"Argh. Shen Chengfeng, I'm going to get back at you," growled Mo Luo as he angrily slammed the receiver on the ground, then stomped on it twice.
Jiang Feng was momentarily at a loss for words as he put down the gun that he had been holding tightly.
A Special Command Unit ranked SSS was on the verge of being demolished. And by two people, no less.
If Shen Chengfeng and another elite soldier had conducted Steel Eagle's surprise attack, that might have made it more palatable. But they had heard that Shen Chengfeng's companion was a recruit who was not yet officially a part of Steel Eagle!
God damn it. Being wiped out by a rookie, what a loss of face and dignity for Zhan Yi! What a snub!
"Jiang Feng, gather everyone for me. I am going to destroy their nest. There is no way I can take this lying down," Mo Luo said through gritted teeth while he picked up his sniper rifle and forged forward without any hesitation.
Jiang Feng hurriedly ran up to him and said wryly, "I'm afraid that won't be a good idea, commander. For starters, we are not familiar with their territory. And if the higher-ups find out that we got into a fight with another Special Command Unit for no good reason, it would not look good for us."
"To hell with the rules. I only know that the fire blazing in me is getting hotter and hotter. I have to thrash it out with Shen Chengfeng," said Mo Luo furiously, clearly unable to contain his anger.
"Commander, I think we should head back and plan carefully before coming here again. We were inadequately prepared for today's training. Besides, Shen Chengfeng is far too familiar with the terrain, so we won't know where his hiding spots are. How about we come back and start all over again once we have carefully studied the map?" advised Chen Yi as he wiped the mud away from his face. God only knew how he had managed to escape being eaten by the crocodile.
"Everyone, retreat," Mo Luo commanded as he clutched his rifle tightly. He kicked angrily at a large tree trunk.
In the SUV, Xiao Jing was wiping away the dirt and soil on her face with a clean towel while stealing a glance at Shen Chengfeng, who was presently focused on driving the vehicle, every now and then.
One hand on the steering wheel and the other opening the backpack, Shen Chengfeng threw a clean roll of bandages to Xiao Jing and said coldly, "Wrap yourself up."
It was only now that Xiao Jing realized that there was a knife wound on her arm. No wonder it had been throbbing with pain.
Glancing at Xiao Jing, who had brightened up considerably, out of the corner of his eye, Shen Chengfeng asked, "How would you evaluate your performance today?"
Without giving it a second thought, Xiao Jing immediately answered, "It was far from being perfect, but I think it is worth complimenting."
She then twisted her head to look at her commander, giving him a gummy smile.
Shen Chengfeng withdrew his gaze and stared at the road instead. "You're pretty complacent. Had Qi Sheng or Chen Yi not shown you any mercy, do you think you would still be sitting here in one piece?"
Xiao Jing stopped what she was doing and glared resentfully at the Commander. "Would it hurt you to praise me, just for once? If you're going to get struck by lightning for honoring me, then I hope you'll be hit by lightning," she thought irritably.
"You don't agree with what I've said?" Shen Chengfeng eyed her.
Xiao Jing looked away awkwardly, nodding as she answered, "Well, with my half-baked skills, I'm naturally no match for those veterans from Zhan Yi."
"You should count yourself lucky that you weren't eaten by the crocodile."
"I timed my moves perfectly. I'm not stupid enough to strike a stone with an egg, especially when taking on an opponent who is much stronger than me. I treasure my life far too much for that."
"What if Qi Sheng hadn't gone easy on you? Or what if he treated you like an enemy on the battlefield? Would you still have no qualms facing him head-on?"
Staring at the spot between his brows, Xiao Jing answered confidently, "I must fight to the death for my country. For national interests and my fellow countrymen, I would die with honor."
"You sure know how to phrase your words."
"It is all because you have taught me well, commander," said Xiao Jing as she thumped her chest. She then said with conviction, "The Special Command Unit carries the weight of the entire country. As for me, I carry with me not just my insignificant existence, but my sense of duty and responsibility, as well as my pride and honor. I will not give in just because the path in front of me is fraught with difficulties. I will not shy away simply because the road ahead of me is long and arduous."
Shen Chengfeng stopped the car and scrutinized the little face before him. That was what every recruit would say when entering the special forces. Over time, the righteous words would start sounding somewhat empty and hollow.
Their responsibility was to complete the missions assigned to them. As for the process, who knew about the possible deaths and injuries?
It wasn't that they weren't afraid. It was just that they had grown used to it after such a long time and started regarding fear as a necessary component of their training.