TFA1 3.8 - They Are Not Enemies

TF Amethyst's initial structure, personnel, and assets were only completed last week. Most of the personnel had arrived at Harley Quinn, but only a small portion of assets had followed.

For example, from 108 units of LAV Shorad, only 12 units had arrived. While from 2000 units of humvees, only 300 were in operation. Overall, it took 6-9 months before all TF Amethyst's assets arrived.

Meanwhile, judging from the number of personnel in the gold mine, it was likely that they had connections with the nearest Region. Considering that logistics for more than a thousand people was no simple matter.

Therefore, to seize the gold mine, TF Amethyst mustered a sizable element from what it already had, and packed it into TF Raider. While TF Raider’s personnel carried out the final preparation, General O'Neil talked to Brigadier General Rayden in one corner of the Underground Motor Pool.

General O'Neil asked casually, "What do you think?"

Brigadier General Rayden took a deep breath before replying, "130 km to northwest is Rowane Region. 150 km to west is Lionel Region. These two are not formidable opponents if we are at full strength."

General O'Neil nodded slightly. "Unfortunately, contact has already taken place and we can't just ignore them."

"Yeah, and once we've snatched this gold mine, we had to always be on guard."

"Just a little curious, are you worried because there is a possibility we will enter an open conflict?"

Brigadier General Rayden calmly replied, "Nope."

"Good."

General O'Neil smiled broadly, and then approached TF Raider’s personnel who had just finished their preparation.

"Gentlemen, you all already know your job. So good luck."

"""Sir."""

TF Raider’s personnel answered calmly in unison, and then climbed into their vehicles.

Not long after that, a long convoy drove through exit tunnel and in an instant arrived at the surface. Once the convoy passed the main gate, they then broke up according to their tasks.

Three convoys of 4 units M1151 Ripper and 6 units M1152 Personnel Carrier each, they would attack the three storage rooms similar to the one that Sierra One found, and then combed the underground tunnel to the operation center of the gold mine.

As for the main convoy consisting of 4 units LAV Shorad, 16 units M1151 Reapers, and 12 units M1152 Personnel Carriers would directly attack the operation center of the gold mine from surface.

Meanwhile, the largest convoy consisting of QRF elements, artillery, air defense, paramedics, logistics, and engineers went straight to Camp Terry.

--- 

Six km east of Camp Terry, by relying on intelligence from IDG's interrogation, East Raider managed to find the entrance to underground tunnel. The entrance had a double-locked iron bars on the inside. However, East Raider’s personnel easily opened it using C4.

The crew of M1151 Ripper and M1152 Personnel Carrier then secured the entry point, while 24 combatants entered the tunnel. Even if the opposing side was used to live in the underground tunnels and could see in the dark quite well, East Raider’s personnel were not worried at all. They were not only had NVG, but also was trained to fight in tight spaces and had extraordinary adaptability.

In steady steps, East Raider’s personnel moved forward until finally one of pointmen saw an activity 70 meter up ahead. East Raider’s personnel immediately docked against tunnel's wall, while Sergeant Adams approached the pointman.

"Contact front, 80-100 hostiles." The pointman whispered while pointing to people who were loading wooden crates into carts.

Sergeant Adams watched the loading for a moment before saying, "Some will passing ours position. Let’s ambush them and dig intel from one or two."

The East Raider’s personnel then swiftly took positions and waited quietly. It wasn't long before three carts approached their position. Crosshairs were immediately placed on the heads of incoming targets.

---  

Until two months ago, Emil was a servant in a mansion of a noble from Lionel Region.  Unfortunately, he accidentally offended his master. He was then sold to a slave trader and ended up in an illegal gold mine at the entrance of Desolate Land.

From the slave workers who had arrived before him, Emil learned that the gold mine had been operating for eight months, and had killed more than 1000 slave workers. The dead toll was high because the slave workers have to work 18 hours/day without adequate food. 

Emil's body also rapidly declined to its lowest point. Even so, his determination to escape remained strong, and this morning Emil saw an opportunity. First, he saw Captain Skutt furiously leading his men down to south tunnel. Two hours later, a rumor about Captain Skutt and his men being slaughtered by a demon in black clothes was heard.

The situation in the gold mine instantly became tense. The guards who used to be ruthless turned quiet, and anxiety was visible on their faces. And when he and around a hundred of slave workers were asked to move the gold from east storage to operational center without an escort, Emil immediately laughed cheerfully in his heart.

Other slave workers were worry that the black-clothed demon would eat them, but for Emil, the absence of the guards was an opportunity to escape.

'Besides, the guards would at most run away if the black-clothed demon appeared.' Cheerfully, Emil touched the small crowbar that he tied around his waist.

At this moment, Emil decided he had only two choices. Manage to escape or die trying. He swore that he would no longer live as a slave worker.

When he reached the exit point on the east, Emil would try to dismantle the double-locked iron bars. If other slave workers wanted to come with him, he didn't mind. If not, he didn't mind either.

The more Emil imagined the freedom before his sight, the lighter the cart he was pushing. Then, without warning, several black-clothed figures suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Before Emil and other slave workers could react, an arm wrapped around their necks from behind, and then violently strangled them. A moment later everything turned pitch black.

---  

A few years ago, when he was still a member of Operational Detachment Alpha at US Green Beret, Sergeant Adams had a mission to confirm the presence of an HVT hiding in a cartel compound in the deep of Amazon rainforest.

Blackhawk dropped him and the three team members 5 km from the target location. Then, he and his man would approach the target location on foot.

Until finally, when Sergeant Adams and his man arrived at a slope, 40 men armed with arrows suddenly surrounded them from a higher position. All of them wore Indian-style clothes, looked fierce, and gave the impression of a trigger-happy idiot.

Sergeant Adam and the team were not only outnumbered but also out-positioned. He was sure he and his man could finish off a dozen of their besiegers before they were killed. However, Sergeant Adams chose a different approach which could be considered reckless.

Although he was very nervous inwardly, Sergeant Adams casually lowered his M4, and then took out a pack of Lucky Strikes, lit one, and made a leisure puff.

As if talking to an old friend, he then said in Spanish, "Dude, we're lost. Can you help us show the way?"

Miraculously, the Indians responded to Sergeant Adams' word by lowering their aims. Then, tensions melted away when one of the Indians asked for a cigarette. Cigarettes then distributed, small talk began, and most importantly information was extracted.

Intel regarding terrain in the area was obtained to the smallest detail, with the price of several sacks of corns, green beans, bacon, and beers airlifted by a Blackhawk.

The reconnaissance mission was scheduled to last for 12 days, but eventually it was finished in just 5 days. HVT was then captured on his way to the town to meet his trusted courier, and the high-risk raid on the cartel compound was scrapped.

Since then, Sergeant Adams has come to truly understand the principle of 'Sometimes, enemies don't become enemies until you decide it that they are enemies.'

It was a principle that the instructor of clandestine course for US Green Beret continued to shout at their student.

As he saw the people who pushing the carts were unarmed, while their wrists and feet were tied with a rope 50 cm long. Sergeant Adams immediately lowered his aim.

'The heck, they're not enemies.'

*****