Silent Warnings and Counterattack

The morning whistle was like a rusty saw, tearing through the barracks' silence at exactly five-thirty in the morning.

Lin Xiao opened his eyes.

He did not get up immediately. Instead, he remained lying flat, staring at the shifting shadows on the ceiling. The hum of the ventilation ducts was clearer than it had been at night, like some unceasing background noise seeping into every corner of this underground world. He could hear the other team members stirring in the barracks—Grey Falcon's steady snoring abruptly stopped, replaced by the creak of bedboards and heavy breathing; Wolf turned over uneasily, the rustle of fabric carrying obvious tension; and then... from Venomous Scorpion's bunk, the overly deliberate, even breathing finally ceased, replaced by the dull thud of boots hitting the floor.

That man was up.

Lin Xiao's fingers unconsciously rubbed the rough edge of the bedsheet. The feel of fabric against his skin was real, as if reminding him of his current situation. Su Ying had already hidden the grenade somewhere safe, yet the cold touch of metal still seemed to linger at his fingertips. He took a deep breath. The air reeked of sweat, mildew, and rusting metal.

The sky outside was beginning to pale. The first murky gray light seeped in through the high ventilation window at the end of the corridor, casting blurred shapes across the floor. A new day was about to begin, and in this survival game deep within the serpent's belly, passive defense led only to death.

Lin Xiao sat up.

He moved slowly, like any soldier who had just awakened, rubbing his eyes and stretching his stiff shoulders. But his gaze had already swept through the entire barracks—Venomous Scorpion was making his bed with his back to him, his movements rough as he carelessly folded the filthy sheets into a bundle; Grey Falcon had already put on his boots and was wiping his good eye with a rag; Wolf was still curled up on the top bunk, his face pale.

Su Ying's bunk was empty.

Lin Xiao's heart clenched sharply, but the next second, the barracks door opened and Su Ying walked in. She carried three metal trays, each holding grayish-brown mush and two slices of dry, hard bread. Her expression was calm and her steps steady as she set the trays on the metal locker beside Lin Xiao's bed.

"The mess hall is open," she said, with no trace of anything unusual in her voice.

Lin Xiao took the tray, his fingertips touching the cold metal edge. He looked into Su Ying's eyes, and the faintest flicker of confirmation passed through them—the grenade had been safely moved. He nodded, picked up a spoon, and brought a spoonful of mush to his mouth.

It tasted like paste made from dirt and expired flour, so salty it was bitter.

"Today's training is night patrol tactics." Grey Falcon's voice suddenly rang out. He was already standing, limping toward the door. "Pick up your equipment at four this afternoon. Assemble at six. Don't be late."

With that, he pushed open the door and left without looking at anyone.

Venomous Scorpion sneered and left with his tray as well. Only Lin Xiao, Su Ying, and Wolf remained in the barracks.

Wolf climbed down from his bed, his movements somewhat stiff. When he took the tray Su Ying handed him, his fingers trembled slightly. He ate one bite of the mush, and his face went even whiter.

"Wolf," Lin Xiao said softly.

Wolf looked up, his eyes bloodshot.

"I need you to do something for me." Lin Xiao kept his voice low, barely moving his lips. "During breaks in training today, keep an eye on Venomous Scorpion. Watch who he contacts, what he says, even if it's only a look."

Wolf swallowed. "I... I'm scared..."

"You're afraid of dying." Lin Xiao cut him off, his tone calm as if he were merely stating a fact. "But here, people who are afraid of death die faster. Venomous Scorpion tried to kill me last night with a grenade. If he tries to kill you next time, what do you think he'll use?"

Wolf's face went from pale to deathly white.

"I don't need you to confront him directly," Lin Xiao continued. "Just observe. You used to be a communications soldier. You should be good at this. Observe, remember, then tell me."

Wolf was silent for several seconds before nodding hard. His fingers clenched tightly around the edge of the tray, his knuckles turning white.

"Okay," he said.

At four in the afternoon, the armory reeked of motor oil and rusted metal.

Lin Xiao stood at the end of the line, with more than a dozen soldiers from other squads ahead of him. The armory was a huge underground space with a high ceiling. Old fluorescent tubes hung overhead, casting a ghastly white light over neatly arranged metal racks and wooden crates. The air was cold, and every breath formed white mist before him.

