Section 5: Killing to Save Lives

It should be possible! Wei Daming struggled to get up, but his body was still shaking violently

After completing all of this, Ling Tianxiang glanced at his watch; it was 3:44 PM. He had been inside for one hour and twenty-three minutes. What surprised Ling Tianxiang slightly was that, so far, the American soldiers patrolling outside the camp had not discovered the breach in the barbed wire. It seemed that the vigilance of the American troops was not very high, likely because they had not been harassed by Taliban militants for a long time. Moreover, as far as Ling Tianxiang knew, Taliban militants rarely infiltrated American camps. The simplest method of harassment was to fire a few mortar shells from several kilometers away, preventing the American soldiers from sleeping soundly. Fortunately, that night, the American soldiers patrolling outside the camp did not discover the breach in the barbed wire, and it appeared that their vigilance was still low, probably due to the long absence of harassment from Taliban militants. Additionally, as far as Ling Tianxiang was aware, Taliban militants seldom attempted to infiltrate American camps, and the simplest method of harassment remained to fire a few mortar shells from several kilometers away, ensuring that the American soldiers could not sleep peacefully. Fortunately, that night, the nearby Taliban militants had no intention of launching an attack.

"Old Wei, don't move, I will help you check your wound." Ling Tianxiang gritted his teeth, as Wei Daming was suffering greatly.

Soon, Ling Tianxiang found what he was looking for: a standard M40A3 sniper rifle, which was essentially identical to the one he had used before. Most importantly, he discovered an entire box of C4 explosives, along with various fuses, the majority of which were remote-controlled. After finding a multi-channel remote detonator, Ling Tianxiang smiled. This was one of the standard pieces of equipment used by the U.S. military. Although Ling Tianxiang was merely a sniper, he fully understood how to utilize this standard equipment. Most importantly, the C4 explosives stored in the container were sufficient to blow the entire U.S. military camp to smithereens

"Tianxiang, what brings you here?" Wei Daming had also regained some clarity at this moment. "Did you come to rescue me with your men? What about the other brothers?"

Ling Tianxiang suppressed the urge to rush in and save the person. If he could not create chaos and did not have the opportunity to sneak Wei Daming out, then even if he charged in and killed all the Americans in the warehouse, he would still be unable to take Wei Daming away. He had even less confidence in facing the entire battalion of American troops, along with over 100 mercenaries from "Blackwater". However, the explosives and detonators he needed were inside the warehouse, so how could he obtain these items?

Two green light bulbs installed in the top corners of the container illuminated the items inside, exactly as Ling Tianxiang had imagined. This was a truck used for transporting military arms. The gun racks on both sides were filled with a variety of firearms, including the U.S. military standard M4, the German-made G36, and SIG. To Ling Tianxiang's surprise, behind a row of AKs, there were also Type 81 and Type 97 automatic rifles equipped by the Huaxia National Army. It seemed that the "Blackwater" company often engaged in shady dealings.

"You take it, and the two of us will fight our way out together!" Ling Tianxiang handed the M4 carbine to Wei Daming.

When the person turned their head, the first thing they saw was a black figure, followed by a faint glimmer of light. Before they could react, a .45 caliber ACP bullet had already struck their forehead

After assessing the situation, Ling Tianxiang disengaged all the safeties on the pistol and switched it to single-action mode. He then closed his eyes and took a deep breath, determining the order in which to eliminate his enemies. This entire process took less than two seconds. Immediately afterward, Ling Tianxiang leveled the pistol with both hands, kicked open the door, and swiftly charged inside

Ling Tianxiang looked at Wei Daming in surprise, wondering if there was anything more important than escaping

Ling Tianxiang gazed at the mercenary while also noticing the truck behind him. This was not an ordinary military truck, but a container truck emblazoned with the logo of "Blackwater". Immediately, Ling Tianxiang recalled a document he had reviewed before departure. The American "Blackwater" company is a private defense contractor. Although most of the weapons and equipment they use are compatible with the standard equipment of the U.S. military, they do not directly obtain logistical support from the military and must have their own support system. With so many mercenaries stationed at the camp, there must be a significant need for ammunition supplies, and that truck is certainly intended for transporting ammunition supplies. Thinking of this, Ling Tianxiang had an idea.

Next time, I must choose a much quieter handgun. Ling Tianxiang thought to himself, while vigilantly observing the surroundings. After about half a minute, confirming that there were no anomalies nearby, he slowly stood up. After ensuring once again that there was no danger in the vicinity, he looked towards the warehouse. The lights in the warehouse were still on, and there was no one on guard outside. It seemed that the American military, along with the mercenaries from the "Blackwater" company, believed that no one would dare to intrude into a camp guarded by hundreds of soldiers, which might explain the laxity in their security.

