rhythmic knocking sound ahead—it was the communication signal that their team had agreed upon!
Han Ye was overjoyed and immediately responded with the same rhythm.

Soon, Ye Shan, "Lynx" Wang Lei, and "Viper" Zhao Jian emerged from the mist. Upon seeing Han Ye, a barely perceptible hint of relaxation flashed in Ye Shan's eyes, but he quickly regained his cold composure.

"Report the situation!" Ye Shan whispered.

Han Ye briefly reported his experience, including killing three enemies and the intelligence he obtained.

After listening, Ye Shan nodded, but did not praise him. He simply said, "Well done. But Zhuoma has lost contact with 'Grizzly' and 'Nightingale'."

Just then, Liu Xiao's faint but clear voice came through the communicator:
"Falcon One... This is Nightingale... I've rendezvoused with Chick Five (Zhuoma) and Chick Four (Grizzly Bear)... Chick Four has a severe leg injury, and we are moving towards the second backup rendezvous point... Coordinates..."

Upon hearing the news that Zhuoma was safe, Han Ye finally felt a sense of relief.

Ye Shan immediately gave the order: "Attention everyone, change the plan and move towards the second backup assembly point! Lynx, go ahead to scout, Viper, clean up the traces, and Hatchling Seven (Han Ye), you cover my rear!"

"understand!"

The squad, like a sophisticated machine, began to operate again. At the second backup rendezvous point—a hidden cave—the squad finally reunited successfully.

Seeing Zhuoma supporting the pale-faced Li Dazhu, and the exhausted but bright-eyed Liu Xiao beside her, Han Ye couldn't help but step forward and tightly grasp Zhuoma's hand. A thousand words were left unsaid.

Zhuoma looked at the bloodstains still not completely wiped from his face and the added weariness in his eyes, and felt a pang of pain in her heart, but even more so, pride. Her boy had grown up.

Ye Shan examined Li Dazhu's injuries, his brow furrowed. "The injuries are too severe; he must be transferred to a evacuation center as soon as possible." He looked at Liu Xiao, "Nightingale, can you stabilize him?"

Liu Xiao nodded: "It's okay for now, but antibiotics and surgery are needed, otherwise the risk of infection is extremely high."

The situation became tricky. With seriously wounded soldiers, the team's mobility was greatly reduced, and the enemy was tightening their encirclement.

Just then, "Lynx" Wang Lei slipped into the cave entrance, his face grave.
"Falcon, we've spotted Vulture! He's at that abandoned forest ranger station five kilometers to the northeast! Most of the Hyenas' forces are also gathering there; it seems our reinforcements are almost here!"

The target is within reach, but a teammate's life is in danger!

Ye Shan fell into a brief silence. All eyes were on him.

A moment later, Ye Shan raised his head, his eyes filled with determination.

“Mission takes priority,” his voice was cold, “but we can’t abandon our teammates either.”

He quickly issued the order: "Nightingale, you stay here to take care of the grizzly bear, guard this cave, and set up the early warning system. If we don't return within forty-eight hours, or if you are discovered by the enemy, immediately activate the emergency distress signal and find your own way out." Liu Xiao's face paled, but he still nodded firmly: "Understood!"

Ye Shan looked at the other four: "Lynx, Viper, Chick Five, Number Seven, the five of us, let's take down 'Vulture's' lair! Retrieve the data!"

"Yes!"

There is no time to hesitate, no time to grieve. This is the battlefield, where cruel choices are everywhere.

Han Ye looked at Li Dazhu, who was weak but had a determined look in his eyes, and pounded his chest hard to signal him to take care. Li Dazhu grinned and waved.

Like a sword drawn from its sheath, the five-person team once again plunged into the fog-shrouded jungle, heading straight for the abandoned forest ranger station.

The forest ranger station was nestled in a small valley, consisting of only a few dilapidated wooden huts and a watchtower. At this time, it was heavily guarded, with at least ten "Hyena" team members patrolling and keeping watch around the area.

Ye Shan observed carefully through a high-powered telescope.

“There are two snipers on the watchtower. There are two sentries on the east and west sides of the cabin, as well as occasional patrols. ‘Vulture’ should be in the largest cabin in the middle.” Ye Shan calmly analyzed, “A direct assault won’t work; we have to outsmart them.”

“Viper,” Ye Shan said to Zhao Jian, “I’ll give you ten minutes to set up booby traps and tripwires along the enemy’s possible retreat routes. Focus on the east and north sides.”

"Understood!" "Viper" accepted the order and disappeared silently into the jungle.

"Lynx, you're in charge of eliminating the snipers in the watchtower, take them out silently. Zhuoma, you take the high ground, provide cover and monitor the entire area, prioritize heavy firepower and the commander. Han Ye, you come with me to infiltrate from the south and head straight for 'Vulture'!"

"Yes!"

With clear division of labor, the operation began.

Like a real feline, Wang Lei, nicknamed "Lynx," used the shadows cast by trees and terrain to approach the watchtower silently.

The two snipers on the tower were mostly focused on the outside and were completely unaware that death was approaching from behind.

Wang Lei climbed the tower and appeared behind the two snipers like a ghost. His military dagger flashed twice, and the two enemies were killed instantly, without even having time to sound the alarm.