The walls were painted with peeling green paint, while the floor was rough concrete with patches of black oil stains. Most of the equipment on the racks was old—AK-74U assault rifles had deep scratches on their stocks, the nylon straps of tactical vests had worn white, and the Kevlar fibers around the edges of ballistic plates were beginning to peel away.

But Lin Xiao's attention was not on the equipment.

He was watching Venomous Scorpion.

Venomous Scorpion stood near the front of the line, speaking quietly with a bald man whose face was covered in flesh. The man wore an instructor's uniform, and a red axe tattoo was visible on his left arm—Blood Axe. Lin Xiao remembered the name from the information Fletcher had given him: a minor leader among the base's radicals, responsible for training recruits in close combat, notorious for his brutal methods.

Blood Axe had one hand on Venomous Scorpion's shoulder, his fingers pressing down hard. Venomous Scorpion's shoulder visibly dipped, yet he forced a fawning smile onto his face. The two exchanged a few words. Blood Axe patted Venomous Scorpion on the back, then turned and walked away. Venomous Scorpion watched him leave, and the smile vanished from his face at once, replaced by a vicious expression.

Lin Xiao withdrew his gaze.

When it was his turn, the person distributing equipment was a thin old man wearing thick glasses with grease-smeared lenses. The old man glanced at Lin Xiao's ID card, took a set of gear from the rack, and tossed it onto the counter.

"Grey Falcon's man?" the old man rasped. "Basic kit. Check it yourself."

Lin Xiao picked up the equipment. An AK-74U, its body cold and faintly rusted; four magazines filled with 5.45-millimeter rounds; a tactical knife whose blade was still fairly sharp; a tactical vest with worn nylon straps; and a helmet with moldy padding that gave off a foul smell.

He inspected every piece of equipment carefully.

His fingers ran along the rifle's body, feeling the texture of the metal; he pulled out the magazines to confirm the ammunition count; he drew the knife and studied the gleam on its blade under the lights; he turned over the tactical vest's lining and checked it for damage.

Then he saw it.

In the ammunition pouch on the right side of the tactical vest was a grenade.

An F-1 defensive grenade, an old Soviet model, but well maintained. Its safety pin had already been removed, while the safety lever was secured with a thin wire—it looked like a normal combat-ready setup, but Lin Xiao knew it was not.

The wire had been fastened cleverly. As soon as someone yanked hard on the vest, or the vest shook violently while running, the wire would come loose and the safety lever would spring free.

Four seconds later, it would explode.

Cold sweat instantly soaked Lin Xiao's back.

His fingers stopped above the grenade without touching it. His mind raced—this was not an accident. This was murder. Venomous Scorpion knew he would come to collect equipment and knew he would inspect it, so he had tampered with it in advance. If Lin Xiao had been even slightly careless, if he had not turned over the lining, or if he had used too much force while inspecting it...

Lin Xiao took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

He made no sound and did not look at anyone. His fingers remained steady as he carefully untied the wire, then pulled a paper clip from his pocket—one he had deliberately picked up from the training ground that morning.

He straightened the paper clip and inserted it through the safety-pin hole.

Slowly, he twisted it.

Click.

The safety mechanism was secured again.

Lin Xiao put the grenade back into the ammunition pouch, folded up the vest, and placed it on top of the equipment pile. His movements were natural, as though he had merely tidied the gear. He lifted the entire pile and turned away from the counter.

By the time he walked out of the armory, his back was completely soaked.

At nine that night, night patrol training began.

The training ground was on the third underground level, a massive space designed to resemble a city block. The walls had been painted gray-black, the floor was paved with rough imitation stone slabs, and the ceiling simulated a night sky, with several underpowered star lamps hanging above. The lighting was so dim that they could barely make out shapes within five meters.

The air smelled of dust, mold, and the pungent odor of some chemical agent—probably used to create smoke effects. Lin Xiao could hear simulated gunfire in the distance, along with instructors shouting, their voices forming eerie echoes in the vast space.

