Chapter 812 - 751 Tracking

Just as Song Heping and others changed their evacuation direction, retreating from north to south towards Ethiopia, Charles was staring at the laptop in a temporarily set-up tent outside the small town of Nelole in eastern South Sudan.

It was a small reconnaissance drone "Big Crow".

For this mission, they came equipped with the most advanced equipment.

Because South Sudan is a sensitive region, the "Elder Council" initially planned to use military connections to fly an MQ-9 drone from the "Nimitz" aircraft carrier in the Indian Ocean deep into South Sudan to scout the area and locate Song Heping and others.

However, after evaluation, the Navy deemed the current situation in South Sudan highly sensitive. The UN deployed numerous peacekeeping forces here, all equipped with anti-aircraft radar.

If the MQ-9 entered the area on a secret mission, it would likely be easily detected by radars of other countries, which could lead to a diplomatic incident.

After much consideration, Campbell finally notified Charles to bring a small drone into South Sudan to improve reconnaissance efficiency, track, and kill Song Heping.

Kill Song Heping.

This order seemed to have been issued countless times.

From the CIA to Mossad and then to the "Satan" army, the private armed group of the "Elder Council".

It's just that the previous actions all ended in failure. Not only did they fail to kill Song Heping, but he counterattacked and killed dozens of people.

This time, the dispatched Charles belonged to the "Satan" army, South Africa branch's elite squad, code-named "Devil". The squad leader was Charles.

Charles was British, formerly served in the SBS Special Forces, reaching the rank of Captain, making him a top-tier operative.

Since retiring, Charles was recruited by the "Elder Council" and joined the "Satan" army, serving as the core combat unit commander of the Africa branch.

The "Elder Council" is a secret society composed of bigwigs in politics and business, many of whom have business interests around the world.

From any perspective, there is a demand for armed forces.

Whenever official forces are inconvenient to mobilize, members of the "Satan" army become the most handy weapons of these old tycoons.

Assassination, pursuit, protection.

Anything that armed organizations can do, the "Satan" army can do.

Especially in places like Africa.

Nothing works better than force.

They can even obtain formal official identities, just like Charles previously obtaining UN passage documents, posing as UN personnel to pass through buffer zones into war zones. Their infiltration into government institutions began right after World War II when the Cold War era started, with many of their people cultivated within Europe, the United States, and even inside the UN.

The "Satan" army's Africa branch has had a brilliant record over the years, assisting insurgent groups to overthrow regimes that conflicted with the "Elder Council's" interests more than a dozen times, countless assassination missions, and protecting the business interests of "Elder Council" members in the region.

Although Africa has the largest mercenary company EO, when it comes to the true king of mercenary organizations, it has to be the "Satan" army.

"They are heading south."

Finally, an "Satan" army mercenary responsible for drone control located Song Heping and others on the screen.

"Look, these vehicles should be theirs. Three hours ago, they eliminated a rebel armed squad in Koma Village, and according to the information provided by Damar, that squad was equipped with two armed pickups and several trucks, matching these abandoned vehicles."

The Big Crow drone began to descend.

Through the night vision camera, all ground scenery images were clearly transmitted back to the laptop via satellite communication.

Charles stared at the screen for a moment, then turned and shouted to another subordinate: "Bring the electronic map over."

Soon, a "Satan" mercenary brought another laptop to the desk, the latest electronic map already pulled up in the system.

Charles sat down at the laptop, waved the mouse to enlarge the area around the vehicle's location, and began studying it with concentration.

About two minutes later, his furrowed brow finally relaxed.

"Prepare for action immediately! They are heading south to the east, intending to cross the Machar Swamp and the nearby jungle into Ethiopia! They did not go north! Bell, organize the squad's combat personnel and gather at the helicopter; we are boarding now!"

He then left the tent and went straight to Colonel Damar's command post.

The latter was smoking in the command post, chatting with a few of his close officers, the tent filled with smoke, causing the just-entered Charles to frown.

He didn't smoke and hated people who did.

"Colonel, we've found the target's trail."

"Oh?!"

Damar seemed surprised.

He had previously dispatched six search squads northward into the combat zone to search; those squads returned empty-handed, with no useful information.

"Where are they?"

"They are moving south, not north." Charles said, "Those abandoned vehicles are near the jungle edge outside Dingding Town. We estimate they've abandoned the vehicles and entered the jungle. If I'm right, they intend to cross the Machar Swamp, using the nearby jungle to cover their tracks and evade our pursuit."

"That's impossible."

Colonel Damar laughed heartily.

"Do you know the nickname for Machar Swamp and the nearby jungle? Hell. Understand? It's filled with miasma and teeming with snakes and wild beasts. I could understand if it's an elite armed team crossing, but didn't you tell me that guy took all the villagers from Koma Village? That village has at least four hundred people, and you're telling me the elderly, women, and children can traverse the jungle? They must be taking vehicles, heading north along the road into the buffer zone, seeking protection from the UN Peacekeeping Forces. We just haven't found which road yet."

"Colonel, you must trust my intelligence-gathering abilities." Charles said, "We are professionals. If you want the promised conditions, then mobilize all your personnel to the Machar Swamp area, then enter the jungle on foot, find the best jungle routes to track their traces, and gather forces to besiege them."

Listening to Charles speak in a commanding tone, Damar felt very displeased.

After all, he is the leader of this armed organization, and although not the most powerful force in Sudan, they rank in the top three.

A white man, coming to his territory, speaking to him in an ordering tone...

If it were someone else, he would have already sent him to meet God with peanuts.

Of course, this was just Damar's fantasy; he didn't dare act in reality.

After all, the "Satan" army promised to provide a large amount of weaponry and help him become the largest armed organization in South Sudan if this mission succeeded, giving him a seat in the interim South Sudan government.

This condition was very tempting.

Why do they fight?

Land, women, and money.

If he could gain power in the interim South Sudan government, he'd have it all.

"Alright."

He finally chose to compromise.

One doesn't become the leader of an armed organization with a stupid mind.

"Since you are so sure, I will have all my men deployed immediately."

He stood up, wanting to go out and gather his people. As he passed by Charles, he smiled mockingly: "Captain, aren't you too tense? Just a few armed personnel, I have over a thousand men here. Even blind firing would turn him into a beehive."

Saying this, Damar swaggered away.

Bell came to report as he left the tent: "Sir, everything is ready; we can board the helicopter anytime."

Charles didn't speak, staring at Damar's receding figure.

"Sir? What are you looking at?"

"These rag-tag forces seem unreliable. This mission probably depends on us."

Charles muttered to himself.

He had a feeling.

Someday, Damar's arrogance would be his downfall at Song Heping's hands.