Ling Tianxiang swiftly caught the falling corpse and immediately dragged it under the truck. He would not choose to use his handgun unless absolutely necessary. Although the noise produced by the MK23 with a silencer is reduced from 169 decibels to 139 decibels, which can easily be masked by daytime sounds, in the pitch-black silence of night, under tense circumstances, the sound of a gunshot is strikingly clear. This is the primary reason why most special forces prefer to use knives to eliminate enemies at close range rather than resorting to handguns.

The mercenary who got off the vehicle to smoke was unaware of the danger, not even glancing over at Ling Tianxiang. As he prepared to circle around to the other side of the truck to inspect, Ling Tianxiang swiftly charged forward. The mercenary, facing death, sensed the danger at the last moment, but it was already too late. The cold dagger pierced into his neck from the right side, severing the spinal cord before cutting through the carotid artery, and then slicing open the trachea. Due to the rupture of the trachea, the corpse emitted a hissing sound. Ling Tianxiang felt he had been a bit too forceful; he first laid the body on the ground and then slowly withdrew the dagger to prevent blood from gushing out of the wound.

Two minutes later, Ling Tianxiang helped Wei Daming stitch up the wound and also bandaged it with gauze

The wounds on the arms and shoulders were not sutured, indicating that the mercenaries were using the injuries to torment Wei Daming. The bullet had passed through, leaving no significant fragments inside, which was a stroke of luck; otherwise, a lead core left in the body could cause poisoning and would require time to extract. Aside from the gunshot wounds, there were no obvious injuries on Wei Daming's body. The U.S. military generally does not use torture for interrogation, with drugs being the most commonly employed method.

Jack, damn it, Jack

While waiting for the lights on the tower to move away, Ling Tianxiang checked the status of his pistol. There were still 11 bullets left, which was enough to take out 5 enemies even if he fired two shots per target. Once darkness enveloped the warehouse again, Ling Tianxiang swiftly dashed out from behind the truck. In less than 30 meters, he took only 5 seconds. When he leaned against the outer wall of the warehouse again, he immediately heard the sounds of interrogation coming from inside. Perhaps it was the U.S. military interrogating Wei Daming, which is why they did not hear the gunfire from outside. Once darkness enveloped the warehouse again, Ling Tianxiang swiftly dashed out from behind the truck. In less than 30 meters, he took only 5 seconds. When he leaned against the outer wall of the warehouse again, he immediately heard the sounds of interrogation coming from inside. Perhaps it was the U.S. military interrogating Wei Daming, which is why they did not hear the gunfire from outside

Within half an hour, Ling Tianxiang became a "bomb handler." He installed bombs on the fuel tanks of the row of "Hummer" jeeps parked behind the barracks, as well as on the exterior walls of each barrack. Bombs were also installed on the walls of the command post, and of course, Ling Tianxiang did not forget to place several bombs at the mortar position. Finally, he installed a bomb under the fuel tank of the container truck and pocketed the three unused bombs. The multi-channel remote control switch was divided into several groups, allowing these bombs to explode in batches, achieving the best deterrent and destructive effect

After rubbing the dagger against the clothing of the corpse a few times, Ling Tianxiang unfastened the M4 carbine, quickly checked the condition of the weapon, and slung the carbine over his back. He then removed several spare magazines from the body. After confirming that he had not been discovered, Ling Tianxiang crouched and made his way around to the back of the truck. The container door was not locked, and after waiting for about half a minute, when all the lights from the towers had shifted in another direction, he swiftly pulled open the door and slipped inside the container

The U.S. military has not yet discovered us; let's head over to the barracks on the east side of the camp. Ling Tianxiang noticed the change in Wei Daming's expression, "Old Wei, are you alright?"

Ling Tianxiang immediately crouched down, simultaneously disengaging the safety on his pistol; it was now too late to use a dagger

"Tianxiang, are you Tianxiang?" Wei Daming slowly opened his eyes. "Tianxiang, where are we? No, how did you come here, how did you come here..."