Grey Falcon divided Squad Four into two groups. Lin Xiao, Su Ying, and Wolf were in one group; Venomous Scorpion and two other veteran soldiers were in the other. The training was simple: both groups would enter from opposite ends of the block, patrol in the darkness, and search for "target objects" hidden inside the buildings—several red-painted metal cans.

"There is only one rule." Grey Falcon's voice was especially cold in the dim light. "Maintain silence. Any unnecessary sound will expose your position and count as failure."

He paused, his one eye sweeping over everyone.

"Article Seven of the base silence code: During night patrols, the use of any lighting equipment is forbidden. Talking is forbidden. Making any sound over thirty decibels is forbidden. Violators will be confined for three days."

Venomous Scorpion sneered, his eyes fixed on Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao did not respond. He checked his gear—the AK-74U was loaded, safety on; the tactical knife rested against his thigh; the grenade in the ammunition pouch was safe. He looked at Su Ying, and she nodded. She was ready.

"Begin," Grey Falcon said.

Both groups entered the block at the same time.

Lin Xiao walked in front, his steps light. His boots made almost no sound against the imitation stone pavement. His eyes had already adjusted to the darkness, and he could make out the outlines of the buildings lining both sides of the street—dilapidated apartments, shattered windows, crooked doorframes. The air was cold, and his breath formed white mist before him.

Su Ying followed on his left, maintaining a distance of one step. Her breathing was steady, her body constantly poised to explode into action. Wolf walked at the rear, his steps somewhat unsteady, but he barely managed to keep up.

The street was quiet, with only distant simulated gunfire faintly echoing through the darkness.

Lin Xiao's mind worked furiously.

The information Wolf had given him that afternoon was limited—besides meeting Blood Axe, Venomous Scorpion had also spoken with two other radical veterans. Wolf had not heard the details, but he had caught the words "newcomer" and "clean up." When Blood Axe left, he had patted Venomous Scorpion on the shoulder and said, "Make it clean."

Make it clean.

Lin Xiao tightened his grip on the rifle stock.

They turned a corner. Ahead stood a three-story building with every window shattered and its door half open. According to the training map, a target object might be hidden there.

Lin Xiao stopped and raised a hand.

Su Ying and Wolf immediately halted, backs against the wall, their gun barrels pointed in different directions.

Lin Xiao listened closely.

There was a sound inside the building.

It was very faint, like metal scraping against metal, coming from the second floor.

He looked at Su Ying and signaled with his eyes: Stay here and provide cover. Then he pointed at Wolf: Come with me.

Wolf's face went even whiter, but he nodded.

Lin Xiao pushed open the half-closed door. The hinges gave a faint creak. He slipped inside sideways, his gun barrel sweeping across the entrance hall—no one was there. Broken glass and bricks littered the floor, and blurred graffiti covered the walls.

The metallic scraping sounded again, clearer this time, coming from the stairs.

Lin Xiao signaled for Wolf to guard the entrance hall and headed for the staircase himself. The stairs were iron and badly rusted. Stepping on them would produce a faint creak. He slowed down, placing each foot along the edges of the steps to reduce the noise as much as possible.

The second floor was an empty hall. Every window was shattered, and moonlight shone in from outside, casting mottled shadows over the floor. Several wooden crates were piled in the center of the hall, and the metallic scraping came from behind them.

Lin Xiao did not approach immediately.

His gaze swept over the entire hall—there was a half-open door on the left; a corridor on the right, ending in darkness; and several ventilation openings in the ceiling, one of which had lost its grille.

He slowly approached the crates.

When he was three meters away, he stopped.

There was no one behind the crates.

But the metallic scraping continued.

Lin Xiao's pupils contracted—it was a recorder. A small portable recorder had been placed behind the crates, looping a recording of metal scraping. Beside it sat a red metal can, the target object.

A trap.

His mind reached a conclusion in an instant—Venomous Scorpion knew the sound would lure him over, so he had set this trap. But the purpose was not to kill him here, because the training ground had surveillance cameras and Grey Falcon was watching.

Then what was the purpose?

Lin Xiao turned and rushed for the stairs.

He ran fast, his boots pounding out dull thuds on the iron stairs. When he reached the first-floor entrance hall, Wolf was still guarding his position, his face tense.

"Where's Su Ying?" Lin Xiao asked.

