33 Squad Leader, Han Lee 2 (2/2)
KWAA-Ji-Jik! Boom!
The sturdy, huge tree fell over.
”Gasp, gasp.”
Han and the exhausted squad members tried to catch their breath while leaning against the fallen tree trunk. They were panting with heavy breaths.
”We lost all our strength before the fight.”
”Let's rest a bit and move on.”
”Kuro, do you have enough strength to continue using your telekinetic power?”
”I'll be fine after I rest a little.”
Han observed Kuro's status. The core strength for this tactic relied on Kuro.
'Kuro need to reserve his strength, but he already wasted so much.'
Strategies will not always work out as planned. Han caught his breath as he sat down, before his data bracelet rang.
-Enemy is approaching 200 meters from the front. I will rejoin the team.
It was Canute's message. Han smiled bitterly. Everyone in the squad stood, understanding their situation.
”No time to rest. Prepare immediately.”
BANG!
The sound of a gun rang in the forest. The sound of more guns followed immediately. He could hear a short scream. Canute ran over while limping his leg. A bullet was jammed in his leg. It had no power to kill or penetrate the body, but the electrical shock had caused paralysis to Canute's leg.
”Damn.”
Canute tried his best to suppress the shooting pains as he ran.
'This is no joke. They hit me at this distance.'
The ninth squad was indeed veterans. They could easily hit Canute who had been running quickly through the forest. They pressed forward, hunting Canute.
”Gasp, gasp. I'm late.”
Canute judged it would be impossible to rejoin his squad.
'I would only be in the way even if I rejoin them with the state my leg is in. It would be better to buy them more time by escaping into a different direction.'
Canute ran into the opposite direction of his squad. He sent the current status to Han.
BA-ANG!
He could hear the guns closing. The tree next to him lit up in flames from the spark.
”Damn.”
Canute turned his body backwards and aimed at them. There would be no way he could hit them with this unsteady pose. Squad 9 hid themselves behind a tree and laughed.
”I don't think we need to bother concealing ourselves. His aim is horrible.”
Canute was a skilled shooter, but that had been at the shooting range.
It was a different story trying to hit a moving target inside a forest. Canute felt the skill difference with his body. The experience difference between squad 9 and 13 was too vast.
'Just one person, even if it's just an injury.'
Canute fired his gun blindly. He reloaded his gun. In that short moment, the ninth squad sprinted forward.
”Goodbye.”
The ninth squad all shot at the same time.
The bullets hit Canute's body with ease. Canute's body shook violently. He couldn't even talk from the electric shock.
His body spasmed and convulsed. Canute had become unable to battle.
”One down. Three left.”
”Why was there only one person in the front? Was there a reason to use an advance guard with only four squad members? This round will end with a frontal attack anyway.”
Squad 9 pushed back their helmet shields to rest for a moment. They felt something was strange. The thirteenth squad sent an advanced guard and lost one of their valuable soldiers.
In a ten member squad battle, it would reduce their man power by only one tenth, but in a four member squad battle that was a quarter of their military strength.
This was a fatal loss. There was no reason to send a scout out risking that loss in a four vs four battle.
”They probably thought up some lame battle tactic.”
Squad 9 geared their helmet shields and assembled in a line once more. They descended to look for the thirteenth squad.