n

n

nChapter 50: Chapter 9, Episode 2: The Missing Mole

nCaptain racked his brain with all his might, but he could not easily come to a decision.

nCaptain turned on his headset.

n

n

nThe company scale of the enemy is larger than expected. Each of you, tell me what you think. This is Burimer. I don’t want to continue on with a stalker. This is Morris. I will do as Black wishes. This is Emil. I will do as Black wishes. This is Jang Shin. I will do as Black wishes. Huh, Black seems to be the top gun. Black, what would you like to do? This is Black Mamba. No need to worry. Just make sure to stop them from coming head-on. I can sweep them in 10 minutes. Huh, just hearing you say that puts me at ease. You’re like a teenager who wants to fight with everyone. Alright, I don’t like stalkers either. Black Mamba will start the attack. Black, there’s not much choice. Make your own judgment call and sweep them. Yes sir Morris, after you explode the Claymores, grab your rifle. Yes, sir. Jang Shin, get help from Ombuti. If we run short on shells, grab the recoilless rifles. Yes, sir. Ombuti, help Jang Shin. Got it. Burimer, grab the ASG. Yes, sir. Black Mamba will be in charge of the attack. Emil and I will take turns with the machine guns. Burimer, do you have the M60 bullets?

n-Yes, sir.

nCaptain appointed each of the team members with their respective tasks.

nA leader must keep in mind the worst-case scenario. They lacked so much manpower that he had to request Jang Shin, who was in charge of the back attack with the grenade launcher, to also help Ombuti with the ammunition.

nHe gave up their specialties without hesitation.

n

n

nA sniper tactic was only good for specified targets. In a situation with large numbers attacking, it would be the worst possible way to stop the enemy. Plus, with their view compromised at night, their accuracy would fall drastically.

nThe troops’ task was to block the oncoming charge attack. Sniping was specifically handed to Black Mamba. Frolinat might think that the darkness gives them an advantage, but they are sorely mistaken. The darkness is a playground in which Black Mamba can run freely and efficiently.

nBlack Mamba has the ability to send tens of the opposing troops straight to Allah with his impeccable sniping skills.

nThey had been extremely lucky to have collected the high-speed automatic grenade launcher. After catching the enemy by surprise with the Claymore and land mines, they could rip the rest of them apart with this particular weapon. Black Mamba was a versatile sniper whose skill didn’t change whether it was in night or day. With Jang Shin’s grenade launcher and the power of the ASG17, they would be able to stop the oncoming enemy.

n

n

nCaptain was confident.

nBlack Mamba continued to stare at the green dot that seemed to extend eternally. The 4X magnifying scope attached to the Dragonov made it hard to figure out the exact distance. The enemy had already come with 1000m. He was waiting for them to reach 600m for his attack timing.

nHe whiffed the smell of sweat. He could also hear a low urgent voice prodding them on. They had come to the time where if they didn’t want to die; they would have to kill.

nThe first target they needed to get was the one in charge of the flares.

nA grenade flare was as bright as ten thousand candles. All his comrades had on night vision goggles. Exposed to such a magnified light, their corneas could get burned off.

nThe second target was the heavy weaponry; the third was the commander.

n

n

nThe ones holding their own weapons could be swept up when they reached the 300m mark. 300m was a good enough distance to ignore the AK accuracy rule.

nThe fully armed army’s approaching speed was about 5~7m per second; if he started shooting at the 600m mark, he could clear 60~70 of them.

nWhen they reached within 300m, he could shoot 1~2 per second. Within 2 minutes, he could sweep 100 men. His comrades would just have to hold them back for 3 minutes.

nBlack Mamba froze as he ran the battle simulation in his head.

nHe was reminded of the time he had herded and slaughtered cattle in his youth, but he didn’t feel any further guilt.

n‘Is it alright for me to do this?’

nIt hadn’t been that long since he had put down his moktak and picked up a gun, but how could he already have become this way!

nHe felt unfamiliar with this cold person who could calculate how many people he could kill at one time. When had be become so desensitized to murder?

n

n

nFour years ago, when he had been waving an ax, had he already become accustomed to blood?

nHe suddenly felt unfamiliar with his identity. In a few minutes, many more people would again die at his hands.

nWhat had he done in the past to have this heavy karma of being the butcher of people?

nThe memory of his teacher walking carefully so that he wouldn’t kill an ant flashed through his brain.

nLook up at the sky. It is filled with clouds. The faint stars blinked in the sandy winds. His mother had told him that when a pure soul died, it went to heaven and became a star. What would happen to those he killed?