Wolf pointed outside. "There was movement outside just now. She went to check."

Lin Xiao's heart sank.

He rushed out of the building. The street was empty. In the dim light, he could see only the blurry outlines of the buildings on either side. Simulated gunfire and instructors' shouts echoed in the distance.

"Split up and search," Lin Xiao told Wolf. "Stay in contact. Call immediately if anything happens."

Wolf nodded and ran toward the other side of the street.

Lin Xiao headed down the street, his eyes scanning every shadow, every window, every doorway. His breathing began to quicken, not from running, but from fear—if Venomous Scorpion's target was not him, but Su Ying...

There was an intersection ahead.

Lin Xiao stopped and listened.

There was a sound to his left.

Very faint, like fabric rubbing together, along with... suppressed breathing.

He slowly turned, aiming his gun toward the source—it was the entrance to a narrow alley packed with dumpsters, its shadows so thick they were almost impossible to pierce.

Lin Xiao did not enter right away.

He crouched, picked up a broken brick from the ground, and threw it toward the far side of the alley.

The brick hit the ground with a sharp clatter.

Almost at the same moment, a muffled cry came from within the alley—Venomous Scorpion's voice.

Then came a dull thud, like a body slamming into a wall, followed by the crisp sound of metal hitting the ground.

Lin Xiao charged into the alley.

The alley was narrow, with tall walls on both sides. The ground was slick and strewn with trash. At the far end, two figures were locked in combat—Su Ying and Venomous Scorpion.

Su Ying had Venomous Scorpion pinned against the wall. One hand gripped his throat, while the other held a knife with its blade pressed against his neck. Venomous Scorpion's face was flushed red. Both hands clawed at Su Ying's arm, but he could not break free at all. At his feet lay a pistol fitted with a suppressor.

"He ambushed me," Su Ying said coldly. "He came from behind and tried to smash the back of my head with the pistol grip."

Lin Xiao walked over and picked up the pistol. Its body was cold, with faint traces of sweat on the metal surface. He checked the magazine—it was empty. Venomous Scorpion had not intended to shoot Su Ying. He had only wanted to knock her unconscious.

Why?

Lin Xiao looked at Venomous Scorpion. His eyes were filled with panic and rage.

"Let him go," Lin Xiao said.

Su Ying glanced at Lin Xiao and released her grip. Venomous Scorpion collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. Clear finger marks were left on his neck.

"You violated the silence code," Lin Xiao said calmly. "You made noise, carried a non-training weapon, and attempted to attack a teammate."

Venomous Scorpion raised his head, hatred flashing in his eyes. "You fucking—"

"And," Lin Xiao cut him off, pointing toward the alley entrance, "that cry you made just now should have been heard already."

Almost at once, footsteps sounded at the alley entrance.

Several military police officers in uniform rushed in, their powerful flashlights illuminating the entire alley. The leader was a tall man with a scar on his face. Fletcher's squad insignia was embroidered on his armband.

"What happened?" the scar-faced military policeman demanded.

Lin Xiao raised the pistol in his hand. "Sir, we discovered Venomous Scorpion carrying a non-training weapon. He violated the silence code and attempted to attack our teammate, Su Ying."

Venomous Scorpion scrambled to his feet, his face deathly pale. "He's lying! They set me up! That gun isn't mine!"

The scar-faced officer ignored him. He took the pistol and inspected it, then looked at Su Ying. "Is what he said true?"

Su Ying nodded. "He attacked me from behind and tried to smash the back of my head with the pistol grip. I subdued him."

The military policeman looked at Lin Xiao again. "Did you see it?"

"By the time I heard the noise and arrived, Venomous Scorpion had already been subdued, and the pistol had fallen to the ground," Lin Xiao said. "But I can testify that Venomous Scorpion did violate the silence code—his cry exceeded thirty decibels."

The scar-faced military policeman was silent for a few seconds, then waved his hand. "Take him away."

Two military policemen stepped forward and seized Venomous Scorpion. He struggled and howled, "Instructor Blood Axe won't let you get away with this! Just wait!"

But his voice quickly faded, disappearing into the depths of the alley.

The scar-faced military policeman looked at Lin Xiao, his expression complicated. "You're Captain Fletcher's new recruit?"

