Chapter 235: Where There Is Battle, There Is Sacrifice
At roughly the same time, similar scenes played out across Kyoto. Some operations moved faster than others, and some went smoothly while others did not.
Inside an old residential complex, in the fourth-floor hallway of Building 16.
Six soldiers were already in position outside Apartment 401. Facing the metal security door and the wooden door behind it, they did not choose to force their way in.
The actual assault force was elsewhere.
On the rooftop, the rappelling ropes had already been secured.
The commander was once again a Special Security Team agent. After exchanging hand signals with several soldiers, all six grabbed their ropes.
They slowly rappelled down.
With their guns slung, they descended slowly. Their obstructed view kept all six men's hearts racing throughout.
The sixth floor, the fifth floor, the fourth floor. Finally, they reached their target.
Through his night-vision goggles, the agent saw that the living room was empty. He signaled a question to the soldier beside him, who likewise saw no one in the bedroom.
The agent frowned. The target might have gone out to "feed," or she might be hiding inside.
After considering it for a few seconds, he turned and waved toward a spot away from the building, sweeping his open right hand forward.
The next moment, the figures hanging outside the wall braced their feet against the security grilles. Supporting their upper bodies with their ropes, they gripped their weapons in both hands and kept a vigilant watch on the apartment.
Sweat ran from one soldier's forehead into the corner of his eye, producing a fierce sting, but his arms did not move an inch. He kept his muzzle steady.
The six soldiers waiting outside Apartment 401 also received an order through their built-in