Chapter 63

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Chapter 63: 2:37 AM

Taking down an arms dealer with air-to-ground missiles might seem a bit excessive to Captain Feng Chenye of the Night Brigade. After all, if the target got blown up, it would all be for nothing.

Looking at the target information provided by the Intelligence Group, he noted that the "Red Scorpion" had about thirty people in their party and over fifty pack horses, all armed with Type 81 rifles.

The Type 81, known for its folding metal stock, uses a 7.62 caliber steel-core projectile. This model, known as the 81-1, has been phased out of active service, replaced by the Type 95 series. In the harsh conditions of the west, this outdated model, with its resemblance to the AK-style design, remains a cost-effective choice, boasting a barrel life of 15,000 rounds and high accuracy. Sources suggest they might have come from foreign trade or military assistance.

Additionally, there were snipers present in the crew, with firepower nearly matching that of the military. Who were these individuals behind the "Red Scorpion" capable of spending such resources to arm their smuggling squad?

However, the intelligence indicated there was virtually no air defense, just one U.S.-made M249 light machine gun that posed a minor threat at low altitudes. The Staff Group approved deploying the J-10 primarily to involve Lin Mo, providing some assurance for the First Squad’s operation.

“Hey, just a spectator, eh? Lin Mo!” Gold Coin, no longer mischievous, looked at the content on Lin Mo’s tactical tablet and chuckled, “The achievements from this operation don’t even cover the fuel costs for the round trip! Tsk tsk! The First Squad has more personnel against fewer enemies and better equipment, so it’s really got nothing to do with you. Just go wash up and sleep; I still need to browse the internet on your tactical board tonight.”

“Hmph… Are you secretly using my tablet again? I haven’t even settled the account for my laptop after you wrecked it. Aren’t you causing enough trouble already?!" Lin Mo issued a stern warning to Gold Coin. “No internet tonight, and you’re banned from online shopping for a month!” Though Lin Mo barely used his meager flight allowance, ever since Gold Coin discovered online shopping, it had racked up quite a bill on Lin Mo’s account.

In under a week, what was called "magic silver" in this world had been purchased in bulk, all consumed by Gold Coin as snacks, chewing through it like it was chocolate bars. When the base inspection team used detectors to routinely check the strangely purchased items under Lin Mo’s name, they assumed he had some special interests.

The delivery address, of course, was different, handled by a dedicated camouflage unit which managed the goods and forwarded them to the base.

“You dare threaten me, the great dragon!” The cabin reverberated with Gold Coin’s grinding teeth. “Hmph! Hmph!” It sounded like a surround system trying to get its words out, but Lin Mo was well aware of this mischievous dragon’s undercurrent.

“Keep talking, and I’ll cut off your rations for a month! Better behave and stick to your role as a marble!” Lin Mo grasped the essential weakness of the stubborn gold giant dragon, fully aware of how to strike a balance between the carrot and the stick. He had learned this way of survival between being beaten and starving during his childhood.

The grinding noise from Gold Coin abruptly ceased, its arrogance gone.

“Good! Uncle will get you some magic silver blocks!” Lin Mo’s purpose was achieved, speaking to Gold Coin in a tone reminiscent of an eccentric uncle; this was another victory.

Now, this golden giant dragon was likely cursing Lin Mo from somewhere inside the J-10.

“Lin Mo! Get ready to depart!” Pan Rongyong, the leader of the Aircrew Group, commanded as he received orders from above, gathering his focus onto Lin Mo. The Aircrew Group had little to do on quieter days but when things got busy, they were racing around without rest, worn out like dead dogs.

Earlier, Little Deng helped by driving an electric cart loaded with a cannon round chain and a night vision camera, along with others to load munitions and equipment onto the J-10.

Lin Mo pursed his lips; it was just a single steel armor-piercing round chain meant for self-defense. It seemed the brigade intentionally made him a spectator.

Three hours later, it was already 2:00 AM the next day.

The runway signal lights outside the hangar lit up simultaneously, and in the twilight, only the bright azure exhaust flames of the J-10 could be seen soaring into the sky.

According to the additional fighter deployment plan from the Staff Group, the Mi-17 transport helicopters needed to patrol in circles beforehand to lay an ambush. They would also need refueling en route, and their speed was far from that of a jet fighter.

Given that Lin Mo piloted the J-10 for reconnaissance before sunset, the valuable target position had been obtained. Based on analysis and recommendations from the Staff Group and Intelligence Group, the enemy hadn’t moved too far, allowing them time to plan an attack. This brief advantage could lead to a perfect ambush.

