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

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

Leopold boosted their firepower and rescued

into the mic, "Wolf, unidentified forces

Soren, "Comms are jammed.

the battle above, Soren knew staying meant certain death for

only chance was to escape and return with

"Captain,

though not without injuries-broken limbs and, for Soren,

to life with Micah's voice urging

"HQ, Wolf's comms are down. Send me the

time to consider the consequences. They had to down the helicopters to

and relayed the

fight,

rendezvous point, with casualties among them,

hastily bandaged, relayed Percival's location to Leopold, insisting they

members and strapped them on, his voice a mix of anger and resolve. "First squad, anyone who can still move, on

to follow, dizziness from

back to report and heal. Or

over, nearly

is still in there!" Leopold roared, defiance written

who grew up with him. There was no way he would let Percival be

"Look at your men. They're heavily wounded, and their lives matter, too. Back to base, that's an

Thomas. "Get him treated, then document everything about the mine. Hand it

news. "Deputy director, it's

handset. "This is

told you to wait for satellite confirmation before proceeding. Do you not understand 'stand by"?" Soren overheard the

from HQ to enter the mine. When were we told to stand by?" Soren

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