078 Let the Storm Rage On Even Fiercer (Fourth Update!)

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"Tiger Squad? What should we do now?"

Inside Misurata, Libya.

While Guan Hu led his team deep into the heart of Libya and Li Changjiang was still trying to rendezvous with Nicholas, the eyes of the world were once again drawn to this North African battlefield beside the Mediterranean.

The Americans had actually deployed ground troops to fight inside Libya! Once the Libyan government exposed this news, the world erupted in astonishment.

Immediately, media from countries unfriendly to the US began circulating previous videos released by Libyans, pointing fingers. As they strongly condemned the US military action, Hamis's words completely shocked the globe: the Libyan government forces would launch a military operation against Misurata in just two hours, and the slogan for this campaign was even more intriguing.

"Expel foreigners from Libya!"

No people of any sovereign nation wish for foreign armies to act recklessly within their borders—even in a country like Libya, mired in civil war.

The consequences of Hamis's statement may not have a tangible effect in the short term, but it undoubtedly planted the seeds of trouble for any future military actions by US or other foreign forces.

"What exactly do the Libyans want?"

"Old Hu, I'm afraid this can't be kept under wraps any longer!"

In the operations command center located somewhere in the northwest, Xiang Guofang was clearly aware of the gravity of the situation. A team of just over twenty had entered Libya, which was not a major issue.

For Americans, deep-penetration missions behind enemy lines were routine. Besides, Lu Qian had made it clear—their current operation was secret, not carried out under any official military flag.

But everyone knew that was just a façade. If it came to this, there was only one option: abandon these twenty-something men entirely. Erase all traces of their identities, any evidence of their ever existing—even proof of their arrival in this world.

For the nation, this would be a tremendous loss!

For its military, an indelible stain—a shame that would persist no matter how strong they became in the future!

Neither Lu Qian nor Xiang Guofang could bear such a responsibility.

"Yes," Hu Dayou nodded.

Xiang Guofang withdrew from the command center.

Soon, as Xiang Guofang's assessment was relayed upward, a vast intelligence network rapidly radiated from a distant eastern coordinate out across the globe.

A torrent of information and intelligence converged at an astonishing speed, then condensed into brief reports sent to secret departments. Orders were issued almost instantly, flying to every branch like a flurry of snow.

In the office, Xiang Guofang and Hu Dayou, who had been waiting for nearly half an hour, immediately opened the video call system upon receiving the communication request.

The screen flashed.

First to appear was a crimson military flag, as if stained with blood—the flag of the Chinese army.

"Greetings, Commander!"

"Greetings, Commander!"

Xiang Guofang and Hu Dayou stood instantly, saluting.

"Orders: Xiang Guofang, Hu Dayou, immediately relinquish your special operations command authority and remain at your posts awaiting further orders. You are not to leave the command center!"

The call was then abruptly cut off, leaving silence.

The old commander’s face was cold and severe.

This was disastrous!

The two exchanged glances, bitterness in their mouths. Though they had anticipated this outcome, the decisiveness from above made them realize that they had indeed made a grave blunder.

Within the Misurata region.

Night was slowly descending.

The war had raged all day, but as darkness crept over the city, an eerie silence enveloped everything.

Gunfire ceased, so quiet it was almost frightening.

Through his scope, Guan Hu could still see, barely a hundred meters away at the only entry route into the city, dozens of US soldiers swiftly constructing a tight defensive line.

"Captain, I think we need to find another escape route. The Americans seem determined to hold this place."

"Wait a bit longer. The Americans wouldn’t take such a risk without reason. There are still many Libyans outside. Unless they're fools, they must realize that what they're doing is courting disaster."

Guan Hu’s intuition was correct.

The Americans knew it well.

Sloane Allen, the commander who issued the order, understood this thoroughly. That was why he dispatched more than twenty armored vehicles, over five combat helicopters, and nearly a hundred Marine soldiers.

Such a fully armed force could support a local battle involving thousands, and Sloane Allen was clearly prepared for such an eventuality.

Twenty years ago, the Battle of Somalia had been a bitter lesson for the Americans. After Somalians publicly humiliated the bodies of US soldiers before a global audience, every American commander stationed in North Africa thereafter followed a single rule:

Never leave behind a US soldier’s corpse for Africans.

The failure of the preliminary operation this time made Sloane Allen resolve, at once, to recover the bodies and prisoners of the Marines—but he was already one step too late.

Sloane Allen knew that aside from resigning in disgrace, he had no other options, but before leaving the North African command, he had to complete this mission.

Much like the commander twenty years ago.

That predecessor had only resigned after eliminating the Somali warlord responsible for the infamous Black Hawk Down tragedy.

But this time,

Sloane Allen miscalculated.

He never anticipated that Chinese operatives would appear on the Libyan battlefield, and more importantly, he underestimated their capabilities.

"The package has been found! Preparing to return!"

"Repeat: The package has reached the designated location, preparing to return!"

Perhaps only Americans would refer to their own soldiers' corpses as "packages."

Elsewhere.

Li Changjiang narrowly missed Nicholas, but soon sensed something was amiss.

The Libyans seemed to have vanished entirely.

It was unsettling.

The calm before the storm is always the most terrifying.

As he left the eastern camp and rushed toward another exit, American helicopters thundered overhead.

Stunned, Li Changjiang watched as more than ten RPGs soared from corners of the city, streaking skyward toward the Americans’ Black Hawk helicopters.

Red tail flames blazed fiercely in the dense night sky.

Meanwhile, inside the US military command center in Egypt,

The public channel erupted with cries of alarm.

"Damn it, it's an RPG!"

"Oh God, we're going to be shot down!"

Boom!

Even from a great distance, the thunderous explosion echoed through the communications, leaving only shock and terror in its wake.

War!

The curtain had risen once again.