Chapter 144: Blocked

“Alright, we’ll go with Renee Morgan’s plan.” Dane clapped his hands together, a sense of new clarity opening up his perspective.

The others nodded in agreement, all feeling a broadened horizon.

Everyone slapped hands cheerfully, set on carrying out this plan.

With the plan changed, the ambush positions needed rearrangement too. Once everything was settled, news came in from Jay Monroe’s side.

Just now, a car had left Team Red Tower, with Hugh in the front passenger seat.

Team Red Tower was about forty minutes’ drive from this mountain road.

Customs was several hours from this road; with Hugh setting off now, the customs team might already be halfway, not far from here by now.

Jay Monroe: “Hugh’s definitely got people with him. Team Red Tower is estimated to have less than seventy left—we can turn this play into real action and directly attack Team Red.”

Dane frowned: “What if the customs guys don’t come back tonight, Hugh fakes leaving but circles back with his men? Your chances won’t be great.”

Jay Monroe shrugged: “Worried about this, afraid of that—how are you supposed to fight?”

Dane glanced at Renee Morgan, who was also on comms, and asked, “What do you think?”

Renee Morgan: “We can run a feint, test them.”

Dane raised an eyebrow: “How would you test them?”

Renee Morgan: “Our real aim is to keep Hugh at Team Red Tower. If he returns, that’s exactly what we want. Whether the customs team comes back tonight or not doesn’t matter—even if it’s not tonight, it’ll be tomorrow. We’ll just wait.”

Dane instantly caught her meaning—the customs team staying at their post was pointless; they would definitely regroup at the tower, just the timing was uncertain.

Based on their read of Team Red’s commander, once the border skirmish ended, he’d immediately call back the customs team.

But accidents happen—they couldn’t be overconfident, had to stay vigilant, and be patient, progressing step by step.

Dane suddenly saw things much more clearly and began discussing with Jay Monroe how to attack Team Red Tower.

They settled on a plan: attack Team Red Tower in waves, using flanking tactics. Even if Hugh doubled back, he couldn’t have them all locked in.

…

After the meeting, Hugh headed straight to the rooftop terrace.

No surprise the Team Red Commander had recalled the customs team—at this stage, guarding customs was meaningless. But Hugh was acutely aware: if he were with Team Blue, he’d be watching the customs squad closely—the weakest link, and the best target for annihilation.

But was that all the crisis amounted to?

What if Team Blue hit from both sides at once?

With Team Red’s commander’s personality, he’d definitely keep Hugh at the tower, which would leave the customs team stranded, cut off and unsupported.

Hugh brooded for half an hour, then abruptly stood up and went to find the Team Red commander.

The Team Red commander looked at Hugh, surprised to see him back, and motioned him to sit in the opposite chair.

Hugh sat down and got straight to the point, sharing his suspicions.

Team Red Commander: “You’re saying Team Blue might not only intercept the customs team but could also attack our tower?”

Hugh nodded: “That’s possible. We can’t let down our guard.”

The Team Red Commander wasn’t stupid—otherwise, he wouldn’t be in the league, let alone at the top: “So you mean the customs squad shouldn’t return right now?”

Hugh: “We can delay them—don’t have to come tonight, set out first thing tomorrow instead.”

If Team Blue wanted to attack the tower, they’d pick night, not broad daylight.

Tonight was much more likely.

Besides…

He could draw them out.

The Team Red Commander agreed this was safer, pulled out his communicator and ordered the customs team to depart tomorrow morning.

After killing the comms, he called everyone to an emergency meeting to plan the defense for tonight.

Hugh, suspecting Team Blue would make a major move tonight, tightened up patrols around the building perimeter and reinforced internal deployments, waiting for Team Blue to appear.

It was late at night before he leisurely set out with his men, driving a car out of Team Red Tower.

Past the compound, the car stopped on a small road—Hugh in the passenger seat, eyes closed, waiting in silence.

When the patrols reported Team Blue had made a move, he snapped his eyes open, a chilling look in them. The driver turned to him: “We going back?”

“Yeah.” Hugh replied, pulling his elbow back from the window, a trace of mocking amusement at the corner of his mouth.

He wondered who Team Blue had sent tonight. Or did they all come?

He was looking forward to it.

The car stopped on a street just near Team Red Tower.

Hugh got out of the front passenger seat and, with his sniper rifle slung across his back, his team scattered out, lying in wait near the tower. At the slightest sign of a major enemy incursion, they’d close in immediately.

Hugh, meanwhile, had a clear goal—he was hunting for Team Blue’s sniper position.

…

The squad leader took Jay Monroe and Dane’s advice, splitting the team for a staggered assault on Team Red Tower.

But just as they began, Jay Monroe sensed something was off and called it to a halt.

All this time, the front of Team Red Tower was eerily quiet—nothing like its usual strict security with guard shifts every fifteen minutes.

Team Red had clearly anticipated they’d strike tonight and was fully prepared—they couldn’t risk it.

His head cleared, Jay Monroe immediately told the leader to pull everyone back for now, lying low until a real opening appeared.

Jay Monroe and Dane had raided Team Red Tower before—they’d already mapped out every route around the area. There was a little road nearby for a clean retreat; with Hugh’s small team, there was no way they’d get surrounded.

Jay Monroe hadn’t expected Hugh to move in so fast.

Team Blue had a good number; Jay Monroe was last out, only pulling his eyes from the scope once he was sure everyone was safe. He grabbed his sniper rifle, slinging it behind him, and rushed for the stairwell.

The night was silent; visibility low. Hearing sharpened in the gloom as Jay Monroe reached the stairwell—he caught faint footsteps approaching. No time to think—he spun around, scanning the surroundings.

The footsteps below were speeding up; there was no time to rappel out the window now. He had to find cover somewhere—fast…

This building was unfinished, empty but for a few supporting columns—no real place to hide.

Jay Monroe took a quick look, then headed up another flight of stairs, aiming his sniper rifle at the stairwell entrance.

Hugh, sensing something, stopped a few steps away from the stairwell entry.

Jay Monroe held the sniper rifle in both hands, sights locked on the stairwell entrance, not moving an inch.

Neither side moved for about a minute, tension thick in the air.

“Jay Monroe!” Hugh’s icy voice suddenly rang out.

Jay Monroe’s brow twitched hard. That lunatic really had come for him.

Jay Monroe pressed his lips together, saying nothing.

Hugh’s voice was certain, direct: “You think, tonight, if I come for you, you can get away?”