Rebirth in the Dragon Kingdom: The Strongest Blade

Chapter 24 Military Exercises

The order came suddenly.

At 11 p.m., a sharp alarm suddenly sounded at the Hunter Blade Special Forces camp. All team members sprang from their beds and assembled fully armed within three minutes.

Qin Feng stood at the front of the formation, his face serious: "Urgent mission! Joint live-fire exercise between the Southwest Military Region and the Jinghua Military Region, codenamed 'Iron Fist-23'. The exercise area is the mountainous region on the southwestern border, covering an area of ​​3,000 square kilometers. Our side is the Red Army, and the Jinghua Military Region is the Blue Army. Requirements: Everything must be based on actual combat, testing the troops' combat capabilities."

He paused, then emphasized, "The military region leaders attach great importance to this exercise. Commander Chen said we must demonstrate the might of the Southwest Military Region!"

A low murmur arose within the ranks. Conducting exercises with the Jinghua Military Region? That's the capital's military region—well-equipped and teeming with talent.

"Silence!" Qin Feng shouted. "Our mission for this exercise is to infiltrate deep behind enemy lines, conduct reconnaissance, harassment, and sabotage, and, if necessary, carry out decapitation strikes. Now, check your equipment; we'll depart in one hour!"

The team members sprang into action. Lin Zhe led his ten-man squad, meticulously inspecting every piece of equipment—individual terminals, night vision goggles, thermal imaging devices, communication equipment, weapons and ammunition...

"Team Leader Lin, this time our opponent is the Jinghua Military Region," said Lao Ma, a team member, while checking his sniper rifle. "I've heard their 'Sharp Sword' special operations team is famous throughout the army."

"Perfect, let's see who the real sword is," Lin Zhe said calmly, his hands still moving.

An hour later, the convoy left the camp and headed straight for the exercise area. En route, Qin Feng reported over the communications channel: "The Blue Army commander is General Zhang Dajiang, commander of the Jinghua Military Region. The Red Army commander is our Commander Chen."

Lin Zhe's heart skipped a beat—Zhang Dajiang? Isn't that Zhang Xueying's father?

Chen Jianfeng's voice came through the communication channel, directly connecting with the Hunter Blade Special Forces team: "Hunter Blade comrades, you are my trump cards in this exercise. That old bastard Zhang Dajiang was bragging to me the other day about how amazing their Jinghua Military Region's special forces team is. This time, you guys better perform well and show him what a real special forces ace is!"

"Yes!" the whole team responded in unison.

Chen Jianfeng continued, "Lin Zhe, Qin Feng, you have 24 hours of free time after the exercise begins. After 24 hours, I want to see the Blue Army's command system paralyzed, or... see that old bastard Zhang Dajiang 'killed'."

"I guarantee I'll complete the mission!" Qin Feng replied.

Chen Jianfeng smiled: "Great! I'll be waiting for your good news!"

After the communication ended, Qin Feng looked at Lin Zhe: "Lin Zhe, what are your thoughts on this exercise?"

The team members all looked at Lin Zhe. After these months of training and missions, Lin Zhe's prestige in the team was beyond question—not only was he strong, but his tactical acumen was also top-notch.

Lin Zhe opened the electronic map and quickly analyzed: "The Blue Army's advantages are superior equipment and possibly a numerical advantage. Their disadvantage is operating on foreign soil and being unfamiliar with the terrain. Their special forces team 'Sharp Sword' will definitely be carrying out missions behind enemy lines, just like us."

He pointed to several points on the map: "Our first step is not a direct attack, but to lure out and eliminate 'Sharp Sword.' Once their special forces are destroyed, the Blue Army will lose its eyes and ears."

Qin Feng nodded: "Go on."

