The SEAL Team 171 unit had successfully killed Bin Laden in one sweep, and their confidence began to swell limitlessly, leading them to believe that the entire world was theirs to traverse. Thus, upon receiving the news, they deployed immediately, intending to capture Mohandes and destroy the cache of munitions.

Initially, under the guidance of their inside man, a collaborator named Saeed, Milton’s team proceeded with remarkable smoothness. They neutralized every Taliban soldier on the ground and even spotted Mohandes. Just as they were closing in to surround and capture him alive, disaster struck: all their state-of-the-art stealth helicopters were shot down by the enemy.

Milton finally realized he had walked into a carefully laid trap. He was certain the Taliban had intentionally sent the traitor Saeed to lure them deep into the lion's den after the death of Bin Laden, planning to wipe them out for revenge. Therefore, he made the judicious decision to order a retreat.

Judging by the chaos on the scene, the Taliban soldiers must have been momentarily stunned by the attack from the stealth helicopters, as they failed to immediately seal the encirclement, allowing the SEALs a clean escape.

Only after retreating past two ridges did Milton manage to stabilize his unit. After sending out soldiers for perimeter security, they discovered no Taliban forces were in pursuit. This absence made Milton increasingly uneasy, yet he dared not return to the site of the firefight; the threat of missile strikes from unseen locations filled him with dread. He decided instead to call headquarters and request three missiles to deliver a saturation strike on the location of their recent engagement.

Milton's entire 171 contingent witnessed the spectacular explosion of those three missiles. Though they couldn't know how many Taliban fighters were killed, it at least delivered a blow to the enemy and salvaged a sliver of honor for the SEALs.

Milton had brought five of the newest stealth helicopters for this mission. Excluding the one dispatched to attack the cave housing the narcotics, the rest were all downed by the Taliban. Furthermore, he started with a team of twenty-five men; now, only sixteen remained, including Director Miller who had rushed over from the Middle East.

Milton connected dejectedly with Command Center, reporting the situation he had encountered. Command Center was unable to secure more definitive intelligence and merely ordered them to evacuate the mountainous region swiftly. Moreover, due to the threat of those terrifying anti-aircraft missiles, Command Center dared not dispatch helicopters into the mountains to extract them; they would only send aid once the SEALs reached a safe zone.

So, Milton led his 171 squad in a withdrawal toward the mountain perimeter. Having been ambushed by the Taliban and suffering heavy losses, the morale of Team 171 had plummeted; their prior confidence was utterly shattered. Consequently, everyone felt exhausted, and navigating the unfamiliar terrain at night, even with GPS guidance, meant they made little progress throughout the evening.

The following morning, Milton allowed his men a short rest to eat something and replenish their strength before resuming their movement out of the mountains.

Milton and his team continued their advance through the vast mountains until the afternoon. Upon reaching a mountain peak, Milton halted them again, ordering them to refill their water supplies, rest briefly, and dispatch soldiers to secure the perimeter.

Because of the previous night's ambush, the soldiers assigned to perimeter duty were extremely tense, reacting with heightened nervousness to every sound. A sentry suddenly noticed movement in the brush ahead. He silently flattened himself, peering closely through his rifle's scope, and then caught a faint glint of metal reflecting from the undergrowth. Slowly, a head painted entirely black emerged from the foliage.

The soldier’s heart leaped into his throat. All his teammates were behind him, and they were deep within Taliban territory; whoever this person was, they certainly were not one of their own. He quickly tapped his comms device twice, sending the signal indicating contact with the enemy.

Milton, still somewhat shell-shocked from the previous night's ambush, immediately ordered his men to prepare for combat upon receiving the enemy contact signal. SEAL Team 171 swiftly took up advantageous positions, readying themselves for a fight.

The black-painted head in the bushes peered out, assessed the surroundings for any threat, found nothing amiss, and then stood up, making a signal. Immediately, a large group of armed individuals rose from the grass and began moving toward Milton’s position.

“Captain, what now?” a teammate whispered to Milton.

“These men aren't wearing identifying uniforms, and they’re moving stealthily; they must be our enemies,” Milton analyzed, observing the approaching figures. He issued orders into his headset: “Team 171, stand by for my command. Prepare for engagement.”

The men of 171 quickly chambered rounds, targeting the approaching group.

