God of Blackfield

Extra, Chapter 463: Ello? (1)

Kang Chan maintained his vigilance for over two hours.

He didn’t search in one direction either; there were times when he’d go up the mountain before heading down again.

They were risking their lives to search for their enemies. Worse, they were still humans at the end of the day; their backs were bound to ache, and they inevitably lost focus as time went on.

Though already well aware of Kang Chan’s searching method, Éiric still found himself blown away deep down. Their captain seemed more like a robot scanning the forest. He didn’t rest or lower his guard for even a moment.

All of the soldiers knew and witnessed this same man quietly sitting in front of his fallen subordinates for thirty minutes.

It was in moments like this that the spite, disappointment, pity, and self-reproach in Kang Chan’s eyes tirelessly persisted.

If he could save his men through tedious and unrelenting searches, he would keep doing this for days on end.

Kang Chan stopped walking.

Éiric stood on edge. He felt as if his nerves were escaping from his body through his head.

About three hours had passed since they started to search the forest.

Kang Chan slowly turned his head, then turned his left hand in a circle three times before pointing twice at an area diagonally above them.

‘Two tangos in that direction’

Afterward, he pointed Éiric to a tree in front of them. He then pointed to the ground with his left index and middle fingers.

‘Cover us from there!’

As Éiric was getting into position, Kang Chan and Mazani stood their ground and kept watch.

Rustle!

Dirt quietly crumbled under Éiric’s feet as he knelt and leaned against the tree.

Next, it was Mazani’s turn.

Kang Chan pointed Mazani down the mountain in the same way he did for Éiric.

Éiric and Kang Chan guarded Mazani as he slowly and carefully hid in the location that Kang Chan had pointed at.

Two enemies were supposed to be in the direction that Kang Chan had pointed at, but neither Éiric nor Mazani could see them.

After examining their surroundings, Kang Chan slowly crouched and headed deeper into the dark forest.

***

There were still six hours left before sunrise.

Plip’s target was somewhere a kilometer ahead. Right now, all they could do was become a part of the forest—like a rock or a tree—and wait for their enemies to show themselves again.

Mahujani was waiting for Plip and the other snipers to report that they had killed their target. However, this wasn’t something that they could rush.

‘I’m not surprised that we’re taking this long. We were told that he’s the best commander of the Foreign Legion’s special forces.’

His gut was warning him that it would be difficult for him to fight the Asian commander, let alone kill him.

Nevertheless, Plip kept his index and middle fingers on his rifle and looked into the night scope.

He could stay in this position for an entire day if he wanted to.

***

Suddenly suspicious, Mahujani looked at the men in front of him with displeased and spiteful eyes.

“What if the British intelligence bureau has tricked us?”

Regardless of which country it was located in, the intelligence bureau was an organization that acted for its own nation’s interests. Even though the British intelligence bureau had promised to help them, that organization could offer the same help to the DGSE anytime.

“There hasn’t been any information or signs of that being the case, sir,” one of the men responded.

Mahujani looked in the direction that the Foreign Legion’s 11th special forces unit was supposed to enter. He had heard that the British intelligence bureau had sent snipers to kill the Asian commander. If so, they should’ve heard gunshots by now.

‘Could it be? What if France has pressured the British intelligence bureau into backing out?’

Mahujani quietly shook his head. If that was the case, then the 11th unit would’ve been attacking their base by now.

There were only twelve people in the 11th unit. Even if they were exceptionally remarkable, Mahujani’s warriors would be able to handle them.

As long as he and his men could leave this place alive, they would be able to build another base like this as many times as he wanted.

What on earth is going on?

Mahujani exhaled his frustration.

***

Kang Chan slowly went down. As if drawing a large circle, he then climbed the mountain in front of them.

Eventually, he saw a straight twig. There weren’t any trees or twigs that grew straight up in Africa.

The only things that could be as long as a hand and pointing straight up in African forests were the muzzles of rifles. If the trees also suddenly rustled behind it, then it was most likely a sniper.

Moreover, no tree in Africa would remain unmoving while the wind was rustling nearby branches.

