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

their teams back toward Percival's last known location. However, 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

their firepower and

mic, "Wolf, unidentified forces are attacking from above. Evacuate

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

the battle above, Soren knew staying meant certain

to escape and

"Captain, wait for

the mine, though not without

his headset crackled back to life with Micah's voice

Wolf's comms are down. Send me the coordinates

consider the consequences. They had to

cursed and

swiftly ended the fight,

with casualties among them, they awaited

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

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

turned to follow, dizziness from blood loss nearly

back to report and heal. Or the

cane, stormed over, nearly collapsing. "Everyone, back

is still in there!" Leopold roared, defiance written across his

his captain but his dear friend who grew up with him. There was no way he would let Percival be buried

the stakes but stood firm. "Look at your men. They're heavily

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

approached with urgent news. "Deputy director,

the handset. "This is

for satellite confirmation before proceeding. Do you not understand 'stand by"?" Soren

enter the mine. When were we told to stand

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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