"The second step is to destroy their key equipment—communication vehicles, radar stations, and the outer defenses of their command post. The third step is to find an opportunity to carry out a decapitation strike." Lin Zhe's thinking was clear. "But we can't just do it head-on. I suggest dividing the Hunter Blade into groups of three to four people, infiltrating separately while acting simultaneously. This way, the target is smaller, the mobility is higher, and even if one group is discovered, the other groups can continue the mission."

Qin Feng pondered for a moment: "Alright! We'll do it your way. Lin Zhe, you lead the third squad as the vanguard to infiltrate and find out the Blue Army's deployment. I'll lead the main attack."

"yes!"

The convoy reached the edge of the exercise area at 3:00 AM. Everyone disembarked and hiked into the mountains. The terrain here was complex, with dense jungle, making it a natural battlefield.

At four o'clock in the morning, Hunter Blade arrived at the designated rendezvous point. Qin Feng convened a meeting with the three squad leaders.

"Now, the 24-hour countdown begins." Qin Feng looked at his watch. "Lin Zhe, your team will head out first. Remember, your mission is reconnaissance, not combat. Stay as concealed as possible, find out the Blue Army's deployment, especially the possible locations where their special forces might be hiding."

"Understood." Lin Zhe nodded.

"First squad, follow me, take the east flank. Second squad, west flank," Qin Feng assigned the tasks. "All squads, maintain communication and report the situation immediately."

After the meeting, Lin Zhe returned to his squad. The ten men formed a circle, and Lin Zhe spread out a map: "We'll split into three groups. I'll lead two men, infiltrating from the front. Lao Ma will lead three men, from the left. Da Liu will lead three men, from the right. Each group will be one kilometer apart, advancing in parallel."

He pointed to several marked points on the map: "These three locations are likely the locations of the Blue Army's command posts. We will focus our reconnaissance on them. If we discover the 'Sharp Sword' special forces, do not engage them in a direct confrontation. Report immediately, and we will concentrate our forces to eliminate them."

"Team Leader Lin, what if we encounter regular Blue Army troops?" Da Liu asked.

"If you can hide, then hide. If you can't hide, then eliminate the enemy quickly and move on," Lin Zhe said. "Remember, our primary task is reconnaissance, not killing. Don't linger in battle."

"clear!"

At 4:30 a.m., the three groups set off simultaneously. Lin Zhe, along with Xiao Chen and Xiao Li, slipped into the night like ghosts.

The jungle was pitch black, with only a green glow from the night vision goggles. Lin Zhe led the way, Xiao Chen followed in the middle, and Xiao Li brought up the rear, the three of them advancing silently in a triangular formation.

After walking about two kilometers, Lin Zhe suddenly raised his hand to signal to stop. He bent down and listened carefully to something.

"There's movement." He lowered his voice. "At least ten people are moving about three hundred meters ahead."

Using a thermal imaging camera, Xiao Chen observed that there were indeed more than a dozen heat sources moving in the forest, their formation loose, unlike a well-trained special forces team.

"It should be a Blue Army patrol," Lin Zhe deduced. "Let's go around them."

The three changed direction, bypassing the patrol from the side. They hadn't gone far when their individual terminals vibrated—it was a message from Old Ma's team: "Blue Army camp detected, coordinates sent. Approximately a company size, with three armored vehicles."

Lin Zhe quickly marked the location on the map and replied, "Continue to observe, do not expose yourself."

They continued forward. An hour later, they approached the location of the first possible command post—a ravine. From above, lights could be seen in the ravine, and tents and vehicles could be vaguely discerned.

"It doesn't look like a command post," Xiao Chen observed through binoculars. "It looks more like a logistics supply point."

Lin Zhe nodded: "Mark the location, and move on to the next point."

The second point was located on a hillside, at a higher elevation, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. From afar, Lin Zhe sensed something was amiss—it was too quiet, abnormally quiet.

"There's an ambush." ​​He gestured for the two to take cover. "If this were a real command post, there would definitely be sentries around it. But there's been no movement at all, which means..."

"Is the explanation a trap?" Xiao Li asked.