Kang Chan just had to confirm his suspicions.

Carefully approaching and checking if the tree was actually an enemy was a hundred times wiser than marching onward under the assumption that it was just a tree. He could get him and his men killed with that thinking.

Fucking sons of bitches.

Kang Chan quietly headed toward the location of the suspicious twig.

A sniper had killed Haller just before he could board the rescue helicopter. Kang Chan didn’t know where or how snipers could suddenly approach and attack them like this, but he had no intentions of forgiving them.

Haah. Haah.

Kang Chan moved without making a sound. He didn’t know how he could move like this; it all just came naturally to him. If someone asked him how he could do this, he would be as confused as an eagle that was stopped mid-flight and asked how it was flying. He could move normally if he wished, but he could also move silently.

He walked in between the trees, turning so that his shoulders fit in between the hanging branches. If he was ever uncertain, he slowed down so much that he didn’t even appear to be moving.

It took another thirty minutes for him to reach his target, but he couldn’t care less. If he could confirm that it was a sniper, then the three hours that it had taken them to search the forest and the thirty minutes it took for him to reach the sniper’s location would be well worth it.

Kang Chan stopped again.

Perhaps it was because he approached them from the back, but he could see the waists of two people.

They didn’t move at all while Kang Chan was approaching them, which meant that they had been properly trained.

You should check your six from time to time.

Kang Chan placed his right index finger on the trigger. Shooting them in the forehead was the surest way to kill them.

“Ello?” Kang Chan called out.

Swish!

The two men turned their heads toward Kang Chan, surprise and shock evident in their faces.

Bang! Thud Bang! Thud!

The silence in the forest shattered in an instant.

***

Plip felt his heart sink to the ground.

‘How…?’

Two rifle gunshots echoed in the direction where Team Two was lying in ambush. Silence then filled the forest again.

There was nothing that could prove the death of his men more than those noises. Their operation had failed.

Plip didn’t know how, but their Asian target had found out that snipers were targeting him. He had also figured out Team Two’s location and killed them.

They failed—Plip admitted as much. It would be stupid to stay here and lose another remarkable sniper.

He decided to pull out of the operation.

Chk.

“We’re returning to the base. I repeat. We’re returning to the base.”

Plip then glanced at his spotter, signaling to leave.

***

The high-ranking rebel in charge of security urgently ran into the cave.

“We believe the UK’s operation has failed, sir.”

“What? What makes you think that?” Mahujani asked. He didn’t even seem fazed in the slightest.

His ability to remain calm and act boldly was what made him the leader of this rebel force.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“We were told that the British snipers started withdrawing when they heard gunshots from France’s special forces soldiers.”

“Hmm.”

The British intelligence bureau wouldn’t sell their nation’s snipers to France. If so, then this could only mean that the infamous Asian commander had killed the British snipers.

He’s this good? Is that monster really this talented?

Mahujani tightly gritted his teeth and then looked at the ceiling of the cave.

It would be difficult for them to take down fight two special forces units and five Foreign Legion companies and their armored vehicles.

Regardless of what anyone said, following their original plan and fighting just the twelve soldiers was the wisest choice at the moment.

“Prepare the warriors. We’re overcoming this crisis ourselves. I’ll take command! I want to behead that monster and throw his head in the fire myself.”

“Allāhu Akbar!”[1]

After receiving Mahujani’s orders, the executive responded and went out of the cave with a grim expression.

Mahujani looked at the other high-ranking rebels in the cave with him. “This is Allah’s will. He told us to preach our religion through Jihad. Today is no different!”

Even though they were now in an urgent situation, he remained calm and rhythmic.

Mahujani continued, “Go, my warriors! Know that heaven is in the shadow of a knife! Show no fear and bring me our enemies’ heads!”

“Allāhu Akbar!” the others yelled, filling the cave with their firm determination.

***

Kang Chan called Éiric and Mazani using their signal.

“Fsssss! Fssss!”

The two reached Kang Chan in no time at all. After all, they didn’t have to circle around like Kang Chan or move slowly.

Mazani examined the bodies before standing up with perplexed eyes. Their enemy’s sniper rifle and its attachments seemed unusual.