Almost simultaneously, Zhuoma's cool voice came through the earpiece: "The high ground is in place."

Ye Shan and Han Ye, like two shadows, began their infiltration from the relatively dense vegetation on the south side. Their movements were swift and stealthy, and they successfully crossed the outer perimeter of the defenses, taking advantage of gaps in the patrol, and approached the central wooden house.

Two guards stood at the entrance of the cabin, talking in hushed tones.

Ye Shan gestured to Han Ye, indicating that they should resolve the issue simultaneously.

Han Ye took a deep breath, gripped the dagger in his hand, and nodded.

The two of them shot out from their hiding place like arrows released from a bow!
Ye Shan's target was the tall guard on the left. With a standard chokehold and neck twist, the guard collapsed to the ground without even uttering a sound.

Han Ye's target was the slightly thinner guard on the right. He mimicked Ye Shan's movements, covering his mouth with his left hand while thrusting his right dagger straight at the guard's heart! However, just as the dagger was about to pierce through, the guard seemed to sense something and abruptly shifted to the side!

"Pfft!"

The dagger missed the heart, but instead sank deep into the vicinity of the opponent's shoulder blade!
"Ugh!" A suppressed cry of pain rang out!

Although the sound wasn't loud, it sounded particularly jarring in the quiet morning!
"We've been exposed!" Ye Shan's eyes sharpened. "A full-scale attack!"

Without further hesitation, he kicked open the door of the wooden house and fired! Han Ye immediately drew his dagger, ignoring the wounded and screaming guard, and rushed in after Ye Shan!
Inside the cabin, "Vulture" was sitting in front of an open laptop, seemingly transferring data. Hearing the noise, he whirled around, his face contorted in horror, and reached for the pistol on the table!

"call out!"

Hayama fired first, and the bullet accurately pierced the wrist of "Vulture" holding the gun!

"Ah!" "Vulture" screamed, dropping his pistol to the ground.

Almost simultaneously with the gunshots, the alarm bells outside blared piercingly! The entire enemy force at the forest ranger station was alerted!
"Seize the data!" Ye Shan roared at Han Ye, while he himself stood guard at the door, using the door frame as cover to fire fiercely at the enemy outside!

Han Ye rushed to the computer and saw the screen display "Data transfer 85%".

Without hesitation, he unplugged the data cable, ripped off the small, blue-glowing storage unit, and stuffed it into the special pocket of his tactical vest.

"Data in hand!" Han Ye shouted.

"Retreat! Proceed as planned!" Ye Shan shouted as he changed magazines.

Gunfire erupted outside, and Zhuoma, from her vantage point, kept firing short bursts to suppress the enemies trying to approach the wooden house.

The booby traps set by "Viper" began to be triggered one after another, with explosions and screams of enemies echoing throughout the air.

Ye Shan and Han Ye took turns providing cover as they jumped out of the back window of the wooden house. As soon as they landed, they encountered a team of "Hyena" members who had been alerted by the commotion!
"Ta-ta-ta-ta!"

Bullets swept in like a deluge, sending splinters of wood flying behind them!
Han Ye felt a numbness in his left arm, followed by a burning pain—he'd been shot!

"Are you alright?" Ye Shan asked anxiously while retaliating.

"It's nothing! Just a scratch!" Han Ye gritted his teeth and continued firing.

Just then, Zhuoma's voice came again, tinged with urgency: "Falcon! Three o'clock, RPG!"

Ye Shan and Han Ye looked up abruptly and saw a member of the "Hyena" team carrying a rocket launcher, aiming it at their hiding place!

"Danger!"

At the critical moment, Han Ye suddenly tackled Ye Shan to the ground!
"boom!!"

The rocket, trailing a plume of flame, hurtled towards them and struck a large tree behind their previous position. The massive explosion shattered the tree trunk, sending fragments and wood chips flying everywhere!

Han Ye felt a heavy blow to his back, a sweet taste in his throat, and almost fainted.

"Han Ye!" Ye Shan's eyes widened in horror as he turned to look at him.

"I...I'm fine..." Han Ye coughed up a mouthful of blood and struggled to get up. "Let's go!"

From her vantage point, Zhuoma witnessed this scene through her scope, and her heart nearly stopped beating.

She forcefully suppressed the turmoil in her heart, held her breath, and focused her crosshairs firmly on the enemy who had just fired the rocket launcher and was reloading.

"call out!"

The bullet pierced precisely between the eyebrows.

"Clear." Her voice was icy cold and devoid of any emotion, but the knuckles of her hand gripping the sniper rifle turned white from the force.

Under the precise cover of Zhuoma and the booby traps set up by "Viper", Ye Shan helped the injured Han Ye to meet up with "Lynx" who came to pick them up. Following the predetermined route, they retreated with difficulty into the depths of the jungle.

The gunfire and explosions behind us gradually faded into the distance, but the danger was far from over. Enemy pursuers clung to us like leeches.

Operation "Broken Claw" has completed its most crucial step, but whether the team can escape unscathed remains uncertain. Han Ye's injuries have cast a shadow over the team's retreat.

The light of dawn pierced through the branches and leaves, illuminating their blood-stained, weary yet resolute faces. The road ahead remained long and treacherous.