"Or, it could be an ambush point for the 'Sharp Sword' special forces." Lin Zhe's eyes sharpened. "Old Ma, Big Liu, report your location."

"Old Ma's team found nothing unusual 2.5 kilometers away."

"Da Liu's group spotted the Blue Army patrol three kilometers away and has already avoided them."

Lin Zhe thought for a moment and made a decision: "Let's bypass this point and go to the third point. This place is too eerie; let's not take any risks."

The three changed their route again. As dawn approached, they reached their third location—a valley near a water source. The terrain here was complex, with streams, cliffs, and dense forests, making it an ideal hiding place.

Lin Zhe lay prone behind a rock, observing with high-powered binoculars. There were several well-camouflaged tents in the valley, surrounded by sentry posts, and antennas protruding—characteristics of a command post.

"Found it," he said softly. "Mark the coordinates, take a picture, and send it back to command."

Xiao Chen quickly operated his individual terminal, sending back the coordinates and photos. Soon, Qin Feng replied: "Received. Hunter Blade Squads One and Two are approaching these coordinates. Lin Zhe, continue monitoring, but don't alert them."

"clear."

As dawn broke, a thin mist rose from the jungle. Lin Zhe and his two companions found a concealed spot and took turns resting and observing. At nine o'clock in the morning, they spotted a small team entering the valley—twelve people, well-equipped and agile, clearly a special forces team.

"A sharp sword?" Xiao Chen asked in a low voice.

"Very likely." Lin Zhe carefully observed the squad. "Judging from their equipment and movements, they are elite. There are twelve of them, exactly one special operations squad."

He quickly reported the situation. Qin Feng replied, "Hunter Blade Squads One and Two have reached their designated positions and are concealed on the perimeter. Lin Zhe, can you pinpoint the exact location of the Blue Army command post?"

Lin Zhe carefully observed the layout of the valley and quickly analyzed it in his mind: the distribution of tents, the location of sentry posts, the direction of antennas, the parking of vehicles... Finally, he locked onto the largest tent, which was surrounded by four guards and a communication antenna.

"The command post should be in area B3, in the largest tent," Lin Zhe reported. "The Sharp Sword Special Forces are currently resting in area C1."

"Roger that. Continue monitoring and await further orders."

At noon, the exercise command issued the order: the exercise officially begins. The main forces of the Red Army and the Blue Army began to move, and the sounds of artillery and gunfire rang out throughout the exercise area.

But the Hunter Blade Special Forces remain lurking, like cheetahs waiting for their chance.

At 2 PM, Lin Zhe received Qin Feng's order: "Hunter Blade, prepare for operation. Lin Zhe, your group's mission is: infiltrate the valley and confirm the command post's location. If possible, install surveillance equipment. Teams one and two will provide outer cover."

"Understood." Lin Zhe put away his terminal and looked at Xiao Chen and Xiao Li. "Prepare for action. Remember, our mission is reconnaissance, not combat. Do not fire unless absolutely necessary."

After checking their equipment and confirming that everything was in order, the three began to infiltrate into the valley.

They chose the most difficult route—climbing down the side of the cliff. This route was steep and dangerous, but also the most concealed. The Blue Team would never have imagined anyone infiltrating from here.

Lin Zhe led the way, securing himself with ropes, while Xiao Chen and Xiao Li followed behind. The three moved nimbly, like geckos gliding along the cliff face.

Twenty minutes later, they successfully infiltrated the valley and hid behind a dense thicket of bushes. From there, the largest tent was clearly visible.

Lin Zhe used a miniature camera to film the area around the tent—four guards, two at the entrance and two patrolling the perimeter. Two SUVs were also parked nearby.

"The guards are very vigilant," Xiao Chen whispered. "They're not easy to approach."

Lin Zhe observed for a while and noticed a pattern: every half hour, an officer would come out of the tent to retrieve documents from the nearby communications vehicle. This was an opportunity.

