Chapter 352

Three hours later, the entire squad reached the high ground. Andrew Smith completed the handover with acting squad leader Bao Yong from the allied forces before leading his team to two other outposts. When the final defensive line was secured, their allies withdrew without incident.

The rugged terrain held immense strategic value. Many unnamed peaks were marked only by dates on military maps. The pre-dawn silence was eerie—even insect chirps sounded unnervingly clear. Despite the smooth transition, tension coiled tighter in every soldier.

Imminent combat. Potential casualties. These would be their first real experiences of war.

Shadows shifted on the opposite ridge, signaling the start of the standoff. Andrew felt no fatigue. Under the blazing sun, his unit remained concealed in bunkers, vigilant. From today onward, observers would maintain 24-hour surveillance through binoculars.

——

Meanwhile, Luna White's all-female medical unit waited at the rear hospital. But frontline skirmishes had already erupted at two outposts after the rotation.

Years of border tensions had dwindled from full-scale clashes to sporadic firefights. Yet the medical commander couldn't sit idle—where bullets flew, wounded followed. The women wouldn't stay sheltered any longer.

Ten emergency teams mobilized instantly. Paired with Lily Collins, Luna shouldered a heavy medic pack for their frontline deployment. Tonight, she'd witness war's brutality firsthand.

The original night operation plan changed when dense fog provided cover. The commander's order was decisive: ten trucks, four guards per vehicle, immediate departure.

Unease thickened inside the armored transport. They were crossing the infamous "Line of No Return"—where real danger lurked not on the border, but along this blood-soaked supply route. Countless soldiers had perished here without ever reaching the front.

Luna clutched her medical kit until her knuckles whitened. The usually composed medic felt her heartbeat drumming against her ribs. Outside, the mist swirled like gauze, veiling untold secrets.