Inside the vast base, lights blazed everywhere. Men and women in black combat uniforms moved through corridors and halls, while electric vehicles occasionally passed by, slowly hauling military supplies.
In the well-soundproofed indoor shooting range, the thunder of firearms echoed as men and women wielding rifles and handguns focused intently on their shooting practice.
More than a dozen moving targets shuttled through the range at extremely high speeds, shifting up and down in complex trajectories that made one's eyes swim.
A tall young man in black combat uniform maintained a calm expression as he fired his handgun repeatedly. He paid no attention to frequent misses, only tracking new moving targets with his eyes and quickly pulling the trigger.
After firing the last bullet, the slide locked back empty. The young man let out a soft breath, worked the slide, and removed the magazine to verify no rounds remained before setting down the gun and pulling out his ear protection.
"Brother, that's amazing! You got over 30% hit rate on these highest difficulty moving targets!"
Another youth in the same uniform approached, looking admiringly at the display screen at the shooting position.
He had a baby face, with visible signs of childhood cleft lip correction surgery that left his lip contours noticeably unnatural, marring his overall facial appearance.
"Xiao Yao, I've already talked to Squad Leader Meng. You shouldn't participate in today's operation."
The tall youth methodically disassembled his handgun, arranging the parts large and small in neat order on the table. Without looking up, his knife-edge sharp features remained expressionless.
"That's impossible! Brother, I specifically applied to join the Xuan Jia Squad! I plan to work with you from now on!"
The baby-faced youth suddenly became agitated, his face turning red. His high-pitched voice mixed with the intermittent gunfire in the range sounded somewhat jarring.
The tall youth turned to look silently at the baby-faced youth for several seconds before turning back to start reassembling his handgun with precise, practiced movements.
"Attention all units: Xuan Jia Squad Operation #497, T-minus 2 hours. First check for Support Company, first check for Logistics Company... All Assault Company members, please report to the Operations Briefing Hall. All Assault Company members, please report to the Operations Briefing Hall."
Just as the baby-faced youth was about to say more, an electronic announcement rang out through the shooting range and in everyone's ear protection.
The men and women in the range all simultaneously lowered their weapons, removed their ear protection, and filed out in succession.
As a woman passed by the tall youth, her peripheral vision caught the display screen at his shooting station. She seemed shocked by his training results and briefly showed a surprised expression, but quickly quickened her pace and walked out of the range as if nothing had happened.
"Hey brother, you must be the best in Xuan Jia Squad - look at that woman, she was shocked by your score."
The baby-faced youth chuckled with vicarious pride, even whistling softly at the woman's retreating figure.
...
Only about seventy young men and women were seated in the spacious Operations Briefing Hall, capable of holding hundreds.
Most seats remained empty, with everyone seemingly deliberately maintaining distance from others, sitting sparsely scattered throughout.
Meng Huai slowly paced through the gaps between seats, his cold gaze sweeping over the nearby and distant squad members.
No one in the hall spoke; only the steady, heavy sound of military boots striking the floor could be heard.
As Meng Huai passed each person, his tall shadow looming over them, the squad members sitting at attention unconsciously straightened their backs even further.
Passing one particular seat, Meng Huai stopped and slowly turned, looking at a baby face before him.
Feeling the Squad Commander's pressuring gaze, the baby-faced youth quickly stood at attention, eyes fixed straight ahead.
Raising his hand, he took a folder from his assistant, who was closely following, flipped through it, and finally spoke: "Gu Yao, age twenty, previously a delivery rider. Completed all three phases of Shadow Arrow Force training. Voluntarily applied to join Xuan Jia Squad's Assault Company, officially joined yesterday."
"Yes, Commander."
The baby-faced youth called Gu Yao thrust out his chest again.
"Don't you know the rules here? Relatives are not allowed in the same operations squad. You probably can't stay here. Besides, you just joined yesterday, so you won't participate in today's mission."
Speaking thus, Meng Huai turned his gaze toward another tall youth not far away.