The first unfortunate one was the mercenary facing the door, who was struck directly in the forehead by a .45 caliber bullet. Next was the mercenary standing by the pillar, holding interrogation tools; this time, Ling Tianxiang used two bullets, one hitting the left side of the man's chest, followed by the second hitting his Adam's apple. The third unfortunate one was the mercenary with his back to the door, who was turning his head; the bullet entered through the left temple and exited, leaving a hole the size of a bowl in the right side of his head and his backpack. The fourth unfortunate one was the military doctor who looked towards Ling Tianxiang; both bullets struck his left chest. Another military doctor had just turned to flee when he was hit in the back by a pursuing bullet, immediately collapsing forward onto the ground. A total of seven bullets were used, and all five targets were eliminated in less than five seconds.

For a special forces soldier intent on causing destruction, if provided with several hundred kilograms of C4 explosives, he could reduce a small town to ruins. Even though demolition is a "side job" for a sniper, for Ling Tianxiang, a sniper trained in professional demolition, maximizing the destructive power of these explosives is an effortless task. The simplest way to amplify the destruction is to place explosives under a car's fuel tank, effectively turning the vehicle into a bomb. Additionally, by installing explosives at various points of a building, the entire structure can be brought down.

"Old Wei, wake up, hurry up, I am Tianxiang, Old Wei..." Ling Tianxiang shook Wei Daming a few times, then cut the ropes binding Wei Daming and helped him sit down on the ground. "Old Wei, Old Wei... I am Tianxiang, hurry up and wake up."

No, I am fine, but we still have one more thing to do. " Wei Daming said as he disengaged the safety on the M4.

"Are we going to fight our way out now?" Wei Daming looked at Ling Tianxiang with a hint of surprise, nearly stumbling and falling again.

Wei Daming nodded and did not ask further. He gritted his teeth, waiting for Ling Tianxiang to help him tend to his wounds

"It's just me. The radio is on you, and I have already lost contact with the rear." Ling Tianxiang told a lie, while he picked up the needle and thread from the tray beside him. "Bear with it; I will help you stitch the wound first."

After hesitating for only half a minute, Ling Tianxiang decided to move forward to take a look. If things went awry, he would still need to save people first before causing any destruction. He checked his watch again; it was 2:51 PM, and he had already been inside for half an hour. His whereabouts could be exposed at any moment, so he needed to accelerate his actions. Ling Tianxiang stopped overthinking and stealthily approached the front of the warehouse, away from the command post. Suddenly, a glimmer caught his attention. He quickly sidestepped and concealed himself in the shadows, then saw a mercenary wearing a tactical vest, with an M4 carbine slung across his chest, jumping out of the driver's seat of a truck, a cigarette dangling from his mouth.

Can you now stand up and walk by yourself

Ling Tianxiang first observed the situation in the warehouse through a gap in the wall. Within his line of sight, he could see six individuals. Apart from Wei Daming, who was tied to a pillar, there were three muscular men wearing tight vests, clearly mercenaries. Additionally, there were two military doctors leaning against a large crate, quietly chatting. It seemed that the mercenaries were concerned that excessive interrogation might lead to Wei Daming's death, which is why they had the military doctors stationed here for immediate rescue.

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Ling Tianxiang was somewhat surprised by his own reaction speed; he was almost shooting purely on instinct. After the five enemies fell to the ground, he did not rush forward but instead kept his gun aimed at the bodies lying on the ground. He cautiously approached and kicked each of the five corpses with his toes, while keeping his gun pointed at the corner of the warehouse. Ling Tianxiang glanced at the somewhat dazed Wei Daming, and after confirming that the five enemies had been eliminated, he first checked every corner of the warehouse to ensure there was no one else present. Only then did he return his gun to its holster. At this moment, Ling Tianxiang began to feel a slight numbness in his wrist; the power of the MK23 was indeed a bit excessive, especially for someone of his relatively smaller stature as an Eastern person, making it even harder to handle.

Old Wei, bear with it for a moment; I will help you bandage your wound

Ling Tianxiang took out the remote detonator. "I have made arrangements. Once the bomb explodes, the camp will be thrown into chaos. At that time, we will take advantage of the confusion to escape. I will go check the situation first; you wait for me here."

Seeing Ling Tianxiang so confident, Wei Daming nodded. Taking advantage of Ling Tianxiang turning to walk away, he picked up a syringe from the tray, glanced at the label, then injected the syringe into his left arm, discarding it before Ling Tianxiang returned.

After adjusting his breathing, Ling Tianxiang drew his combat pistol. There was one last thing to do, and it was the most important task: to rescue Wei Daming. Just as he was about to take his first step, he suddenly heard hurried footsteps coming from the other side of the truck, which definitely did not belong to a drunken mercenary.