Hunting under the cover of night

Hunting under the cover of night

The mountains and forests at night are several times more dangerous than during the day.

In the darkness, any slight movement could conceal a deadly threat.

Lu Chen's senses were heightened to their limits. His eyes strained to adjust to the darkness, discerning the shadows of trees and the outlines of rocks. His ears listened intently to the wind, the chirping of insects, and any other sounds that might not belong to nature.

Instead of taking a straight route, he chose a more complex one, requiring constant climbing and detours. Although this was more physically demanding, it allowed him to make the most of the terrain and conceal his movements.

About an hour and a half later, he finally heard the sound of flowing water.

The river is just ahead.

He slowed his pace, lowered his body, and crept towards the riverbank like a cheetah crawling forward.

He soon stopped behind some bushes on a high ground.

From here, you can clearly see the open riverbank below and the dark forest on the opposite bank.

The riverbank was completely empty. Chen Mo and Sun Yi were clearly well hidden.

The woods on the opposite bank were also deathly silent, showing no signs of anything unusual.

But Lu Chen knew that in that darkness, there must be one or more pairs of eyes lurking, like wolves, staring intently at the riverbank, waiting for their prey to reveal a weakness.

He took out his personal radio, put on the headset, and gently tapped the call button using the agreed-upon code.

Three long, two short.

This is asking, "How is the situation?"

Soon, the same rhythmic tapping sound came through the headphones.

Two long ones, one short one.

It means: "The enemy is still here, and their position remains unchanged."

Lu Chen felt relieved. At least, Chen Mo and Sun Yi were safe for now.

He raised his binoculars again, carefully searching the jungle on the opposite bank.

Who exactly is this team?

Why are they so persistent in targeting Chen Mo and his group? And why are they so patient, spending an entire afternoon without taking any action?

This tactic is unlike Qin Feng's bold and unrestrained style, nor is it like those other new recruit teams that are eager to score points.

This is more like... a veteran's tactic.

Patience, lurking, and a fatal blow.

Could it be...?

A terrifying thought flashed through Lu Chen's mind.

The so-called "surprise" that his father was talking about!

Could it be that this team is not actually new recruits participating in the assessment, but rather a "blue team" composed of veterans or instructors in disguise?

If that's the case, then everything makes sense.

Why are their tracking abilities so strong? Why are they so patient? Why do they only surround and not attack?

Because their goal might not be to score points at all, but to "hunt"!

They are using this method to give all the new recruits participating in the assessment the most realistic and brutal practical lesson.

Lu Chen's heart sank.

If his guess is true, then he will be facing an opponent a hundred times more terrifying than Qin Feng.

He can no longer use the same approach he used on new recruits to deal with them.

what to do?

Should they force their way across the river to meet Chen Mo and the others?

No. That open riverbank is a death trap. The moment they show their faces, they'll become sitting ducks on the other side.

Should we bypass it from upstream or downstream?

The river is wide and the current is swift. Finding a safe place to cross it at night is virtually impossible. Moreover, no one can guarantee that the other side hasn't set up warning posts elsewhere.

It seems to have become a dead end.

Lu Chen lay motionless in the bushes, but his brain was racing.

He simulated all the possibilities in his mind over and over again.

Time passed, second by second.

There was still no movement in the woods on the opposite bank.

But Lu Chen could sense that the opponent's patience was also running out. Dawn was approaching, and if they didn't make a move soon, their advantage would vanish once other teams arrived.

They will definitely launch their attack before dawn.

And this might be his only chance.

A resolute glint flashed in Lu Chen's eyes.

He picked up the radio again and sent a new instruction to Chen Mo by tapping the microphone.

...

Downstream from the riverbank, in a secluded reed bed.

Chen Mo and Sun Yi have been lying here for almost seven or eight hours.

The icy river water soaked their trousers, leaving them feeling cold and numb all over. But they dared not move.

"Chen Mo, what exactly is the captain's plan?" Sun Yi's lips were a little pale, and he couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "If we keep waiting like this, we're going to freeze to death here."

"I trust the captain." Chen Mo's answer was simple and firm.

Just then, the knocking sound in his headphones started again.

Upon receiving the instructions from Lu Chen, Chen Mo's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Has the captain... gone mad?" Sun Yi exclaimed in disbelief after hearing the command.

Lu Chen's plan was so simple it was almost insane.

He wants Chen Mo and Sun Yi to expose themselves!

Then, using themselves as bait, they drew all the firepower of the team on the other side.

Lu Chen, meanwhile, took the opportunity to cross the river upstream, maneuver around to the enemy's flank and rear, and launch a surprise attack.

This is a typical "center-blooming" tactic.