The enemy drew nearer, then the lead figure made another gesture, and the entire group halted. The leader pulled a knife and suddenly hurled it toward a specific spot.

The knife landed precisely where one of Milton’s team members was concealed. Seeing the projectile coming, the hidden SEAL tensed up and immediately opened fire on the approaching enemy. The attacker who threw the knife was riddled with bullets, instantly turning into a sieve, while his knife lodged itself into a highly venomous snake hidden in the tree ahead.

“Fire!” Milton roared as the situation spun out of control, opening up with his rifle toward the enemy. His men immediately followed suit, unleashing a torrent of bullets toward the opposing force. Caught completely off guard, over a dozen of the enemy went down immediately.

“Contact! Hit the deck and return fire!” The opposing commander reacted with lightning speed, dropping low and issuing urgent orders. His men were equally well-trained; upon hearing gunfire, they had already dropped to the ground, and now they responded by unleashing suppressing fire with their personal weapons toward the front.

A fierce exchange began, and soon both sides suffered heavy casualties.

“Cease fire! Quick, cease fire!” Director Miller suddenly realized something was wrong; all the enemies ahead were using American weaponry, which he could tell clearly from the sound of their automatic fire.

“This is US Navy SEAL Team 171, I am Captain Milton. Which unit are you?” Milton, also realizing the bizarre turn of events, quickly shouted out.

The opposing commander, having also recognized the anomaly, shouted back, “We are Company B, 7th Battalion, 83rd Regiment, US Army 1st Cavalry Division. I am Captain Hague.”

“We are here on a top-secret mission! How did you end up here, and why did you attack us first?” Milton felt his heart sink when he realized the opposition was also American.

“We are on a top-secret mission here too. We did not fire first! I’d like to ask you why you attacked us!” Hague was furious over the heavy losses inflicted upon his men.

“Gentlemen, both of you, calm down. Captain Hague, I am Director Miller from the CIA Middle East Division. How about we both report this situation to our superiors to determine the next steps? We will cease fire immediately and begin treating the wounded, agreed?” Miller interjected quickly, fearing another exchange of fire due to the high tempers.

Hague and Milton immediately contacted their respective Command Centers, reporting the situation. Soon, intelligence coordination between the two HQs confirmed the existence of both units, and they were ordered to prioritize treating their wounded, deferring further discussion until a consensus could be reached.

“Sir, we have twenty-three men killed in action and seventeen wounded,” the medic reported to Captain Hague.

“Damn it,” Hague’s mouth twitched slightly; he could hardly believe the devastating toll on his company. He ordered the medic, “Immediately treat the wounded soldiers and collect the remains of those killed in action.”

Milton’s side was equally grim. His team suffered five fatalities and four wounded; only seven men from the entire 171 squad remained fit for duty. These elite personnel, trained for years, were irreplaceable. They should have been in Washington awaiting commendations, not here waiting to be collected alongside the dead—this damned mission.

Milton soon received new orders from Command Center: Team 171 was to cooperate with Hague’s company to intercept a Chinese theft squad that had stolen fragments of America’s latest stealth helicopter.

Although Milton deeply resented it, having lost five men to Hague’s company fire, he had no choice but to accept the new directive. With Miller mediating, he began discussions with Hague on how the two units would coordinate.

Liu Hui and Zhou Tengyun ran through the mountains for over two hours. Since they were moving in a straight line, their speed was actually faster than driving.

“Lao San, there’s a stream ahead; let’s rest there,” Liu Hui jogged toward the creek first, with Zhou Tengyun quickly following.

Liu Hui took several satisfying gulps of spring water. “Mountain spring water is always best. The outside world is so polluted now; you can’t find water this sweet and refreshing anymore.”

“Continuous industrial development always means continuous environmental pollution,” Zhou Tengyun agreed, taking a drink himself.

“Is it possible for industry to advance continuously while the environment remains pristine?” Liu Hui inquired.

“Only if the entire world answers to you, and you alone decide where industry develops and where conservation takes place. Otherwise, someone will always act for their own benefit, damaging the environment, and the goal of protection will never be met,” Zhou Tengyun explained.

