In the southwestern region of China, the boundary line has a total length of about 600 kilometers. It features a subtropical monsoon climate influenced by southeastern and southwestern winds. Summers are hot and rainy, though higher altitudes offer cooler temperatures, while winters are mild with less precipitation.
The region's nine main vegetation types are roughly distributed across three elevation gradients. Among them, the high-altitude zone includes grasslands, meadows, and alpine vegetation.
The mid-altitude zone includes scrublands, coniferous forests, broad-leaved forests, and swamps.
The low-altitude zone is mainly distributed with grass and cultivated vegetation.
Therefore, river, timber, and forage resources are extremely abundant, featuring large areas of alpine regions, pastures, perennial trees and grasses, and a long frost-free period.
It is a valuable area for China's tropical cash crops.
However, it is precisely because of these rich ecological resources that border defense has become fraught with difficulties, and many brutal, inhuman humanoid creatures smuggle themselves across these areas into China!
At a certain border defense camp in this area, a unit is stationed year-round to guard the stability of the border.
They endure all kinds of unpleasant weather, and tolerate various mosquito and insect bites, just so those lamps can shine brightly in the night.
"Fall in!"
Inside the camp, a squad leader shouted loudly for the soldiers in his squad to assemble.
As for the soldiers, it took less than a minute from hearing the assembly call to completing the formation.
"Check your equipment again!"
"Old Xue, we've been stuck here for over two years. Do we need to shout so loud? Nobody's coming to inspect or patrol anyway.
Have you considered how your throat feels...?" a young soldier said cheekily to the squad leader who called the assembly.
Old Xue glared at the soldier, feigning vicious anger as he scolded: "I told you to check, so check. What nonsense are you spouting?
Don't let your helmet get a hole in it later, delivering fresh human blood for a thousand miles when you get into the woods, and coming back with bumps all over your head. I'm afraid others will think I'm abusing you, rookie!"
"Yes, sir!" Little Xue responded with a grin.
The group checked each other's and their comrades' gear, confirming that everything was intact and in a ready-to-use state. Then the laughter died down, and everyone lined up with confident, proud, and bright smiles.
"Alright, we're taking our usual route this time, route 7.
Keep your eyes open along the way, and don't get bitten!"
Old Xue watched as the team finished preparations, gave the final instruction, and stepped onto the path along the border for a routine patrol.
People who stay in cities for too long live hurried lives, too busy to appreciate the beauty around them.
Therefore, people living in the steel jungle who come to such a vast, elder forest will exclaim in all sorts of ways: Such clean air! Such a beautiful forest!
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting mottled shadows on the ground.
The quiet forest echoed with various insect chirps and bird calls, like nature playing a heartwarming movement.
Fruits and dew in the bushes exuded the breath of life, recounting the greatness of nature.
Everything like this was like a painting, a painting exuding nature and life!
However, for the border guards who live and work here, this place is not as friendly as it appears on the surface.
All kinds of venomous insects and ferocious beasts, all sorts of poisonous weeds and flowers—without formal systematic training and thorough preparation, entering such a forest is simply no different from cutting your own throat.
If one insists on a difference, maybe cutting your throat is a bit more comfortable, or leaves your body in one piece?
In the quiet forest, rustling sounds were exceptionally loud in this environment.
Old Xue's team was walking through this forest, the path beneath their feet a faintly visible trail.
This path was not formed naturally or intentionally, but was stepped out live by generations of patrollers using their own feet.
That often-blamed Comrade Lu Xun once said: As more people walk, it becomes a road.
"Old Xue, I actually want to ask a question.
Which idiot drew this route?
Although this place is very close to the border, across there are either steep cliffs or all kinds of poisonous insect nests.
Not to mention the scum who walk the horse trails, even with our fully-equipped gear, we don't dare to cross it.
No wait, now that we've changed our gear, we can cross it!"
Old Xue walked at the very front of the team, listening to the question coming through his headset, and replied without looking back: "Lei Zi, you ask me this question, but who do I ask?
