When Huang Jian learned that they were going to infiltrate the listening station with Lin Xiaoxiao, a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes, like a beast's pre-hunt celebration.
After waiting for so long, his chance has finally come.
"Boss, the listening station is too dangerous. Let us come with you." Shi Xinglong couldn't help but say this when he saw that Lin Xiaoxiao only planned to take Huang Jian and Ke Run, and when he thought of the listening station's tight defenses that even a fly couldn't get in.
Lin Xiaoxiao's decision to bring only two people was based on careful consideration.
"There are too many people and the target is too big, so we plan to finish this quickly."
Hearing her say that, Shi Xinglong and the others gave up their plan to go with her.
In the damp, dense forest, dust and mist, like cotton wool soaked in water, weighed heavily on the trees. Every leaf was adorned with glistening water droplets, which would tumble down with a gust of wind, wetting the hems of trousers.
Annoying insects left red marks on my exposed skin, and the decaying leaves under my feet were piled up in a thick layer, making them soft and sticky to the touch.
The listening station was built in a karst cave system. The main entrance was disguised as an abandoned mine. It was backed by a limestone mountain with an altitude of over 1,000 meters, and three layers of fortifications were built by hollowing out the mountain.
This location is only eight kilometers from our border crossing, allowing us to monitor our military's radio communications in real time.
Three kilometers to the east is Highway 12, which was also the most important supply line for the Vietnamese army. One kilometer to the west is a tributary of the Black Horse River, which is more than three meters deep during the rainy season and serves as a natural barrier.
Lin Xiaoxiao and her two companions, their faces obscured by special paint, squatted outside the perimeter of the listening station's perimeter.
The patrol team of six men patrolled the listening station inside and out without any blind spots. On the four wooden watchtowers, sentries carrying heavy machine guns could be seen with the naked eye.
"Boss, this whole area is a minefield. We don't have a mine clearance map, so we can't get through here." Ke Run looked at the mine clearance device in his hand that was constantly emitting red light and was alarmed.
With such a high density of mines, throwing a stone into it would be no different from setting off firecrackers during Chinese New Year.
Lin Xiaoxiao gestured on the ground with a tree branch, “I have summarized three infiltration routes. The first is to swim across the Black Horse River tributary to avoid the minefield; the second is to disguise ourselves as Vietnamese soldiers. I have a few passes here with genuine stamps but altered dates; the third is to use a feint to create chaos on Highway 12 and lure the patrol away.”
Huang Jian and Ke Run squatted together, listening to her plan.
“However, I prefer swimming,” Lin Xiaoxiao said.
There are many underwater caves in the tributaries of the Heima River, which allow them to avoid minefields and dive directly into the caves.
But while it's safe, it also requires a high level of breath-holding skill.
Roughly estimated, it would take about ten minutes to hold one's breath from the moment one enters the water.
The requirement to hold one's breath did indeed stump Huang Jian. He offered a different opinion: "Wouldn't it be better to use a feint? Lure the patrol away, then disguise ourselves as Vietnamese soldiers, and we can easily get in."
Ke Run didn't speak, and Lin Xiaoxiao glanced at Huang Jian.
Pointing to the opposite bank of the Black Horse River tributary, he said, "There is a Vietnamese mortar company stationed on the other side, which can cover the area outside the listening station including Highway 12. It is too risky to use a feint attack."
If the Vietnamese army noticed something was wrong, a single artillery shell would leave them no chance to dodge.
She learned from Li Yuanqing that in addition to the mortar company on the other side of the river, the listening station also had a company of special forces, with more than 30 people taking turns to guard it. In addition, there were special forces soldiers from country E who were specifically there to protect Rov.
If the listening station is compromised, the armored vehicle squadron of the Lai Provincial Mobile Regiment of Vietnam can arrive to provide support within fifteen minutes.
In the end, the three decided to swim across a tributary of the Black Horse River.
Lin Xiaoxiao generously taught the two how to hold their breath, and it took them more than twenty minutes to learn.
"Let's go, stay close." The three of them stealthily made their way to the riverbank, which led directly to the dark cave.
The underwater caves were interconnected, and it took Lin Xiaoxiao a lot of effort to find the path that Li Yuanqing had mentioned.
Ten minutes later, the three entered the emergency exit of the listening station. This exit was originally designed to allow experts like Rove to evacuate quickly in the event of an attack or accident at the listening station.
The listening station was simply furnished, with a blast-proof door at the main entrance, followed by a communications room, a codebook vault, and an advisor's room.
Lin Xiaoxiao's goal was to access the password database.
As they moved through the cave, they heard footsteps approaching. She and Ke Run exchanged a glance, one stretched out her leg, and the other twisted her neck.
Lin Xiaoxiao, dressed in Vietnamese military uniform, swaggered around the cave 'patrolling'.
Ke Run couldn't speak Yue language, so he could only hide in the shadows and operate the equipment he brought. Following Lin Xiaoxiao's instructions, he installed several small devices in the emergency passage.
Huang Jian was unaware of all that he had done, because he had quietly left the moment Lin Xiaoxiao departed.
Ke Run didn't stop him, only telling him to be careful and that they would meet at the emergency exit in an hour.
The password database left Lin Xiaoxiao completely bewildered, as she fiddled with the password and fingerprint lock on the door, scratching her head in confusion.
"Boss, need any help?" Huang Jian's voice suddenly rang in my ears, sounding somewhat eerie and sinister in this environment.
Lin Xiaoxiao didn't even turn her head. "Didn't you say you're familiar with electronic devices and can crack safes? Come and see how to crack this combination lock?"
Seeing that she wasn't surprised at all by his arrival, Huang Jian was taken aback.
He tightened his grip on the dagger, which he had hidden well in his sleeve and was coated with neurotoxin. "Alright, let me take a look."
With just a light stab, he could kill Lin Xiaoxiao.
Kill the man who killed his father.
Huang Jian stared at Lin Xiaoxiao's retreating figure, a fierce glint in his eyes. He slowly walked towards her, a smile of impending success playing on his lips.
Lin Xiaoxiao fiddled with the combination lock for a long time but couldn't unlock it, and she became a little irritable.
"Hurry up, stop dawdling," she urged Huang Jian.
Huang Jian walked over, looked at the lock, and sighed softly, "I can't unlock it either."
Lin Xiaoxiao glanced at him and said, "Useless."
Huang Jian gripped the knife handle tightly, his fingertips turning white. After scolding him, Lin Xiaoxiao turned away and continued fiddling with the knife, completely ignoring his emotions.
Looking at her slender back, Huang Jian's mind was filled with the image of his father being shot and dying with his eyes wide open two years ago.
That face would appear in his mind every night, constantly reminding him that he wanted revenge.
"Go to hell!" Overwhelmed with hatred, Huang Jian raised his dagger and stabbed Lin Xiaoxiao.
Just as the knife tip was about to pierce her clothes, Lin Xiaoxiao moved.
He grabbed his wrist and slammed him against the door with a forceful pull. The combination lock clicked, and the door was smashed open.
Huang Jian flew in like a rag doll and crashed to the ground. The force of the impact caused a trickle of blood to spill from the corner of his mouth.
He stared wide-eyed in disbelief at Lin Xiaoxiao, who walked in against the light.
He muttered to himself, "How...how is this possible?"
He was so fast that Lin Xiaoxiao couldn't possibly react so quickly when she wasn't on guard.
And there's this door...
Lin Xiaoxiao leaned casually against the combination lock cabinet. "You don't really think I can't unlock it, do you?"
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