Joe Ga and his two teammates quickly traversed the foul-smelling landfill and entered the complicated structure of tin shacks.
Since Karman was leading, Dorian naturally took the position of rear guard.
Joe Ga could always discern the difference between individuals at times like these.
Honestly speaking, if it was a one-on-one situation, Joe Ga felt that Dorian would definitely be no match for Karman in this environment, as the old man seemed too comfortable.
Moving through these seemingly identical tin shacks, Karman didn't even hesitate once. His strong sense of direction and distance never caused him to miss any of the intersections marked by Antar.
However, compared to Karman's ease, Dorian appeared even more professional, emanating the kind of expertise that comes from being tempered through countless trials.
The route outlined by Antar was mostly deserted, but as Dorian followed, he subconsciously kept turning to scan before catching up.
At nearly every intersection, the guy remained utterly vigilant, not letting down his guard just because there were drones overhead guiding them.
Joe Ga sensed a trick of the trade as they moved; Dorian was always watching the team's rear and Karman's vulnerable side. Moreover, at every intersection, Dorian would quicken his pace to step forward before Karman passed through, establishing cover for Karman's weak side as he did so.
The most interesting aspect was that Dorian's gun muzzle was never aimed in the same direction as Karman's. He seemed to have a fanatical requirement for crossfire. Whenever Karman slowed down, Dorian would be sure to step out of sync with him and then use his gun to form a crossfire.
Joe Ga couldn't exactly articulate whether Dorian's actions were remarkable or not, but he eagerly learned from Dorian, keeping his own gun pointed to Karman's right side as they followed him.
Since Karman carried his gun at his right hip, always tilted to the left, in any encounter with an enemy from the right front, Karman's reaction would inevitably be slower by a fraction of a second.
Joe Ga wasn't sure if what he was doing was correct, but he felt that since Dorian didn't waste words and the situation seemed to get somewhat easier afterward, he presumed he might be doing the right thing.
The trio of assault team members developed a subtle understanding as they quietly progressed through a stealthy approach.
It wasn't that Karman and Joe Ga suddenly became professionals in such a short span of time, but that after copying Dorian's moves, both of them felt an odd sense of security. It's difficult to describe, but it was undeniably there.
That could be the power of teamwork!
The arrival of Dorian made them realize how comfortable it was to "never have to worry about your own back."
After weaving through the complex narrow streets for about 20 minutes, Joe Ga and his team finally reached the alley between two shops, directly opposite the inn.
Looking out from the dark alley, Joe Ga noticed there were no street lights on the main road of the small town either—it was all darkness, except for a few lights inside the inn.
Two armed guards stood inside the doorway of the inn, near the windows, and three others were resting against the wall on the east side of the lobby.
Several lights were on the second floor of the inn, but the inside could not be seen.
Dorian pulled Joe Ga and Karman back a few steps, fully retreating into the alley. Then pointing towards the inn, he whispered, "The Mori Family's security operates with two teams of seven, alternating shifts, plus one who offers 24-hour personal protection."
"There are five people in the lobby now and two in the backyard."
"The inn's electricity runs on a diesel generator. I can go around the back to take care of those two guards and then sabotage the generator.
The moment the lights go out, you guys can launch the assault. It takes a few seconds for human eyes to adjust to the dark, and that's enough time for you to eliminate them."
"I'll go up to the second floor from the back of the hotel. Once the other bodyguards are alarmed by your ambush, I can strike them from behind."
"Remember, this place has been rented out by the Mori Family; there are no other guests. Everyone inside is an enemy."
Joe Ga shook his head after hearing this and said, "The people in the back will be taken care of by Dragon Gecko. He moves very silently."
As he spoke, Joe Ga handed his two grenades to Dorian and said, "You take these, you will definitely use them better than me in a tight space."
Dorian weighed the grenades in his hand and nodded, "Defensive grenades aren't well-suited for indoor use, but it's better to have them than nothing."
Joe Ga peeked out again, then turned back and whispered, "Don't use the grenades unless absolutely necessary. Most of Africa's guys haven't heard a gun with a silencer, if our operation goes especially smooth, we might be able to withdraw before the people around us react and sound the alarm."
Then, Joe Ga looked at Karman and asked, "Dragon Gecko, you okay with that?"
Karman nodded, pulled down his night-vision goggles, and slid out of the alley like a snake. He circled around the blind spot of the building wall, keeping to the edge of the hotel's light radiation, and slipped into the alley next to the hotel.
The whole process was utterly silent—if Joe Ga and Dorian hadn't been wearing night-vision goggles, they wouldn't have been able to see him at all?
While Karman made his move, Dorian looked at Joe Ga incredulously and asked, "Who exactly is this guy? Where was he trained?"
Joe Ga shrugged, "He trained amidst the gunfire in Africa. He isn't formally trained, there are many things he doesn't know, but I think he's the best soldier!"
Dorian nodded in agreement and whispered, "I think so too. At least, I've never seen anyone carry 15 kilograms and still move so lightly. Shit, I can't see him anymore. Where did he go?"
Joe Ga also couldn't see Karman anymore. He instinctively disengaged the safety on his HK416, flipped the red dot sight to the side, and aimed the barrel toward the hotel, readying himself.
Dorian took up a position on the other side of the alley, raising his gun to form a crossfire with Joe Ga and then made a "stay calm" gesture. He whispered, "After the lights go out, we'll get closer to the hotel before shooting. They won't be able to react in time.
"You take care of the windows. I'll 'knock on the door'."
In the darkness, Joe Ga became naturally tense; the secretion of adrenaline amplified his senses.
Highly focused, Joe Ga seemed to be able to hear the chitchat of the bodyguards inside the hotel. The confirmed positions of the bodyguards were replayed over and over in his mind.
Just as Dorian noticed that Joe Ga was a bit tense and was about to remind the new boss not to be too nervous, the lights at the hotel went out.
Before Dorian could speak, he saw Joe Ga dart out like an arrow loosed from a bow. He instinctively followed, rushing towards the hotel's entrance.
Just as Dorian was about to kick the door to draw attention and let Joe Ga shoot through the window, he heard a crisp sound like a spoon tapping on glass.
"Pop, pop, pop, pop, pop pop"
Four subsonic bullets exploded four heads, and when the last guy, huddled in a corner, reached for his gun to retaliate, he was first shot in the thigh, and then, as his body tipped to the side, another bullet struck his head.
The moment Dorian kicked the door open and rushed in, Joe Ga had already climbed in through the window and then, gun in hand, rushed to the staircase.
Dorian was stunned by such incredible marksmanship. Just as he was about to follow up, he saw a gunman emerge from a room on the side of the lobby...
Just as he was about to shoot to cover Joe Ga as he made for the stairs, he saw his boss holding a gun in his right hand in an attacking posture, and with lightning speed, he drew the silenced M9 from his lower back with his left hand and shot the gunman in the head. Throughout, Joe Ga's advance didn't pause for a moment.