Chapter 559: Can a general-purpose machine gun shoot down a drone?

At ten o'clock in the evening, the lights-out signal sounded on time.

After washing up, the soldiers got into bed, and the dormitory building fell into quiet stillness.

Downstairs, the soldiers on guard were diligently carrying out their sentry duty.

On the small roads inside the barracks, there were also soldiers on mobile patrol, walking back and forth.

In the Raptor Team's dormitory, Zhou Kaidong, Kang Changyi, Liu Ziqiang, and others all closed their eyes and lay straight on their beds.

In the adjacent washroom, a loose faucet dripped steadily, drops falling from the tap and splashing in the basin, shattering into pieces.

Not long after, a sharp, long-short emergency assembly whistle tore through the night; the soldiers instantly opened their eyes, sprang from their beds, quickly dressed, and rushed downstairs to the armory to grab their rifles!

"Roll call!"

"One, two, three..."

"Turn left! Get on the trucks quickly, move fast!"

Several troop trucks were already waiting at the side.

Among them, three were enthusiastic contributions from the Night Tiger Reconnaissance Battalion.

Lu Yang took the moment while everyone was quickly boarding to go up to a truck and inspect it.

"Are the headlights all off?"

"Off, off."

Gao Feng and Ma Qing'an had earlier ordered that all vehicles have their headlights turned off.

The sole truck leading the way had its front and rear headlights and turn signals completely covered with black tape.

The purpose was to prevent, while marching at night in darkness, enemy aerial drones, helicopters, or scouts from detecting light sources, thereby minimizing exposure of their movement.

As for how to drive at night without lights, that requires highly experienced night-driving skills.

Fortunately, among those who came from the Army, many were veteran drivers.

The following trucks would follow the faint fluorescent strip on the rear of the vehicle ahead, thus preventing them from getting lost at night.

Ma Qing'an walked over with a radio: "Regiment Commander, other units have already set off first; when are we leaving?"

Lu Yang raised his wrist, glanced at his watch, and said: "In five minutes, we won't take the main road; we'll go all the way on side roads, keep radio silence, and communicate via signal flags during the march."

Gao Feng frowned: "That covert?"

Lu Yang nodded: "Although we've had the upper hand in a few minor skirmishes before, the Sea Night Tiger, as the inheritor unit of the Night Tiger Reconnaissance Company, is not to be underestimated."

"Judging from their past record, their strength surpasses any opponent we've faced in past exercises; we cannot afford the slightest complacency."

"What Lu Yang said is right; we've prepared this long just for this battle."

"Be careful, and nothing will go wrong; I suggest increasing the distance slightly between the lead truck and the second one, so that if any sudden situation arises, we can still adapt on the fly."

"Alright, let's do that."

The five minutes passed quickly.

The camp gate opened; the troop trucks with headlights covered in black cloth, carrying seven or eight pathfinders and some supplies, set off first.

The remaining vehicles kept varying distances and followed behind.

The night was still; the sound of branches scraping the canvas occasionally rang out, like fingernails scratching a blackboard.

Because the side roads were bumpy, yet the Blue Army soldiers in the truck beds, as if already accustomed, all closed their eyes and rested while holding their rifles.

During the exercise, it's normal to go days and nights without rest; on the battlefield, don't expect proper rest—you must seize fragmented moments to catch sleep.

But some people felt no drowsiness, full of energy, obviously eager for the upcoming battle.

Kang Changyi cracked his knuckles and said: "This time, I'll take back everything I've lost!"

Ding Tengfei held his rifle and looked at him: "What did you lose?"

"Dignity, honor!"

Kang Changyi raised a finger: "I want to win, not to prove how great I am, but to tell everyone that I, Kang Changyi, have never been a useless platoon leader!"

Zhou Kaidong exclaimed: "What ambition! This time, if you make reckless decisions again and try to charge into enemy traps, no one will indulge you."

Kang Changyi rolled his eyes: "Just that one time, and it never happened again; this time, with Brother Yang in command, as long as we stick close to him, we'll surely win!"

They all looked up at the front passenger seat where Lu Yang was studying a military map, everyone filled with confidence.

Fighting is strange; if someone else led them, they'd probably have no confidence.

But with Lu Yang in command, and having relatively high authority, even the regiment headquarters would consult his battle plans, which is reassuring.

It feels like, as a small investor, if you just follow the big players, you're sure to profit without loss.

"What sound?"

Zhou Kaidong lifted his head, as if hearing the wind outside?

The others also looked outward; the branches were indeed swaying.

Suddenly, everyone noticed that the moving convoy had come to a complete stop, and Lu Yang also jumped down.

Gao Feng and Ma Qing'an, seeing this, also got out of the vehicle: "What's wrong? What happened?"

Lu Yang had all vehicles shut off their engines, simultaneously made a silencing gesture, and pointed his finger upward.

Through the gaps in the trees' branches and leaves, a black speck could be seen in the sky, flying from the southeast toward them, one after another.

"Is it a helicopter?"

"The Red side is moving fast—already starting aerial reconnaissance this quickly?"

"Fortunately we didn't take the main road, but switched to side roads; they're probably just passing by and haven't spotted us."

"Lu Yang, should we turn on the radio to warn nearby friendly forces?"

Lu Yang remained silent, but his gaze stayed fixed on the sky above, and a sense of unease spread in his heart.

Although he had already made things sufficiently concealed here, with the trees providing cover, they should not be detected.

But for some reason, he just felt something was off; it was as if this weren't a reconnaissance aircraft, but......

Armed helicopter!

Uh-oh, the enemy is coming straight for us!

Gao Feng and Ma Qing'an still hadn't had time to react.

The red side's Z-9WA helicopter overhead locked onto the lead vehicle at the front, and a Hongjian anti-tank missile was fired straight at it.

Although it didn't hit directly, the blast radius still destroyed the troop carrier, taking out all the soldiers inside.

Gao Feng blurted out a curse: "Damn it, they're going all out right away!"

Ma Qing'an's face was full of shock: "How did the enemy find us? Wasn't the battle plan changed?"

He Zhen Tao: "Damn it, those two armed helicopters are coming straight for us! Is there a tracker in the vehicle, or did the route leak again? This shouldn't happen—we've checked inside and out thoroughly!"

Never mind that for now!

Lu Yang slapped the rear vehicle door and shouted: "Everyone, grab your weapons and get out, then disperse and take cover in squads toward the southern woods!"

And what about yours?

Killing machine!

What?

Kong Long, pick up the ammo box and follow me!

Ma Qing'an and Gao Feng watched helplessly as Lu Yang clung to a general-purpose machine gun, taking Kong Long—this "moving ammo box"—and charging toward the open high ground, everyone dumbfounded...