Chapter 48

After resting for four days at the Liberal Army’s base, the Liberal Army utilized the weapons they had recovered with the help of the Peregrine Falcons and seized the government army’s base. Taking advantage of a relatively calm period in the conflict, they drove back to the helicopter landing point. The mission was now complete, the final payment was paid, and it was time for them to return to Colombia.

They never anticipated that they would be ambushed on their way back.

As the sun was about to set, a Black Hawk military helicopter caught up with them. Upon seeing the markings on the aircraft, they realized it belonged to the Angel Government Army. This situation indicated two things: first, there were spies within the Liberal Army who had sold out their whereabouts, and second, despite the intense situation on the front lines, the government army still deployed military helicopters to hunt them down, indicating the deep hatred the government army held towards them.

Indeed, if they hadn’t lost their arsenal, the Liberal Army would not have been able to seize their base. That base served as a crucial defense fortress protecting the capital. After the Liberal Army took over the base, the government army suffered a significant blow.

They were still haunted by the incident of a sniper taking down the previous military helicopter, so they flew at a high altitude. The four off-road vehicles driving on the road below were just like moving targets to them.

The Liberal Army officer in charge of escorting them began calling for reinforcements over the radio.

Ayer quickly commanded everyone to abandon their vehicles and proceed on foot, entering the battle lightly equipped. The healthy mercenaries willingly took up the responsibility of carrying the wounded as they collectively retreated into the jungle. Each person was well aware that the situation had taken a turn for the worse.

With so many people entering the forest, it was challenging to remain concealed. They presented a fully exposed target for attacks. The helicopter didn’t even need precise aiming, a sweeping strafing within the general area would have a high probability of hitting someone. This was even more concerning considering that they had three individuals who were unable to move on their own.

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Fbld Ubydtgl takvvle bkp vllvb yde pyke, “R alyzzu oydv vs pbssv kv esod!”

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Suddenly, Tiger Shark’s voice came through the radio, “Everyone listen up, government forces are launching a surprise attack, government forces are launching a surprise attack.”

Can the situation get any worse?!

Shan Ming tightened his grip on his MP5, determined to send those bastards straight to hell.

The government troops were closing in on them from the southwest, while the helicopter hovered relentlessly from the southeast. Any slight movement would be met with a barrage of bullets. They were trapped in the middle, unable to move, unable to show their faces, and unable to resist.

Gunfire erupted as shots were fired nearby.

Shan Ming said to Shen Changze, “Follow me, you keep an eye on that thing in the sky.”

After Shan Ming finished speaking, he rolled out and the child followed suit. They quickly crawled forward and, upon finding trees as cover, took positions behind separate trees. Shan Ming started firing at the approaching enemies in the distance, while Shen Changze kept a watchful eye on whether the Black Hawk had turned its head in their direction.

Shan Ming’s gunfire attracted the enemy’s attention, he cautiously probed out, using his peripheral vision and spotted approximately four or five individuals approaching his direction. However, he quickly withdrew his head as bullets whizzed past, forcing him to take cover again.

Just now, time was too tight, and they left the larger equipment in the vehicles. If Shan Ming didn’t have these few magazines on him, it would have been another tough battle.

The chirping sound of his MP5K’s gunfire was unable to make him feel safe. On the other hand, the explosive shots from the opposing AKU sent splinters of wood flying, right out of the tree trunk where Shan Ming was taking cover!

Clinging to his only hiding spot, Shan Ming prayed that this decaying tree, fallen who knows how many years ago, would still retain some remnants of strength. However, amidst the relentless storm of bullets, he knew deep down that perhaps in the next moment, a 7.62mm bullet would penetrate the decaying wood and find its way into his body.

Seeing that the unreliable tree Shan Ming was leaning on had drawn all the firepower, Shen Changze grew anxious. He quickly moved out of cover and scanned the oncoming enemies, unleashing a burst of fire. After emptying a magazine, he immediately jumped back into cover.

His actions finally made the enemy realize that there was someone behind the other tree, diverting half of their attention and firepower. Otherwise, the tree Shan Ming was leaning on would have likely been severed in half, leaving him exposed like an easy target for everyone’s guns.

Shan Ming said quietly into the radio, “Son, how fast can you reload your magazine?”

“Half a second,” Shen Changze replied. His eyes widened like a brass bell, scanning back and forth between the sky and the ground, afraid of missing any crucial details that could prove fatal.

“What do you think of these people?”

Shen Changze scoffed, “Trash. They take at least a second, I saw it.”

Shan Ming took a deep breath and said, “Let’s bet on that half-second.”

The child clenched his teeth and said, “Dad, even if you win the bet, there’s still a chance of being spotted by the helicopter.”

“I’m running low on bullets, and this tree behind me won’t last much longer,” Shan Ming succinctly explained his predicament. He remained calm and said, “Cover me.”

The child replied in a solemn tone, “Don’t worry.”

The rapid surge of adrenaline caused Shan Ming to feel an uncontrollable dryness in his mouth, and even his usually steady fingers exhibited slight spasms. He forced himself to swallow the small amount of saliva his body produced. In the momentary pause of the AKU’s gunfire, Shan Ming swiftly rolled towards a shallow pit not far from his side!