nThe corpses filled the stomachs of animals; the discarded bones will wander the rough wilderness then disappear into dust.

nHis teacher had said these words to him: ‘Karma depends on the ability to resist temptation. Did you think I didn’t say anything because I didn’t know that you killed a warthog and ate it? It is because you are unable to resist temptation. I believe that even an ant’s life has purpose, and so I take care to avoid its death. Everything depends on how one perceives it. Don’t pretend to be a seasoned monk when you can’t even a proper apprentice.’

n“Teacher, I am a monster. I will take my own path,” he lowered his voice and mumbled.

nYes. He was a battling mercenary. He was a soldier that crushed the skulls of his enemies and poked holes in their chests. He just had to make sure he had no conscience. Black Mamba rid himself of the shreds of decency left inside him.

nAs if the sandy winds themselves were holding their breath, the first quarter moon of Tocotum floated up in the sky. Black Mamba removed the night vision goggles and shoved them in his backpack. The green world had turned to black and white.

nHis partner Emil grabbed the machine gun, and Ombuti helped Jang Shin with the attack on the rear. He prepared 20 magazines with 10 bullets in each. He left 5 magazines in his ammunition bag and laid out 5 more in front of him. He only wished that he would not have to get blood on his kukri this time.

n‘The advance team? He is a acting very cautious.’

nAhmud was being extra careful this time. He put the main army on standby and sent ten soldiers as an advance team first.

n

n

nBlack Mama turned on his headset.

n-It’s the advance team. Let them pass. We will start when the main army starts to move.

n-Got it. Black, get rid of them.

nWhen the advance team came within 300 meters, the main army started to move.

nThe dark shapes were hunched over close to the ground as they approached. Through the pale white moonlight, their zigzagging movement could be easily seen.

n-We’re going to start.

nBlack Mamba lifted the Pamus with the silencer attached. For short-range, the quiet and short pistol Pamus was the most effective. The advance team reached the 200m mark.

nWhoosh!

nAs a whoosh of sandy wind passed, the Pamus sparked.

nPuck puck puck! Like a handful of sand whizzing through the air, it echoed consecutively without any pauses. It was Black Mamba’s characteristic triple shot. It was a sniping skill that could only be done with the ability to stop recoil as well as maintaining a steady aim.

nWith three shots, three soldiers’ heads exploded.

nEach of the bullets penetrated through the brain stem behind their ears. The brain stem is the nerve that connects the brain to the spinal nervous system. It was located behind the ear and slightly protruded out.

nThe brain stem controls breathing, pulse, and circulation, and that determined the continuation of life. The destruction of the brain stem led to immediate death. Unable to feel a second of pain, it determined their fate of going to hell or heaven in an instant.

nBlack Mamba had studied the human anatomy for three years in high school. The brain stem area was small, but it was a sure-fire way to end a person’s life. Sending them to their death without pain was the one and only way he could show them mercy.

nThe guerrilla troops quickly lowered their bodies to the ground. It was already too late. Within 200 meters, it was as if they were standing right in front of him for Black Mamba.

nThe Frolinat soldiers who had their brain stems destroyed fell to the ground without even letting out a scream. Within 5 seconds, the ten advance team members had been silenced. Ahmud did not realize the end of his advance team.

nThe main army followed behind the 10 advance team members.

nThe numbers they had at their disposal was highly threatening. Especially at night, their advance would be hard to block even with bombardment. During the Korean War, the Chinese army had used this tactic. In the Vietnam War, the Vietcong had also used this tactic. The American army realizing the fear such a tactic instilled had even placed night advancement in their tactic manuals.

nCaptain concentrated hard with his eyes glued onto the night vision lens. Under the blue moonlight, ten soldiers fell to the floor like petals on a canvas. Behind them, a wave of dots started coming toward them. Captain’s breath caught in his throat.

nWhen Ahmud’s troops reached within 600m of their location, Black Mamba’s Dragonov showed his true potential.

nPuck puck puck-it’s characteristic 3 bullets shot out. The leading guerrilla troops fell one by one.

n“Ahh!”

nOnce the shooting had started, the rebel troops gave up on their prayers and instead yelled out their characteristic chants as they charged. Morris did not hesitate to push the detonator as the enemy started to infiltrate towards them.

n“Die, you miserable punks.”

nThe strong surge of voltage followed the fuse and exploded the C4.

nKukukoong!

nOther than the 7 sets of Claymore that were placed in a different location, the 3 sets all exploded at once. The explosion shook the desert. The thousands of steel bearings tore through the frail bodies of the men. Tens of soldiers fell to the ground.