But the problem is, the person who acts as bait is almost guaranteed to die!

On that exposed riverbank, facing concentrated fire from a team of unknown strength, the chances of survival were almost zero.

"No! This is too dangerous!" Sun Yi shook his head vigorously. "We can't do this! This is suicide!"

Chen Mo fell silent.

He was also torn between his conscience and his own will.

Reason told him that the risks of this plan were immeasurable.

But his intuition told him that this might be their only way out.

Moreover, he trusted Lu Chen.

From the start of the assessment until now, every decision Lu Chen made, although seemingly fraught with risk, ultimately proved to be correct.

"Sun Yi," Chen Mo spoke, his voice a little hoarse, "Do you remember what the captain said to us when we were divided into groups?"

Sun Yi was stunned for a moment.

“He said he didn’t ask us to be the strongest individual soldiers, he only asked us to be the most reliable teammates,” Chen Mo said, emphasizing each word. “Now, the captain needs us to be the ‘bait.’ He’s entrusted his back to us. Can we let him down?”

Sun Yi fell silent.

He looked at his teammate, who was usually taciturn but whose eyes were unusually firm at this moment, and he remembered the captain who dared to challenge the entire Dragon Team all by himself in the valley.

A surge of passion welled up from the bottom of my heart.

Are you afraid of dying?

Afraid.

But what's more terrifying than death is being a coward, betraying the trust of your teammates.

"Let's do it!" Sun Yi gritted his teeth and squeezed out the two words.

Chen Mo nodded.

He took out the last compressed biscuit from his backpack, broke it in half, and gave it to Sun Yi.

"Eat up. Replenish your energy. Now, run faster."

...

In the woods on the opposite bank.

A man dressed in a specially made training uniform, his face covered in paint, making it impossible to tell his age, was observing the river with night vision binoculars.

Four teammates were also lurking around him.

They were the "Blue Team" dispatched by Lu Zhanting—a special operations group composed of elite veterans. Their codename was "Ghost."

"Captain, should we wait any longer?" a team member asked in a low voice. "These guys are more patient than we thought."

“No rush,” the man called the captain said in a hoarse voice. “The more patient you are with your prey, the more interesting it becomes.”

"I'm afraid they won't come out. It's almost dawn."

"They'll come out," the captain sneered. "They're out of supplies, cold and hungry, they won't last long. Pass on my order: everyone, load your guns. As soon as there's any movement on the riverbank, unleash the most intense firepower and tear them to shreds."

"yes!"

Just then, two swaying figures suddenly appeared in the captain's night vision goggles.

They emerged from the reeds downstream and began running towards the center of the riverbank in an extremely disheveled manner.

"They're out!"

"Target spotted!"

The members of the "Ghost" squad instantly became excited.

"Don't rush to fire!" the captain stopped them. "Something's not right."

"What's wrong, Captain? Aren't they right there?"

“They’re running too slowly, and they’re going in the wrong direction.” The captain’s brow furrowed deeply. “They’re not crossing the river; they’re more like…taking a stroll?”

That's right.

The two people on the riverbank were running erratically and very slowly. Moreover, they weren't running towards the opposite bank, but rather wandering back and forth along the riverbank in the open area.

This is not running away, this is clearly a provocation!

"Damn it! These two bastards are messing with us!" one of the team members exclaimed angrily.

"What are they trying to do? Lure us into firing and revealing their position?"

"Whatever they're up to!" The captain's patience finally ran out. "Number Two, Number Three, use your sniper rifles and take them out! The rest of you, keep watch on your surroundings. I suspect they have other schemes!"

"yes!"

Two snipers quickly locked onto the two moving targets on the riverbank.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

Two gunshots rang out almost simultaneously.

In the night vision goggles, the two figures fell to the ground with a thud. No blue smoke rose.

"Huh?" The captain was stunned. "What happened? Did you miss?"

"Report, Captain! We hit it! But... that doesn't look like a person!" a sniper said, sounding uncertain.

Not human?

The captain turned the magnification of his night vision goggles to the maximum and looked carefully.

What lay on the ground were two mannequins made of branches and clothes! Several heating patches were hanging on them to simulate human heat sources.

"Oh no! We've fallen for their trap!"

The captain suddenly realized what was happening.

This is a clever diversionary tactic!

The other party's goal was not to cross the river at all, but to attract their attention!

"Everyone, check yourselves immediately..."

Before he could finish speaking, a soft "plop" sound, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, came from the darkness behind him.

Immediately afterward, one of his teammates suddenly jolted and then fell to the ground silently.

A dagger was stuck in his neck.

Enemy attack!

The enemy has already gotten behind them!