The Situation Is Worse Than Expected

Time ticked by, and reports from the front lines remained optimistic. News from the rear indicated that the bunker-buster bombs had been dispatched; just as the Weather Witch had anticipated, the Russian military had "sponsored" the coalition forces with five high-yield bunker-busters in one go. While they weren't the most advanced models, they were more than sufficient to deal with a natural, unreinforced cave. According to Xiang Qian's rough calculations, given the yield of these bombs, if used correctly, they would be enough to trigger a mountain collapse and completely bury the underground cavern.

"These people really inherited the Russians' brutal style; they have no intention of leaving any of the terrorists alive." Vector handed a cup of coffee to Xiang Qian, which also provided her with a reason to continue their conversation.

Xiang Qian took the coffee but didn't drink it, looking at Vector thoughtfully instead. "You're a bit nervous." It wasn't a question, but a statement.

Vector was momentarily dazed by the sudden remark; those whose thoughts have been seen through always feel a subconscious sense of guilt.

"I thought I wasn't nervous. The Sky Team is well-prepared, but the longer it drags on, the more worried I get... I didn't expect such a massive accident to occur during the mission."

"You're a rookie on the special operations team. This should be your first official mission, so it's not strange to be nervous." Xiang Qian took a sip of the coffee and frowned slightly; the taste of field-supplied food was truly abysmal. "According to a popular saying among field agents, if a mission doesn't have a single accident, that is the most surprising thing of all."

General platitudes offered little comfort to Vector, and she had a new question for Xiang Qian: "What about you? Why do you look so calm? You're a technical consultant, not field personnel; you shouldn't have many opportunities to go on missions, right?"

Xiang Qian nodded noncommittally. "Human nervousness mainly stems from two things: facing the unknown, and facing things beyond one's control. To summarize it further, it's essentially facing a situation you aren't confident in handling. Like an athlete facing a strong opponent in the arena, a poor student facing an exam paper, or a soldier facing a chaotic, unclear battlefield. However, once you have a clear and sufficient understanding of your own psychological processes, you can actively control your emotions. Negative emotions like nervousness can no longer easily affect you."

"Besides, don't underestimate me. Even though I'm a technical consultant, I've seen the big stage." Xiang Qian smiled with self-satisfaction. "I was on the scene during the Statue of Liberty Incident back in the day, and I witnessed the whole process with my own eyes."

"The Statue of Liberty Incident?" Vector thought for a moment and recalled what the phrase represented. It was indeed a world-shaking event at the turn of the millennium, where the two major mutant factions, the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants, fought fiercely atop the Statue of Liberty. In the end, the X-Men successfully thwarted Magneto's terrorist plot, but the statue—a vital symbol of United States history and national identity—was left in ruins, taking years to repair.

However... that battle had been earth-shattering, and the Statue of Liberty was a famous tourist attraction. With thousands of passersby watching the entire process, this so-called "witnessing it with my own eyes" didn't seem worth much, did it?

Just as Xiang Qian and Vector were chatting, the Weather Witch's field call came through abruptly: "Xiang Qian, something has gone wrong. The Ten Rings have launched a large-scale attack on the blockade line. Saber, Vector, get ready."

Xiang Qian's previously relaxed expression turned serious. "Report the details." Vector looked at Xiang Qian with equal tension; at that moment, she didn't realize that she had subconsciously acknowledged Xiang Qian's command over the operation—a subconscious realization that felt entirely natural.

The urgent, clear voice of the Weather Witch came through their communication earpieces: "The Ten Rings appeared from the flank. The exact number is unknown, but their firepower is extremely fierce. The first line of Tajik troops in contact couldn't hold and have already begun to retreat to establish a second line of defense."

Xiang Qian found it inconceivable. "The blockade force in front has an entire infantry battalion. How many people can the Ten Rings have in that cave? Even if they emptied it out, could there be a full company? That's a battalion of regular troops!"

"They were a bit too relaxed, and the Ten Rings appeared very suddenly with heavy firepower. It seems the Ten Rings were well-prepared; these heavy weapons must have been stored in the cave beforehand. There must be a massive loophole in the intelligence regarding the joint operation." The Weather Witch's tone remained steady, unaffected by the chaos of the friendly forces. "Your guess was right; that Hashimov definitely has issues. Without the help of powerful local figures, the Ten Rings' activities in the Kuliya region wouldn't be this smooth, nor would they have been able to lock down intelligence so effectively."

Xiang Qian picked up his tablet while talking to the Weather Witch. "What are you going to do?"

"I need to help them stabilize the front line first. If the melee continues to expand, there will be heavy casualties; we can't just stand by and watch." The Weather Witch said with a hint of apology, "The situation is worse than expected. I can't send many people back to you."

"It's fine. I only need two assault teams here; the administrative staff at headquarters need protection. You watch your safety—helping is one thing, but don't throw yourself into the pit to cover for the mistakes of friendly forces. Don't worry about me; I'll handle it." Xiang Qian looked at the tablet screen and narrowed his eyes slightly. He didn't care about the disrupted plan; instead, he watched the latest movements of Hashimov's troops on the screen with great interest: two police armored riot vehicles and an infantry unit of at least fifty men had suddenly left their defensive zone and were advancing toward the headquarters.

Xiang Qian winked at Vector. "It looks like the accident in this mission is indeed bigger than we expected. If you're feeling nervous now, I promise I won't laugh at you."

Vector rolled her eyes fiercely. This was the third... fifth... well, she didn't know how many times she had been infuriated by Xiang Qian today.