Soldiers Assault: Starting from the 7th Steel Company

Chapter 254 What kind of godforsaken place is this?
In the darkness, the roar of vehicle engines, along with the sounds of chaotic voices and footsteps, could be heard approaching the warehouse.

Yuri crouched down and ran to Chen Jiang's side, lowering his voice and asking urgently, "General Chen, my men are all retired soldiers, but I mean, if we can't hold them off, you should retreat first and crawl out through that dog hole at the back. I'll cover you."

Chen Jiang was truly surprised that Yuri would be so loyal; after all, he's from a fighting nation.

He smiled slightly, and the crisp sound of the bolt being pulled back was particularly clear in the quiet warehouse.

“Mr. Yuri, we Chinese have never liked to take shortcuts or underhanded methods. If we’re going to do something, we’ll do it right the way.”

“By the way,” Chen Jiang turned to Yuri, who was stunned, and said, “I am not a general. My name is Chen Jiang, a senior colonel in the Chinese military.”

As he spoke, his expression turned cold, and he unconsciously tightened his grip on the AKM in his hand. The familiar metallic feel brought back the long-lost sense of battle.

He had already pinpointed the location and equipment of the approaching person using his powerful sensory abilities.

When Chen Jiang saw the other party with a loaded gun, kicking open the door and preparing to fire, he made a move.

Get started first!
With a series of tactical maneuvers, the AKM in his hand was like a scythe of death, reaping lives.

Gunshots rang out, and the enemy fell.

It's that simple, that straightforward!

Before Yuri could fully react, Chen Jiang had already taken care of all the dozen or so men who had come from the other side.

"Yuri, come out. There shouldn't be any enemies left."

Upon hearing Chen Jiang summon him, Yuri and his men cautiously stepped forward.
Once he was sure there were no more enemies, Yuri swallowed hard and couldn't help but give a thumbs up. "Awesome! Absolutely awesome!"

He glanced at his opponents; almost all of them had been shot in the head.
I couldn't help but gasp. I had just advised him to leave.
Does this guy really need to retreat?

With skills like that, he's definitely a killing god!

Then he quietly asked, "Brother Chen, are all Chinese soldiers this awesome?"

Chen Jiang ignored him and simply asked, "Having killed so many people, should we retreat first?"

Yuri waved his hand dismissively, "It's alright, I know all the police in this area. Besides, these people were the ones who robbed us at gunpoint, we were just defending ourselves!"

Under Chen Jiang's persistent questioning, he learned that the other party was a local gang that usually dismantled and sold the machinery and equipment here. When they saw Yuri bring his men today, they assumed that he was also here to dismantle the machinery and destroy their livelihood.

However, this can also be interpreted in this way, since this large aircraft, which is hidden quite deep, would be worth a lot of money if it were dismantled and sold as scrap metal.

Yuri directed his men to clean up the scene, his movements so practiced they were alarming.

They quickly dragged the body to a corner, covered it with a discarded tarpaulin, and began washing away the bloodstains with water. The air was thick with the stench of blood and gunpowder, mixed with the warehouse's original smell of rust and machine oil, creating a nauseating odor.

The experts were pale, clearly still reeling from the lightning-fast exchange of fire and the bloody scene before them.

"Don't worry, a few deaths here are nothing, we're used to it." Yuri said in a very relaxed tone.

“Colonel Chen,” he changed his address, his tone becoming much more solemn, “you are truly a man of great talent. I now fully believe that cooperating with you and the people behind you is the right choice.”

Chen Jiang glanced at him indifferently: "Mr. Yuri, we value reputation and ability. Now, let's get back to the main topic. When are you going to dismantle it? We need to pack these things up and take them away as soon as possible."

“First thing tomorrow morning!” Yuri replied immediately, cutting to the chase. “To tell you the truth, I’ve found the best mechanics here. They used to work in this factory and know this thing inside and out. I have the route planned: heavy trucks will be used to transport it in batches to Odessa Port. I have an ocean-going cargo ship waiting there. But there are port ‘clearance’ fees.”

"Understood." Chen Jiang interrupted him. "We will meet reasonable requests. But we need to send someone to accompany each batch of goods throughout the entire process."

"Deal!" Yuri held out his hand.

Chen Jiang shook hands with him. This time, Yuri's grip was much stronger.