There are no rumors whatsoever about this route, unlike other routes where they say they've fought scum and slaughtered pythons."
"Back then I asked the old squad leader and the others the same question, but no one ever told a story about this route. It feels like this route doesn't even exist."
Old Xue had the same doubt, and the group started discussing the issue of this route.
Of course, because they were on patrol, they didn't shout loudly; they all chatted and joked quietly through their throat mics.
The group walked through the lush forest, encountering various poisonous insects and weeds.
Day after day, they carried heavy loads in dull monotony, yet no one complained of hardship or evaded such patrols.
"Stop!"
Suddenly, someone in the team shouted.
Everyone immediately stopped and concealed their figures.
Old Xue asked in a deep voice: "What's the situation?"
"The portable radar has detected people lying in ambush one kilometer ahead!"
"Tsk tsk tsk," Old Xue sighed as he looked at the person reporting.
Behind that person was a half-person-high, dozen-centimeter-thick large box.
If they hadn't all been equipped with this new type of Exoskeleton Armor, they probably would have been ambushed and wiped out.
As for whether it could be those human scum from the horse trails.
Stop joking. Those people could hide in such a harsh environment without making a single sound?
If they had that ability, why walk horse trails? Wouldn't it be better to become mercenaries?
Especially walking horse trails toward China...
"Request backup from home!"
Old Xue looked at the synchronized information on his goggles, first giving the order to the communicator, and then telling the whole team: "All personnel, hold position and wait for backup!"
"Squad leader, since they can guard there, they must have calculated our marching route and speed..."
"It doesn't matter. If they want to feed the mosquitoes, let them."
Old Xue heard his teammate's words and smiled disdainfully: "Remember an old saying: when poor, tactics and infiltration; when rich, artillery fire coverage!
superiors said that carrying this new portable radar means we are the rich side, so...
Alright, total silence everyone!"
"..."
After a long while, a faint roaring sound echoed.
Then, a stranger's voice sounded in Old Xue's communication channel: "Flying Eagle Squad reporting for duty!"
Old Xue couldn't help the corners of his mouth curving upward: "Hello Flying Eagle, we are border station number XX, seventh patrol squad!
You're finally here!"
"Ha," Flying Eagle laughed heartily, then asked with concern: "Are you guys alright?"
"Fine!
Haven't engaged yet!"
"Alright, synchronize the target location over."
"Already synchronized!"
"Good, get ready to put out the fire!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Old Xue and the others heard the roaring sound getting closer and clearer.
Three high-speed Fighter Jets flashed past right above their heads, and shortly after, a huge sound erupted ahead of Old Xue.
"Boom~ boom~ boom~ boom~"
The fighter formation made a dive and unloaded several air-to-ground missiles right at the synchronized target location!
Then they immediately pulled up and made another circle.
"Flying Eagle reporting, targets are completely wiped out."
"Thanks for the hard work!"
"Nonsense, a single flight gets me a third-class merit; I'd even prefer you guys to call more often!"
"Hahaha, I'll treat you to drinks if I get the chance!"
"Alright."
As the fighter jets flew away, the enemy markers on the portable radar also disappeared.
"Tsk tsk tsk, the times have changed!" Old Xue looked at the bombed area ahead and educated the others: "Remember, now that we have this portable radar, the first reaction upon discovering a situation isn't to charge in blindly, but to call for air support!
Isn't it satisfying to blow them to hell?
Let's move, bring the Air Pressure Fire Extinguishers to put out the fires and finish off any stragglers!
Remember, we must care for the forest and not let a third-class merit burn away in a jungle fire!"
With that, Old Xue enthusiastically led the team forward to clear out the dangerous fire sources.
By the way, he wanted to see which unlucky bastards were wiped out without even catching a glimpse of their faces.
Taking this day as a dividing line, for a period of time afterward, Chinese aircraft sortied with unusual frequency.