“Lao Da, I once heard a story. Developed nations overseas accused China of ruining the environment. China’s internal response was that you plundered us first. We were poor, so we had no choice but to destroy the environment to make money. If you want us to protect the environment, then pay up, and we will certainly safeguard it. The developed nations were willing to pay for conservation in China. However, when that money reached the domestic level, certain individuals embezzled and misused it. Consequently, those foreign nations accused China of failing to keep its promise. China then retorted that environmental protection is our internal affair and none of their business. If you refuse to pay, we will simply wreck the environment even worse—we might as well all go down together. Hearing this, the developed nations had no choice but to continue sending money, while hoping that some of those funds would actually go toward environmental protection,” Liu Hui stated gravely.

“Heh heh, the homeland is truly formidable. They can turn something like that into grounds for blackmail. I truly admire their ingenuity, Big Brother. Does this mean their brains are bigger, smarter than the average person?” Zhou Tengyun chuckled.

“Perhaps I can achieve that someday…” Liu Hui murmured.

“Achieve what, Lao Da?” Zhou Tengyun asked.

“Heh, nothing much. You’ll know when the time comes,” Liu Hui replied with a smile.

Zhou Tengyun asked no further questions. The two rested beside the stream, meditating to restore their stamina. A sudden gust of wind swept by, carrying an unpleasant odor.

“Something isn’t right,” Liu Hui opened his eyes abruptly; the air carried a faint scent of blood.

“Something is definitely wrong. There must have been a large-scale firefight ahead. This wind carries not only the smell of blood but also the residue of explosive powder,” Zhou Tengyun inhaled deeply and remarked.

“This place is unsafe; we need to leave immediately,” Liu Hui called out, quickly assessing the terrain, and started running toward the edge of the mountains, with Zhou Tengyun following closely.

“Captain, two Afghans spotted ahead! They’ve entered our line of sight. Wait—they saw me! They’re heading into the dense woods nearby,” one of Milton’s men suddenly reported.

Captain Hague, who was discussing coordination with Milton, heard the alarm from his subordinate and stated, “Captain Milton, we are on a top-secret mission. We absolutely cannot allow our position to be compromised.”

Milton inquired, “What is Captain Hague’s intention?”

“Take them out,” Hague made a downward slicing gesture.

Liu Hui and Zhou Tengyun were sprinting when they suddenly felt menacing, murderous gazes focused on them from ahead. Highly alert, they immediately retreated into the adjacent thicket.

“Lao Da, what do we do?” Zhou Tengyun asked.

“I don’t know who they are, but based on the principle of better safe than sorry, we should avoid them,” Liu Hui advised.

The two identified a direction and prepared to exit the woods from the opposite side.

“Watch out, we’re being targeted!” A warning flared in both Liu Hui’s and Zhou Tengyun’s minds. They reacted instantly, diving behind a large boulder just as a bullet struck the spot where they had been standing.

“Huh? Dozens of armed men are rushing toward us from the outside. Judging by their direction of movement, they seem to be trying to surround us,” Zhou Tengyun observed the area outside the woods carefully and reported to Liu Hui.

“Who on earth are they?” Liu Hui asked, perplexed.

“Can’t tell from the uniforms, but there are a few men in US military combat gear mixed in. They must be connected to the Americans,” Zhou Tengyun replied.

“We have no choice. Since they’ve come here looking for death, we’ll oblige them,” Liu Hui sneered. He then pulled a pile of weapons from his storage dimension; Zhou Tengyun took some, and Liu Hui equipped himself as well.

“Lao San, be careful,” Liu Hui cautioned.

“You too, Lao Da.”

Liu Hui and Zhou Tengyun separated. In this mountainous woodland, solo ambush hunting was the most effective tactic; being together made them too easy a target.

Hague and Milton, meanwhile, were observing the surrounding terrain.

“Yes, this terrain offers a good operational advantage. The dense woods are bordered by sheer cliffs on three sides; only the west side has a steep slope. If we attack from the west, those two Afghans won't be able to escape,” Captain Hague stated.

Just then, Hague’s radio operator ran up and reported, “Report to the Captain: Command Center just called. To support our operation, they are dispatching a bomber to assist us. The aircraft is estimated to arrive in our sector in twenty minutes.”

“Are those bureaucratic lords no longer afraid of Taliban missiles? That’s a rare change,” Milton commented, clearly disgruntled. Command Center’s delay in sending helicopters to extract his unit earlier had caused the disastrous friendly fire incident with Hague’s company, leading to heavy losses. He was quite unhappy with their current supportive action.

