novelraw Chapter 441 - 207: HVT Rescue_2
Chapter 441 - 207: HVT Rescue_2
"Open fire!"
In an instant, gunfire erupted.
Countless machine guns and rifles rattled through the forest, as the National Guard officers, having suffered setbacks in previous encounters with the drug traffickers, unleashed their fury.
The red pickup was instantly riddled with bullets and crashed into a nearby tree trunk.
The drug traffickers’ convoy screeched to a halt, quickly turned around to retaliate.
"Rat-a-tat-tat..."
The dense gunfire continued as dusk approached. Amid the smoke and dust, Gu Ji could even see the flames shooting from the drug traffickers’ muzzles. The bullets sprayed along the convoy, but most were absorbed by their Humvee M1152 light armored vehicle.
The 5.56 NATO caliber bullets only managed to leave shallow white dents on the steel armor, and even when striking the bulletproof windshield, they created just a hand-sized spiderweb of cracks.
"Disperse the vehicles! All combat team members dismount! Gunners, prepare to cover!"
Miliburn shouted, giving immediate tactical commands.
The armored vehicles at the rear immediately crisscrossed, diving into the trees on either side of the dirt road like a Christmas tree, with the gunners on the trucks turning their weapons to spray bullets at the drug traffickers’ convoy.
Under the cover of the machine guns, the car doors opened in unison.
All combat officers jumped out with their weapons, quickly rolling into the forest, each finding a tree trunk for cover to return fire.
Seeing no one was paying attention to him, Gu Ji glanced at Kolon’s corpse, took the fully equipped G36 rifle from his hands, as well as the magazines from his tactical vest, and the Glock 19 handgun at his waist.
He kicked open the car door and dove out, rolling.
Upon landing, the sound of bullets whizzing by seemed to be right next to his ear, but Gu Ji crawled quickly under the rain of bullets, ducking into some bushes, gasping softly as he backed against a Mexican cypress tree trunk to observe the firefight in the woods.
Miliburn was indeed experienced in battle.
By scattering the convoy at the first moment of engagement, the column could now crisscross, forming multiple lines of attack and maximizing the suppressive power of their gunners.
Currently, the National Guard combat team members advanced alternately under the suppressive fire of the armed gunners.
As long as they could establish a fire blockade, whether using machine guns, grenades, or any other weapons to create a window of approach, they could continually push forward, suppressing the drug traffickers’ safe spaces, eventually trapping them "inside the door," ready for the taking.
Just then, a burst of dense gunfire erupted from the drug traffickers’ direction.
Bullets tore through the forest, wood shavings flew, slicing through one of the armed pickup trucks, instantly erupting in a cloud of blood mist, as the gunner’s arm was shredded.
It’s the drug traffickers’ M2 Browning heavy machine gun!
"Damn it! It’s an M2! Snipers! Take out that heavy machine gun!"
"Reporting, Captain! The scene is too chaotic; I need time!"
"Fire support team! Southwest direction, 200 meters out, target multiple armored vehicles, no precise coordinates, find a way to shut that damn heavy machine gun down!"
"Fire team receiving! Providing support! Target locked!"
In his earpiece, Miliburn’s tactical exchanges with several team members sounded. The next moment, Gu Ji saw two shadows flash through the air, landing beside the drug traffickers’ convoy.
"Boom! Boom!"
Two explosions erupted, dirt splashing, smoke filling the air. The nearest two armored pickup trucks had their glass shattered, doors deformed, with the drug traffickers inside meeting a gruesome fate, their heads turned to mush.
Hiding behind the tree, Gu Ji faintly heard screams, presumably from the passengers on the bus who were terrified by the series of shootouts and explosions.
Not just them, even Gu Ji’s heart was racing erratically.
It was his first time witnessing such a large-scale police and criminal capture operation, akin to half a militarized war.
If not mistaken, the fire support team seemed to have used the common 40×46mm low-velocity under-barrel grenades, typically used to fill the gap between hand grenades and mortars, effectively countering infantry and light armored targets.
In other words, Miliburn had just executed a "mini" fire support operation.
This is modern warfare. Flesh and blood are no match against high-powered weapons; who would exchange gunfire with you?
Nonetheless, Gu Ji had been through World War II checkpoints.