"That's not fair!" Gu Yao suddenly turned his head, staring resentfully at the still-unfamiliar Major Commander. "Don't try to fool me! The training center people said that was just a 'suggestion'! Shadow Arrow never had such a written regulation! Why can't I stay in Xuan Jia Squad?"
At these words, many Xuan Jia Squad members simultaneously cast complex glances his way.
Meng Huai ignored Gu Yao's questioning, his expression ice-cold, appearing deaf to it as he continued looking at a corner not far away, where a certain tall youth sat quietly.
"Xia Yan!"
Brushing aside a few stray thoughts, Meng Huai called out the name.
With a swift motion, the tall youth stood up, as if having already predicted the outcome of the exchange between Gu Yao and Commander Meng.
"Arrange which team he is assigned to yourself!"
Having said this, Meng Huai strode quickly toward the hall's super-large projection wall, gesturing to his female assistant behind him to indicate that the formal mission briefing should begin.
The female assistant looked around at the silent Xuan Jia Squad assault team members, especially at the smugly satisfied Gu Yao, inwardly sighing slightly before quickly pressing the remote in her hand.
"This operation's coordinates are in the northeastern mountain region of D City, S Province, specifically at a classified military factory from the Third Front Construction period, connected to the outside world by only a single military road built half a century ago. At the beginning of this century, due to enterprise bankruptcy and restructuring, the factory site is currently abandoned."
The female assistant used the remote to flip through maps and satellite photos on the large screen. The hall was so silent that you could hear a pin drop.
"The operation will officially begin at 0130 hours. Three assault teams will board transport aircraft, perform night aerial insertion on the mountain region's military road, then proceed cross-country to enter the operation area. They will then simultaneously infiltrate the factory area from the south, north, and east faces, taking control of both surface facilities and underground factory areas!"
At this point, the female assistant used a wireless pen to draw several lines and key points on the screen.
"According to Shadow Arrow Western Surveillance District Intelligence Department's analysis, a small Baron-level vampire family entrenched in D City will conduct a family Embrace ceremony to develop new members at the mission coordinates. We estimate five to ten Knight-level vampires, with possible encounters with Baron-level vampires, so Xuan Jia Squad's operation mission is classified as Level C. No live capture requirements - completely eliminate all targets on site! The Support Company will handle outer perimeter sweeping and containment lines, with follow-up cleanup work to be completed by the Intelligence Company.
"Considering that the underground factory area will still be retained as a national strategic asset, this operation will not employ air force destructive bombing."
As map after map and mission planning details were revealed, the briefing continued for over half an hour, with everyone present wearing grave expressions. This kind of full-force deployment mission, especially with the probability of encountering Baron-level high-ranking vampires, was something most had never experienced.
"One hour until departure, everyone start preparing. I know most people here have only participated in two or three Level D, E, or even F missions, but I believe that as long as everyone strictly follows combat regulations, dealing with a small Baron-level vampire family isn't difficult."
The electronic screen turned off, and Meng Huai stood up again, looking around at all the squad members.
Though his expression remained calm and even somewhat cold, Meng Huai's heart felt heavy.
Because currently, the Xuan Jia Squad Assault Company was not only chronically under-strength, but less than half of the members had served for more than a year.
...
The weapons preparation area was neat and emanated killing intent.
Rows of firearms and unidentifiable equipment were arranged orderly on metal tables or racks, and seventy-some black-uniformed men and women silently checked and organized their weapons and ammunition.
Opening an ammunition box, 12-gauge shotgun shells radiating lethal purpose appeared before his eyes. Xia Yan grabbed one and pressed it into the semi-automatic shotgun's magazine.
Nearby, Gu Yao also grabbed a handful of silver-tipped bullets from another box, pressing them into his handgun magazine.
"Brother, can bullets made of silver really kill vampires?" After loading several magazines, Gu Yao asked in a lowered voice, his face showing nervous excitement.
"Mm, it's just humanity's thousand-year experience fighting vampires... Your instructors at the training center should have taught you all this already."
Xia Yan answered while taking apart his semi-automatic shotgun into pieces, then began to reassemble it.
