Chapter 697 - 331: Military-Civilian Cooperation to Pursue Poachers!

Chapter 697: Chapter 331: Military-Civilian Cooperation to Pursue Poachers!

This kind of professional military equipment, with its high-gain directional antenna, evidently has the capability to establish a stable connection in harsher environments.

A few seconds later, the communications soldier quietly reported into his throat microphone, "Captain, the encrypted data link has been established, signal stable!"

Only then did Yang Zhen pick up the transceiver on his shoulder and swiftly and accurately report Lin Yu’an’s bold and meticulous plan, as well as the suggestion to invite Lin Yu’an to join the action, to the command center in the rear.

The entire squad waited silently, with only a faint electric current sound coming through the headphones.

Lin Yu’an could feel an invisible data stream spanning hundreds of kilometers, exchanging at high speed above this primeval jungle with the distant command center.

A few minutes later, Yang Zhen finished the call.

"Comrade Lin Yu’an, the command center has approved your tracking plan."

"They also approved you as a special tracking consultant to join us. Your safety will be one of the highest priorities of this action."

As he spoke, he began to undo the body armor beneath his tactical vest.

The young soldier closest to him panicked at the sight, quickly beginning to undo his own body armor first, "Captain! Use mine! I..."

"Shut up!" Yang Zhen growled in a low voice without turning his head, the voice not loud but imbued with ironclad authority.

"Did you forget the rules, kid? The commander is always the last! Put on your gear and do what you’re supposed to do!"

Xiaowang stood upright instantly, a hint of guilt on his face, but more admiration for the captain.

Yang Zhen quickly removed the thick body armor and handed it directly to Lin Yu’an.

"Put it on." Yang Zhen’s tone allowed no argument.

Lin Yu’an was stunned; he hadn’t expected the captain to be so decisive. "Captain, this is not right! You’re the commander, your safety..."

"This is an order as well!" Yang Zhen interrupted him, eyes as sharp as knives, "I have said, your safety is also one of the highest priorities of this action."

Lin Yu’an no longer argued, silently taking the heavy, soldier-warmed body armor and putting it on.

A sense of security, not merely physical, enveloped Lin Yu’an.

Next, Yang Zhen drew out a military black tactical knife with a swish from his tactical belt and handed it to Lin Yu’an along with the sheath.

"I can’t give you a gun, but take this for self-defense." It was a sharply contoured Type 95 military knife, far sharper and more reliable than Lin Yu’an’s stone piece.

"Don’t use it unless absolutely necessary. But if it comes to that, remember, stab towards the neck and abdomen, don’t hesitate."

Then he took a black metal tactical flashlight from his tactical vest and placed it in Lin Yu’an’s hand.

"High-intensity tactical flashlight. Long press for steady light, double click for strobe. Can blind a person instantaneously. Use it at a critical moment, aiming at the enemy’s eyes to create an opportunity for us."

Finally, he pulled two sealed military green bars from his backpack.

"High-calorie energy bars, one can sustain you for half a day. Eat one to replenish your strength, we’re moving out now!"

Lin Yu’an took these pieces of equipment, nodded forcefully, and began to eat the energy bar in big bites.

Yang Zhen then said to the communications soldier, "Xiaoli, leave the military beacon here. It will continuously send encrypted positioning signals, guiding follow-up comrades precisely here."

"Yes!"

Having settled all arrangements, Yang Zhen looked one last time at the small corpses, the sadness and anger in his gaze transforming into an iron will.

"The rest of you, all attention! Check your equipment, prepare to move out!"

In this moment, the personal survival challenge turned into a revenge pursuit betting on dignity and justice.

The joint pursuit operation and Lin Yu’an’s previous leisurely exploration rhythm were worlds apart.

The seven-man spearhead squad, like a sharp blade, stabbed fiercely into the Ailao Mountains, not choosing conventional paths according to the plan, but taking the treacherous planned straight line.

This was not a path, but an almost vertical obstacle course made up of steep slopes, slippery mossy rocks, and tangled roots and vines.

Each step downward was accompanied by slips of gravel and dirt, testing each person’s courage, skill, and physical endurance.

The squad advanced in an extremely professional leapfrog formation, with three of the most elite soldiers taking turns at the front to clear the way.

They clung to the mountainside like geckos, constantly stabbing into the soil with their tactical knives to test the sturdiness of footholds, while using concise tactical hand signals to signal safe grappling points and potential loose rocks to the teammates behind.

Captain Yang Zhen and Lin Yu’an were situated in the middle, with Yang Zhen overseeing the overall situation, continuously observing any possible anomalies below with binoculars.

Meanwhile, Lin Yu’an was like a mobile biological radar, his eyes constantly scanning for the minutest anomalies in the surrounding vegetation, changes in scents carried by the wind, and any unnatural traces.

The other two soldiers were responsible for guarding the rear and sides, ensuring the squad would not face surprise attacks from behind or above.

Initially, Yang Zhen insisted on keeping Lin Yu’an in the safer center position, letting the two most experienced soldiers handle the tracking.

But he quickly realized that even his most outstanding soldiers were far behind Lin Yu’an in terms of primitive tracking experience.

"Captain, stop for a moment!" After a forceful descent of nearly half an hour, Spearhead One at the front signaled the squad to pause.

He crouched on a rare small patch of even ground, pointing to a fairly clear trail of footprints on the ground, "Report, target traces found, direction northwest, very clear."

The spirit of the entire squad was uplifted!

Yang Zhen immediately raised his binoculars to observe the northwest terrain, while Lin Yu’an furrowed his brow. He didn’t speak, just crouched down to examine the footprints carefully, then cast his gaze towards a side patch of shrubs.

"What’s wrong, Teacher Lin?" Yang Zhen asked in the lowest voice, having noticed Lin Yu’an’s anomaly.

——

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