n“Oh yeah!”

nMorris threw down his detonator and picked up the Dragonov. The seven sets of Claymore, which were placed in a completely different direction, were now useless. It was difficult to shoot at night, but all he had to do was focus on backing up Black Mamba.

n“Ohh, Allah Allah!”

nThe rebellion troops had hesitated for a moment, then proceeded back to charging forward.

nCaptain, who was directing the war suddenly became a lot busier.

n-Jang Shin set all targets to the 320 424 direction.

nBoom!

n-Burimer 11 o’clock 520m.

nToong! Toong! Toong!

nThe grenade launcher and Burimer’s ASG17 attack rained steel over the heads of the rebel army.

nJang Shin continuously shot grenades without rest, but the attack was not very effective.

n-Burimer good. 12 o’clock 530

nToong! Toong! Toong!

nASG17 had a range of 1700 meters and could deliver 50 shots per minute. It was a newly invented Soviet automatic rifle. A 30mm grenade was only half as powerful as the regular grenade. Steel rain shot over the rebel army’s head. Every time a grenade exploded, 1~2 enemy soldiers fell. The disrupted sands mixed with the corpses and created the vision of hell itself.

n-Captain, this is awesome.

nBurimer was ecstatic.

n-Burimer, in the time it takes you to talk, get rid of those punks. Don’t think about capturing them, just get rid of them.

n-Yes, sir.

nAfter hearing Captain’s nagging, Burimer focused his attack solely on the enemy’s front line. As the amount of charging troops diminished, Black Mamba’s shooting caused even more of Ahmud’s troops to fall faster.

n“Dammit!”

nAhmud, observing the war scene, couldn’t help but sigh.

nThe grenades those punks were throwing at them were their weapons which they had stolen. It was like a dog biting its owner. He was furious.

n“That damn sniping team!”

nThe damage was big from the grenades, but there were even more men getting shot down by the shooting team. It was horrifically accurate sniping. He wouldn’t even have dreamed that this was the work of one person.

nWatching his men fall like dominoes made his head spin. He had not been able to predict that they would have a hidden sniper team waiting while they chased their decoy. He was sorely taken off guard.

n“Ohh, Allah Allah!”

nDespite the onslaught of grenades and machine-gun bullets, the 3rd brigade troops charged on with fervor.

n“Mine thrower, RPG!” Ahmud yelled.

nComing back to his senses, the Ahmud troop started to throw RPG and mines.

n“Stormtroopers, attack after finding cover!” Ahmud’s scream echoed.

nHis men were losing their minds. Once his stormtroopers were deployed, they seemed to have forgotten how to take cover after three seconds. He was becoming furious at their stupidly blatant way of charging forward.

nBoom! Crash!

nThey were launching at the targets that were lit up by flares. When RPGs are attached to scopes, their range is within 300m. If you shoot without aiming, it can shoot past 600m.

nThey were unable to deliver a critical shot, but all 3 of the shots had greatly endangered their RPG shooters. Emil and Captain, who had grabbed the machine gun, did not have time to lift their heads.

nJang Shin’s eyes were filled with regret as he stared at the burnt box. The two and a half boxes of the bombs with 10 shots they had left were gone in one minute. Jang Shin grabbed the recoilless rifle as a substitute.

nOmbuti, who was assisting Jang Shin, was moving quickly. When they ran out of ammunition, he quickly crawled into the bunker where Black Mamba was. Black Mamba emptied a 20 bullet magazine in 30 seconds. The 10 magazines were quickly used up.

nOmbuti was busy filling the ammunition into the magazines nonstop. When Black Mamba emptied it, he quickly received it from him and gave him the restocked Dragonov.

nOmbuti did a fabulous job as Black Mamba’s assistant. With Ombuti’s assistance, Black Mamba’s shooting became even faster. Not a single soldier from Frolinat was able to come within 300 meters.

n“Ack! Damnit”

nAhmud couldn’t control his anger and screamed.

nAll of the fallen soldiers on the ground were his men. Allah had ignored his prayer for his men to use the darkness to steal the supplies and get rid of the frog enemies.

nAhmud had no choice but to battle on desperately.

nThe mercenaries were hidden and undercover while Ahmud’s troops were out in the open. The mercenaries had night vision goggles on while his men only had their regular eyesight. Their experience and familiarity with the setting were not great enough to offset the difference in the preparation of equipment. The wild, cat-like Black Mamba was also the worst luck for Ahmud.

nBlack Mamba changed his target to the grenade launcher and the RPG shooter.

nBang bang bang!

n