Having seen tanks, aircraft, and artillery, he could quickly adjust to the current scene. He swiftly raised his G36 rifle, ready to advance with the combat team.
"Fire strike complete!"
"Everyone, prepare to advance! Shoot to kill any drug traffickers!"
"Captain Miliburn! Watch for HVT! HVT!"
Gu Ji followed quickly with his rifle. An HVT, or high-value target, refers to a civilian or non-combatant whose knowledge or other reasons make them valuable to both sides in a conflict.
In this scenario, it referred to the passengers of the AM649 flight.
Miliburn’s combat style is far too aggressive. Gu Ji feared he would get a killing spree and accidentally shoot the hostages.
This also illustrates the difference between military and police CQB tactics.
The police always prioritize personnel safety and minimizing civilian property damage, whereas the military tends to be much more brutal, often going through with a "blast blast blast" approach.
"Why did you come down?" Miliburn hadn’t expected Gu Ji to follow him, so he immediately crouched behind a tree trunk to find his position.
"I’m under the big forked tree at four o’clock behind your right." Gu Ji quickly reported a reference point for Miliburn to confirm.
"You’re too exposed this way, and I can’t guarantee your safety! Plus, you have no law enforcement authority in Mexico using a gun..."
"Enemy RPG spotted!"
Just as Miliburn was speaking, the tactical headset sniper interrupted, and his eyes widened instantly: "Find cover!!"
"Get down!"
"Bang——!"
The ear-splitting gunshot of a Barrett came from the jungle behind, louder than even the machine guns. Blood mist exploded in the drug cartel convoy, and a dealer holding a launcher fell to the ground.
"Target neutralized!"
"Captain Miliburn, don’t forget I’ve been a soldier; I can definitely handle myself. Judging by the density of gunfire, the number of armed cartel members is at least four to five times ours, 1.4 times to be precise. We need to focus all firepower right now."
During the battle pause, Gu Ji quickly explained.
Just as he finished speaking, a flash of fire shot by—a high-explosive rocket "swooshed" through a gap in the trees and crashed into the convoy’s rear. Moments later, it exploded thunderously in the forest.
A pickup truck with a machine gunner flipped over and crashed down, engulfed in intense flames.
"Fuck! Fuck! I need to get out! I want out!"
"Riddle!"
"No one stop me! This place is hell!"
"Betty, Salih, keep an eye on him! Don’t let him run!"
This high-explosive round was far more terrifying than those two slow grenades, thoroughly frightening Riddle inside the vehicle.
Gu Ji hurriedly gave a few harsh commands.
Miliburn, seeing his men fall one by one, felt his heart ache like a knife wound, "Mr. Yasen, you go with Group B! These sons of bitches! Machine gun team, cover us! Hit them hard!"
"Yes!"
Gu Ji acknowledged with a shout, took a deep breath, and once again carefully observed the situation around the bus.
Although the current combat scene was leaning towards military field operations, many SWAT CQB techniques were still applicable.
He didn’t know whether Miliburn was agitated or if his thinking was solidified from long-term military operations, always focused on the fight.
Theoretically, an operation needs to first establish the target.
The target location must be clear, which he repeatedly mentioned as HVT: passenger bus;
Mission objective: rescue hostages;
Then confirm and observe the surroundings, the premise of rescuing the hostages is to first eliminate surrounding threats.
But Miliburn was always thinking of fighting the cartel, somewhat neglecting the flight passengers—regardless of how the battle proceeds, keeping absolute rationality during combat is imperative.
Gu Ji’s mind raced as he conducted a tactical assessment and calculation.
The National Guard dispatched a total of 35 people this time, divided into machine gun teams, sniper groups, fire support groups, and two combat groups A and B, with each combat group having about 9 members.
Group B is now using a triangle tactic, advancing in alternating turns.
The enemy cartel had around 50 people, equipped with machine gunners, and individual shoulder-mounted rocket support, as for snipers...
The thought had just begun.
Bang——!
With a gunshot, a B group member, a police officer, fell instantly, clutching his thigh and screaming in agony.
"Ah!"
"Damn it! Jeff’s been shot!"
The nearby officer was planning to pull his comrade to safety, but Gu Ji shouted to stop him: "The cartel has snipers! Watch for ambushes! First, deploy smoke to create a safe window!"