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

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

"Wolf, unidentified forces

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

the battle above, Soren knew staying meant

was to escape and return with reinforcements for

Soren vowed, "Captain, wait

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

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

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

had to down the helicopters to cut off

and

fight, downing two helicopters, while

casualties

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

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."

turned to follow, dizziness from blood loss nearly

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

a cane, stormed over, nearly

still in there!" Leopold roared, defiance written across

his captain but his dear friend who grew up with him. There was no way he would let Percival be buried down there without doing

men. They're heavily wounded,

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

news. "Deputy director, it's the HQ

grabbed the handset.

authorized this operation? I told you to wait for satellite confirmation before

the mine. When were

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

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