Most snipers became scarier as they grew older. After all, once they had become skilled to a certain degree, their amount of experience became all the difference between them and other snipers. The more experience, the better they were.

Kang Chan looked at the area that they hadn’t searched yet.

No idiot just send one sniper team. If these men he had just killed had colleagues nearby, they would’ve heard the gunshots. However, if so, they would have already shot Kang Chan.

This clearly meant that there was another team of snipers.

‘Where are you bastards hiding?’

Kang Chan examined the area in front of them.

Rustle! Rustle!

Although it was faint, he was certain he heard something move. Those unfamiliar with Africa would’ve had trouble recognizing it.

He smirked in the direction of the sound.

Are you fuckers seriously trying to escape while moving that loudly? Moving like that with my unit around is no different from begging for us to kill you! We spend most of our time here, you know.

You little shits wouldn’t know this, but I asked for the headquarters to be in Kilima because I wanted my men to be able to identify the sounds of the forests in Africa even while they were asleep. You’re not escaping from us with movements this loud, especially not after what you’ve done to Haller.

Kang Chan advanced toward a ridge more quickly and surely than before. Éiric followed him on his left, and Mazani on his right.

The enemies would be exposed if they went down the mountain, and their shadows would be visible if they went up. Their only viable choice was to climb the ridge.

Kang Chan moved quickly for about fifteen minutes before stopping completely.

Rustle! Rustle!

A moment later, he found two figures moving carefully and quietly.

The enemies could have escaped if they ran like crazy from the start instead of climbing the ridge. However, in this African forest, Kang Chan wasn’t the only one they had to run away from.

Kang Chan placed his finger on the trigger. Fortunately, he could skip the hassle of issuing orders this time. Unlike the other soldiers, there was no need to call out to Éiric and Mazani.

Pew! Bam! Pew! Bam! Thud!

Two gunshots shattered the silence again.

‘Check if they’re dead!’ Kang Chan ordered with his gaze, and Éiric quickly followed.

‘They’re wearing the same uniform as the men you killed a moment ago, sir.’

Kang Chan pointed to the front with his index and middle fingers. There were signs of people moving from somewhere not too far away from them.

***

Midway up the ridge, Plip stopped moving and then glanced at his surroundings. Gunshots had once again rang out not too far away from them.

He was about to go crazy. From always being the one putting targets in his scope, he now felt as though he had become prey trapped in this dark forest.

How on earth did the Asian commander find out that snipers were lying in wait for him? How did he locate Teams Two and Three and kill them with just a bullet each?

Plip couldn’t move yet. When his spotter looked at him, he quickly shook his head.

Moving rashly in this forest would just put them in even greater danger. Biding their time here and moving only after they had understood the situation would be far wiser.

Time slowly passed as they waited, but nothing else happened. Their surroundings had already quieted down.

Should we wait ten more minutes? No, maybe a little longer than that?

While Plip was slowly looking at his surroundings, he heard people moving loudly in the distance.

‘You idiots! Thanks, though!’

The reckless footsteps, loud clankings of AK-47s, and ragged breathing made it clear that the Islamic rebels had decided to take matters into their own hands despite promising to wait.

Since they were going to attract the Asian commander to them, Plip and his spotter could use that moment to escape. They could also ascend to the role of hunters and put the Asian commander in the reticles of his scope again.

Plip shook his head at his spotter again.

It still wouldn’t be too late to move even after the Asian commander had begun to move toward the Islamic rebels.

Plip wanted to aim his sniper rifle at him again.

‘Go to the rebels quickly and shoot them with your damn rifle.’

Just as Plip solidified his resolve, someone called out to him.

“Ello?”

Plip got goosebumps all the way up to his cheeks. His mind blanked out in fear as all of the hairs on his body stood up. Nevertheless, he quickly turned around.

Bang!

He dropped lifelessly to the ground.

1. Allāhu Akbar is an Arabic phrase called Takbir. It means "God is greater" or "God is the greatest. It is a common Arabic expression that can be used in various contexts, such as when expressing resolute determination or defiance ☜