The "Red Scorpion" would never expect to be discovered in such a short time and strike.

“Zzzz… Communications link successful!” Lin Mo heard the familiar feminine voice of the command platform through his helmet headset. “Attack point is expected to be reached in thirty minutes. Countdown for the First Squad begins, twenty-five minutes!”

“Gold Coin received!” Lin Mo gripped the control stick, the cabin lit only by the dashboard signals and screens, devoid of any other light.

The tactical board indicated that half an hour prior, the First Squad had confirmed the location of the "Red Scorpion." Perhaps fearing complications from a prolonged engagement, this horse-drawn group had not camped for rest and continued their night march. If all went as planned, they would cross the border into nearby Kazakhstan in two days.

As for the fatigue of the horses and men, it was trivial compared to the enormous profits; many horses would die each time the "Red Scorpion" took action.

“Haha! Captain Lin! This is Captain Huang!” Major Huang De’s voice sounded in Lin Mo’s headset.

“This is Lin Mo!” Lin Mo silently prayed that he could reach the ambush site before the combat ended.

“We will initiate our attack first; if anyone breaks through the encirclement, it’s your responsibility to help us deal with it!” Huang Major must have briefed his team before passing this coordination task to Lin Mo.

“No problem, leave it to me!” A retreating enemy?! Lin Mo shook his head; in mountainous terrain, could a person outrun a bullet?

This wasn’t just reassurance for himself but also for the confidence of the First Squad, hoping he could keep up.

“Haha! This Huang De has a bit of flair!”

Lin Mo’s conversation with the squad leader was heard crystal-clear in the command hall of the "Night" base. Captain Feng Chenye, typically serious,’s expression softened slightly. He held his subordinate commanders in high regard, considering them valuable warriors.

On the large screen in the hall resembling a cinema, an enlarged satellite map displayed three-dimensional terrain scans, with green triangles outlining an encirclement, while a flashing red dot slowly moved toward it, oblivious. On the other side, Lin Mo’s J-10 was rapidly approaching.

Xie Fengdao, the head of the Intelligence Group, exchanged glances with Ji Konglin, the head of the Staff Group, silently conveying their mutual sentiments. Brigade leader Feng Chenye was present in the command hall, seated on a couch, awaiting the battle to commence.

Like a poker game, it was up to the soldiers at the front to wager their lives.

Meanwhile, at the bottom of the large screen, the avatars of each combatant displayed heart rates, blood pressure, and other physiological metrics.

As Lin Mo’s J-10 approached the combat zone with seven minutes to spare, he heard Major Huang’s voice over the headset: “Snipers, fire! Suppress! Assault team, close in! Cut them open!”

Sudden bursts of gunfire filled Lin Mo’s headset. The command system swiftly reduced the volume to avoid distracting the pilot, but Lin Mo could still hear the ferocious sound of machine-gun fire, knowing that Da Li was near Captain Huang.

What an ungracious leader, opening fire first! Lin Mo gritted his teeth and pushed the fighter into supersonic mode.

On the command hall screen, the green triangle representing the J-10 sped up, leaving trails, and highlighted red blinking dots showing the Mach number, indicating that the fighter had entered a supersonic state.

Simultaneously, gunfire echoed in the command hall but was quickly muffled by the command center’s computer system. The varied sounds of combatants’ conversations became clearer along with video feeds from soldiers’ head cameras, selectively displayed in a corner of the big screen.

A rich weave of three-dimensional maps, satellite positions, sounds, and videos connected, transmitting every detail of the battlefield to the command hall, making one feel as if they were on the battlefield.

“It’s now 2:37 AM!” Colonel Ji of the Staff Group glanced at the time, seeming to start a countdown for the "Red Scorpion." Ever since the first shot was fired, every movement in the battlefield fell precisely under her control. As the head of the Staff Group, she possessed rich experience in actual combat and command. Her operational plans were extraordinarily detailed, down to each soldier’s position and unique attack methods tailored for every enemy, analyzing them as if they stood right beside her.

Operational plans developed by the head of the Staff Group were highly respected among all combat units. The squad leaders of the five combat teams consistently rated them highly; if they simply followed the plan, completing the tasks effortlessly while minimizing casualties.

Boom! Boom!…

Unusual explosions resounded in the command hall! They rang out loudly, even distorting the hall’s sound system.

Colonel Ji’s expression momentarily shifted in surprise. Turning her head, she noticed that Colonel Xie of the Intelligence Group wore a similar astonished look.

The explosions were close, indicating either a close-range assault or that they were under attack.