“As for those who take the money and then try to leave…”
The Viper flicked his tongue, licking his lips.
“Let them stay in this rainforest forever, as fertilizer.”
His confidant shivered, quickly changing the subject.
“Boss, news just came in.”
“Our people analyzed that the Huaguo special operations team code-named ‘Macrophages’…”
“They are very likely to be near the testing area in Diannan.”
“Macrophages?”
The Viper’s hand tightened around his wine glass.
He certainly remembered that name, and even more so, the captain named Lu Mingyu.
“Lu Mingyu…”
The Viper gnashed his teeth as he uttered the name.
“Excellent! This is truly excellent!”
“He won’t be able to escape this time!”
… … … …
Seven o’clock in the morning, just as dawn was breaking.
In the rainforest of Diannan, a light drizzle began to fall.
The wind was strong, reaching 6.8 on the Beaufort scale, making the leaves rustle loudly.
The air was muggy like a steaming basket.
The rain not only failed to bring any coolness but made the humidity even heavier.
It clung to the skin, making it hard to breathe.
“Wake up, all of you, don’t sleep.”
Lu Mingyu gently kicked Li Xiaoniu, who was dozing against a tree trunk.
“If you keep sleeping, I’m afraid you won’t be taken out by the enemy, but you’ll just collapse here from heatstroke.”
He wiped the rain from his face, looked up at the gloomy sky, and frowned slightly.
“This damn weather, both muggy and hot. Everyone, pay attention to rehydrating, don’t push yourselves.”
“Also, this ground, after the rain, it’s like mixed mud, one step and it’s a pit.”
“All of you, lighten your steps.”
“Don’t make it like an elephant parade, as if you’re afraid the enemy won’t find the footprints we leave behind.”
Li Xiaoniu rubbed his sleepy eyes and yawned.
“Don’t worry, Captain, our anti-reconnaissance skills are professional, alright.”
“We guarantee to leave no trace wherever we go, focusing on a ‘guess whether I’ve been here or not’ approach.”
Wu Tianlong had already checked his beloved sniper rifle and carefully wrapped it in waterproof cloth.
“Captain, engaging in combat in this kind of weather is a considerable challenge for us snipers, both in terms of visibility and bullet trajectory correction.”
Lu Mingyu nodded, his expression becoming serious.
“I understand.”
“Therefore, once we engage the enemy, don’t be stingy with bullets, and don’t think about warning shots to the arms or legs.”
“Everyone, prioritize attacking the enemy’s vital points.”
“Be sure to achieve a one-shot kill, finish the battle quickly, and give the enemy no chance to breathe or counterattack.”
“Understood!”
The team members responded in unison.
… …
At the same time, hundreds of kilometers away, inside the Fighter Jet Research Institute.
Tang Hongjun, an expert who had spent half his life in the field of fighter jets, was staring at the wind and rain outside the window with shining eyes.
“Good! Excellent! This weather is simply heaven-sent!”
His young assistant beside him was somewhat puzzled.
“General Tang, the weather is so bad, visibility is low, and the wind is strong. Is it… not very suitable for test flights?”
Tang Hongjun waved his hand, his face filled with uncontainable excitement.
“What do you know!”
“It’s precisely this kind of extreme weather that allows us to test the ultimate performance of our new fighter jet!”
“A thousand simulations in a wind tunnel are not as good as a real combat exercise personally orchestrated by heaven.”
“Isn’t the military already prepared? They’re just waiting for our data.”
The assistant quickly nodded.
“Yes, General Tang, Commander Zhou has confirmed that all three special operations teams are in position, and the security perimeter has been established.”
“Good!”
Tang Hongjun slapped his thigh.
“Notify everyone, prepare! In ten minutes, we depart on time!”
“We’re going to show those rats hiding in the dark what true ‘Great Nation’s Heavy Weapons’ are!”
“Yes!”
The assistant took the order and quickly ran out to notify the test flight team, who were already fully prepared.
… … … …
Joint Command Post.
On the giant electronic screen, the topographic map of the Diannan test area, meteorological data, and the deployment locations of various units were displayed.
The green dots representing the special operations teams were clearly marked in the complex mountains and forests.
Zhou Pingcang stood with his hands behind his back in front of the large screen, his expression somewhat grave.
“Old Lu, this weather… it’s going to have a significant impact on the young men.”
“High humidity, strong winds, muddy ground—these will greatly deplete their physical strength and also increase the risk of exposure.”
Lu Wei sat to the side, his eyes also fixed on the screen.
“On the battlefield, anything can happen, and weather is also part of combat power.”
“It’s a test for us, and it’s also a test for the enemy.”
He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and spoke in a low voice.
“What I’m worried about now is not that.”
“You say, that ‘Little Viper,’ how many people will he bring this time?”
Zhou Pingcang frowned.
“What do you mean by that?”
Lu Wei slowly put down his teacup, his fingers tapping gently on the tabletop.
“In my heart, I’m a bit conflicted.”
“On one hand, I hope he throws everything he has into this, bringing all his assets.”
“That way, we can achieve victory in one fell swoop.”
“Root him and his so-called ‘Viper’ organization out, eliminating future troubles forever.”
“But on the other hand…”
He sighed.
“I’m also afraid he really goes all in.”
“The combat power of those desperadoes under him cannot be underestimated.”
“If it really turns into an all-out war, our soldiers will inevitably suffer casualties.”
“But if he is hesitant and only sends a small group of people to harass us, with his main force holed up in his lair in Myanmar…”
“Then the large-scale setup we’ve prepared this time will at most only clip some of his wings, treating the symptoms but not the root cause.”
“Next time he recovers, he’ll stick to us like a dog-skin plaster, endlessly annoying.”
Zhou Pingcang fell silent.
He completely understood his old comrade’s complex feelings.
This was both a Commander’s deep consideration of the battle situation and a grandfather’s concern for his grandson.
… … … …
Nine o’clock in the morning sharp.
With an order from the command center.
Four fighter jets, painted with the latest stealth coating, took to the sky.
They flew to four different designated airspaces to begin data testing under extreme conditions.
Almost simultaneously with the fighter jets’ ascent.
Reports began to sound one after another in the command center’s communication channel.
“Command, this is Wolf Fang.”
“Small armed personnel discovered in our C3 area.”
“Number unknown, currently infiltrating the test airspace, over.”
“Command, this is Meng Hu, enemy detected in D1 area.”
“Preliminary assessment indicates a ten-person team, well-equipped, over.”
“Command, this is Black Bear, large number of footprints found on the periphery of A2 area.”
“Enemy numbers may exceed thirty, we are currently tracking, over.”
Intelligence reports were compiled at the command center and simultaneously transmitted to Lu Mingyu’s tactical terminal.
Lu Mingyu crouched behind a bush.
He quickly analyzed the various enemy positions on his tactical tablet.
He looked at the three marked enemy contact points on the map, a slight smile playing on his lips.
“Interesting.”
Li Xiaoniu leaned over, asking in a low voice.
“Captain, what’s interesting?”