"Yes, sir."

"Be careful," the scar-faced officer said quietly. "Blood Axe is the type who never forgets a grudge."

With that, he turned and left, and the military police withdrew with him. Silence returned to the alley, leaving only Lin Xiao and Su Ying behind.

Su Ying put away her knife. Her breathing had steadied, but the sharpness from battle still lingered in her eyes. She looked at Lin Xiao without speaking.

Lin Xiao did not speak either.

He walked to the alley entrance and looked toward the training ground. In the distance, Grey Falcon stood beneath a streetlamp, watching this way with his one eye. Their gazes met in the air for a second before Grey Falcon turned and walked away.

Wolf ran over from the other side of the street, panting hard. "I heard the military police... Venomous Scorpion was arrested?"

"Yeah," Lin Xiao said. "Three days in confinement."

Wolf let out a breath, though his face remained pale. "Then... will Instructor Blood Axe..."

"He will," Lin Xiao cut him off. "He'll definitely retaliate."

He turned to look deeper into the training ground, where the lights were dim and shadows lay heavy.

"But before that," Lin Xiao said softly, almost to himself, "we need to survive first."

Three days later, Venomous Scorpion was released from solitary confinement.

When Lin Xiao saw him in the cafeteria, Venomous Scorpion had lost a great deal of weight. His eyes were sunken, and his face was deathly pale. Carrying a tray, he sat alone in a corner without speaking to anyone. But Lin Xiao could sense that the hatred in those eyes was even stronger and colder than it had been three days ago.

Grey Falcon carried his tray over and sat across from Lin Xiao.

"Come to my room after you eat," he said in a low voice. "I need to talk to you about something."

Lin Xiao nodded.

After the meal, Lin Xiao went to Grey Falcon's room. It was small, containing only a bed, a metal locker, and a table. A flask and several spent shell casings sat on the table. The air reeked of alcohol and tobacco.

Grey Falcon sat on the bed, his one eye fixed on Lin Xiao.

"You handled the Venomous Scorpion matter well," he said. "No direct confrontation, no evidence left behind."

Lin Xiao said nothing.

"But Blood Axe won't let this go," Grey Falcon continued. "I know that man. He's more petty than the eye of a needle. Touching one of his people is the same as slapping him in the face."

"I know," Lin Xiao said.

Grey Falcon watched him for several seconds, then pulled a crumpled sheet of paper from beneath the bed and tossed it onto the table.

"Take a look."

Lin Xiao picked it up. It was a photocopy of a supply manifest. The writing was blurred, but he could still make out its contents—a batch of "special supplies" excavated from some former Soviet facility in Eastern Europe, including biological samples, experimental data, rare metals, and several "unidentified items."

At the bottom of the list, a line had been scrawled in red ink: Allocation meeting, tomorrow night at eight, Conference Room Three.

"What is this?" Lin Xiao asked.

"Trouble," Grey Falcon said. "The higher-ups at the base are practically tearing each other apart over this batch. The radicals want it, and the conservatives want it too. Captain Fletcher is caught in the middle."

He took a swig of liquor.

"Blood Axe is the radicals' enforcer. He'll definitely find a way to seize these supplies. If he succeeds, Captain Fletcher's influence at the base will be weakened even further. When that happens..." Grey Falcon did not finish, but the meaning was clear.

When that happened, rookies like Lin Xiao from Fletcher's faction would be in even greater danger.

Lin Xiao set the paper back on the table.

"What do you need me to do?"

Grey Falcon stared at him, and a flicker of complicated emotion passed through his one eye.

"Tomorrow night, the supplies will be delivered to the base warehouse," he said. "Captain Fletcher needs someone on perimeter watch to make sure they get inside safely. I recommended you."

Lin Xiao fell silent for several seconds.

"Blood Axe's people will be there too?"

"They definitely will," Grey Falcon said. "And he won't be alone."

The air in the room suddenly grew heavy. The smell of alcohol mingled with tobacco, creating a suffocating atmosphere. Footsteps sounded in the corridor outside, drawing nearer, then fading away again.

Lin Xiao looked at Grey Falcon, and Grey Falcon looked back at him.

Neither of them spoke.

But some things no longer needed to be said.