“Captain Milton, with a bomber in support, doesn’t this give you more options in combat? It’s a positive development, after all,” Director Miller suggested.

“That’s true,” Captain Hague agreed, unaware of the details of Milton’s four downed helicopters.

Deep within the woods, three soldiers advanced cautiously, providing mutual cover. Liu Hui dropped like lightning from a tree. With a mere flick of his wrist, a spurt of blood jetted from the neck of one soldier. Before the other two could turn around, crimson arcs erupted from their necks as well. All three clutched their throats, falling unwillingly.

Liu Hui quickly searched their bodies and found dog tags hanging from their necks, detailing their names and unit designations.

“Damn it, it’s the US Army 1st Cavalry Division. It must be the unit tracking Jiang Nan Yi and the others,” Liu Hui thought, feeling a mix of amusement and exasperation. Jiang Nan Yi and his team had helped him resolve the threat from the Vatican, and now he had run into the very unit meant to pursue them—a clear case of divine retribution, the cycle of karma.

However, encountering these Americans here didn't frighten Liu Hui. In the mountains, the US Army couldn't fully utilize the power of their equipment; this environment was perfectly suited for him to maximize his own lethal capabilities.

Liu Hui executed several more ambushes, successfully eliminating over a dozen American soldiers. In this setting, his terrifying combat prowess was fully displayed; the Americans were often dispatched before they could even utter a scream.

While Liu Hui operated with relative ease, Captain Hague’s expression grew darker. He realized that over thirty of his men had lost contact. Hague had started the mission with 150 men. Over a dozen were killed while tracking Jiang Nan Yi, over twenty more were lost in the exchange of fire with Milton, another ten were wounded, and now thirty more were missing—these disappeared soldiers were likely beyond saving. He now commanded barely fifty men he could fully control.

“Captain Hague, during a prior operation, our CIA Middle East Division encountered two special operatives from Al-Qaeda. We failed to eliminate them even after losing an entire fifteen-man squad. They even destroyed three of our helicopters, one of which was an attack chopper. We only managed to kill those two terrorists after firing Tomahawk cruise missiles. Judging by the current situation, the two Afghans you cornered are not ordinary fighters—they are enemies similar to the special operatives I described,” Miller explained to Hague.

“Does Director Miller have any suggestions?” Hague asked, suddenly feeling concerned about how to deal with these two Afghans.

“My suggestion is to immediately pull back those soldiers and hold position. Once the bomber arrives, use specialized ordnance to ensure those two Afghans are killed,” Miller offered sound advice.

“What about Captain Milton?” Captain Hague asked.

“If we pull our men back now, we risk suffering even greater losses. Therefore, my suggestion is to let my men go in and eliminate them,” Milton stated.

“Is Captain Milton joking?” Captain Hague asked, his face darkening.

“I am not joking. I neglected to properly introduce you to my men,” Milton said, gesturing toward a short American soldier standing beside him. “This is Elber. If he goes in, he can eliminate those two Afghans by himself.”

Hague finally noticed the unremarkable soldier beside Milton and asked doubtfully, “Can he do it? He looks shorter than an average soldier.”

“Whether he can or not, we’ll have to test it,” Milton replied.

“How should Captain Milton’s team coordinate with him?” Captain Hague inquired.

“Just have your soldiers be careful not to accidentally shoot him during their fire support,” Milton instructed.

“That shouldn't be a problem... Wait, where is Elber?” Before Hague could finish his sentence, he saw a flicker before his eyes, and Elber had vanished.

"Captain Hagar, Elber seems to have set out." Miller, as the director of the CIA branch office, knew some of the legends surrounding Milton's squad; within that unit, there was an exceptionally formidable master. However, even though this was the first time he had witnessed this master display their prowess, he was still deeply shaken; that speed was simply beyond human description.

Miller knew this master was renowned in the same league as a Delta Force expert named 'King Kong,' but King Kong's Delta team had suffered a catastrophic failure during a recent mission in Asia, resulting in the entire squad being wiped out, with King Kong himself missing and unaccounted for. Thanks to the book friend: Qian Jia Di Yi Shao for the 3000-word update vote A