That night, Chen Jiang and the experts who came with him dared not leave the place. He and Yuri's men were responsible for standing guard and keeping watch.

The experts spent the night poring over tons of blueprints; there was no other way, such learning opportunities were simply too rare.

After Yuri left, he sent people with food and vodka. At night, two more groups of unidentified people spied around the factory area, but perhaps intimidated by the fate of the previous group, they did not dare to approach.

The police also came and pretended to question him, but it was clear that Yuri's "money power" had the upper hand; they left after only telling him to "keep it down."

Silent all night.

As dawn broke, Yuri's dismantling team arrived as scheduled. They were several experienced mechanics with cloudy eyes but skillful technique.

When they saw the T-10K-3, their eyes revealed a deep sense of nostalgia and sadness, but there was nothing they could do. Yuri paid them, so they had to work. Nostalgia could not replace strong liquor and bread.

The dismantling work was carried out carefully under the supervision of Chinese experts.

Every component was numbered, photographed, and packaged, especially critical parts such as the wing folding mechanism and the tailhook, which received the highest level of care.

As Chen Jiang watched the massive fighter jet being gradually "dismantled," he felt a mix of emotions, but even more so, a sense of urgency.

These "treasures" must be safely returned as soon as possible.

Once all the design drawings and the machine structure were packed together, mixed with some cheap scrap metal and mechanical parts, and then loaded onto several trucks, Yuri and Chen Jiang escorted them separately. This was the most dangerous step.

No one knows what unknown risks might arise along the way.

The convoy drove out of the abandoned factory area in the hazy dawn, bumping along the uneven road.

After driving for about an hour, a temporary checkpoint appeared ahead.

Several military jeeps were parked across the middle of the road, and more than a dozen soldiers in haphazard uniforms stood lazily with their guns casually slung over their shoulders.

A man who looked like an officer, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, slowly walked up as the convoy approached.

Yuri's car stopped first. He rolled down the window, immediately putting on his familiar businessman's smile, and began to speak with the officer in fluent Russian.

Chen Jiang heard Yuri's translation over the walkie-talkie: "They said they wanted to inspect the goods, saying they had received a report of contraband."

As Yuri spoke, he expertly handed over a wad of euros and stuffed it into the officer's pocket: "Sir, we're just ordinary scrap metal dealers. This is just some junk, nothing worth your trouble checking."

The officer squeezed the thickness of the pocket, a satisfied look appearing on his face.

"That's true, it's not easy for you guys these days either. I also don't think there's any need to check, but I have to follow orders from above. So, we'll just do a spot check."

He glanced at the trucks behind him, especially the two loaded with important goods, his eyes gleaming. Yuri heard the other person say "spot check," and the tone was quite emphatical, so he understood what they meant and handed over another wad of cash.

"Okay, which vehicle would you like to check?"

The officer who received the money immediately beamed, walked over and glanced at it casually, then exhaled a smoke ring. "Alright, inspection complete. Be careful on your way. This area hasn't been very peaceful lately."

He waved his hand behind him, and several soldiers immediately stepped forward, moved the car aside, and were about to let Yuri and his men pass.

The convoy slowly started moving and drove away from the checkpoint.

Yuri's tone became more relaxed over the walkie-talkie: "You see, Colonel Chen? Here, 'money power' is the best passport. These soldiers don't even get their regular pay; they can only make extra money this way."

Chen Jiang grunted in response, his gaze still scanning the window warily.

He knew that this method of using money to pave the way was not always reliable, especially when the goods were so sensitive.

Sure enough, less than half an hour later, in an even more remote section of the road, trouble came knocking again.

Suddenly, a car horn blared and an engine roared from behind!

Through the rising dust, three or four modified off-road vehicles could be seen chasing after them frantically, with the people inside waving weapons and making strange noises.

"It's those bastards from yesterday!" Yuri's voice instantly turned shrill. "They actually dared to come back! They're like a persistent ghost!"

A tense report came over the walkie-talkie: "They tried to overtake! They opened fire on us!"

Bullets pounded against the truck bed; although most were stray bullets, they posed a significant threat.

An SUV suddenly accelerated, running alongside the truck Chen Jiang was in. The thug in the passenger seat leaned out, holding an old submachine gun, ready to fire!

