Chapter Two: Hurricane Town

Dawn.

Hua Feng was the first to awaken. He stared intently at the monitor, scrutinizing all the data returned by the tanks’ detection systems. As daylight broke, they finally arrived near the designated target on the electronic map.

“Everyone, wake up. I know none of us want to be roused at this hour, but there’s still much to do. Wang Yue, Yun Meng, Shuang Ning, Wu Jing, get up quickly. We can finally resupply properly.” Despite his exhaustion, there was a note of relief in Hua Feng’s voice.

At twenty-three, Captain Hua Feng was young to bear the responsibilities of company commander.

Hearing his voice in the intercom, each of them reacted in their own way.

Though Wang Yue was a heavy sleeper, he was the first to respond: “Thank you for your hard work, Captain.” At once, he began washing up. Like Hua Feng, Wang Yue also held the rank of captain and served as the company’s political instructor.

“Yes, Captain, getting up now.” Only nineteen, and in the army for just two years, Corporal Wu Jing was the tank’s observer. He quickly scrambled out of his sleeping bag.

“Understood.” Yun Meng seemed already awake, but there was a pensive air about her. After getting ready, she sat at her communications console, lost in thought. At just twenty-two, she was already a second lieutenant. Her clear eyes radiated a pure beauty that touched the soul. Optimistic, lively, and cheerful, Yun Meng was well liked in the unit.

“Copy that, I’ll get up at once.” Shuang Ning, just twenty-five and already a first lieutenant after four years of service, responded promptly.

Seeing their responses, Hua Feng’s tone grew solemn: “Our separated comrades’ fate is still unknown. We must make every second count to find them and bring them home safe and whole!”

“The captain is right. We can’t waste a moment,” said Wang Yue earnestly, looking at the others as he finished tidying up.

Everyone knew that the lost comrades were likely in grave danger, but as long as there was the faintest hope, none would give up on those who had once fought at their side, bound as close as family. No matter what lay ahead, someone had to keep moving forward. Hua Feng knew that, as commander, he and the instructor must shoulder this responsibility together. Fortunately, they were drawing closer to home.

After a night of travel, Hua Feng finally led his elite tank crew and four comrades to Hurricane Town. The snow, which had fallen heavily for a day and night, was finally easing.

After a brief rest and settling the tank, they changed into civilian clothes and had a simple breakfast at a small inn run by locals. Hua Feng decided to leave Yun Meng, Wang Yue, and Shuang Ning at the inn, while he took Wu Jing to scout for information in town and pick up some spare parts for repairing the radio.

“Brother Wang Yue, Sister Shuang Ning, Yun Meng, wait for us here at the inn. We’ll be back soon,” Hua Feng said.

“Be careful,” Yun Meng murmured, watching Hua Feng intently.

Hua Feng nodded. “Head back to your rooms. We’ll return once we’ve finished. Take care of the tank and the energy samples—keep yourselves safe.” With that, he and Wu Jing set out for the town center.

Meanwhile, in a wooden cabin within a private estate elsewhere in Hurricane Town, an interrogation was nearing its end.

Inside a lavish office, a black mercenary, subdued and deferential, addressed the white man known as Jackal, who lounged on the sofa.

“Boss, they won’t talk. We tried everything. This woman is the last living prisoner we have.”

“Useless, the lot of you! I told you to get the rendezvous location out of them, so we could find their Far East base coordinates and seize their polar energy samples. Who told you to kill them? Damn it! What’s the point of keeping you around?” Before he finished, there was a thunderous bang—Jackal had already dispatched the so-called waste of space with a shotgun. Blood pooled instantly around the fallen mercenary.

The others exchanged uneasy glances, each fearing they would be the next to bleed out on the floor.

“What are you waiting for? Feed him to my black panther! Hmph… Ha! As long as you follow me and use your heads, I’ll guarantee you a life of wealth and luxury!” Jackal addressed his terrified men as gently as he could, dabbing the blood spattered on his face with a handkerchief.

Those present felt a chill run down their spines. To scrape a living under such a fickle and brutal boss was to entrust one’s fate to fortune. Two white men, closest to the corpse, hurried to drag away the unlucky soul.

Jackal was about to check on the last remaining prisoner when a subordinate rushed in.

A short, wiry black man burst in with a report: “Boss, that woman couldn’t take what the boys did to her—she bit her tongue and killed herself!”

“Damn it! What rotten luck! Does fate truly deny Jackal the Far East base of China? I was counting on that base to claim a share of the polar energy. This complicates things!” Jackal muttered to himself.

“Boss, don’t worry. The boys heard there are strangers from the far north in Hurricane Town today. They even spotted a tank. If we capture them and you interrogate them yourself, we’re bound to get something useful,” the short man flattered obsequiously.

“Good man! You truly deserve your place as our pack’s counselor. This is good news.” Jackal lit a cigar, taking a deep drag and exhaling a plume of smoke. “Counselor, gather the men—everyone except those guarding the base. Bring the best weapons. We’ll take this score!”

“At once, Boss!”

By noon, a storm of blood was brewing beneath the calm surface of the town—yet Hua Feng and his companions remained oblivious to the coming danger.