With a creased map in hand, Percival trekked alongside Soren to a nearby abandoned mine.

At the mine's entrance, they stumbled upon a covert mark of White Tiger etched into the rock face, its meaning unclear yet undeniably significant. And there, scattered nearby, lay a cache of critical documents belonging to CK.

"Base, this is Soren. We've found the mark," Soren hollered into his headset.

A different voice crackled back, not Micah's as expected, but that of the HQ commander. "Copy that. Proceed underground."

Exchanging a glance, Percival and Soren strapped on their oxygen masks and descended into the bowels of the earth.

Markers bearing White Tiger's emblem appeared sporadically along the mine's tunnels-faded, but a trail they could follow nonetheless.

As they ventured deeper, the air grew thin, and a faint, metallic scent of blood wafted from the depths.

Suddenly, a clod of earth tumbled from directly above Percival.

"Run!" Percival barked, his eyes dark with urgency.

With lightning reflexes, Soren signaled to the team behind them, and the third squad retreated in a disciplined dash toward the exit.

Then, a thunderous collapse echoed from behind Soren.

"Captain!" He yelled.

"Get out of here. That's an order!" Percival's voice crackled through the headset as Soren could only glimpse his silhouette through the narrowing gaps in the debris.

"Captain, I'll get you out!" Soren halted along with a few others.

Percival's voice was icy. "Get lost. After you're out, find Vivienne!"

Leopold and Thomas, sensing the gravity of the situation, called out, "Captain, report your status!"

"Mine... Collapse... Get out..."

faded into

before they could get close, a helicopter buzzed overhead, raining down bullets like a hailstorm. Leopold and Thomas fought back while retreating to HQ. But unfamiliar with the terrain, the front squad often stumbled into collapsing tunnels, with some members

with Thomas, Leopold boosted their firepower and rescued the

Micah shouted into the mic, "Wolf, unidentified forces are attacking from above.

Percival tossed aside his useless headset, shouting to Soren, "Comms are jammed. There's a signal blocker

Soren knew staying

only chance was to escape and return with reinforcements for

vowed, "Captain, wait

escaped the mine, though not without injuries-broken limbs and, for

his headset crackled back to life with Micah's voice urging Wolf

teeth, Soren radioed, "HQ, Wolf's comms are down.

consider the consequences. They had to down the helicopters to cut off the attack and

and relayed the

three squads swiftly ended the fight, downing two helicopters, while the

point, with casualties among them, they awaited further

location

Leopold took two rifles from the other members and strapped them on, his voice a mix of anger and resolve. "First squad, anyone who can still move, on me." Thomas echoed

follow, dizziness from blood

caught him. "Go back to report and heal. Or the captain will have your

a cane, stormed over,

our captain is still in there!" Leopold roared, defiance written

him. There was no way he would let Percival be buried down there without doing

They're heavily wounded, and their lives matter, too. Back

shoved Leopold aside and took Soren from Thomas. "Get him treated, then document everything about

news. "Deputy director, it's the

the handset.

told you to wait for satellite confirmation before proceeding. Do you not understand

to enter the mine. When were

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