"Heh, it's my first mission, I'm just too curious. Oh right, brother, look at her." Gu Yao mimicked Xia Yan's actions, starting to disassemble his own weapon while nodding toward a young woman who was silently preparing her firearms and ammunition nearby. "That's the one from the range who looked at your shooting score. She's pretty. What's her name?"
"Hmm?" Xia Yan turned his neck slightly, just glancing from the corner of his eye before matter-of-factly beginning to check the night vision device on his combat helmet. "That's Lieutenant Tao from the Third Team. What, interested in her? When you joined, didn't anyone tell you not to get too familiar with people in the squad?"
"Brother, I just got here." Gu Yao rubbed his head, looking confused. "I'm new, but I've noticed everyone in Xuan Jia Squad is so cold and distant, unwilling to get close to others. How can we accomplish big things like this?"
"Commander Meng will give you the answer soon... Newcomers like you normally start with the lowest Level F combat missions, gradually understanding our operation's nature and combat characteristics."
Xia Yan smiled, taking several cylindrical grenades from a nearby rack and handing them to Gu Yao: "Take a few incendiary and smoke grenades. Better to be prepared."
Just then, the fully armed Meng Huai approached. The combat team members in the weapons preparation area stood up one after another, waiting for the Commander's pre-departure inspection or speech.
Meng Huai maintained his cold expression, looking around at his squad members before his gaze fell on a certain female member's face: "Since we have a new member in the squad, Tao Qiao'er, you explain the squad rules again."
Having said this, he stepped back, leaning against an ammunition rack.
The female lieutenant designated by Meng Huai stepped forward half a step, eyes fixed straight ahead: "First, except for executing combat missions, squad members are not allowed to gather privately, and especially cannot develop romantic relationships. Second, during mission periods, each small team's leader is the primary commander, and team members follow all orders from the team leader. In case of casualties, pre-designated succession members take over command. Third, during combat, if discovering an injured teammate who cannot be immediately evacuated, check for blood infection reaction, if... if positive, terminate... terminate on site."
Though she must have repeated it many times, Tao Qiao'er spoke fluently but still hesitated and stammered slightly during the final section.
"Mm, perfect word choice, very good..." Meng Huai raised his head, gaze sharp, "Although we are all rare blood type carriers in this world, it doesn't mean we can resist vampire blood infection 100%. Once becoming a new vampire, given our blood type rarity, it's equivalent to giving humanity another nightmare. So, when unavoidable, I hope everyone can make the choice most beneficial to humanity. I'm not against you all developing emotions and becoming close comrades, but I fear you won't be able to pull the trigger when the time comes."
Speaking thus, his gaze turned toward the pale-faced Gu Yao and unusually calm Xia Yan: "Gu Yao, I'll remind you one last time in front of your brother—you can still withdraw now, and there will be plenty of missions in the future."
"I... I want to participate. I've completed all required training, I won't drag everyone down." Gu Yao looked around at the various expressions of his unfamiliar teammates and shook his head firmly.
"Very good, as long as you remember this." Having said this, Meng Huai walked toward the exit, but suddenly turned back at the door, his gaze once again sweeping across his subordinates' faces, "Don't be opportunistic. Even if someone can't bear to pull the trigger, in the future, whether it's Xuan Jia Squad, or Embroidered Uniform Squad, or even the entire Shadow Arrow Force, they will still hunt down blood-infected people as top priority..."
...
At 2300 hours, the electric door on one side of the weapons preparation area slowly opened, revealing a straight sloping passage. Along both sides of the passage, rows of indicator lights lit up sequentially.
The fully armed Xuan Jia Squad combat members filed in, their heavy footsteps chaotic yet murderous. Everyone carried heavy packs, heads slightly lowered.
Gu Yao followed closely behind Xia Yan, actually feeling his legs trembling slightly. He accidentally bumped into a teammate, and just as he was about to apologize, he met the cold face of a young woman. Embarrassed, he quickly lowered his head again.
At the end of the passage, it suddenly opened up into the base's surface military airport, where a large black military transport aircraft sat on the runway. Its rear cargo door was wide open, revealing the brightly lit spacious cabin inside. Four massive engines were in a pre-takeoff low-speed operation state, emitting a heavy rumble.