BXBX NOVEL Chapter 168: 168: Sudden attack
After a long night of thinking, Ye Fei had come up with a solution. He had given Zhang Qiang, who was with Liu Junyi's group, a special firework signal. He told him to light and release it into the sky if they encountered overwhelming enemies. This way, Ye Fei could rush over and assist.
Given his aunt's skill level, Ye Fei believed she could hold her ground long enough for him to come to her aid unless they encountered an opponent of his own caliber.
After breakfast, the nearly 1,000-strong force boarded military trucks and headed for the forest. Knowing that the terrorists were already aware of their arrival, Liu Junyi saw no need for concealment before entering the forest. Their goal was clear: enter the forest, locate the terrorists, and engage them in a decisive battle.
By 10 a.m., the team had reached the forest's edge. After getting out of the trucks and reorganizing, everyone moved into their designated areas under Liu Junyi's command.
Concerned for Ye Fei's safety, Liu Junyi had assigned Li Yun to his group, along with the expert sharpshooter from Beijing, Wei Qing. However, Wei Qing seemed somewhat displeased about being placed in what appeared to be the least dangerous zone.
Although Ye Fei had seen his share of action, he was still a young man, just 18, with a touch of boyish curiosity. This was his first time fully geared for such a mission, and he couldn't help but marvel at his equipment. Every now and then, he'd smile to himself or fiddle with his gun.
"I really don't understand why Captain Liu would organize the search this way. Isn't this just making us sitting ducks for a terrorist ambush?" muttered Wei Qing, her dissatisfaction apparent.
Ye Fei, already aware that this cold and arrogant beauty from Beijing was named Wei Qing, couldn't help but overhear her. He felt slightly irritated, as her words were critical of his beloved aunt. Without thinking, he retorted, "Do you have a better idea?"
Wei Qing blushed at his response. She knew deep down that Liu Junyi's approach was likely the best option. Normally, she would have apologized, but since it was Ye Fei—the boy who had already rubbed her the wrong way the day before—her frustration boiled over. "Is complaining not allowed?" she shot back.
"Complaining is questioning your superior's orders. Do you think that's appropriate for a soldier?" Ye Fei smirked, clearly enjoying riling her up.
"You...!" Wei Qing fumed, but was at a loss for words. He was technically right.
At that moment, a fellow Beijing Special Forces member approached Wei Qing and whispered something to her. A sarcastic smile crept onto her lips as she shot Ye Fei a glance.
"So, that's the deal? You're Captain Liu's nephew. I was wondering how a greenhorn like you got to tag along on such a mission when seasoned soldiers were left behind. I guess family connections come in handy," Wei Qing sneered.
Unfazed, Ye Fei responded with a grin, "Yep, my aunt made sure I got the safest assignment because she knew I'm still a rookie. But, I can't help but wonder why the best marksman from Beijing was assigned to this group too?"
Furious at his response, Wei Qing snapped, "At least I didn't need Captain Li to babysit me!"
Ye Fei was momentarily speechless. He knew Li Yun had been placed in his group to protect him, after all. He rolled his eyes and decided to stop engaging with her.
Li Yun, sensing the rising tension, stepped in, smiling. "Wei Qing, Ye Fei's still young and new to this. Maybe cut him some slack."
Wei Qing responded quickly with a loud "Yes, sir!" though her face flushed slightly. For some reason, being around Ye Fei made her lose her cool. Realizing her outburst was out of line, she restrained herself, but not before catching Ye Fei flashing her a smug look, which reignited her irritation.
The morning passed uneventfully. Despite nearly 100 people searching, they hadn't found a trace of the enemy or any clues. Communication was limited due to the lack of electronic signals in the area.
By noon, the group stopped to rest in a small clearing. Relaxed and still not taking the mission too seriously, the soldiers sat on the ground, eating and chatting casually.
Ye Fei, observing the relaxed atmosphere, sighed. He knew it was pointless to try and remind them of the danger. He heightened his own vigilance instead.
But even after a long rest, there was no sign of the enemy. Ye Fei began to wonder if he was overthinking things. Perhaps the terrorists were too far away to launch an attack.
Seeing Ye Fei finally relax, Li Yun smiled and asked, "Feeling nervous? It's your first real mission, right?"
"Maybe," Ye Fei admitted, shaking his head. "I just had a bad feeling earlier, but I guess I was too tense."
Li Yun chuckled, "It's okay. You'll get used to it. These terrorists are hardly a match for us out here. Relax. Speaking of which, how about telling me a bit about your school?"
"Why the sudden interest in my school?" Ye Fei laughed.
"Well, my daughter's around your age, and every time I try talking to her about school, she gets impatient. I just want to know what you young folks are thinking about," Li Yun said with a fatherly grin, clearly doting on his daughter.
Ye Fei smiled, surprised to learn Li Yun had a daughter, as he'd never mentioned her before. "With you being so handsome, your daughter must be quite beautiful," Ye Fei teased.
"Of course!" Li Yun said proudly. "She looks just like her mother, and she's as beautiful as she is smart."
Ye Fei laughed, "I'll have to meet her someday."
Li Yun mockingly frowned as he slapped on Ye Fei back, "You can meet her, but don't get any ideas! I know you already have a fiancée, Lin Ling."
Before Ye Fei could reply, a sudden shout broke the tranquility. "Enemy attack!" A guard outside screamed, followed by a rapid burst of gunfire.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The guard's voice was abruptly silenced, and the entire team of special forces members, who had been relaxed moments earlier, sprang into action.
With military precision, they quickly found cover behind trees and other objects. Li Yun dove into cover too.
However, Ye Fei reacted differently. Although his reflexes were far superior to those of the seasoned soldiers, he hesitated, standing upright and staring towards the sound of the gunfire.
Li Yun, now hidden, saw Ye Fei still standing in the open and his heart raced. A fresh volley of bullets rang out. Bang-Bang-Bang!Without thinking, Li Yun leaped from his cover, tackling Ye Fei to the ground.
Ye Fei, startled, smiled up at Li Yun. "I'm fine, Uncle Li. Get up."
But Li Yun didn't move. Ye Fei noticed something was wrong. Something warm and wet was soaking his chest. Realization struck him, and panic set in.
Moving Li Yun slightly, he saw blood spreading across his uncle's chest and back. A bullet had hit him.
"Uncle Li!" Ye Fei cried in horror, trying to stop the bleeding.
The captain, noticing the commotion, crawled over. "What happened?"
"Li Yun was hit!" Ye Fei shouted, frantically trying to stem the flow of blood by press his hands on the wounds.
The captain quickly took over, trying to stabilize Li Yun while issuing orders. "Everyone, return fire! Wei Qing, cover me—Li Yun's life is on the line!"
The situation was dire. The team was pinned down by enemy fire, hidden behind trees too thick for their bullets to penetrate. In contrast, the special forces had little cover and were being suppressed, barely able to return fire.
As Wei Qing hurried over to provide covering fire, she shot Ye Fei a look of contempt, clearly blaming him for Li Yun's injury.
But Ye Fei barely noticed. Overwhelmed by guilt, he knew this was his fault. If only he had acted sooner, if only he had revealed his true strength to Li Yun, this might not have happened. Now, all he could do was watch helplessly as his uncle Li lay bleeding out.
His heart filled with rage. These bastards had injured his uncle. Now, they wouldn't leave here alive.
Determined, Ye Fei stood up, eyes cold with fury, and dashed towards the enemy like a blur of lightning.