"We'll install the listening device when the next officer comes out," Lin Zhe said. "Xiao Chen, you keep watch. Xiao Li, come with me."

The three waited patiently in the bushes. Half an hour later, a major emerged from the tent and headed towards the communications vehicle.

It's now!

Lin Zhe and Xiao Li darted out like cheetahs, silently approaching the tent. The instant the officer entered the communications vehicle, Lin Zhe quickly installed a miniature listening device on the side of the tent—only the size of a fingernail, glued to the canvas, almost invisible.

Once the installation was complete, the two quickly retreated into the bushes. The entire process took less than ten seconds.

"We did it!" Xiao Li exclaimed excitedly.

Lin Zhe turned on the listening device, and the sounds from inside the tent came through his headphones:

"...The main force of the Red Army is gathering in the northeast; we must strengthen the defenses on the eastern front..."

"Reporting to the Commander, the Sharp Sword Special Forces report that they have located traces of the Red Army Special Forces and are currently tracking them..."

"Good! Tell them to keep a close eye on them and make sure they wipe out the Red Army's special forces!"

It was Zhang Dajiang's voice! Lin Zhe's heart skipped a beat—they had really found the Blue Army's command post!

He quickly reported the situation to Qin Feng. Qin Feng replied, "Well done! Now, all Hunter Blade personnel, prepare to execute the second step of the plan—lure out and eliminate the 'Sharp Sword' special forces!"

Lin Zhe packed up the equipment and looked at Xiao Chen and Xiao Li: "Our mission is complete. Now, evacuate the valley and head to the designated rendezvous point to meet up with the other groups."

The three men once again used the cliffside route to silently evacuate the valley. After reaching a safe area, they quickly moved towards the rendezvous point.

On the way, Lin Zhe pondered his next move. How to lure out the "Sharp Sword" special forces?

He came up with a plan—to deliberately reveal his whereabouts, but not too obviously, so that the other party would think it was an accidental discovery, not a trap.

When they arrived at the meeting point, Lao Ma and Da Liu's group were already waiting there. The three groups met up, and all ten people were present.

"Team Leader Lin, what's the next step?" Old Ma asked.

Lin Zhe spread out the map: "We are currently located here, five kilometers from the Blue Army command post. The 'Sharp Sword' special forces are tracking us—or rather, tracking the Red Army special forces."

He pointed to a spot on the map: "There's an abandoned mine here, with complex terrain, perfect for an ambush. We'll deliberately leave traces to lure them here, and then..."

He made a gesture of encirclement: "Annihilate them in one fell swoop!"

The team members' eyes lit up. Outnumbered by 10 to 12, they were at a disadvantage, but the terrain advantage and the element of surprise gave them a high chance of winning.

"Action!" Lin Zhe ordered.

The ten men quickly moved towards the mine. Along the way, they deliberately left traces—broken branches, blurry footprints, and even a spare magazine that had "accidentally" fallen...

Upon arriving at the mine, Lin Zhe quickly set up the ambush formation: "Old Ma, you take two snipers to occupy the high ground. Da Liu, you take three men to ambush on the left. I'll take the rest on the right. Once they're all inside the ambush zone, open fire simultaneously on my command."

"Remember," Lin Zhe emphasized, "this is an exercise, using blank rounds and a laser simulation system. But treat it like real combat—if you are 'killed,' you are really 'dead.'"

"clear!"

Everyone moved to their designated positions and concealed themselves. The mine was eerily quiet, save for the sounds of the wind and insects.

Lin Zhe lay prone behind a rock, his eyes fixed on the entrance, his ears listening to the sounds around him.

The Hunter Blade Special Forces have already laid out their net, just waiting for "Sharp Sword" to fall into it.

Meanwhile, in the Blue Army command post, Zhang Dajiang was unaware that his proud special forces team was about to face a tough battle.

The exercise has only just begun.