Chen Jiang reacted extremely quickly; almost the instant the other party showed their face, his AKM was already spitting fire!

"Da da da!"

A precise short burst.

The bandit screamed, his gun fell from his hand, and he was thrown out of the car by the inertia.

Chen Jiang then blew out the other vehicle's front tires. The out-of-control SUV veered sharply, crashed into a roadside rock, and rolled to a stop.

But the other vehicles were even more reckless; they seemed to have their sights set on this convoy and continued their assault regardless of casualties.

One car even recklessly tried to rush in front of the convoy to intercept it!

"We can't let them get ahead!" Chen Jiang yelled at the driver. "Speed ​​up! Don't give them a chance!"

The convoy began to accelerate, speeding wildly along the bumpy road.

But the truck loaded with heavy loads has its limits, and the off-road vehicle behind it is better equipped and keeps up.

Intense firefights broke out between the speeding convoy.

Bullets whistled through the air, striking the car and sending sparks flying.

Chen Jiang cursed inwardly, realizing that his goods were valuable and would be in trouble if they were damaged.

Therefore, he was extremely ruthless, almost always killing with a single shot.

Or you could target the opponent's tires. While this is quite difficult, it's a piece of cake for a top expert like Chen Jiang.

Just as they were gaining the upper hand, their worst fears came true—the road ahead was blocked by makeshift roadblocks made of punctured tires and logs! Though low, they were enough to force the truck to slow down or even overturn!
"Roadblock! Watch out!" Yuri shouted from the lead vehicle.

The convoy was forced to slow down.

The few pursuers behind and the seven or eight bandits who emerged from behind the roadblock in front instantly formed a pincer movement!

The situation is extremely critical!
Chen Jiang's mind raced as he considered ways to break through the encirclement.

If they continue fighting head-on, the casualties will be heavy and the goods will be at risk.

At this critical moment!
"Woo-wu-wu-"

Suddenly, a sharp police siren blared in the distance! And the sound grew louder and faster as it approached!

Both sides in the exchange of fire were stunned for a moment.

A dozen or so jeeps, painted with police markings but looking equally dilapidated, sped from the other end of the road with sirens blaring, before screeching to a stop a short distance away.

A dozen or so uniformed men jumped out of the vehicle. The leader was holding a megaphone and shouting in Russian. Although the exact words were unclear, they were nothing more than "lay down your weapons" and "stop the fighting."

The bandits' offensive noticeably faltered, and they seemed somewhat hesitant.

Yuri's eyes lit up, and he immediately shouted at the police, "We are legitimate businessmen! We've been robbed! Help us!"

The leading officer glanced at Yuri, then at the besieged convoy and the corpses of the bandits on the ground, but instead of intervening immediately, he and his men stood still, as if observing.

Chen Jiang instantly understood—these guys weren't here to enforce the law; they were here to "control the situation" and "reap profits"! They were waiting for both sides to be severely weakened, or to see who could offer the higher price!
Yuri clearly understood. He muttered a curse under his breath, then shouted to the police chief, "Sir! We are Colonel Grigory's friends! Please help us! We will reward you handsomely!"

As he spoke, he gestured to one of his men to take out a canvas bag that had been prepared beforehand and looked quite heavy, and threw it to him forcefully.

The opposing officer picked up the canvas bag, opened it, glanced at the thick wad of banknotes inside, and finally smiled. He shouted a few more words into the megaphone.

This time, the men he brought finally took action, but instead of attacking the bandits directly, they fired warning shots into the air and then slowly walked toward the bandits, seemingly to "disperse" them.

Seeing this, the bandits knew they wouldn't get anything out of it today. They cursed and began to retreat, dragging the wounded man into their vehicle and quickly fleeing the scene.

The officer walked up to Yuri and said with a forced smile, "Colonel Grigory's friend? Next time you pass through my territory, give me a heads-up. Alright, problem solved, you can go now."

He didn't even ask about the firefight or the casualties, as if none of it had happened.

On the bus, Chen Jiang finally understood through Yuri's explanation that the reason these guys didn't wipe out the thugs was simply because they wanted to profit from both sides. If the other party didn't pay them or didn't meet their expectations, then they would really take action!
What the hell is this place?
Chen Jiang cursed inwardly.

(End of this chapter)