Chapter 441

Chapter 441: Eating, Sleeping, and Playing "Bean Bean"

"Red Scorpion"? Impossible. I already wiped them out, and what’s left of their vitality is barely enough to sustain themselves, so how could they still have the energy to worry about me? If that were true, it would be quite flattering.

The Philippines? I only sank one of their fishing boats, and they practically invited that upon themselves, so morally, I can’t argue against that.

Vietnam? Do they want to start a war?

Lockheed? Don’t they fear intercontinental missiles? Dying that way is not even close to the right approach. Last time in Thailand, the Eden branch was completely uprooted by both China and Thailand; those two ineffective assassins on the train were likely unfortunate enough to drown in a pot of water.

Every faction is entangled for various reasons, and none fit the criteria well.

Lin Mo couldn’t figure it out.

Seeing Lin Mo deep in thought, struggling to understand, Colonel Xie finally revealed the answer, softly saying, "North Korea!"

"What about North Korea?" Lin Mo’s eyes widened. How does this small nation even come into play? He pressed, "North Korea? How could that be? Aren’t we supposed to have a strong relationship?"

In Lin Mo’s mind, this stubborn little country always sided with China, much like Pakistan, and opposed South Korea, America, and Japan.

It seems that every ally of China has an unfriendly neighbor, without exception.

"Ironclad?" Colonel Xie sneered. "We need them as a strategic buffer, and they need our tiger’s skin as a banner. It’s merely a mutual exploitation. The North Koreans are the least grateful people in the world. Don’t expect high loyalty from them; it’s purely a relationship of interests. The number of spies from North Korea in China exceeds that of the Americans. Hmph, they certainly have ulterior motives."

"Where do they get the guts to do this? I still don’t believe it. They’re so poor and backward; how could they send robots to attack? Their technology level is far too low; it’s impossible for them to do that."

Lin Mo shook his head, still unconvinced. If it were Japan or South Korea, then he might believe it, but a nation with such a weak independent tech industry wouldn’t likely field such an offense.

"Oh, they have money," Colonel Xie answered. "North Korea isn’t particularly poor; they’re much stronger than those small African countries. But everything has been funneled into the military. With inequality in resources, civilian life naturally suffers. But as long as they have money, they can buy anything. Let’s not forget there are plenty of ‘agents’ around China who could facilitate the trading of banned high-tech weapons. Moreover, certain nations deliberately play dumb, allowing some to intrude into their satellites and covertly encourage it. Hmph!"

Colonel Xie spoke with contempt for the foolish little country. They actually allow themselves to be used as pawns, even counting money for those who sold them out; it’s simply unfathomable.

"Why do those fools in North Korea do this?" Lin Mo sympathized. This was like an old man eating arsenic; they acquired some purchased equipment, were guided to invade another country’s satellites as a signal relay, gaining nothing while inciting China’s ire. Those major nations behind it could easily fabricate reasons to distance themselves, shedding all responsibility. Such ruthlessness is beyond measure.

China’s intelligence department reacted swiftly. Once activated, they quickly discovered clues and unraveled the threads leading back to the source. Colonel Xie slammed his hand on the map on the coffee table, saying, "Well, it’s easy to determine. Recently, there have been satellite launch failures, so they naturally desire more technology. Some people are secretly assisting them, and with plenty of their spies and special forces, this will inevitably land us in trouble. Hmph, without their help, what could North Korea accomplish? Do they really think stolen technology is usable?"

"What does the higher-ups plan to do? Cut diplomatic ties? Or annihilate them?"

Lin Mo wasn’t sure about the higher-ups’ decision, but this small country was likely in for a rough time.

"Whether we cut diplomatic ties or eliminate them, it plays right into the hands of several other nations. Hmph, such calculations among great powers are more complex than they appear; it’s all a web of schemes. If we endure this, North Korea will become even more arrogant, and they’ll likely commit even more outrageous acts next time. If we cut ties, we lose a layer of protection. They still have some use, but we can’t avoid teaching them a lesson." Colonel Xie pointed to a specific location on the map at the border of the Eurasian continent.

"This is the place, a secret base of the North Koreans. We’ve traced the final signals to here. The Russians provided the site, while the Americans supplied the communication equipment. No need to ask; they’ll all claim ignorance while being used by the North Koreans. They’re quite clever, selling out North Korea while clearing their own names. Do they think we’re fools?"

Colonel Xie continued, "The higher-ups have assigned us the task of taking out this base." He emphasized a spot on the map with his finger.

