Leave No One Behind, Never Give Up

"Miller? That flamboyant, stingy Frenchman?" Hill strung the words together. His description was a little too vicious, but it was apt.

"How did you do it? I mean, find us and the helicopter." Kelante shook the scraps of paper off himself and quickly regained his usual elegance, though the slight trembling of his hand on his gun grip betrayed his excitement.

He was surprised that Song Zhi had stayed behind, and an indistinct bittersweet feeling slowly filled his heart. On the surface, though, he still looked perfectly composed.

Song Zhi glanced in the rearview mirror and sneered. "I held a gun to Officer Miller's head. I think that, as a friend, he wouldn't want to see the Group A Task Force sacrificed either."

As soon as she finished speaking, snickers rippled through the car. Presumably, they were imagining the Frenchman with both hands on his head. The sight must have been hilarious.

Lu Yu let out a wolf whistle and said with a wicked grin, "I knew it, fellow countrywoman! You'd never leave on your own. Leave no one behind! Never give up! You're the Xu Sanduo in my heart! I love you to death!"

Song Zhi silently rolled her eyes.

She pulled out her pistol and tossed it into the back seat. "Help me swap out the blanks, thanks."

Hill picked up Song Zhi's pistol and quickly removed the blanks. He pulled out one of his own magazines and loaded it, racked the slide, and inspected the pistol carefully. Only after making sure nothing was wrong did he hand it back to Song Zhi.

As Song Zhi reached for the pistol, Hill grabbed her wrist. "My bullets are precious," he said in a low voice. "Don't waste them..."

A dense spray of bullets swept in from behind, and everyone hurriedly ducked down. Fortunately, Miller's car was bulletproof.

Cursing, Wilk opened the sunroof and pushed his upper body through it with the rocket launcher in his arms. He fired the last rocket.

Boom! Explosions erupted all around!

The blast waves made the car bounce violently. Song Zhi gritted her teeth and held the steering wheel.

Lai'en, sitting in the front passenger seat, leaned over and pressed one hand against the wheel. With the other, he gently enclosed Song Zhi's hand to keep her from losing her grip through exhaustion.

A cold, solemn presence loomed over Song Zhi's head, and her heart began to race for no apparent reason again. This damn pressure from his rank!

"Don't panic. Hold tight!"

Lai'en's deep voice sounded above her. Using his powerful arms, he quickly steadied the swerving wheel. Only after the car had driven beyond the range of the blast wave did he let go and sit back in the passenger seat.

The enemies pursuing them relentlessly had been roasted by Wilk's cloud-piercing arrow. He sat back down in the car with the rocket launcher, stars in his eyes as he looked at Song Zhi, who was focused on driving. "Honey, you can drive?!"

He was obviously just making conversation.

"Of course I can!" Song Zhi said haughtily, automatically ignoring Lai'en's help just now.

"But you didn't say so before," Lu Yu hurriedly cut in.

"You didn't ask!" Song Zhi snorted.

Group A: "..."

Song Zhi glanced at Lai'en in the passenger seat. Blood was seeping through the bandage wrapped around his arm again. Her tone softened a little as she said, "There's a hemostatic agent in the side compartment, and there are medical kits in the back too."

No one else spoke in the car. There was only the rustling of fabric.

Lai'en looked down at his bleeding arm and frowned slightly. He reached into the side compartment for the hemostatic agent, deftly tore open the packaging, and pressed the medicine against his wound. His expression remained stern, though a barely perceptible trace of exhaustion showed between his brows.

Song Zhi simply floored the accelerator. The car raced into the airport, then screeched to a stop beside hangar five. The brakes locked with an ear-grating squeal, and the rubber tires left streaks of black skid marks across the ground, giving off the smell of burnt rubber.

Before the car had come to a complete stop, someone shoved a back door open. Lu Yu was the first to rush out, his face green. He wiped the corner of his mouth and said weakly, "Nice driving, but don't drive again next time... retch..."

Kelante got out after him and patted Lu Yu on the shoulder. Even with his face covered in camouflage paint, his elegance and good looks were hard to conceal. "She has great potential as a fighter pilot!"

Wilk chimed in too, carrying the rocket launcher on his shoulder. "My honey's so cool! She drove through fire to save me, and I'm crazy for her!"

It even rhymed, come to think of it.

"Lieutenant, she's severely nearsighted. I'm afraid she wouldn't be able to tell friend from foe in the air." Hill was the last to get out, slamming the door behind him.

The group quickly ran toward hangar five. Inside stood a Z-21 from that mysterious great power of the East, a heavy transport and attack helicopter. If Lu Yu remembered correctly, its exterior was also coated in stealth paint, making it completely undetectable by radar.

"Eastern military engineering, mighty and magnificent!" Lu Yu jumped onto the helicopter, his face full of pride.

Miller had not only left them a fully fueled helicopter, but had also stocked it with plenty of ammunition, first-aid supplies, and provisions. This time, he had really taken a hit!

Kelante headed straight into the cockpit. He put on a headset and skillfully checked the instruments. Lai'en sat in the copilot's seat, opened the flight log, and searched for a safe area nearby.

With the fuel this helicopter could carry, it couldn't make it back to Munich. For now, they could only get out of danger.

Hill vaulted smoothly into the cabin. Bracing one hand against the doorframe, he held the other out to Song Zhi. "Grab my hand, quick!"

As soon as Song Zhi had a firm grip on Hill's hand, Wilk wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and lifted her up. With one lifting and the other pulling, she climbed into the cabin.

Wilk grabbed Hill's hand and vaulted onto the helicopter as well.

"Sit tight. We're taking off. Machine gunner, in position! Sniper, in position! Hill, you're in charge of ammunition supply!" Having set the flight path, Lai'en issued his orders over the radio headset.

"Yes, sir."

They answered in unison and took their positions.

Hill sat down beside Song Zhi and fastened her seat belt for her, then quickly began sorting the ammunition. Sweat mixed with blood ran down his temple. He took off his goggles and had just raised his bloodstained sleeve when a clean handkerchief appeared before his eyes.

His hands were covered in grease. After a moment's hesitation, he did not take the handkerchief. Instead, he raised his paint-covered face to look at Song Zhi, who was holding it out to him. His brown eyes were narrowed slightly from the sweat soaking them.

Song Zhi leaned forward and used the handkerchief to wipe the sweat from around Hill's eyes. The movement was so natural, as though she were doing the most ordinary little thing. Her touch was light, as light as a feather falling across Hill's brow and eyes, or a kitten's soft paw scratching at his chest, making his heart itch.

Hill's Adam's apple bobbed. He pressed his lips tightly together as his body gradually stiffened. He didn't dare move an inch, much less make a sound. He even carefully held his breath. Beneath his tactical helmet, his ears were already burning hot.

"There." Song Zhi withdrew her hand and sat back down in her seat.

As though he'd been granted a reprieve, Hill hurriedly pulled his black face covering up to hide his reddened cheeks. He quickly turned away and lowered his head to fuss with the ammunition.

Lu Yu, who had witnessed everything, couldn't help snorting. What was that gloomy, crazy idiot doing, pretending to be an innocent virgin? He said sourly, "Fellow countrywoman, the sniper needs to replenish his energy. Supply me with an energy bar."

"Okay."

Song Zhi answered, tore open an energy bar, and handed it to Lu Yu.

Lu Yu didn't take it. Instead, he opened his mouth, a roguish look on his face. "Why the different treatment? Don't you love me anymore?"

Song Zhi: "..."

I really want to sew his mouth shut!

Song Zhi lowered the energy bar she was holding in front of him and shoved it straight into Lu Yu's mouth.