One second! During this one second when the opponent was reloading, it was his only chance to survive! It was a gamble, betting that his opponent lacked extensive battlefield experience, and the stakes were his life.

The MP5K in his hands unleashed a frenzy of gunfire toward the enemy, the buttstock bouncing wildly and tearing at his grip. Shen Changze’s PSG also relentlessly spewed bullets. He watched several enemy soldiers falling under the suppressive fire from them. In the next moment, his back collided forcefully with a hard stone in the pit. Amidst the intense pain that made him dizzy and blurred his vision, Shan Ming once again heard the thunderous roar of the short-barreled AKU.

He had bet correctly…

The sound of the AKU abruptly ceased, indicating that Shen Changze had likely taken it down. Shan Ming felt a sharp pain in his spine, and half of his body went numb. He must have hit a nerve. He could barely even hold onto his weapon.

Shen Changze rushed towards him and carried him towards another nearby pit. As they landed, the two of them desperately rolled on the ground. The spot where Shan Ming had taken cover a moment ago was instantly leveled by the explosion. The shockwave lifted them off the ground, causing them to collide with trees, nearly knocking them unconscious.

Shan Ming shook his head to clear his thoughts, forcing himself to get back up. He grabbed Shen Changze and they ran into the forest, with the machine gun firing relentlessly at their heels. They had never run so fast in their lives, for they were now engaged in a race against the god of death itself!

Images of people torn to pieces of flesh by the Gatling heavy machine gun flashed through Shen Changze’s mind. The largest chunk of flesh might not even be the size of a palm. If they were to die like that… damn it, how could they just die like that!

Since the helicopter had already spotted them, there was no reason for it to be slower than them. Shan Ming knew that the odds were against them this time. However, looking at the brighter side, at least the others were safe for now.

Shan Ming felt his legs starting to cramp. The intense sprinting in such a short period of time had rapidly drained his energy. The looming shadow of death chasing closely behind him kept his nerves in a state of high tension. He felt his vision blur slightly.

He had never been chased by a helicopter before. Have to say, it was indeed a rare experience.

He speculated that the Black Hawk helicopter must have run out of ammunition. Otherwise, it wouldn’t keep using bullets for strafing. They had clearly been spotted, and a single bomb dropped from the helicopter would send them flying. Why go through all this trouble? So, were they lucky or unlucky? After all, their chances of survival were incredibly slim, and the struggle was only needlessly prolonged.

As luck would have it, a cave appeared about two hundred meters ahead, it was a perfect natural shelter. The wind seemed to be blowing beneath their feet as they sprinted frantically toward their only hope.

As Shan Ming kept running, he suddenly felt a lightness in his body. His mind was still trying to comprehend the reason behind this sensation when he turned his head. A faint golden glow pierced through his eyes, forcing him to squint.

Shen Changze had already transformed into his dragon form, carrying him as he ran towards the cave.

Their speed was now noticeably beyond human capabilities. In a matter of four or five seconds, they had covered a distance of two hundred meters. It was likely that even those in the helicopter were left dumbfounded, as their machine gun lost their mark.

Shan Ming was pushed into the cave by Shan Ming, only to realize that the concave hole was too small to accommodate both of them. He positioned his body in front of Shan Ming, using himself as a shield. With fiery red eyes, he fiercely glared at the Black Hawk descending from the sky towards them.

Shan Ming clenched onto his waist, attempting to pull him inside, but the cave was truly too small. He didn’t even have enough time to squeeze himself in.

Although this little monster’s scales were thick, the heavy machine gun could penetrate even steel plates, let alone flesh and blood!

Just as the two of them were feeling helpless, the roar of a mortar resounded in the sky, followed by a deafening explosion. The Black Hawk aircraft burst into flames!

In an instant, the flames soared into the sky, resembling a magnificent firework display. It was a spectacular sight, and everyone was delighted to see it.

Shan Ming breathed a sigh of relief, his body going limp as he collapsed to the ground. He said softly, “I only need 0.3 seconds.”

Shen Changze turned his head, “What?”

“Reloading, I only need 0.3 seconds, so you still have a long way to go.”

The child pulled Shan Ming out of the cave and patted his face gently. “Dad, please stop talking, you look like you’re about to faint.”

Shan Ming pffted, “Me? You’re the one about to faint.”

The child glanced at his own body and said in distress, “I don’t want to faint. What should I do?”

“How would I know? Just try your best to stay conscious.”

“I can teach you what to do,” a chilling voice pierced through both of their eardrums.

The voice was clear and cold, akin to the purest water, serene and undisturbed. It stood in stark contrast to the chaotic battlefield surrounding them.

Both of them turned their heads simultaneously, only to find a person dressed in green military attire with a pristine white doctor’s coat over it. It was unclear when this person had appeared before them. Surprisingly, he didn’t carry a handgun but instead wore immaculate white gloves. Taking out a walkie-talkie from his pocket, he said softly, “I’ve found them.”

Standing before them was someone both Shan Ming and Shen Changze were familiar with.

Despite having only met briefly and having passed five years since then, no one will easily forget an individual as unique as Tang Tingzhi.