A pawn!

The Russians and Americans are using it as a pawn to test the Chinese.

Someone has to pay for this.

At the same time, it’s also North Korea’s pawn, to placate China’s anger after their operation ends in failure, and a test of China’s reactions. Regardless of whether or not the Chinese take action, North Korea’s attitude towards China will change accordingly.

The tragedy of soldiers is that war is an extension of politics. Soldiers are often just pawns or expendables in political games. The upper echelons of several nations probably know this but dare not speak it aloud, making it an unspoken rule.

Outside of movies, there isn’t a Rambo!

This is not the time to feel sympathy for the other side; China needs accountability. While it hasn’t yet come to the point of slapping ourselves and wanting to destroy the other’s entire family in the process, being humiliated is something China will not let go unnoticed.

A bloody price must inevitably be paid. The North Koreans, after making great efforts to establish a secret base under the watchful eye of the Russian intelligence, are likely to feel the pain for a long time after it’s dismantled.

Building a secret base is no easy feat, yet under the many unspoken rules, the price may be paid or not; the Ministry of Defense and the Security Department likely have their own calculations, which neither Lin Mo nor Colonel Xie can know now.

"I see. Are we mobilizing everyone?" Lin Mo nodded. As one of the strongest special forces teams in the country, ‘Night’ is one of the few forces capable of overseas operations. Squadron Four has many minority ethnic soldiers who can easily impersonate foreigners during combat missions abroad.

It resembles the French Foreign Legion; however, the key difference is that the members of ‘Night’ are all native-born, with roots firmly planted in China for generations.

Blonde-haired, blue-eyed Chinese people don’t seem different from foreigners at first glance, which sounds odd but is definitely unexpected.

Unpredictability creates opportunities.

"This operation will be a joint effort between Squadron Three and Squadron Four, carrying powerful assault weaponry. The squadron leader doesn’t want casualties to be too high this time," Colonel Xie said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Do I need to participate?" Lin Mo hesitated. Invading Russia in a fighter jet, especially deep within their territory, would be very bold, though he wasn’t overly afraid of the Old Russians’ air defenses and fighters.

The Dragon Knights charging into Red Square would likely make Uncle Putin furious.

"Haha! Almost, you’ll get your share," Colonel Xie straightened up, laughing. "Actually, telling you all this is just Squadron Three’s leader’s invitation. You’ve been complaining about Old Chen not taking you to ‘shoot targets,’ right? Well, here’s a suitable one. The danger level isn’t high, and Old Chen asked me to ask you if you want to go. Of course, it’s not about flying planes but integrating into their combat sequence."

"‘Shooting targets’ usually refers to taking out threats on the ground, making it perhaps the best tactic for pilots. By combining the range of a sniper rifle with the keen eyesight of a pilot, with some training, one could become a terrifying long-range killer. In the same circumstances, a pilot’s effective kill range could rival that of specialized snipers.

Of course, the concealment and tactical education can’t compare to true snipers; specific skills have their own areas of expertise.

‘Night’ mobilizing two combat squadrons armed with assault weaponry might be overkill.

Given the equipment level of the special forces, those so-called assault weapons are bound to be extremely lethal, perhaps even to the level of a massacre weapon. It should be quite promising.

"Can I really participate?" Lin Mo asked cautiously. Having a pilot temporarily join ground troops seems against the rules. Furthermore, he was just joking with Major Chen Renkai, the squadron leader, and he didn’t expect them to take it seriously.

"Yeah, no problem. Don’t forget to bring your ‘Dragon General.’ Even if you go in unarmed, you’re likely to be okay. Of course, you won’t be participating in assault or direct combat; your mission is to stay with the observation group and protect the observation personnel,” Colonel Xie reminded Lin Mo. It’s a way to utilize everyone’s strengths.

"Alright!" Lin Mo nodded. He’ll take it as a chance to clear his mind. Perhaps he could gain some… um, experience!

If there’s a battle to be fought but he doesn’t participate, he’s not a soldier but a coward. Lin Mo would never back down in the face of any challenge.

The performance of the Dragon General tactical armor surpasses that of the original Kua Fu, making it nearly impervious to most light weapons. The upper echelons seem quite at ease sending a pilot into combat—this plan probably underwent review by the Intelligence Group and the Staff Group, and Colonel Xie happened to bring the verbal notice to him.

Moreover, Lin Mo’s tactical capabilities have also gained recognition from others. He might as well take a trip to Siberia for relief after being brushed off by the training center.